New Batch of Year 13 parents this way!

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Hopefully this thread will appear on TIO! No need to use it til our old thread is done, but at least we have it for when we are ready.

Signing in for this thread in the hope I can keep up this year, need lots of tips and help for UCAS forms (right name?) DS1 for those of you who won't remember me because I fell of multiple threads for our children has some SEN so I was well chuffed with his CCE A/S levels. Well not the E but I have no idea why he took art in the first place having never, ever done it before and being crap at course work . Best news ever is he did work experience for his Welsh Bacc and was immediately offered a holiday job with the business which has now been extended to a permanent job to fit around school. He's so good at 'stuff' and bright but not academic so I am pleased someone has spotted his potential. Fingers crossed him having two jobs now will look good on his form despite his interesting academic results.

Also he has repeatedly failed his theory test but is a most excellent driver so I do get driven everywhere I need in a very relaxing fashion even if he can't go anywhere on his own yet!

We're at Notts on the 16th. I refused to take him out of school for visits.
I've had to take some medication this week (nothing serious but they make me feel very unwell) so ds1 has been driving me everywhere, it's been great. Mr Slant that's really good news, it's great when their skills are valued by others.

We are doing Nottingham, Newcastle and York on three consecutive days.

Welcome back MrSlant ad congratulations on the that job.

Theory test is next week here. If he passes all well and good. if he doesn't well at least he's put some work in to it this week. The next one he could do was mid October so to me it was worth the money to take a chance on getting it out of the way now. I think he's a long way off the practical side, he's safe but not putting it all together quickly. I'm keen for him to pass as then I'll be replacing my ten year old tank with its hostage-taking CD player and temperamental boot lock with something newer with a tiny engine that's cheaper to insure (and tax).

There's one more open day booked and as it's a Saturday I suggested that DH might like the final open day experience.

The instructor booked the test and I have to trust that he knows what he's doing, but cripes. DH is going to have to get her out lots.

MrSlant your ds and my dd need to combine their skills, she's good at theoretical, but pretty hopeless at the doing. How fab about his jobs and his two Cs are something to be really proud of.

dd is done with open days, at least until the offer holders open days come round, she ran out of places to consider, so her choices are what they are.

Ursula, that sounds knackering!

Good luck to your DS next week knitting.

Ursula - we did Newcastle and Nottingham one day after the other, we had another planned on the Sunday but gave it up as a bad job when DS wouldn't get out of bed for another 7am start...

We parked up at Heworth station when we went to Newcastle and caught the Metro in - the stop was just outside the Uni. If you get to Nottingham early enough you'll be able to park on campus.

We are staying over night in Newcastle on the Friday then with a friend in the NE on Saturday before driving to York.

I am hoping my blue badge will allow me to park up at all the Unis. She will have to do the tours on her own as I won't be able to do them with her.

This week I conducted an experiment to find out how long it would take DS1 to wash the dirty laundry he brought back from Reading. This is without me nagging or even mentioning the subject at all.

The answer is three days; he did it today.

I think that is pretty impressive TheSecond. I'm fairly sure DD wouldn't think to do it till either she needed something that was still dirty, or it was starting to smell.

Note to self something to work on over the coming year...

"If you get to Nottingham early enough you'll be able to park on campus."

How early is early. We are there on the 15th.

Ursula where are you staying in Newcastle? We stayed at the Premier Inn, which has parking next door, and is walking distance to the university.

I don't recall that there was anywhere near the university itself to park though as it is bang in the middle of the city.

For the open day York has parking at an old airfield and then a shuttle bus transfer. It was extremely well organised. I think it is easier to park on campus at York. Bear in mind that the campus there is pretty spread out.

We did Newcastle one day and York the next at their summer open days. We were really tired by Sunday evening.

I think that is pretty impressive TheSecond

It definitely could have been worse. It gives me hope for this time next year.

Can I join?
DD definitely taking a Gap year next year. Is still totally undecided about whether to go to Uni at all (but will work for the grades regardless). Full driving test on Monday. Started an Essay yesterday (I didn't know she had one to do). Hasn't yet done all her Course work data collection - Geography. But doesn't start until the 11th.
Oh and completed the expedition bit of D of E Gold at the beginning of August.

Welcome bekabeech

Welcome back MrSlant - that sounds like an excellent set of results for your DS

Welcome bekabeach

Dds Leeds washing is still waiting!

We are stay at Jury's in Gateshead.

I'm hoping my blue badge will get me close.

I hope so too Ursula. DD really liked Newcastle. It helps that we have family in Northumberland, and 2 of her cousins went to uni in Newcastle and know it really well.

Lonicera - we got there just before 9am. I can't remember which way we went in but there are gardens at the side/back (sense of direction appalling) of the campus and we were directed onto the road that runs through.

Starfleet, that is really useful to know, I'm not a big fan of the walking thing!
Ds2 is doing his practice bronze this weekend, I only found this out on Tuesday - it's going to be an interesting experience. The groups are all being rearranged when they arrive at camp, they have start and end points but no meet points until they are there so haven't yet been able to plot a course.
His backpack broke this afternoon so he has a spare with no pockets and he has confessed his map reading skills are a bit rusty.
If he gets through the weekend in one piece I will be seriously impressed.

How do you all feel at the prospect of them being so far away from you? DS1 only wants to go to the nearest uni which is in our nearest town (we are pretty rural). It's a niche course but his extra-curriculars and job should put him in good standing for a place as long as he doesn't fail his A levels completely. I hope! We haven't done any visits at all because Sport (yes it gets a capital letter ) means we never have any free time. Is it really necessary or should we wait until he has some offers and we have an idea of where we should look. To be honest I don't think he is likely to get many offers.

Impressed with the 3 day laundry turn around. I still have things in the car from our holiday and we got home on monday .

OYBBK I was going to say that maybe our DC's should make with Scooby-do type disguises and swap taking the tests so they both play to their strengths but that's probably not a very safe idea when it comes to driving is it .

MrSlant, I think lots only go to offer holders open days.

I don't mind the idea of dd being some distance, except the thought of carting her stuff back and forth each term fills me with dread.

I think that could be a plan re the driving tests, only I got a little muddled with the idea and envisioned them driving with masks that looked like Scooby Do :D

MrSlant - DS only did the summer ones as we also have a Sport that takes over!

If anyone is going to Sheffield (if you haven't already been). There is a multi storey car park virtually opposite the main campus that you can pre-book online - it's £5 all day over the weekend.

Or park in Nunnery Square (just off the Parkway) and use the yellow line tram to get to the university. The multi storey car park is new and is used mainly for the children's hospital so I wouldn't be confident of finding many spaces there.

Would highly recommend park and ride for Sheff University, I live there.

Personal Statement still under way here, though board gaming and Hobbit watching got in the way today...

Hello all just checking in. Dd had plans to go to lots of open days up north far from us, but has now changed her mind and wants to go to a local one. Have to say I'm relieved. Going to open days she gets offers for makes sense.

Also glad to hear personal statement doesn't have to be done and dusted yet! Thanks guys very useful thread.