Year 13 2023/2024 - General support thread

[Rollergirl11]

It’s now the time for our young adults to sit their final year at sixth form/college. Everyone is welcome!

@Rollergirl11
Yes all on campus . Dd did initially like the en-suites but they don't appear to be as social as the townhouses which have big kitchens and a communal lounge. Plus you only share a bathroom with one other person.

@Rollergirl11 solidarity as ever for GCSEs plus A Levels.

We also have the exam double exam whammy next summer!

We did the double last year - not for the faint hearted! Good luck to those with a Y11/Y13 combo.

Yep we had the double last year, with clearing thrown into the mix. I drank a lot of wine.

<shudders>

No double for me as such but dd will have one GCSE (Classical Greek) that she's taking next year (end of yr 10) and looking at the provisional dates maybe an exam for them both on the same day and the same time! I think that will be enough stress for me.

We did the double in 2022. Glad I don’t have to do that again.

Half term not until 27th October here

Good luck to those facing two sets of exams next year, I am glad our two are three years apart (though that does mean we get exams in consecutive years!)

Has anyone got any nice plans for half term? I feel like we should be using it as an opportunity to visit universities but I suspect we won't actually manage to do that! DS has submitted his form with three choices on (Cambridge, Warwick, Bath) but can add two more later. There seem to be quite a few options for insurance choices so I need to get him to do some more research, he is not really thinking about it at the moment though.

Heard today that he has got through to BMO1 again so he's pleased about that.

We had the double last year and it was not as bad as I feared, as they were both working flat out at the same time and both finished the school year early. It was a bit weird that they both left school at the same time (eldest stayed for 6th form, youngest went to college) and having them start uni and college at the same time with associated admin (both have SENs) was worse than the exams themselves.

Yes the one plus to them both sitting their exams this year is that they are finished by around mid June. I’ve taken advantage by booking our family summer holiday a tad earlier than usual and managed to get a slightly better deal. Of course whatever I’ve managed to save has probably all been wiped out by the fact that DD will be a fully paying adult next year!

@IThinkIMadeItWorse - congrats on the maths success for your ds. My ds got a bronze which he was happy with as although he's good at maths he hates the sort of questions you get in the SMC. Dd (yr 10) did the SMC too but she didn't get her results yesterday but probably will today. She thinks she won't get anything.

Well done to your ds @IThinkIMadeItWorse, that's a great achievement. Does he want to study maths?

Ds friends are all heads down for entrance tests this week but will hopefully be up for meeting socially next week. He's off for a few nights walking holiday with dh on Friday and has some homework/interview prep to do and I think we'll go to the cinema if there's anything on that he wants to see. He really needs new clothes but he hates shopping so I've got to try and persuade him to come out and do a speed shop with me.

DS got through to the Kangeroo (again) in the SMC and is happy with that! Well done to @IThinkIMadeItWorse DS.

Congrats Ithink on the BMO1 result, brilliant. DD hasn't mentioned anything this year so not sure if she even sat it, its been very full on with things here for DD especially.

School are insisting on entering her for EPQ against her will which is really stupid but not much can do about it. Hopefully she will do it at some point but it seems a stupid thing to force.

We have outside of house being painted over next 3 weeks so playing keep the indoor cat away from painters at the moment, all 1.2 metres and 8kgs of him 🤔Kitchen is done apart from a last half day but getting them in for that is proving tricky and loads of their stuff still here, supposed to be 2 weeks from mid August. Though lovely to see the work after its done and very pleased with results and kitchen all working. At least these people are female and finish at 3pm each day.

DDs 18th is coming up and we have to collect cake and cupcakes. Oxford application in now and LSE in, other to be added later.

@Silkierabbit Work going on at our house too, and also having to manage a curious indoor cat. This means that for us, half term will mostly be spent painting (taking advantage of having DC around to help😆)Cannot wait for everything to be back in its rightful place. We do have a couple of nights out planned (comedy and a gig), and there'll be Halloween parties and bonfire night in the mix too. Just looking forward to a week off tbh.

Oxford admissions test and 18th birthday here. She seems happy with the test and said thought she knew 46/50 and educated guess for rest. Though she's understandably getting a bit jittery. But form is off and received confirmation Oxford received. Saying she may add Bristol to her 2 choices. Will be happy if she does that.

Happy birthday to your DD @Silkierabbit 😊

DD had an offer from Bristol earlier on today which has helped with the despondent mood she had earlier on (DS is back from uni but at our local hospital due to IBD which he was diagnosed with earlier in the summer and is currently having various things through IV tubes. Reasonably enough she is finding it a bit stressful anyway (Oxford tests both on Friday) and when I came back from hospital she was curled up in bed).

Congratulations on Bristol offer Miranda, sorry to hear about your son. Good luck for Friday. Yes DD heard of someone applying to Bristol and offer after 3 days so seems to have motivated her to act or think of acting. She said it hadn't really occured to me before I might get rejected by Oxford. Love the confidence but it's only 5% accepted.

Mirandawest,
Hi, My daughter has crohns disease diagnosed almost 6 years ago. She will taking a gap year then off to uni next year.

Sorry to hear about your son he must be quite poorly if he is having iv tube treatment, hope he picks up soon. With IBD it's a case of finding the right treatment that works for you. Luckily my daughter went into remission almost straight away with treatment and has kept that way for over 5 years.

Hope the treatment works for your son, it must be so tough for him.

Funny enough my son is at Bristol UWE. He absolutely loves Bristol. So much going on in Bristol which I think helps them get on well.

Yay on the Bristol offer! That must be v hard @MirandaWest re your DS. My DS had a life threatening illness in Y9 and whilst he’s now completely recovered I do worry when he’s not feeling well in a way most parents wouldn’t when their son is 20. He’s at uni a very long way from home. It’s sounds like it’s being kept on top of and hopefully it can be managed well. I am sure you’ll be glad when the Oxford tests are over.

DD still hasn’t finished her PS. She’s such a last minute merchant. I remember being up with her at 2am as she frantically finished her GCSE Art portfolio.

All the visits are finished (for the time being) and she has at least 3 unis she wants to pick so that’s a start.

@MirandaWest - congrats on the Bristol offer and I hope your dd gets sorted quickly in hospital.

Positive vibes for all sitting entrance tests this week.

We're still waiting for school to send off DS's UCAS form. They sent it back to him as he had a typo in his EPQ exam board details so at least I know they are checking through them carefully! It went straight back to them but no UCAS email yet.

Congrats on Bristol offer @MirandaWest and wishing speedy recovery to your DS. Good luck for her entrance test tomorrow.

Happy 18th to @Silkierabbit DD.

Thankfully DD doesn’t have an entrance test for English yet. She will sit an online test in November if she is shortlisted for interview. She is starting to feel bogged down with all the administrative stuff involved in the Cambridge application. Another 2 forms to submit after the UCAS application and written work to scan and upload. She is deffo ready for half term!

Happy Birthday to your DD @Silkierabbit and congrats @MirandaWest on the offer from Bristol, hope your DS is soon feeling much better.

I have heard that Bristol has been quick this year, my friends DD has an offer from them and one from Sheffield so those have come through quick. DS is planning to do the Cambridge forms this weekend I think - nothing like procrastination and leaving things until the last minute! Looking forward to turning the alarm off in half term, neither of my two wanted to get up this morning.

So sorry to hear about your son @MirandaWest , it must be a very worrying time for you. I hope they can figure out a way forward.

Happy 18th to your daughter @Silkierabbit , sounds like she aced the entrance test.

Quiet half term for ds here, he's doing some subject revision.