Year 12 - 2025/2026: Here we go again!

[QueenMabby]

A new thread for the new school and college year. A friendly thread for parents of those going into year 12 in September 2025.

@OliveWah wow..you have been through the mill. Hope you get much better soon 💐

Sounds very scary @OliveWah glad you are home now and hope you can rest up and enjoy the time before your DD1 goes off to uni.

Hope those who've already started college are settling in well ... we seem to be starting very late here.

@OliveWah that's been a very rough time, get well soon.

Get well soon @OliveWah .

We have an unchanged Eng lit mark after review . Seems to be quite common and DS reminded me he wasn’t bothered ! So onwards and upwards

Thanks for the messages this morning! DS made his way to college for the enrolment and whilst there 2nd choice 6th form emailed me confirming they could offer him a place to study his chosen a levels and resit English alongside if the grade doesn’t move after the review. So he’s accepted that offer and starting there on Friday! Such a relief! We’re still waiting on the English of course but it’s less of an issue now- would be great if he didn’t have to resit though 🤞🏻

Goodness @OliveWah- you have been through the mill! Glad you’re on the mend and your DCs are excited for their next adventures.

So glad your ds is all sorted. What a relief!

We’ve had English language review back this morning (sent in last Wednesday). DS gained 4 marks so has gone up from a 6 to a 7. Really pleased for him because he’s now got all 7-9s that he’d hoped for.

We’ve done pretty well with out reviews. Mark increase in all four so far, with three leading to grade increases. We’re still waiting on one more review - business studies - but it’s the one we care about least. He hated it with a passion and it made sure he wasn’t going to take any subject at A level that he hadn’t studied before! If that stays a 7 then so be it.

Back to school tomorrow - he knows his timetable now and he’s got a couple of teachers he’d rather not have, but the rest are ok. Physics seem very ‘on it’ and have sent out their plans for the first half term. Maths/FM and chemistry seem more relaxed - no summer work and no details about what’s to come!

Phew @scrumdiddly123, but what an unnecessary faff! 😡

So glad to see you are home @OliveWah, what an ordeal!

DS starts sixth form tomorrow. He’s now got his timetable and his first lesson isn’t until 11.30, and he only has 2 tomorrow. It seems quite odd that on his first day he doesn’t actually need to go in at the start of the day! I think this means I will end up driving him as if he gets the bus he will have 3 hours of sitting around by himself with nothing to do.

@Sisublondie hope you got a positive report of the day yesterday 😊🤞🤞🤞

DD is on day 2 and has switched from politics to history. I think it is a good decision because she already has one ‘new’ topic (economics), which will require her to get into current affairs a bit, and although she would have been interested in the historic side of politics, I’m not sure she would have been as interested in the current context.

She hasn’t been hugely enthusiastic about her subjects but I’m beginning to get a sense of enthusiasm and excitement from her. I am hoping that she might actually really enjoy the focus on things she is interested in (hoping economics is one of them). She is going to have to work hard to achieve what she wants to achieve with 4. But I’m enjoying the positivity!

We are still waiting for a grade review, but I think it may only have been submitted this week by school. It doesn’t impact what she is currently doing, just her pride (although if GCSEs are counted by some Unis, it would impact that).

@OliveWah you sound like you have been utterly worn out, but you must be so proud of your DC (and yourself) because it sounds like they are really succeeding at life 🥰. Also sending huge empathy for you and your Dad. Dementia in any form is so difficult for everyone, and it must be so stressful for you being so far. I hope you have the space to focus on getting yourself better.

DS started sixth form today for induction day (still having to do his tie for him - i like it), DD went on hols yesterday then couple of weeks off to uni.

first day on my own - house feels different, very quiet and all sinking in we're at new / different stage in life.

A levels seem to go quickly - we'll be needing a results thread before we know it!

😟

She’s just got back from induction day, said it was ok. Lessons start tomorrow. Eldest starts uni next week so we’re going this weekend. Feels very grown up.

Not back til Thursday here, but some packing finally going on. Good to hear about new starts for others. One grade review back here - Drama - no change, was 2 marks off a nine and the teacher felt it was harshly marked, but clearly not. Never mind, worth a go!

@OliveWah you poor thing, hope you're recovering. @scrumdiddly123 particularly pleased for you that there's ben some resolution.

@OliveWah yes the powering through is real - yours sounds particularly harsh - how you can ok forward to the new academic year start with more time to look after yourself

Lots of exciting new starters and exam reviews, Ratty got an email from English teachers which said they think he should gain marks on both papers so he’s sent the remark request for off. See what happens.

Little is packed and ready to go tomorrow, I am taking Ratty out for an exciting trip to buy A4 folders! Woo! and dividers.

scrumdiddly - what a relief for your ds.

mojobrojo - glad your ds got his grade uplifts.

DD is back from day 1 of 6th form College and is full of chat. Made some new friends already. Had Biology and Psychology lessons which were both good. Didn't get lost! And her English Lit review came back today, gone up 6 marks, taking her into the next grade. She gets a nice letter from AQA with an apology too which has helped her dented pride.

I rather love they sent her an apology letter! That is a nice touch. And congratulations to you DD on her actual grade, and a positive first day 😊🥳

Oh @OliveWahwhat a time you’ve had!
Nerves kicking in here; DM on her way to provide light relief. Meanwhile, DD needs to go back to the US to give biometric data and the Americans have lost her birth certificate.

@OliveWah crikey you have been through the mill. Do hope you make a speedy recovery! So sorry to hear about your dad - it’s really not fair is if?

@scrumdiddly123 so so pleased your DS is sorted! I’m guessing he’s happy to go to the second choice 6th form over the college?

@ForeverWanderingButNotLost & @mojobrojo great news re the grade uplift!

DD starts her new 6th form tomorrow and has decided she hates the black blazer we bought months ago (they wear business attire) - not sure what we can do about that now. She’s a size 4 so finding a blazer in the first place was not easy. It’s got the tag in so I can probs take it back but she needs one for the morning so… (I’ve calmly walked away and decided it’s not my problem to solve.)

@ChannelLightVessel what???? DD has to travel to the USA to get her birth certificate? 🤯

I also meant to add that it’s lovely reading about all the very positive first days 🥰

@scrumdiddly123 -good news - fingers crossed though still for that review !

s good to see positive reports of first days so far

My DD is similar size. She went for a slim fit girls Marks and Spencer’s school blazer in the end, in age 14. I was really surprised as she very into what she wears, but it fitted the best and looks pretty good.

@newmum1976 thank you- they’ve sold out but it looks identical to the one we got (also a school one for the smaller size) thank you though!

@OliveWah gosh what a time you have been through-look after yourself in recovery.l and @scrumdiddly123 glad thing a are opening up positively now.
Induction couple of hours tomorrow for DS from 1pm and then a teams call Thursday before starting properly on the 8th. Looking forward to seeing his timetable and getting into a routine again.
He got set some initial work last week post enrolment and has made a start unprompted.

Good luck to all those starting back today. Raining hard here which is a shame. Dd is ready to go though rather nervous. From some judicious outlook sleuthing she knows who her form tutor is and that two of her friend group are in form with her. She has friends in maths class but not in bio or chem which she’s a bit disappointed about. Very boy heavy classes but at least the class sizes are small: 8-10 mainly.