Y13 Summer term: Finishing Lessons, Starting Exams and leaving Sixth Form

[catslife]

So our dcs are now on the last term of sixth form, finishing off lessons and starting their exams.
How did that happen - doesn't seem that long ago since they started Y12.
This is the thread where we support each other as our dcs revise and start their exams, finish off coursework, leave sixth form and make plans for what to do with the rest of their lives. This may involve going to uni or other alternatives.
Every Y13 parent is welcome to join in whether new to these threads or if you have been with us for a while - the more the merrier.

Ursula & Lobster well done to your DC on coursework scores. Mind if I join in your somersaults with DD's Geography coursework graded A today! The stress was worth it in the end!

Fantasy glad to hear your DD is moving in the right direction with diagnoses & op.

Ursula we are also inviting some friends & family to DD's party - crowd control & some respite from pesky exams! Been feeling very nostalgic putting photo boards together of DD - how did my baby get all grown up?! Happy birthday to all your DC hitting their milestones too.

In answer to Unconditional not showing on UCAS when Firmed, they told me it won't show until 14 day cooling off period has elapsed in case students change their minds again. They also said the Uni had to inform UCAS too & then it's updated on their Tracking page.

Congrats to your Dd lashings

Hope your party goes well. I did throw a separate party for family and my friends. And I am also the embarrassing parent who stays in when dd has parties and have been known to pop down to the fridge when a song I like comes on (rare) to have a bit of a boogie.

that is such good news about the coursework Marmite Ursula Raspberry Lashings and Lobster, very reassuring to know there is lots of excellent marks in the bag already, and Second I'm sure you are with me in just being relieved that the English coursework is done and dusted and respectable.

Ds in excellent mood still, but still reluctant to take advice or suggestions note to self, stop bothering with this. The latest thing he is balking at is my suggestion to go to a "fun" function at his new uni which is scheduled for tonight, and they have sent him a ticket...etc..Nope, absolutely resistant, under the veneer of excitement about new uni is fear of unknown. It is sooo frustrating, he would meet some of the people on his course and related courses see the atmosphere at uni for himself, it is a small discreet function, no need to even talk to anyone just look around (art exhibition).

Anyway, have got that out of my system and accept the inevitable, he just doesn't want to go to any social events which are "challenging" or random. A gig a year is clearly enough!

DD is not the best at making friends. She is really quite lacking in confidence but it comes across as aloof with a side order of resting bitch face, especially in full slap when she can look stunning. Back in my day you had to get out and meet people otherwise you would just fester in your room, but with an iphone welded to the hand they are never really alone anymore.

I don't think she has had any contact from her first choice University other than confirmation of her accommodation choices.

the horse must be v helpful though!

oh yes, festering, I remember it well. And the relief when you made it out of your so called comfort zone, which was in fact a lonely miserable room where you listened to Joan Armatrading and Sting and felt they knew your inner thoughts... What a relief to bounce down the street and go to the shops and go places and see friends, although simultaneously I can remember longing to go home with my latest record and listen to it by myself..

I am not in love
But I'm open to persuasion
East or west
Where's the best
For romancing
With a friend

Aw. Takes me back.

Massive congratulations ursula lobster lashings (sorry if I've missed any)

DD finally has the last grade for subject 1 - another Distinction. That's straight Distinctions so (assuming no problems with external moderation) - a Distinction-Star

fantastic Chocolate
is she planning to continue with that subject in RL or training...? Or has it been more of a preparation for further study in another area? Just interested because ds2 might be doing an extended Btec in Drama next year and I wonder whether it rules out studying something like History at uni (if he wanted to do that later)

Subject 1 is generic enough to apply to pretty much any career. She won't go to university. Current plan is to continue with the part time job (but do overtime) so she can enjoy festival season and probably do an apprenticeship later in the year or next year.

Brilliant news Chocolate and well done on all those with good news on coursework results!

DD had her final school music concert last night, only 2 Y13s still playing so she got a personal thank you and good luck from the Head of Music.

She is still wobbling over choice of uni though.

Thanks Ursula, Nettles, chocolate & Raspberry. Chocolate fantastic result for your DD too. Good luck everyone else with coursework results - so relieved it's all handed in now! Think making new friends and putting themselves out there is the scary part for most of them at first.
Nettles my DD is taking Drama alongside two science subjects & it's been a positive experience in her case - 5 Uni offers, one unconditional, & now a Degree Apprenticeship offer in a technology setting & degree, where she was up against students studying physics, maths & computer science A Levels. In interviews they liked the unique combination as different and it certainly helped her confidence in performing in the Assessment centre for her DA - so positive all round. She was looking to study Geography BA at Uni. Obviously if DC is doing medicine it would be different though.

I am enjoying seeing people doing well, it's nice to see some positive things in the world. Don't be shy about coming forward with "exceeds expectations" because if you can't share it here, where can you? If you have to spend five minutes explaining the context to granny it kind of sucks the joy from sharing the news. Here one granny would start listing the achievements of the other grandchildren (a Nobel prize wouldn't be enough to stop that) and the other would greet 98/100 with an investigation as to what was being done to improve.

I am counting off the days to half term, after which there may or may not be study leave (depending who it is in college that you ask) but the end is in sight now. It's just possible that he might manage a full week in college before the end of term (depression, it's all too hard, everything is too hard except for computer games) but unlikely.

Hugs to you and your DS knitting. Every day is a step forward and managing a whole week would be great.

Whit Friday just around the corner!

The end is in sight knitting. Keep hanging in there.

I think dd is having a wobble after a poor mock result, taken during a family emergency. It seems to have shaken her confidence.

I'm shocked at how quickly sixth form seems to have flown by!

for you and your DS Icouldbeknitting
DD is struggling at the moment as well. She got the lowest marks in the class in last week's chemistry mock, yesterday's chemistry mock didn't go well either. The GP has upped her anti anxiety meds and told her to double her vitamin D supplements.

Well done to all the successful DC of posters on here. Please could you send some success vibes our way and to other parents of students not doing so well.

Raspberry we had DD's last concert on Thursday night. They had 19 upper 6 performers but DD and the other music student performed last. She sang a piece in Russian with the chamber orchestra. So proud of her. Can't believe it was the last one though! Seem to be a lot of "last" things at the moment. Feeling quite sentimental.

OYBBK - hopefully your DD will be able to contextualise her lower than usual mark and shake it off. She will eventually realise it is no reflection on her ability. We have been there, and DD found that creating a spreadsheet tracking her marks over the whole year, and tying dips to “events” actually helped rather than rubbing salt in her metaphorical and physical wounds.

Hi everyone

I think the pressure is ramping up, even if like here, exams don't start for a few weeks. One disappointing mark can knock confidence but in the grand scheme of things, it shouldn't, and with our help giving them perspective, our DC should be able to see the progress they've made and will continue to make right up until the exams. Keep going DC, stay resilient!

GCSEs have started, so that's been my focus ...... tough week coming next week for DS2, so my TLC is being well dispersed as I mustn't forget about DD either (or DH !!)

Wishing you all a good weekend - rest and revision is my mantra!

"One disappointing mark can knock confidence but in the grand scheme of things, it shouldn't, and with our help giving them perspective"

It is very difficult for a teenager with anxiety and depression to see past that. DD's CFS therapist suggested that DD was suffering from depression on top of everything else, so it is a very steep uphill climb for her. She is certainly bright enough to do well in her A levels, but her confidence in getting As is flagging.

Lonicera - a friend of mine'a daughter (and mum too, for daughter) was gutted when her dd prediced aaa* got ABB (although A in her best subject) It is only now a year later that she and her daughter are beginning tos ee that ABB was still a fantastic achieviement (thye were in humanity and language sujbects) sorry I can hardly see the screen so excuse typos, I'm typing practically blindfold)

knitting ds is playing a far amount of fortnight computer game. I cannot understand why, but he says it releases tension .and I think he finds excelling at beating baddies makes him feel successful when all else fails. Ds is refusing to do anything obviously musical atm, llike listen to Young Musician of he Year for example...I'm treading really carefully and not mentioning music at all, possibly Ic annot help myself with pop as you lot have found but still...

the two brothers have swapped over revision stations. Ds2 is sitting revising happily in ds1's revision room and vice versa (possibly because telly i s in ds2's room and there were fights over ds1 evitcting s2 to play Fortnight) dd still doing all her revision out, in the public libarry. A lot of sushi is being consumed

Well study leave starts next week. As far as I know, ds has been to all his lessons, which is fabulous. I have no idea if he's pulled his marks back from his mocks, but I'm now just letting him get on with it, and have everything crossed that his plan isn't to 'just wing it' like his GCSEs

DD finishes school on 25th May. They still have 2 geography lessons to finish the syllabus, but chemistry and biology are all now revision lessons.

Losing 4 school days to snow in March has been a right old PITA.

fantastic achievement because your A level results are not just the grade, but what you learnt on the course itself, the fact that you covered two years of syllabus and in ten years twnety years time you won't forget either your topics or your set texts whatever grade you did or didn't get.