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.

Reading all this with interest. Dd first lot of perdicted grades were done in November following initial mocks. Not really what she wanted, next lot are the week after half term. Chem and biology going well maths not so much but the whole class is struggling and I'm wondering if it's the teaching style of the teacher. Having spoken to friends with older kids who have also been at the college. Just waiting on the next mocks before I raise this with college (and try to tactfully get her moved). It would take alot for me to do this but it was her highest predicted grade target and currently her lowest grade.

I don't think they've done predicted grades yet. Good thing too, for one of ds' subjects because the teacher told them their project was more important and they weren't to revise as they needed the time for their project. They all got Ds and Es (apparently it was a full paper too) so glad that they're not predicting off that one.

Does anyone know if it’s true that being a lifeguard gets you extra ucas points?

We’ve just done some googling after someone mentioned it to my DD after college fayre thing, and it appears to be true which is fab as she qualified in the summer.

Apparently yes: you can get 8 if you get a specific qualification. Doesn’t sound like a lot - though does sound like a great part-time job… https://rlssuk.tahdah.me/event/detail/846018#:~:text=The%20NPLQ%20is%20a%20great,being%20a%20lifeguard%2C%20click%20here.

Yes she enjoys working as a LG especially as they pay her at full adult rate when her mates were getting paid as a 16yr old MW at the holiday camp 🤣but this a bonus too.

Sounds great!

Does anyone have any experience of a private ASD/ADHD assessment being funded by the NHS. I had a phone call from the NHS hospital yesterday to offer DS this and have to decide whether to go for it or stay on the waiting list for the NHS assessment. Not sure what to do, apparently they are doing this to get NHS waiting lists down.

No knowledge but if it was me I think I’d go for help now rather than wait for an unknown amount of time.

@Changes17 thank you, we’ve already been waiting between 18 months and 2 years!

I think they do this from time to time to clear NHS lists. Relatives have been sent to a private provider by the NHS before now. It does get it done.

I had this for ds. They were brilliant. We were seen quickly, they spent several hours with ds (on zoom as it was covid times) they kept me up to date to their thoughts and produced a comprehensive report for him.
We were through in 6 months with an asd diagnosis then they advised looking at adhd, which again took about 6 months. Friends who started the process similar time as we did, but weren't offered the private company were still waiting 18 months later for the initial assessment.

Go for it.

@MargaretThursday thank you so much. Did you ever have any problems with the private diagnosis not being recognised?
Yes, we’ve been waiting over 18 months for an initial assessment. DS is now in year 12 so it’s very late. Older DC has an ASD diagnosis but that took years and was done on the NHS.

@Sadtimes1
No problem at all with it being recognised. We sent the report to school and they acted on it.
It was amazingly easy compared to what I know a lot of people have to get through for a diagnosis. I was really impressed.

Go for it @Sadtimes1 we had to get our younger DD privately assessed for ASD it enabled lots of support to be put in place at secondary school even before her EHCP was agreed. I do also suspect ADHD but if that needs medicating you need nhs to assess to potentially fund ongoing perscriptions or it can get very expensive as some gps are refusing now to do shared care for ongoing perscriptions following a private adhd diagnosis.

@MargaretThursday@SummerChilling Thank you. That’s really helpful. I’ll speak to him about it. As it’s taken so long, he’ll prob decide he doesn’t want to go through with the assessment now 😔. The lady on the phone did say that as it’s through the NHS, the diagnosis will be treated similarly but the letter didn’t mention this. He’s very unlikely to need meds, which is why it’s taken so long. School said that as he’s unlikely to need meds, it’s not worth sending him for assessment but after many years they did eventually request it.

It’s worth it as it can unlock support at University disability assessment support and if needed a EHCP stays until 25. For context we were told at school my DD “ doesn’t need it /couldn’t possibly be…”and yet we got her diagnosis straight away and a EHCP at first application! Go with your gut instinct

With ds it was as much for him to know that he wasn't just the naughty boy. It was that he had a reason. It did wonders for his confidence.

It also, as @SummerChilling said, opened up support for him. They assessed him as needing to use a laptop which made a difference to his enjoyment of school work and his grades. They wouldn't have done that without the diagnosis, but they said he had one of the most extreme differences- top 99+% typing, bottom 25% in handwriting.

@SummerChilling Thank you. Yes, the college asked me to apply for an EHCP when DS enrolled. I haven’t done that yet though. He’s likely to be in education for at least an extra year due to failing English (severe dyslexia). He doesn’t like studying so I am not sure that he’ll want to go to uni.

@MargaretThursdayThank you, that is a very valid point. I think that kind of happened with my elder son and his ASD diagnosis, although he completely rejected it at the time.
DS does have a lot of support already, laptop, extra time etc due to severe dyslexia. This has really only been diagnosed through school screeners although he did see the specialist SEND team in junior school.

Hoping everyone has a good half term!!

Another week here before half term. Desperately hoping that college don't give loads of homework for the holidays as we're away skiing.

Dental hospital for dc - not the nicest way to start half term 🙄

@Monstermunchy hope that it all goes well. We have a brace fitting for one, dentist and dr for the others.

Have a lovely half term everyone!

Oh i was hoping for happier hols for everyone!!!! Ds working and then off for his sport training camp.

Thanks, they couldn't do what they'd planned (complex brace issues...) but they've adjusted it - normal dentist later, the joys! Hope your various appts go well.