Y12 2023/24 - support, discussion and looking after each other

[BonjourCrisette]

GCSEs are over and we are beginning the next stage. Let's hope it's a bit less stressful than this summer has been! All welcome to discuss, share experiences and support each other as our children move into Y12/BTECs/apprenticeships and start a new phase.

If anyone else wants to check out their school. https://www.compare-school-performance.service.gov.uk/find-a-school-in-england

@SummerChilling

Ooh thanks for this - the school obviously saw this last week as they announced their performance was really high and they were very pleased as they were in top 10% or so - they have got a score of .63 so that's fantastic.

It says 30% at our school achieved a 5 or above in Maths and English. 52% achieved a 4 or above. Just shows how hard these gcses are that only half of children are able to pass them

@Botanicaa I’m the parent of another overthinker here. DD has very recently received an ASD diagnosis after years of OCD and anxiety so, also don’t want to speak out of term, but the two have been very linked in our case.

That’s exactly a scenario DD would overthink about too. College seems to have given her a fresh start though so it’s ok at the mo, although no sign of treatment for OCD and anxiety yet (a year so far on a separate CAHMS wait list).

Glad to hear your son had success with treatment for OCD (such an awful condition) and I wish you and he well.

Ds not done great on his first test. I hope it is a bit of a kick. He seems to be working hard so feels a bit fed up. Hope everyone else is doing ok.

Thanks so much. OCD is an awful mental health condition. My poor ds wanted to die it got so bad. The ERP really helped but not completely gone although it's not so disressing for him anymore, he still battles with it. Overthinking is exhausting isn't it. He usually comes home and falls straight asleep on his bed. Sending lots of love to you and your dd X

Yes @Letskeepgoing my DDs school has similar but the leadership was woeful with many subjects not even finishing the curriculum in time and half the English dept left at Easter and the English Lang results are terrible. None of this reflects the ability of the students just the lack of money to send them to a private school in the next town.

@Botanicaa just wanted to say it’s not easy at all when it’s the environment our kids are in that’s causing the stress response that oftern leads to OCD yet society wants to change the person not the environment causing it. In my example if I had to work in a very noisy busy office I would struggle hugely as my head cannot process that level of noise and people interaction for long periods but I’m very successful in my job because I mostly work from home now in a quiet environment of my own choice. I’ve actually achieved 2 promotions since being able to control my working environment better, it’s just a shame we can’t change educational environments as easily.

Thank you.
Also I think there's a huge pressure for kids to do the right thing, say the right thing that can cause some kids to obsess. My ds ocd was mostly around being a bad person in some way. He would avoid talking to kids, being close to them in fear that he would say the wrong thing, cause offence.
My ds doesn't like too much noise and he said after a while of socialising he likes to take himself off and be quiet.

I sound a bit like your DS when I’m at work I have over the years worked out strategies and prefer most comms in written form now so that I can check before I send. But it’s taken me 20+yrs to suss it all out. I hope he can find his own ways to cope through this stressful time of their lives.

@Botanicaa and @SummerChilling very similar conditions to my Ds. Now Ds is on waiting list for Adhd. Sending Ds to an outstanding school didn't help. You are right there is huge pressure on kids. Unfortunately, its difficult to find right environment and worst thing is my Ds is not ready to accept his condition because of late diagnosis and keeps mentioning he is disabled!!

How everyone off well and that your DCs are having a break from college work if that's what they are doing.
DS has had headaches for the last week which is very unusual for him. I'm hoping it's just a bug.

Ds back tomorrow, think they needed a break although he's managed to get himself a washing up job so has been working in the hols abit. He gets paid monthly and hadn't had his first wage packet yet, he will on Tues.

@NCTDN Hope your ds feels better soon
@Letskeepgoing good that he has a job. My ds is looking for one. He only broke up on Friday after a very long half term so he’s looking forward to not having to set his alarm

That's late breaking up, where do you.live?

We're in Leeds

Most of the north of England has only just broken up. We're often a week later than the south.

ETA; crossposted with @Monstermunchy!

Oh I didn't realise. We are in the SW

Has anyone had any gcse remarks come through? Ds was 2 marks off the next grade in Geography and the school paid for remarks, to be honest ds wasn't that worried about it. Anyway it came back unchanged.

@Letskeepgoing Ds had 2 marks off next grade for English. School sent but I paid, board reviewed as unchanged. I was told by few parents and a college lecturer, it's like winning a lottery!

That's a shame for your ds. My ds friends English paper came back 16 marks higher as they had missed marking a whole question which us worrying! But you're right most seem to come back unchanged...someone said they don't even look at them properly for a remark but I don't think that can be true as they have a duty.

We asked for remark of biology but school paid as it was one mark off but it went down one mark on the review.sadly. DD was gutted but lucky college let her do it for A'level. the entire schools marks were terrible (bottom 15% nationally) due to very poor leadership & lack of teaching they didn’t finish the curriculum in the sciences! I’m just relieved she has left now and college gives her the new start she needed.

Hope this week goes well for all those (like us) who are returning after half-term. Happy holidays, those who are just beginning the week off!

Been a restful week here - DD and my Y10s have caught up on sleep, friends, and a bit of homework. DD's starting with a week of assessments at college, then a week off for work experience, so straight back in!

DNiece went for, and got, a grade increase with a remark last year, but I think was in a minority of the kids from school that requested one. One of DD's friends was one mark off a grade boundary in three of her GCSEs, which does seem pretty unlucky!

Yes, one of my DS’s was 1-3 marks off the next grade in 4 subjects. We only got 2 reviewed and both went up.

My DS who is at college has had a very relaxing week. My Ds in 6th form has had loads of work to do and has been a bit stressed, mainly Maths and Chemistry work.

Hope that all that have half term this week have a relaxing time.

All back to school now after half-term where we are. This time last year DS did very little in half term for November mocks. But last week we were away and he did some work most days - and spent one day at home working. Seems to have really stepped up a gear.

Mostly further maths - seems to have reached the point where it’s really hard. (Plus if he gets a good enough mark on an upcoming test he can drop his fourth a-level!)