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.

@Letskeepgoing it’s prob been almost 2 years but the hospital have now offered a private assessment on the NHS, so I expect things will start happening now.

I was also told that OCD often coexists with ASD and/or ADHD.

Another one of my DC’s is also studying A level Chemistry in year 12 at school atm. I signed them up to Uplearn, it’s expensive but grants are available. Unfortunately, they haven’t really had time to use it as they have so much work set by the school.

Does your DS have any idea what they would like to do after A level?

Uplearn sounds good - will check it out!

He's going to try as hard as he can until the end of term and see what grades he comes out with and then make his mind up.

Mocks were back today. DC1 has done well, although is under her ridiculously high target grades. She is doing 4 including Further Maths, and FM was her lowest grade. I do think now that she's gone off the idea of Computer Science at university it would be better to drop FM and increase the effort in the other three, but she isn't really into listening to her mother, so I shall keep my thoughts to myself until Parents' Evening at least.

DS dropped his fourth before Christmas, and FM was still the lowest grade in mocks. I think it's just hard and plenty of time for them to improve. They're only six months into A level at this point.

Go back to what does she need for the course she wants to do at uni. They will normally offer for 3, so AAA for example. If there is any risk that by continuing to study 4 she would not reach what she needs then i would say drop her weakest subject unless it is needed for her chosen uni course. She does not want to risk dropping grades across her other subjects because 1 takes so much of her time.

How is everyone doing? Ds has exams after Easter so stressing about them.
Have many done open days? Apparently he can't think about that till after exams but I feel like time is ticking...

One of my DS’s had mocks before Easter. He was not happy at all with the results, despite doing well imo. He is very hard on himself. He has spent most of this week revising and timing himself doing papers. I do think that they need some downtime.
He did go to a uni fare and has decided he would like to do a degree apprenticeship.

My other DS is retaking English and doing IT at college. He went in for one revision session over the holidays, said it was useless , and hasn’t done any studying since. I am a bit worried as he needs to sign up for next year but hasn’t done so yet.

Mine’s waiting for results for mocks he did before Easter - time will tell how they went!
Weve started to think about open days but looks like the ones he’s interested in are June - need to decide which to book on if to

We're also looking at the possibility of degree apprenticeships. Think every weekend in June and July might be at an open day!

Ds has had no mocks, don't know of any exam dates yet. Is this unusual?

I guess after May Half term there are usually proper mocks for A levels?
Do colleges tend to decide who can stay on the courses at this point?

My son’s school have done it differently this year - he has more in June I think (when some will be sitting AS levels) - I guess all schools have their own way of doing things!

It's only as I know someone's dd who last year couldn't carry on her A level Biology course because at the end of the 1st year she achieved a D. First of all a D is a pass but surely you can improve on that grade by the end of the second year!?

You’d think it would be perfectly possible to improve - even if by one grade - that seems harsh, not everyone is aiming for top grades.

I guess if they’re doing 4 that would be the deciding factor of which to drop

They have higher entry grade requirements than the college that ds goes to. They are an 'outstanding' college and get really good grades. I guess they want the 'cream of the crop'

Sounds just like where ds goes.

That explains it then - certainly wouldn’t be the same for all colleges and sixth forms. I guess if you go to one like that, you know what you’re letting yourself in for

Ds has done zero revision I think this hols. He has done his open water lifeguard course and passed his driving test so not lazy as such but I am a bit concerned about his May AS levels. We shall see!!!

Congratulations on the driving test to your dc! Mine’s not 17 for ages yet…

I think schools seem to do more mocks than colleges. The school one of my DS’s goes to is very intense and I could see them being difficult about students continuing into year13.

They do look good and some of them seem to pay really well. My DS’s school had an alumni day and he got to meet ex students on some of the degree apprenticeships, they seemed to be really enjoying them although I imagine they are highly competitive to get into.

DD is still at school rather than college but hasn't had a single mock as yet. I'm pleased about this tbh as we were both sick of exams and the resultant stress!

DD has mocks shortly after they go back after Easter. Just back from holiday and planning to get some revision done this week, so we'll see how that goes... There are also various pieces of coursework due in soon.
I think A Level students (DD does IB) have mocks after May half term and college does review then to check people are OK to continue with what they're doing - I don't know how high-pressure or stringent the criteria are though.
We have got a tentative open day plan for June. DD intending to apply for medicine, which has the early application deadline, so trying not to leave open days till the Autumn, but does mean a hectic time of several weekend visits in a row.
Hope everyone is enjoying the holidays.

DS had a January test that resulted in the first lots of predicted grades, but the UCAS predicted grades will be partly based on exams that are before and after May half-term. He’s had a week off while we’ve been visiting family but think he’s planning to get back to work (a bit…) next week.

Looks like there’ll be lots of open days in June/July. I or DH will go on a few, where he has to stay overnight, but others he’ll probably be able to do on his own. I’m pondering how possible it is to do two in a day, when they are less than an hour apart.

We got as far as making a short list of possible unis / courses last night and the dates of open days, about 4 of them are all on 14/15 June when we have Taylor Swift jn Liverpool.

The only one on the list that we could possibly combine with that trip (we are in London) is Manchester and that doesn't have its open day that weekend!