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Original poster

Post GCSE’s 2022 - Year 12 2022/23 General support thread

999 replies

Rollergirl11 · 02/09/2022 14:57

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2022, regardless of their educational setting.
Our DC’s may continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed)
Everyone is welcome!

OP posts:
Thread gallery
8
MirandaWest · 26/11/2022 06:47

My two DC are pretty different in their approaches to studying - DS was the “wake up, roll out of bed, get to lesson as it starts” type whereas DD is up early and studying at the kitchen table before walking to school and still being early 😃

@zighead DD wants to apply to Oxford. I will completely support her but am also worried about the effort and potential disappointment….

LouisCatorze · 26/11/2022 16:56

Interesting to hear all the responses about work/study/life balance. I don't actually think DD would be slaving away over her studies during the hours she's otherwise engaged with her part-time job. A leopard doesn't change its spots that quickly!

DD isn't going to pubs drinking so ID isn't an issue at the moment.

After a flurry of Halloween parties, there's a bit of a lull at the moment. Just as well, as she really can't cope with missing out on sleep. Hoping there aren't too many coming up before the end of term.

Tests coming up this week for DD, in all three subjects. I have told her that her preliminary UCAS choices (which she seems to have made on the grounds of the type of 'vibe' they have, rather than subject content) won't be possible if she doesn't knuckle down (they're all quite prestigious ones).

Breadcrumbsforall · 27/11/2022 09:14

Hi all. Can I join? DS studying art, psychology and business. So far so good, but he has no idea what he wants to do. Am slightly in awe of the highly academic, traditional subjects on display here. Do DS's subjects sound decent?

MyOtherProfile · 27/11/2022 09:28

Does anyone else have DC who don't do the teenage sleep-in thing? We were away last weekend and both dc were up by 9 each day even though we were just hanging around in the mornings. They then complain in the week they're really tired but they seem to do what all their friends do with regard to going out / late nights but don't seem to have the lying in hormone 😃

zighead · 27/11/2022 11:56

Welcome to the thread @Breadcrumbsforall It's so hard deciding what you want to do at this age. My DS changes his mind regularly! Which is his favourite A-level at the moment?

@MyOtherProfile my DS has never slept in either which I find frustrating when he obviously needs to catch up on sleep after late nights. Not much we can do about it though is there!? I used to be able to sleep in until late afternoon when I was a teen/in my early twenties Blush.

Breadcrumbsforall · 27/11/2022 12:06

Thank you for the welcome @zighead. He's very good at art, but has found psychology absolutely fascinating. I think he chose Business because it was going to be an easier option than others he was looking at. He's a bit of a chameleon and changes his views weekly! All I know is that he definitely wants to go to university, but that seems like such a minefield when you don't have any particular passion.

NameInUseAlreadyAgain · 27/11/2022 13:46

No sleeping in here either. He’s always up by 7. Very rarely 8 and then I think he must be poorly and go check on him. As a child he never slept past 6.

i said he should open a bakery…!

sheepdogdelight · 27/11/2022 14:21

Hello @Breadcrumbsforall I don't think not knowing what you want to do is particularly unusual. And with university being so expensive nowadays, you don't really just want to pick a subject and see how you get on - you need to make sure it's right!

Obviously our Year 12s have time, but my DS (now 18) had no clue what he wanted to do through sixth form either. He decided to give himself a year to think about what he wanted to do whilst working in a basic retail job (continuation of his part time job during sixth form). I think taking the pressure off really helped. He ended up applying for a few jobs that sounded interesting and was offered an apprenticeship in an area that interested him but he didn't think he'd be able to get into. Six months ago the idea that he would have some direction at this point seemed like a forlorn hope!

My DD did art GCSE and considered if for A Level. She decided not to as she thought it would be too much work - so definitely not an easy option!

MrsPnut · 27/11/2022 16:30

@Breadcrumbsforall My DD is doing art A level and is interested in doing either art or game art at university. She loves being in the art department though and does a pottery evening class as well just for fun.

chocolatenutcase · 27/11/2022 21:32

Hello everyone. I've been reading posts but not posted. It's interesting to see how all the DCs are stepping up to the challenge of 6th form. My DS was very laid back for GCSEs but is at a college now who have high standards and expectations and it appears to be rubbing off. He never seems to have much homework but I think he does it all at college. He's taking a weird subject combination - music, music tech and chemistry but he's really enjoying them. He was doing geography but dropped it which is a shame as it was a better balance. He knows he wants to do music at Uni so it's just finding the right course. He spends his spare time doing music too but I'd like him to get a job.

Lightsabre · 30/11/2022 17:20

Welcome to all! Ds has never been a late sleeper sadly. I keep waiting for the infamous teenage lie-in but it hasn't happened so far. Always awake by 7.30/8.

LouisCatorze · 30/11/2022 17:34

DS wasn't one to sleep in until he went to uni. Now he keeps much more irregular hours.

IThinkIMadeItWorse · 30/11/2022 17:38

Welcome to the new people! My DS doesn't seem to lie in either, strange for a teenager. My nephew (one year older) sometimes doesn't get up until 3pm in the holidays!!

DS had a day at home today because his teacher was striking. He got his homework done and we played a board game this afternoon. He usually only has one lesson on a Wednesday anyway. Were others affected by the strike?

zighead · 30/11/2022 19:36

I didn't know there was a teacher strike today @IThinkIMadeItWorse so no we weren't affected at all. DS would have loved a day off!
I knew that Royal Mail were striking today but that is it! Was it a one off or are more dates planned?

@MirandaWest will DD get much support from school in terms of an Oxford application? I know nothing about it so I'm hoping school will be useful and we can go to an open day next summer.

DS breaks up two weeks today. The first term has certainly flown by!

MirandaWest · 30/11/2022 19:52

I think it's in Scotland that there are teacher strikes at the moment?

Not sure how much support DD will get from school - they do get some of them going to Oxbridge but not sure whether it's more to do with the students iyswim.

I do know the open days in June clash with mock exams for DD so am planning to get in touch with school at some point about that.

I know an amount about Oxbridge entry (am failed Cambridge applicant, all my family went to Cambridge (!) and my parents were both teachers and understand the overall system quite well)

Rainsdropskeepfalling · 30/11/2022 20:00

Yes DS didn't have lessons today - he only has lessons on a Wednesday morning and a couple of study periods but it was one less 7am wake up call

Original poster
Rollergirl11 · 30/11/2022 20:13

DD will potentially be applying to Oxbridge at the recommendation of her English teachers. They seem more keen on her applying than she does herself. They have been really good though, they have put her and a few other Year 13 students in touch with a girl who is currently studying English Lit at Cambridge so she is helping them with personal statements and will sort out a tour and what not.

I am clueless about the application process but think DD will get lots of support. She is also fairly pragmatic about it and won’t be pinning all her hopes on it. It may even be once she researched courses that neither are the best fit for her. I think Oxford studies a lot of medieval texts on their course which DD isn’t particularly interested in.

OP posts:
zighead · 30/11/2022 20:17

@MirandaWest I didn't realise that the open day dates would be available yet, I'll go and have a look now. I know he also has exams in June so fingers crossed that there isn't a clash.
That must have been difficult for you if your whole family attended Cambridge. I hope you enjoyed your alternative university experience.

My DS was talking to some boys in year 13 at computer science club and four out of five of them received their Cambridge rejection emails this week. Thankfully they were all feeling pragmatic about it.

IThinkIMadeItWorse · 30/11/2022 22:06

@zighead I think it may only be teachers at specialist sixth form colleges who are striking so possibly not affecting school sixth forms.

Glad to hear there are some thinking about Oxbridge applications already. The first thing DS said at his guidance meetings for both sixth forms (back in February!) was "I want to go to Cambridge" but I'm not sure how certain he is on that now. It is extra work as you have to apply so early and also for him it would likely mean STEP (extra exams). Not sure how much support his sixth form will be able to give him, I suspect most people aiming for Oxbridge go to the other sixth form college (the one that's really proud that it got 74 into Oxbridge last year!) I think if your young person wants to give it a go then good for them and back them all the way, they definitely won't get in if they don't apply!

IThinkIMadeItWorse · 07/12/2022 09:10

We had online parents evening yesterday and we're pleased with how he is doing. His teachers seem to have got to know him quite quickly and want him to aim high. So pleased he can just play to his strengths now and he's not doing an EPQ (which would not suit him at all!)

I think his next set of assessments are around the end of Jan so hopefully not too stressful over the holidays. Only 8 days of term left here (including today). Then I realised that he only has 4 and a half more terms to go which is a scary thought! Hope everyone is hanging on in there. Very jealous of @legofrostqueen heading to New Zealand for Christmas - it's so blinking cold here!

legofrostqueen · 07/12/2022 10:15

@IThinkIMadeItWorse I'm so excited & can hardly believe it's this Sunday that we go, it's been so long since we've seen my DDad & DS has never been to NZ so it will be amazing. The restaurant have been very understanding, which is testament to the good impression that DS has made there - phew!

legofrostqueen · 07/12/2022 10:17

Pressed send too quickly...we have online parents eve tomorrow so good that we don't miss that. School sent DS's tracking report yesterday & although for most subjects he is predicted As, for Maths it's a C which is a bit of a worry as he will need an A to study Economics at uni. So we'll need to probe that when we speak with his teachers.

zighead · 07/12/2022 11:28

Have a great time in New Zealand @legofrostqueen I loved my trip there many years ago

Good to hear that parents evening went well @IThinkIMadeItWorse My DS is still debating on whether to do an EPQ. I really don't want him to do it as worried he will get carried away with it and neglect his A levels but it's up to him I guess.

Only 4 and a half days left at school after today!

LouisCatorze · 07/12/2022 13:33

@legofrostqueen have a fabulous time in NZ!

DD's recent exams didn't go particularly well. Think we'll be paying for a tutor for geography as she seems to be struggling with the physical side of it.

Some schools seem to break up very early for Christmas. DD doesn't finish until the 16th. Hope all the young people have a chilled time to recharge over the holiday period.

Turmerictolly · 07/12/2022 18:04

Wow @IThinkIMadeItWorse - 4 1/2 terms to go sounds scary! Can't believe they'll be finished school forever then. Ds breaking up late - 22nd I think and back 4/1.

Ds also thinking about Oxbridge but zero motivation to do anything to work towards that. I'll support him of course if that's what he wants but I don't think the style of learning will suit him. A family member graduated fairly recently and it's a lot of hard and intense work. He's at an academically pushy school but gets very stressed so I'd like him to have a bit of a breather at university ideally.