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.

Sorry I'm late - the shock of a new thread not started by kitten distracted me.

Welcome bit

DD had a fantastic 18th and managed not to be sick on alcohol (unlike some of her friends). I still can't believe I'm the parent of an adult.

The blanket sounds lovely :)

dd has a mix of old and new A levels. Maths as raspberry says is still the old style, so there are a lot of papers she can do. I must ask her how she is managing physics. For STEP it's just a case of doing past paper after past paper, but as they are three hours long it takes some commitment each time she sits down to one.

Knitting -it's funny your doing a blanket, I'm nearly halfway through crocheting one for ds1.
I figured he might need something to remind him of home on occasion.

Jealous of the knitters. My mum and aunt were big knitters and it is so lovely to have handmade stuff. Of an evening I cover my legs with the blanket my mum made for DD's cot. It's a bit shabby but still has love in every stitch.

raspberry could it be used for a uni dissertation perhaps all that lovely research...will come in useful at some point, perhaps even a book!
re blankets..I bought ds a wool blanket in the cold spell and he has complained since then that it itches, is too hot, annoys him...somehow I am not getting the love on that score.
I love knitting and all craft, just never seem to do any atm Today I am shredding bank statements. I still remember the loom I had at school when we did the Vikings in primary, the incredible pleasure of weaving a piece of cloth from scratch.
Dd is buying her prom dress - I am trying to stop her buying some sort of proto school uniform (dark blue) in polyester. I had to bite back the words..what about making your own prom dress, wouldn't that be fun (she is doing Textiles Gsce and hopes to do A level) I think she would have drowned me in a Vat of vegetable dye.

The only feedback DD has had on her EPQ is that her history teacher thought it was "good". I have no idea if we will get more than that!

Nettle you can buy small looms - "rigid heddle loom" is what you want to be looking for. You could put it on your Christmas list. My blanket will be made out of leftover sock yarn so it's washable and not itchy. I really do have that much leftover sock yarn, I've kept four pairs of feet in handknitted socks for the last ten years. If he doesn't want it when it's done I could make more stripes and make it king sized (I probably don't have that many leftovers though)

I have my fingers crossed that perhaps we've turned a corner, possibly, maybe in that this morning was normal. The two days in the week where he has a full day at college have been impossible for him, since his dad died I think he's done a full day maybe five times. It's been an epic battle just getting him out of the door in the morning. I dread getting out of bed in the morning knowing what is ahead. I can gripe about the quality of teaching but the pastoral care has been outstanding which is lucky because it was something we never considered when looking at sixth forms.

You knit your own socks knitting?

I've got into crochet recently. I'm finding it much faster than knitting. I was thinking about making dd a cushion.

I'm so glad that your ds has been getting the support he needs. It's been such a short time still really. I am so sorry that the start of each day is so difficult. I'ts a massive massive credit to you both that neither of you have given up, have found the strength to keep going.

DS had to have his Geography independent study completed and handed in just after the Christmas break. He did have a chance to review it and any changes had to be made by February half term, but his sodding EPQ......

It has taken so much time and he was so lax about it over the summer . He is doing his practise presentation tonight with his supervisor and then the proper one tomorrow. I'll be glad when its finished. Have no idea what kind of grade he'll get as he hasn't had much feedback.

I too am envious of the knitters - I can just about cast on and do a basic garter stitch but nothing more adventurous.

Dds school don’t offer EPQ’s which I’m glad about as it’s one less stress. Coursework was bad enough
Dd is all new spec
Nohaudin
Sorry to hear about your dc it’s awful seeing them sad and stressed
Similar experience to yours rasp dd started doing research over the holidays and then changed topics

Dd is trailing Apple cider vinegar on her veruccas and it’s causing pain on a night So she had little sleep but the verucca is decreasing in size! Better to keep on with it i suppose

Your dds immune system is struggling isn't it Fantasy? Has she spoken to her gp about that?

I was really dubious about the Epq, but as long as dd gets a good mark I think I'm a fan of it for want to be mathematicians and scientists. It seems to have given her invaluable practice in creating a project from scratch and writing up a report. I think dd has probably developed skills that will be very useful for her.

OMG! DD1 just texted that she's got her history coursework score... 40/40! Obviously over the moon!

Wow! That's amazing. DD got 26/40 which is a low B. I am gutted for her as she spent hours on it and her history teacher was useless. She is now in a complete panic about the exams.

I have to say her school has been excellent in supporting her. I'm so glad she went there (boys' grammar)

It’s is struggling kitten she has an 90% is health but gp thinks 10% is the situation is school making it worse I really do want to pull her out.
Congrats pratice

Dd got a 27/40 which is a B but she has improved it so I’m hoping it goes up as she has paid a lot of improvements to it but that is better than anything as it was originally a U. So we will take a B. Help has being wishy washy
Dd is feeling the same marmite hugs

Congratulations Bit !!

bit congratulations excellent result.
fantasy it is hard when they are struggling but 10x worse if they are in an unsupportive situation.

Dd had to do a project for school for an internal certificate which gave her the research and presentation skills without any stress about marks. The school have deliberately decided against any external moderation for that precise reason.

That is brilliant Bit. Well done to your DD.

knitting your poor poor ds, waking every morning and feeling like there is a big hole. It is very humbling when people are supportive in terrible times, thank goodness for the school, it is the true test of the staff.

well done on the coursework B's and A*s and for all who complete it! 40/40 wow.

I now have a study to work in, finally. Corner of kitchen set up as a proper workspace - it was ridiculous everyone in this house has a desk/enormous amounts of filing space, except me - all the paperwork in this house has been squirrelled into increasingly inaccessible corners. But inspired by the revision, I've managed to throw away enormous amounts of paper this morning.

Thanks Fantasy! School have moderated the essays and sent them off so nothing we can do about it now.

Ho hum! Onwards and upwards.

It is hard nettle
Dd has freaked herself out as pretty much the last time they got feedback on English coursework was D/E’s they edited them and then it was final hand in
Dd is hoping it’s gone up to at least a C, but she has a friend predicted an A who’s coursework was a C and her friend is worrying about how she might not get her A grade
OCR English lit parents, does anyone know how badly a C grade can prevent getting a A/B overall?

40/40 - very impressive indeed.

Wow Boop! That's incredible! I wonder how many get a result like that each year? Congratulations to your DD!

I'm feeling envious of the knitters and crocheters. I'm racking my brains for something I can make for DD that doesn't involve any skill or talent?!
I love the idea of her taking something so personal and made with love - just lacking in any kind of expertise to make such a thing!

"lots of trips to a certain town with questionnaires"

DD had to do questionnaires at our local market town. She is incredibly shy and anxious and wouldn't have done it without me in tow. She would probably have made up the answers herself than speak to random strangers (she is on medication for her anxiety).

Her school didn't start the geography coursework until year 13. They spent a lot of year 12 on UCAS and personal statements. The school doesn't do EPQs either, but they still did AS levels last year.

Lobster I don't have a crafty bone in my body! Hell would freeze over before I managed to crocheted anything