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.

Thanks!! 🙏 Sorry, BTec boy, here.

Good luck with her choice!

@sisublondie can I ask if you are Finnish please? If too personal sorry!

OH NO!!! DD doesn’t have a copy of her GCSE results for tomorrow’s enrolment. They had to access them via a portal which she has found out tonight is now locked. There were no paper versions. And despite me saying to download, print off, take screenshots she was told they’d have access to the school portal system & email until October! Aaarrgh! I’m not sure the new school will be 100% understanding. She was already stressed about the new school and now this.

@Elevenmillion my DD2 took core maths rather than EPQ as she was doing a few essay subjects and thought it’d be handy to keep her maths up (but didn’t fancy A level maths). Both Bath & York (her firm & insurance) dropped a grade because of it. There’s a few who drop a grade with core maths but fewer than EPQ it seems. She’s also found it very useful in her degree. It’s a great option!

Epq was compulsory at my son’s school but he did a level maths so wouldn’t have done core maths. My dd is off to a different 6th form, not sure what the situation is there. I think it’s compulsory in many private school 6th forms.

@NotDonna Hope your dd's enrollment goes OK! What degree did your dd2 do out of interest?

I'm sure she won't be the only one @NotDonna. Perhaps the new place can access the data via UPN type code (although that might be state sector only).

Totally new start for DD this week. I keep saying it's just like a grown-up starting a new job, and that some worry is totally normal.

@Elevenmillion she’s doing BSc Business (her A levels were Economics, History, Psychology & the core maths).

If there are any aspiring medics in here, I have created a thread for those planning to apply for medicine in 2027, if you want to join us (as well as being in this group 😁) we're here:

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/higher_education/5402235-too-early-for-a-medicine-2027-thread?reply=146821220

There are some experienced parents of med students on there and one poster who is a medical application guru and has given loads of excellent advice to many previous applicants.

I do hope so! No clue what that code is but hopefully they can access. I’m calling her current school first thing but they’re not back til Wednesday.
I hope she IS the only one! They’ve probably hundreds of kids to get through and they don’t need mine not having her results slip. It’s extra faff but I do hope they’re not too annoyed. She’s already stressed.

Heading over to join. Dd not sure but it’s certainly a possible.

@TheyNotLikeUs she took one screenshot of two results which also shows her name, DOB & a Unique Candidate Identifier number, so you may well be right that the new school can use the UCI to verify her grades. 🤞🏼

And here I am thinking she’s organised bc the bridging work has been done and shoes purchased! Knew it was too good to be true! 🙄

@SuperSue77 thanks for setting up the medicine thread - my dd is (cautiously!) interested, so will also join.

@Elevenmillion my dd is hoping to do an EPQ - I think they have to apply, not sure what that involves. Her 6th form don't do core maths, but the other option she was looking at did, and she had signed up but decided not to go there in end - I think it would have been really useful though.

I think lot of people are attracted to doing an EPQ because you can do it in anything you want, so they have full freedom on the topic, and also can do some research if they like. It builds a good set of different skills they may not have done before, especially if you're not doing ant subjects with coursework. I also don't think 6th forms tend to do core maths, more colleges, but depending on the course and uni, you can get grade reductions in both.

Both are useful in different ways, so dependant on each person and what they may use in the future or are interested in.

DD had to choose between EPQ, Further Maths A level or Med/vet/dent applicant. EPQ is 5000 words and good prep for dissertations at university further down the line. They also do a short presentation of it. Equivalent to an AS level and attracts UCAS points. I do think it is great prep for uni.
Of course, she has as yet no idea what her EPQ will be on. Ideally it should be related to a course she intends to apply for at uni. The kids aiming for social sciences/law/politics/English lit etc at her school are doing it.
Her school is a competitive grammar and it seems everyone is aiming high so not for the faint hearted. I hope she will be OK. At the moment, she is most excited about having lots of free periods.

Well, it’s the Big Day for DS…..🙄🤞… he’s quiet and “tired”….

Good Luck to any other nervous new starters today! 🍀

My son did epq last year. It was related to his degree choice. The whole cohort were marked down from the school assessment. Some by loads, others including ds, not so much but it did make a grade difference. The school entered a mass appeal as they were really concerned but were unsuccessful. No grade reduction for him although one of his uni choices (not first choice) would have done if got an A or A*. He was in an indie and all the indie schools round here expect the youngsters to do it. They don’t offer core maths (I think that sounds a good option) but maths was a very popular a level choice so I guess there wouldn’t be many takers.

Hope he has a really positive first day!! 🤞🥰

Well done all for supporting your DC to get to this stage in their education.

We have a standing family joke that I take credit for her MFL grade (in reality I didn't assist at all as I've never studied the language).

Although obviously my child sat all the exams, I did assist by making sure they prioritised revising over Easter etc...so I do take some credit for some grade uplifts.

EPQ not been mentioned by school yet and from their publicised results there seem to be plenty who choose not to do it - especially those with DS’s combo of maths, FM, chemistry & physics. I think they’ve got enough on their plate doing maths before the end of year 12. I can see how it fits better with the social sciences/humanities. It would be DS’s worst nightmare - he’s already picked chemistry over biology because he found out that biology involved writing an essay 🤣

First day for us too. DD is contemplating changing her a-level choices, but she has a month to make that decision. She is doing Maths and FM, and two more, and told me she was thinking of doing an EPQ but I said she doesn’t need to! I do think the epq is really good in principle, because those independent research skills are so important, but she needs FM more for potential future plans, and her social life is important to her.

DD only has a half day today, so straight into it tomorrow I guess. She has stayed at her school for 6th form, so today was mostly excitement about own clothes and getting started!

Did you hear back about your remark?

I must admit to privately taking some credit for
my DD’s 7 in further maths! It was an extra that they did after school and many dropped out. DD kept going but didn’t go to all the lessons if her friend wasn’t there (there were less of them to go with her by the end). But the night before both exams I spent a few hours showing her how to approach several of the questions that she had no idea about and I really think that made the difference between that 7 and maybe a 5 or 6!

I also helped with MFL practice but not as much so I definitely give her all the credit for her 7 there - I thought it was going to be a 6 at best! She really pulled that one out of the bag by her own hard work.

Still waiting here - rather nervously!

Just catching up. Induction tomorrow for us, so going last minute clothes shopping this afternoon. Textbooks ordered and all arrived except one, which I picked up from the library til it gets here 😇
Found out one friend from old school is going to his new school, and is someone who got top grades, which hopefully will inspire DS (as GCSE grades good but not "top"! 🥴).
In other news, my lad was pictured in the local paper in one of those "kids getting their GCSE results" articles! 🥳. So proud of him.
Good luck this week, everyone!!