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

All of the maths and science papers look impenetrable to me. Ds thought the second FM paper today was a bit harder than the first. Also has single maths tomorrow then a couple of others Thursday and Friday.

We also have maths tomorrow and then we have physics on Thursday.

Dd has the middle of this week's exam sandwich with the last of her Classical Greek GCSE exams on Wednesday. She just has the one this year as she's year 10.

I am totally stressed as to whether my DS is doing enough revision. He's chilled but I don't know if it's head in the sand attitude or he's really just not stressed and thinks he's going to do fine. He's got 2 subjects with a lot of course work which didn't finish until about mid May! He's had 2 exams, 5 to go. This time next week he will have 2 left. I can't wait for it all to end.

Comparisons with others are really not worth it. My DD struggles to retain information so it’s always very stressful close to exams no matter how much she’s done beforehand.

Consequently she is on non exam days revising a stupid amount each day BUT it’s very slow progress and not a lot of ground is being covered. So I could tell you she’s revising for eg 10 hours a day but because of speed and retention another YP might cover the same amount in 2 hours! So it means nothing to compare.

Three down twelve to go with four more this week (one each day). Maths tomorrow afternoon but he is focusing more on STEP II on Wed morning. Three next week, four the week after then finish with the last one on Monday 24th (STEP III). So far he thinks they are going pretty well.

He did some revision in half term but certainly nothing like 6 hours a day! He seems pretty laid back and not too stressed which is good (unlike DD who is feeling stressed about her year 10 exams coming up!)

DD has been very chilled but just came (at now midnight) and said I am going to be up finishing the maths syllabus for the exam tomorrow. Wake me up at 11am if I am not awake as I don't want to miss the exam. 🤔She only has Business 3rd exam after this on Thursday this week though think that's am but think she's prepared for that. I just tend to leave her to it but she does have a habit of doing things right up to the wire. Last ucas choice she did 30 mins before the latest time.

Arrgh...I am tossing and turning unable to sleep due to worrying about maths tomorrow. It's DS's weakest subject and he's worked incredibly hard but I know he is still anxious. I think I'd almost rather be doing it myself!

Only one more to go here. Hallelujah! Non STEM subjects so DC started exams before all their friends and will finish by the end of this week.

That must be great Aardvarksforall Last one is 20th here though 2 out of 3 subjects finished on Thursday and just 2 to go.

Didn't get much sleep here either and trying to make sure I stay awake until 11am to wake DD up though did see her emerge about 7am after seeing her up at 3am, she does nap though. She sounded more positive though. I'm too old for these into the night activities.

So dd is continuing in her head down, no commentary after each exam, way. So impossible to know how it’s going. I suspect economics yesterday was tougher than she would have liked, but I’m just speculating. 2 more on Friday then a 10 day gap before her last one. I’m going to try and get her outside - she is v pale and has developed some mouth ulcers and I think needs a blast of daylight/sunshine…

I shall be the same with Ds when chemistry rolls around as that's his weakest.

Good luck to everyone taking Maths 1 today.

Good to see all your DC's progress although I can feel the stress emanating from posts! I remember the half term break in GCSE year being unhelpful in derailing the momentum.

@Rollergirl11 DS went to year 12 pretty much straight away after the decision was made, seemed best for everyone. He's doing the year 12 mocks again this week & next, but is very relaxed about them as school will use last year's UCAS predicted grades.

We got the final brain scan results back last week, all normal although the test isn't the most reliable! This meant at least we could get his holiday insurance in place (good) & it's all systems go for his holiday with mates (mixed feelings - he's very happy but I will be living on my nerves that week for sure).

Sending lots of luck for remaining exams!

@MrsAvocet my DS has his first maths exam today and I feel the same. He needs an A to get into his first choice uni. Fingers crossed they get on okay.

Such a rollercoaster for you @legosnowqueen

My DS was critically ill a few years ago with a little known neuro condition, so I have empathy with your fear. Time heals the fear but I guess it’s always there as a parent.

Great news that the transition to Y12 is going so well.

I am working near DDs school as she sits an exam this morning. Slightly panicked as just seen an ambulance. She was very pale and stressed this morning and has a history of fainting….gah. Need these exams over!

Good luck to all those sitting Maths and Step papers today.

DD has moved back into grumpy ie anything anyone says is met with an incredulous look. She has said she's planning on not doing too much this afternoon to prepare for doing English Lit paper 2 tomorrow. And then one A Level will be all done.

DS has driven himself in this morning so he can study in the library pre exam. He probably wants to escape from me to be honest as I am like a cat on a hot tin roof! You'd think I'd be over it since DS is my youngest, but actually DD did a performing arts degree, admission for which was audition dependent, so her A levels didn't actually matter that much and DS1 was in the Covid cohort so didn't have A level exams. This is the first time I've been through the whole "the future depends on the outcome of this exam" thing as a parent and it seems I'm not very good at it!

@MirandaWest your DD's attitude sounds like mine! She had two exam papers yesterday and Eng. Lit. (paper two) is her last A Level one, so she's really lost her va-va-voom. Think we'll be lucky if she gets a couple of hours of revision done today.

@SooperOuting good to hear that your DS's final brain scan result was clear. Bet he's looking forward to his summer holiday.

Onwards and upwards for all of those young people still with papers to sit over the coming weeks. What a schlep for them.

Not me - @legosnowqueen with DSs brain scan.

Sorry , scanning the posts too quickly. Apologies @SooperOuting, and best wishes to your DS @legosnowqueen .

Maths "not great" according to ds. Having questioned more fully that seems to mean it was hard but not hideous but mainly comprised of his least favourite topics.

From listening to him talk to a friend about it on the way home he got a lot more down than the other lad so I'm hoping it's not as bad as he thought.

Queenmabby, DD wasn't too happy either as it was too easy...

First exam done, 11 to go..

DS was reasonably happy. He said he couldn't do much on the last page but that's ok, he's not looking for an A. But generally he thinks it went ok.

lol no worries 😊

DDs second paper was decent and I gave her best mate a lift home (more time off work - heyho) and ofc listened to the chat, and DD seemed pretty upbeat even though the questions were weird and she wasn’t sure what they were asking for. Pretty upbeat is huge for DD as she’s usually quite down on herself. So fingers crossed!

Thats it for this week, two at the start of next week and she’s done. I’ve transferred some £ to her account to buy some holiday clothes with her mate next week as they finish before all the others - I’m so proud of how hard she’s worked. And quite amazed she hasn’t fainted or puked in the exam room.

Turned out the ambulance earlier was just the driver nipping in for a wee. 😂

I need a head wobble sometimes.

Currently being scammed by DS to buy a new tux jacket for a ball. It seems Vinted don’t have anything. Hmm. Turning into an expensive month.

Yikes. Too easy? DS definitely didn't find it easy although not too hard. I've just had a chat with him and he's said that it was just that it was full of his least favourite stuff. 1920s era maths apparently! 🤣