Year 13 2024 - General support thread part 2

[Rollergirl11]

All welcome as our young people head in to their last full term before the summer exams. Between UCAS applications, receiving offers/rejections, learning to drive and taking driving tests, revising for mocks and sitting them the pace hasn’t let up for our DC.

This thread has been a lovely supportive and immensely helpful place to talk as we guide our DC’s through this challenging time!

Old thread here https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/4851165-year-13-20232024-general-support-thread?page=40&reply=132323436

have you spoken to the exams officer?
l’m an exam invigilator and there should be no talking in the exam unless absolutely necessary and if we do need to communicate it should be whispering only.
i can see why your daughter would be upset.

Everyone had gone home by that point so it’s a job for tomorrow but I have emailed a couple of people. I’m so upset for her.

there is very little need to communicate even if students have access arrangements. I am the lead invigilator in a room where every student has an access arrangement eg prompt, reader, extra time, rest breaks etc. I know the access arrangements for each student so if x goes on a rest break the other invigilator will signal to me, I note the time and give the candidate a post it note with their new finish time when they return to the room- no need for any verbal communication. The only time I need to speak to a candidate is if they have a prompt. The room should be silent.

Definitely follow up with the examinations officer who should ensure invigilators are not talking in future exams. This really is quite poor.

Yes Daffodil I would not be happy either. DD had issues as well this one with invigilators chatting, also in the small room, throughout whole thing but at least hers was the most straight forward subject and she wasn't the nearest to them but she said most of the kids were disrupted by them. I checked the JCC and looks like there's a max of 1% adjustment for disruption in exams but its major disruption and I think its more for like fire alarms which are off for a long time. Though worth asking and definitely requesting they are quieter in future. I am hoping its different ones tomorrow for DD as her exam tomorrow is more thinking though at least its not the maths one.

DD also found a file on the school system with all pupils confidential information on, everyone in both years, names were off but school e-mails were on so not exactly rocket science to work out who was who. She reported to Head of Year on Saturday who was frantically trying to sort.

Will be glad when one tomorrow is over then break for a week and a half.

Another one down and fine so week and a half off here then 3 week after. Says she's working both days at the weekend but she loves her job and it's sporty. After that there's 2 more but one a week. Nearly half done.

DD has firmed Bristol and put Edinburgh as her insurance. Was wondering when she’d actually get round to it but didn’t want to ask in case this caused any issues!

They have the same grade requirements but she didn’t want to go to the one of her choices with a different offer so better not to make it her insurance. If things don’t go to plan I think she’d have a gap year and work out what happens next rather than doing clearing.

She starts tomorrow with history and seems OK at the moment. I keep being told random facts about the Tudors.

Shes been going into school in the morning and back home in the afternoon; she likes being able to see her friends for a bit as they all seem to be going in too.

DS has been going in quite a bit too. A group have colonised a big table in the sixth form centre and they work together. I'm hoping it's fruitful and effective!

First exam done! (Further maths)

DS has also started this afternoon with Further Maths and says he is happy with how it went so that is good. Think he's glad to have started he's been a bit twitchy the last couple of days. Afternoon exams are not fun, he didn't really know what to do with himself this morning, he ended up leaving really early and having lunch at college as he didn't want to be stressing about busses being late. One down 14 to go!

Well the General Election is going to be two weeks too early for DD to vote, bit of a shame really. But two exams done now, so at least she has started. Geography apparently had some mean questions, although she thought went OK (although apparently her friend was in a bit of a state about it), and today was good. One more before half term.

Halfway! Ten days off now and no school. I fear he might go off the boil, I hear rumours of !going out and !seeing people. No chance of picking up the clothes off the floor obviously but the general mood is quite pleasant. Hope the same is true for others.

Also have the floordrobe which has now extended into the corridor and taken over a desk and chair, mainly used by Floof who has been a little perturbed that he can't jump on there and sit on the desk. I have been told it will all be sorted after her exam today then I am too sleepy. But she's in a great mood and I'm leaving the clothes mountain issue. She does come in the night before each exam and spend about 10 minutes looking for socks. Yesterday she announced she had found purple lucky socks.

Relieved to be half way through with week and a half off. So much easier than GCSEs. I do get told about half the questions on each paper and asked for my thoughts, not entirely sure why as I didn't take any of her A levels but think its kind of a brain dump post exam. Lovely to chat with her anyway, will miss her in October.

Excellent news about the lucky purple socks @Penguinsa 😂

First exam tomorrow, @MirandaWest I get to hear about modern American history at the moment (Tudors is after half term!). Only six exams in total though, so way less stressful than some. How on earth are you coping @IThinkIMadeItWorse ?!
Last day seemed to go well yesterday. DD is terrible with goodbyes so I'm expecting delayed emotions at some point, maybe at the 'do' post-exams. The calendar seems stuffed with events. I'm sure there's room for revision in there somewhere.

@TenSheds its Russians after half term here. 6 exams here as well. Am sure she will have sadness when everything is over

She also has a provisional college for Durham as it came out before she had rejected it so I suppose that’s one for that college back into the allocation I suppose others will appear for those who haven’t rejected Durham yet but are going to

I can't bear the mess but have to put up with revision stuff everywhere as ds has a small bedroom (in fact we had a laugh at open days looking around accommodation as the room were generally bigger than his!). Can't wait to get it all cleared out.

General consensus was further maths was better than expected but that might mean the grade boundary is set high. He's not too bothered as none of his offers need FM. Physics Friday then a week off for half term and full on 3 weeks after that.

Oh the mess. I move things, hoover, then put them back exactly as I found them. The dog's given up going in there as there's no room to wag! We've only got 2 exams left now but both are big learners. DC having a break until the weekend and I've been Googling UCAS points.

We also have piles of different subject revision all over the kitchen table and in both DD and DS’s bedroom. DD’s is taking up floor space and you have to tentatively step between the towers if you venture in to her room. DS has a keyboard (piano) that he has stacked up all his revision by subject and if you dare to touch one then you risk the others toppling!

DD has her first exam this morning; History - Nazi Germany (Edexcel). I think she’s well prepared but she doesn’t think she is. She was telling me yesterday how there are just so many statistics that you have to know that will probably not even come up as you only have 3 questions.

Leavers mass was on Tuesday which was nostalgic. Can’t believe we are at the end of her 7 year journey.

Exhausted here! DD is an emotional wreck and needing a lot of reassurance. Most of which she bats back and argues with [sigh]. Her and DS rounded on DH & I last night and spent the evening ribbing us which was double edged: after everything we’ve done and put up with the past few months it felt disrespectful, but at the same time we know that she’s in a good space to be doing it.

I will get my evil rewenge. I have a double page list of household chores to be shared out amongst the household the day after her last exam…..

Oh forgot to say that DD has her 1st choice of college for Durham provisional allocation which does t really mean much as it’s her insurance and she won’t be going there.

Russia and its Rulers (OCR) here. He got really stressed about it last night, but I think he will be fine. He’s been doing 1-2 timed questions a week since January (they wrote no essays in the first term as they concentrate on content) and he has always done really well.

His room is an absolute tip, but nvm.

Best of luck everyone!

DD felt really ill yesterday evening, felt sick and complaining of bad stomach cramps. Think it's tension/stress manifesting itself. Feels better today which is just as well, as she didn't get much revision done yesterday.

Her bedroom is a total hazard in a variety of ways.

Yesterday's psychology paper was in her opinion the best of the three papers she's sat to date.

Glad everyone's DCs are getting on ok, bedroom tips notwithstanding.

DS and some friends are doing a synchronised physics paper 1 practice paper this afternoon before the exam tomorrow. He's pretty sure it's one he's done before - he thinks he's done all of the more recent ones! - but it'll still be good revision. He's desperate to get this exams going now. It's been a long wait.

DD not home yet as doing English lit revision at school ahead of tomorrow. Have had a few texts from her, asked her how History was this morning and got a “meh” in response.

Have just been to pick up DS from his leavers mass and shirt signing. He’s done now for half term and just in for the exams afterwards.

It’s starting to feel like the end of an era for me. I could definitely get a bit weepy if I think too much about it!

First exam for DD tomorrow - currently doing a practice paper so not allowed to make any noise. Good luck for other physics peeps tomorrow! And Eng lit too, if I've picked that up right. And anything else...