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.

It's the start of the half term here, so DD has been out having fun. I have no feedback on her work from college yet, but I think we get a report shortly after she goes back. She seems to be enjoying three of her four subjects, and is starting to talk about maybe applying to university, which is a change from her previous stance of absolutely not wanting to. She's keeping her options open at the moment between a job, an apprenticeship or university.

We put in for remarks on DD’s PE and Geography (both 1 mark off grade boundary). PE went up by 2 marks so she now has a 7.

Geography went up by one mark on one paper, but down by one mark on another, so grade remained unchanged.

School paid for her English Language remark as she was 2 marks off a 4. Didn’t change so she’s still doing her resits in November.

Half term just finished but they’ve got an inset day today. She’s had lots of work to do for all subjects during the holidays, plus GCSE English revision.

DD has had a mostly nice but exhausting half term and has gone back to school looking completely wiped out. Now just waiting for her to pick up a bug somewhere which is usually what happens when she gets overtired.

Dd back today , we are in the North of England too @Monstermunchy @PhotoDad so think it's just Leeds / Manchester possibly that's on half term.this week. Lancashire/ Cumbria definitely last week. She's full.of a cold / maybe Covid from our half term trip now revising for first lot of planned mocks this week ( why this is the week after halfterm I fail to understand) the next lot are straight after Feb half term and the finals in May! So much for a rest.

Always seems mean to follow a holiday with exams - hope they go well and hope illnesses go, too.

I think my ds will have more assessments before Christmas - not sure when though.

School half terms are very varied - it’s odd. Bradford was last week and parts of the north east are this week like here 🤷🏻‍♀️

Hope all had or are having a good half term. Ds going on a walking holiday with friends for a couple of days this week then he has to resit a biology test that he bombed when he gats back to school. He seems relaxed about it but i am worried. He is really finding biology hard.

DS had half term last week. He had been off sick for the last 3 days of term so he spent most of the holiday doing homework and catch-up work whilst still ill. He moaned that it wasn't really a holiday at all snd that he hates A levels. He has been feeling overwhelmed with the relentlessness of the work on top of commuting to college and extra-curricular stuff and getting used to the new environment.

We're in Derbyshire and we have half term this week too - thank goodness!
I'm a teacher and very much in need of a break as is dd.
A levels are going ok for her so far but she's very tired and definitely needs some lie ins.

We're on half-term in Newcastle... heading off to see my DD at uni tomorrow. I'm a teacher too, and was absolutely shattered.

DS has just done his last weekend of his sport (windsurfing) at Junior level. He had the option to pursue it to elite level (he was national champ and has competed for GB) but after a lot of consideration he's decided it would be too much commitment (and travel, as the training's on the south coast😱). He knows people in the current squad who are far better than him, so it's unlikely he'd ever get picked for teams or for the Olympic programme. Instead, he's going to get his coaching certificates and stay at his local club in that role, while also racing for fun rather than as a career. He also gathers that qualified windsurfing coaches find it easy to pick up summer jobs in the Med...!

We're on half term this week as well (Midlands). DD and all her friends seem to be so tired and going down with various bugs. Not sure whether it's the much earlier mornings or the time of year or the mixing with loads of new people. I'm trying to stop DD going to bed too late so it isn't too much of a shock to the system on Monday morning.

@PhotoDad That sounds like a hard decision for your DS but probably a sensible one. If he wants a good place in the SW to teach in the summer I can recommend a place in Cornwall that I’ve known the owner of for 25yrs, just PM me. Plus one of the other instructors there teaches in Greece on the shoulder season. My DD is reaching a similar pinnacle in her niche sport but we are encouraging her to stop competing next summer once this competition cycle has gone round, as it’s very demanding training hours and competitions. She’s competing this weekend and again nationally in a couple of weeks which is hours away from home. It’s a huge juggle on top of studying & working.

@PhotoDad do you mean he won't compete again?

@SummerChilling Thanks, I'll bear that in mind! Good luck to making the right decision for your DD, whichever that is. It's a really tough call, but my DS has other hobbies and is also quite academic, and he doesn't want to compromise any of those.

@NCTDN He'll continue to compete for fun, just not in the elite events which could qualify him for Olympic pathway. (That would require training, travel, and a completely new set of very expensive kit! World Sailing changed the specs of the equipment used at different levels very recently, so there's no second-hand stuff yet. All of which could be managed if it was his burning passion to the exclusion of everything else.)

Not sure if anyone's still following this thread.
Dd got a mechanics apprenticeship at the end of yr11. Absolutely loving it, fits in really well, earns a grand a month.
But now she has to go away to college. It works out 3 days away every 6 weeks or so. This is the first one. We're east coast and she'll be 3 hours away in Coventry. Dh is dropping her off sun and one of the work guys who she's met once for 10 mins will bring her back Tues evening.
She's in a hotel alone and will know noone. I've googled the hotel. It takes day guests and trip advisor reviews aren't great. Mentions of police and prostitutes.
She'll be fed, picked up at 745am in a minibus and taken to college, 430pm dropped back at the hotel.
There are 10 staying there on the course, one other girl, none of them have ever met. Dd thinks they're all over 18.
We have 4 phone numbers of chaperones but don't know if they'll be in the hotel or available 24hrs.
She's 16. Alone in a hotel. Driving home with a man shes met for 10 mins.
Tell me it'll be life affirming/ she'll love it/ learn loads/ be fine.
( as a disclaimer shes 6ft tall, built like a barn, training for her karate black belt, over confident with a mouth that operates without engaging brain first!)

It's great that she's enjoying it - I remember your posts from before. You're bound to worry about her, especially as this is the first trip away, I'm sure any parent would, it's a big thing - but sounds like she's got the confidence to handle herself and all being well it'll all go really smoothly. It's good that there's another girl going, hopefully they'll get on, and the rest of the group. Wishing her lots of luck - and hope you don't have too many sleepless nights!

How does she feel about it? It’s hard and I think inevitably you will worry. But she is only not going to know anyone for the first evening/night. After that she’ll know the 10 odd people on her course. Maybe call (or text) one of the chaperones to see how it will work in practice?

From your point of view, the first time will be the worst - once you both know the reality of it, you’ll be able to relax more.

Oh @Rowgtfc72 , I'd be nervous too. But I'm sure the first time will be the hardest, and it sounds like it'll be harder for you than for her. She sounds like such a confident, competent and focused person - I'm sure she'll be fine.

Hope everyone else is getting on OK.

Thanks everyone. Dd herself should be OK. She's been left home alone overnight and isn't fussed.
It's everyone else I'm worrying about. She's not 17 till March but would easily pass for early 20s. We've had issues with leering blokes before.
She is however still a child.

Hope everyone else's teens have settled well. Gcses seem like an age away now after all that stress and angst.

Since she seems confident, I am sure she will get on with others after meeting first time and its only 3 days in 6 weeks. For coming back isn't there any public transport available? Wishing both of you best luck.

She's arrived, checked in, got her meal vouchers and facetimed me. She's absolutely buzzing and has given me a guided tour to her room.
She's taken herself off to Starbucks and back and dh has made sure she can lock the door and knows where the fire exit is.
Shell' be fine. As will I. Thanks for the hand holds.
Transport wise its a condition of her apprenticeship that the company get her there and back. Dh has only been allowed to take her as noone wanted to give up their Sunday to take her or leave at 4am. He's got use of a company car filled with petrol to cover their conditions. She's ringing her boss Tues morning to make sure Darren the car man is either stood by his car at pick up or turns up in a courtesy car with the company name on the side.

I hope it all goes ok for her @Rowgtfc72 shes sounds very capable but I understand your worries however I’m sure she’ll be fine

Sounds like a great way to get some very supervised experience of staying away from home alone. Once she’s an adult she’d
just be expected to get on with it. But she’ll know all about it already by then. Hope she enjoys the course!

@Changes17 no supervision in the hotel. She knows noone!
No responsible adult till she gets to college tomorrow.
If she can do this, which I'm sure she can, it'll be a great experience in coping on your own.

Yes, that what I thought. But supervised in the sense that her dad has checked out the room, and she has people collecting her and taking her to where she needs to go. I think you’ll all feel so much better about it after this time. Must be very exciting for your DD and she’ll feel on top of the world once she’s done it.

This is what we said. This is the meet and greet session. Then it's every six weeks or so for 3-5 days. Its a 3 yr apprenticeship. By next time I hope they've all swapped contact details and arrange to meet up when they get there. I said to dd this time you'll spot the other 9 students as they'll be the ones in the restaurant sat on their own looking as worried as her!