Page 36 | Year 12 - 2025/2026: Here we go again!

QueenMabby · 2025-08-25T14:49:16+00:00

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

frozendaisy · 07/10/2025 17:47

@ThisPerkySloth2 this was almost the exact basis of the WhatsApp Mummy Lecture!

I direct quote
"you have to really work for this, not "pulling it off at the last minute" Ratty working - really working - and want to work."

You are not alone sister! 😀

Almost tempted to cancel the £134 train fare uni open day visit on Saturday, will see how rest of week goes.

Original poster

QueenMabby · 07/10/2025 19:53

You’re definitely not alone! Dd told be with great earnestness on the way home today that she got all her maths answers right and her teacher was very pleased that she’d shown all her working. “And mum - for two of them I actually did the working out as I went along!” What about the other 8 questions? Apparently she writes in the working out after she’s “thought” the answer and written it down….. 🤦‍♀️

OP posts:

ThisPerkySloth2 · 07/10/2025 20:10

Oblomov25 · 01/10/2025 18:43

@ThisPerkySloth2
I do agree that for most of us all this uni talk so early, when they've only been in 6th form a few weeks is a bit 🤮, but seriously I was only responding to our posters who have musical children for whom it all starts early. Plus any Oxbridge lot, who many schools start with them early.

As I've said my ds2 doesn't even really want to go, but worrying has no idea what else he does want.

These are the kids that I feel year 12 is a good year to try things. It's slightly more relaxed, than year 13 where let's be honest term starts in the Sept, exams, Christmas, Feb mocks, then it's speedily exams!

so year 12 is a good year to chew the fat and have a good think about things slowly and calmly, to try new sports and new activities and maybe visit a couple of uni's - if you do fancy visiting, some don't! or a couple of apprenticeships or a couple of talks and just take some careers advice and just think about things. That's all I'm suggesting.

Edited

@Oblomov25 no problem, wasn't a criticism at all just wondered if I was missing a deadline or something. DC all have different needs / wants etc. So require different support / parenting I get that.

it is early in my book for my DS. that's all. but then he's still adamant about architectural engineering so in some ways easier process as he knows what he wants.

TBH as long as there are cheap fried chicken shops near by he's sorted!

ThisPerkySloth2 · 07/10/2025 20:26

@frozendaisy good to be in company. I have said if he gets another behaviour point I'll deduct £5 for each one from his pocket money. He asked if I was doing that this month, I let him off this time.

Mine doesn't even want to visit his sister who has just started uni a couple of weeks go!

Good luck with the visit - hope it spurs your DS on.

ThisPerkySloth2 · 07/10/2025 20:36

@QueenMabby we should be pleased they get the answers - but its like slowing down a race horse!!!!!!

we've also missed out on a Maths Inspiration Lecture (£12 - sold out) DS is adamant it was for further maths people only but I'm not entirely convinced.

Again another "warning" to "listen out for these things and that you will be doing these additional things / they are not optional in your case".

Lesson for me - check the parent pay site every day. 😩

labradorservant · 07/10/2025 22:21

@ThisPerkySloth2from my memory and from my DS most questions were ‘show that’. You got given the answer and it was all about how to get there. Wasn’t showing your working also a gcse thing. I know my DD knew she got the answer right in some questions but she then worried if her workings were good enough.
We are seeing my DS in Bath on sat and will probably get the end of the open day. Hope this might get DD thinking. She has a vague idea on course but have told her to spend a few mins every so often to look at courses and unis to get her thinking.

Oblomov25 · 07/10/2025 22:24

Ds2 got his results back for chemistry and hasn't done very well! Oh dear. He had PE today, he's got his final test psychology part 2 tomorrow.

achangeofnameisasgoodasarest · 08/10/2025 08:35

It is early in the year for tests @Oblomov25 - but I guess it is to shock them into seeing what the step up from GCSE really is, so it's a good thing really if that's happened.

All this maths and science from the rest of you, and DD2 is just becoming obsessed with Chaucer... v different world.

She has also achieved a 'sanction point' (her first ever) because she failed to sign in for a study period. Because she was showing round a prospective new specialist musician, as the school had asked her to do this. She is LIVID. Tutor is supposed to have removed it but has not done so - I am sitting on my hands, Sixth Formers need to fight their own battles I guess.

TheyNotLikeUs · 08/10/2025 08:51

If any of your Y12 DC are in blossoming romantic relationships, do you have any advice or boundaries to share???

Elevenmillion · 08/10/2025 08:58

Oblomov25 · 07/10/2025 22:24

Ds2 got his results back for chemistry and hasn't done very well! Oh dear. He had PE today, he's got his final test psychology part 2 tomorrow.

My dd is due a Chemistry test soon, and teacher has said not to worry about the result as most do really bad in it (at this stage)!

mojobrojo · 08/10/2025 09:24

DS had maths tests two weeks ago. But, they are doing maths in Y12 (and FM in Y13), so they'd already covered about 4-5 topics. Three students were recommended to drop to just maths - two have agreed and the other is being stubborn apparently. DS forgot to revise, but swaggered home saying he got the joint highest mark in his class; I have told him that it will get trickier than this!

Apparently he had an economics test yesterday but isn't giving any info on how it went. They have formal 'mid-terms' just after half term.

Araminta1003 · 08/10/2025 09:36

“If any of your Y12 DC are in blossoming romantic relationships, do you have any advice or boundaries to share???”

@TheyNotLikeUs - tell us more!
I think as long as the other half is motivated educationally and working hard and they are kind to each other it is a good time to get some relationship experience.

DD is in a very boy heavy grammar school after a single sex all girls grammar. She has about 10 boys texting her non-stop! She likes one of them. Same applies to all her female friends in that school. She is currently then introducing the ones she does not like to her old friends still in the girls grammar school. She is in matchmaker heaven.
In the mean time, she has also had a lot of tests and apparently half the class got B and C in their Physics test. All grade 9 students at GCSE. So yes, they are grading them down for now to motivate them to work hard.

Rainydayinlondon · 08/10/2025 12:19

“If any of your Y12 DC are in blossoming romantic relationships, do you have any advice or boundaries to share???”

Watching with interest...I think a romance is lovely at 16-17, but think it's too young for anything sexual (or am I just very old fashioned)?

Rainydayinlondon · 08/10/2025 12:38

Not able to edit my post but what i meant was “intense” (even if they don’t DDD)

I worry that it’s seen as the “norm”.

Oblomov25 · 08/10/2025 15:00

Loving the Aram dd opportunity to matchmake.

Ds has had a new girlfriend from a different school for a couple of months, very early days, only 3 days out.

OhCrumbsWhereNow · 08/10/2025 15:24

Rainydayinlondon · 08/10/2025 12:38

Not able to edit my post but what i meant was “intense” (even if they don’t DDD)

I worry that it’s seen as the “norm”.

I think today's teens are actually less likely to be DTD than we were. My naice grammar was like a rabbit warren and that was as much the lower school as the 6th form.

I am actually dreading the day DD declares she's 'in love'... not over any physical stuff, but I think she may be more than a bit smitten when it happens, and right now I am celebrating that she is hyper focused on her career and what she wants to do there, and boys would be a very unhelpful distraction.

Happily her course is exceptionally girl heavy and she thinks musicians are all 'gross, man' - long may that continue 😂

frozendaisy · 08/10/2025 18:18

TheyNotLikeUs · 08/10/2025 08:51

If any of your Y12 DC are in blossoming romantic relationships, do you have any advice or boundaries to share???

Meet the love interest, be cool, see what happens.

As regards to romantic relations in the house, not crossed that bridge yet, but would definitely ask for the other parent's number, probably mum, to open up a basic communication channel, checking everyone was ok with whatever was attempting to happen.

I think, in theory, I would be fine with sleepovers. They are 16, 17 in some cases. But would take it as a case by case, day by day, just because something happened once doesn't mean it would now be the norm. Or could be done without acknowledgement. But not without the other parent knowing. And would have to just trust them, a bit, at first.

TheyNotLikeUs · 08/10/2025 20:15

Great advice here as always, glad I asked. Strong work ethic, check. Kind, check. Intense, check. Will meet and be cool.

But so young. Thinking ahead but thinking back to Y1 in uni halls, and recalling those that had existing boyfriends come to visit. I got the impression it wasn't the first time they had stayed over.

labradorservant · 08/10/2025 20:29

I’m going through this now. Luckily he’s a family friend so I know his family are on the same page as us. They are 16 so can’t stop anything happening really. No sleepovers as yet. He always leaves by 12! His dad makes sure he walks her home. If he’s not around his mates look after her. It’s quite sweet really. Also making sure they are not dependent on each other. I’ve seen too many teen relationships getting a bit stalkery. Think that’s what put my DS having one too early!

OliveWah · 09/10/2025 02:19

@TheyNotLikeUs DD2 and her boyfriend have been together for over a year, they're both very academic and sociable, so tend to study or see friends in the week. They spend every Saturday evening at either his or ours, and they eat with the family, then disappear into their bedrooms afterwards, but I'm fairly sure they're mostly snogging and watching films!

We made a rule for DD1 that she had to have been with her girlfriend for more than 3 months, and both had to be over 17 before sleepovers were allowed. Despite the lack of risk of an accidental teenage pregnancy for DD1, we were well aware that we'd need to have the same rule for DD2 so were mindful of that when making it!

TheyNotLikeUs · 09/10/2025 07:07

Thanks for sharing. Some families have rules about leaving the bedroom door ajar but perhaps that's for under-16s. I've realised I'd rather not see what's going on!

They dont do PDAs in school but she said a teacher picked up on their special friendship and was kind about it. However, she felt that a senior teacher gave her a look which indicated she had clocked their relationship and wasn't entirely thrilled. Probably doesn't want them both to flunk their exams!

Araminta1003 · 09/10/2025 07:16

“Probably doesn't want them both to flunk their exams!”

Hehe, does not always work like that! The boy DD likes is applying to the most competitive unis and she is working harder to impress him. So it can go both ways. I guess it is becomes a thing, perhaps his parents will be less pleased…

achangeofnameisasgoodasarest · 09/10/2025 07:59

@Araminta1003 in the dim mists of time I dated a boy who was applying to cambridge in the year above me in Sixth Form. totally spurred me on to apply to oxford because 'if he could do it so could i'. A fairly large number of years on (and some serious relationship breaks) and we've been married over 20 years.

So intense they may be, but sometimes 16 years olds' relationships work out.

Good luck all. So far DD2 has exclusively (and I think chastely) dated clarinettists. DD1 another story.

labradorservant · 09/10/2025 08:01

My issue isn’t with exams, it’s all the stories of couples wanting to go to the same uni or town and not going to the right place for them. Or not enjoying the uni experience and seeing bf every week. I bumped into a one of my DS friends, who is at the same uni, the other day. She was home visiting her bf already.

SuperSue77 · 09/10/2025 18:41

labradorservant · 09/10/2025 08:01

My issue isn’t with exams, it’s all the stories of couples wanting to go to the same uni or town and not going to the right place for them. Or not enjoying the uni experience and seeing bf every week. I bumped into a one of my DS friends, who is at the same uni, the other day. She was home visiting her bf already.

My brother took a gap year to go to uni at the same time as his girldfriend, they both got offers to the same one (different subjects at least!) and she dumped him within a fortnight! Would have been so much easier for him had they been at different unis.