Year 13 -2025/26 - Support, discussion and looking after each other (new thread from y12)

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Hello
I have started a new thread following on from this one
https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/5340007-year-12-202425-support-discussion-and-looking-after-each-other-thread-2?utm_campaign=thread&utm_medium=app_share

@Tebheag I'm doing the same! I was worried at GCSE that he wasn't doing enough and he did really well so I am hoping the same happens this time.

@AuntyBulgaria 🤞
DS ain't a high achiever but managed to get several 7s in GCSE some he was only predicted a 6 or 5 in. Currently he is on for BCC so will see what happens.

Just popping on to say the DS went to Durham for the offer holder day and it was great however he’s firmed UCL and decided to insure Exeter. I’m relieved he’s made the insurance choice. He’s always been fairly set on UCL as firm, so no change there.

Hope everyone has their offers and has decided on firm and insure now.

I don't know how accepting offers works these days. We have a bit of an issue in that DC's favourite has a lower offer than their second choice (they should have no problem obtaining either set of marks), but presumably they can only accept one and they have to do that by 4 May.

DH is very very hung up on not wanting DC to go to first choice, mostly because it's in London and he says he really regrets staying in London for his degree and he's on a (probably fruitless) quest to persuade them to go to second choice. Personally I don't think his feelings about it are DC's problem and they do have several valid reasons for choosing it.

Does accepting #1 make going there an inevitability? I have no problem with it but DH would probably feel happier and complain about it less if he feels DC hasn't ruled out #2.

If he gets the grades for his firm choice that's where he will go. You can't decide on results day to swap to your insurance.

Back to school tomorrow. DS has done a good amount revision over the holidays, but I think some focus will do him good.
3 weeks until the first exam.

Thanks for clarifying. Oh well that will upset DH, but that's his problem.

DC has music performance today - they have got 90%+ in their 2 mocks for it, so here's hoping for the same in the team thing!

I'm so glad my son decided music was not for him at A level, he is a music specialist at school (admitted on the basis of music aptitude test score) but he has never enjoyed performing and at GCSE was so stressed he could barely play (bassoon of all things...!!)

Hope it goes smoothly!

@SilverBlue56 - my DC used to play bassoon as well. They weren't very good but enjoyed it - their teacher's non teaching career picked up and we didn't carry on after that. They are singing for these performances.

My dc has never played a musical instrument (thankfully!) I wish your dc well with their musical endeavours 😊

Thank you @pinkdelightI must admit that I find the financial stuff more confusing than the rest!

https://blog.moneysavingexpert.com/2025/09/five-student-need-to-knows/ this is what I was reading. It says that under plan 5 if you would get a better interest rate for taking the loan and then saving it - using it only if you need it, then do this. I think I can get an ISA which pays more than the standard interest rate which would mean that taking the loan makes sense. We are going to take some financial advice though.

@Echobelly I hope today’s performance goes well. What percentage of the qualification does it count for?

DD has her French speaking exam coming up (30%). And so it all begins!

DC was pleased with performance, can't remember the % - 20 or 30 I think. About 3 weeks to study leave and then I'll only have one kid in school!

@Echobelly interesting that you mention study leave. The expectation from my DS' school is that they're in every day even after exams have started. So no study leave.

Yeah, seems to be common not to have it now. They didn't get any for GCSE at previous school.

ds finishes school on May 15th.

His first exam isn’t until June 1st and it’ll all be over by June 12th. He’s got lots of plans for that weekend!

Mine is on study leave from 11th. First exam on the 20th May and last one 20th June I think.

Goodness @Muchtoomuchtodo that feels like a short exam period. Here the first exam is 11 May and then last is 19 June! That feels like quite a stretch but does mean that there are gaps between them.

How many exams does he have @AuntyBulgaria?

DS only has 6 this year - 2 for each subject as he sat AS levels last year which count towards 40% of the overall A level grades.

His other Sixth form option was Welsh Baccalaureate which is 100% coursework so that’s been handed in already.

He’s on his 4th summer in a row of exams as they did 1/2 of maths, all of English lit and Welsh lit and a paper for each of the sciences in year 10. Then rest of their GCSEs in year 11, and AS levels in year 12 so he’s pretty relaxed about the whole thing tbh.

Arh that explains it @Muchtoomuchtodo !
10 exams in total here.

No study leave until after half term here, but other than human geography content is done, so I presume focused revision in class time.
We only have 5 exams, 2 geography and 3 history. Business is done ✔️

DD has study leave from 7 May. First (written) exam is on 11 May and last is 17 June. Mostly they are decently spaced.

DS has study leave from 7 May. His first exam isn’t till 2 June and last one on 18 June so also crammed together at the end. I think he’d prefer to get one out the way before half term.

DS is similar- exam leave only from half term with first exam on 11th May and last on 4th June. It all seems so compressed compared to GCSEs.

Very best of luck for everyone taking exams 🤞