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

@Echobelly- I might be telling you something you already know, but my dc is in a similar position. Their first choice is really realistic and the positive for firming is that we’ve already been able to sort out accommodation. Obvs it depends on the uni though

DD has gone in for the start of her A level Art exam. Three long days ahead. That’s one subject finished on Friday afternoon.

Anyone else doing any creative subjects this week or soon?

Good luck to your dd @ArchitectureMumthat’s a tough exam. At least it will be over by Friday.

@ArchitectureMum hope your DD's first day of the art exam went ok. My DD is doing mainly sciences so the majority of her exams are first two weeks in June. Finishes school in 2 weeks but it still seems an age until she can breathe and say they are done! The stress levels are rising daily atm in our house so I am trying to remain as calm as possible for the long weeks ahead 😂. I am getting GCSE flashbacks now so know this is normal for DD we need some nice warm sunny May weather so she can sit out whilst revising.

@Lalux DD's dates are pretty much the same your as Ds's.

@ArchitectureMum hope the art is going well. We don’t have a single artistic bond in this family - 3 day long exams sound awful!

Ds had just said over breakfast that he’s well on track with his revision. They finished the maths course just before Easter, further maths yesterday and Physics should be next week so there’s plenty of time for revision at school now too before he goes on study leave.

He played in a rugby tournament all day on Monday and is carrying on his sports training and coaching, and maths tutoring. Raking in the spending money for his long simmmer ahead! I think I must have the most relaxed child in the world atm!

Hope the art exam is going well, @ArchitectureMum. My younger DD starts her 2-day GCSE art exam today.

@Echobelly, well done to your DC on the EPQ and the music performance! DS didn’t choose music a level but he is a singer too. On firm/insurance offers, we were advised that if you meet your firm offer on results day but want to go to your insurance choice, you’ll have to write to your firm and ask them to release you. It will be up to them to agree to do so. I guess the likelihood of them agreeing will depend on how over- or undersubscribed they find themselves on the result day.

@MiniMidiMaxi, your younger DS sounds like my DS, who also didn’t have a clue and in the end applied for several different kinds of multidisciplinary degrees. They’ll get there eventually (fingers crossed). DD by contrast has been set on medicine for quite a while. She’s signed up to chemistry, biology and psychology a-levels, MFL AS, and EPQ. It’s quite a lot and subject to GCSEs going well, and if she does start with all of these she might well drop one or two things if she doesn’t like them.

@Ventress, UCL firm and Exeter insurance sounds like a great combination and a sensible decision. DS is still trying to decide between Exeter economics and politics and Warwick PPE. Hopefully the Warwick OHD next week will give him some clarity.

DS is on study leave from beginning of May, although they do have some optional revision sessions in school after. He has eight exams between 11th of May and 8th of June.

We also managed to sort the car insurance and he’s really enjoying the independence of being able to drive himself wherever he wants to. And we are enjoying the independence of not having to give quite so many lifts!

@ArchitectureMum hope the exams go well! I guess if they start this early your DD will be finished early as well. My Dc has another 3 weeks until his first exam which doesn't feel that long.
@ComingInByAnsible hope your younger DC's exams go well. We are also finding it such a relief not being a constant taxi service. Has your DC got a black box? DC keeps checking his rating on the app and is now in the 90s (after it dropped to low 70s...)

Thanks everyone. The first day went to plan I think. Just a minor issue of needling to wait for paint to dirty before moving on. Hopefully it did overnight!

yes Art will be over but the rest of her exams are after half term until the last on 18th June so a later finish. Lots of time to focus on two subjects though.

Mine has her three days art exam 4-6 May. Fingers crossed for her. Good luck to yours.

Well DH has arranged to take DC to Manchester for a visit next week in a last ditch to convince them not to stay in London.

They missed the offer holder's day there on the excuse of music coursework , but I wish they had tried as it's all grist to DH's complaint that they're just not trying to look anywhere else. IMO, they're entitled to have fixed on one place if they want and I think they have decent reasons, even though, as I've said, I think it's a shame not to take the opportunity to live elsewhere and I think Manchester is a more stable institution than their first choice. DH accepts that he can't force them at the end of the day!

@Echobelly it's a shame they're not in Manchester this weekend, it's a gorgeous city in the sunshine!

We're off to Newcastle to help decide between there and Leeds...

@Fabfabfab, thank you! DS really didn’t want a black box (which I can understand). DH managed to find a quote (Admiral) that was reasonable (relatively speaking!) without one. I think the fact we waited a couple of weeks after the test and that DH also added himself to the policy as a named driver helped.

@ArchitectureMum, glad the art exam is going well so far, same for my younger DD. Hope they both manage to complete well today.

@postitnot and @Echobelly, hope the trips to Newcastle and Manchester go well. @Echobelly, love your DH’s persistence!

DS got his history NEA result and is a bit disappointed. It’s an A so not a disaster by any means but he was hoping for an A star. He doesn’t have much wriggle room with his favourite offers so it would have been nice to take some pressure off the exams.

I don't love his persistence so much @ComingInByAnsible 😆

How are everyone's young person doing? We have the first exam (economics) two weeks tomorrow.
DS appears to have actually done some revision this weekend! So that's something.

He appears to be focusing heavily on maths and further maths as he needs very top grades for those. Not sure Economics is getting much of a look in - but I understand his logic. He needs a B in that which should be possible without too much extra effort.

I hope everyone is keeping calm!

Edited to ask about how the last few open days have gone and whether decisions have been made.

Regret for doing four subjects weighing heavily here at the mo..

Study leave starts 11th May, first exam 20th.

Relishing the freedom from Art here. Booking haircuts and hobbies. DD also has made a revision timetable for her two remaining subjects but it feels like balance has returned. A bit odd 8 weeks before the end of her A levels but I am so pleased for her.

She will find out her Art course work and EPQ unmoderated marks next week. Hoping they will be encouraging.

DC was out most of yesterday for best friend's 18th, but has been home all day revising (in between learning songs on the accordion, this being latest hobby).

They have made an enquiry about a tattoo they want to book in after their birthday in June. 😮

First 12th May, last 11th June. It's all a bit mad. NEAs back this week, so hopefully that will be a boost.
He is working hard but still struggling with anxiety 😕
Driving lessons and a job hopefully post exams.

Well done to your son @ComingInByAnsibleon his NEA. Car insurance is simply horrible. well done on finding a good quote. We can’t/don’t use a black box either.

Well DS has apparently done no revision yet. Not sure what I can do about that although I will encourage him to revise of course. We also have had no joy with the UCL accommodation portal- there is just nothing available apart from the most expensive , new, building which is in Canary Wharf. I can’t help with the portal as it needs an authentication code which is attached to DS’ email address.

DS finishes school on Friday 😮 but back in on Tuesday for leavers day celebrations (or muck up day as the kids call it!)

Very little revision happening here but I know the school are just revising with them now in every lesson. He's doing the odd practice paper at home and seems to be in the right ball park gradewide but he is doing his own marking so who knows! I have tried to do the marking for him but I struggle with some of the mark schemes particularly Chemistry as I haven't got a clue. First exam is Physics on 20th May. 😬 He has had confirmation that his Physics and Chemistry practicals stuff has all passed.

Nightmare on the UCL accommodation @Ventress can you seek private accommodation? Bath opens next week, I've told DS that, despite him wanting to live in the most expensive halls, we will be ranking options on the cheapest first!

We actually quite like the black box now! It's reassuring to know they are driving well, and DC quite likes looking at his score. Maybe it gives him a sense of control in an uncertain time and at least he knows he can get a good driving score. Hopefully a-level results will also be good. Not heard back re the NEA yet, some people seem to have though but not at his college I don't think. He's got another week before study leave and doing mini mocks again this week at college.

I think the deadline for submission of NEA is 15th May and they should all hear a while before this in case anyone wants to appeal.
My son's comp sci mark will come by the 5th May apparently.

I've been trying to mark his past papers to lighten the load (and avoid optimistic marking) but it's not easy!! And is making me feel really stressed 🤣 anyone know if AI can mark maths written in scrawly handwriting??

UCL released a load of accommodation around 3pm this afternoon. We'd been checking regularly for a week. Have another look @Ventress

I do not blame you for your rankings @JustHereWithMyPopcorn! The Bath system sounds so much better than UCL.

DS has had both of his NEA’s back now @Fabfabfab(history and English lit). Hope the mini mocks go well 😊

Oh bless @SilverBlue56that is stressful! Good luck with the scrawly handwriting. I managed to miss DS’s English NEA result - I thought it was the mark for the final draft - Oops 🫢

Thanks @MysticCatLady- DS is looking now (fingers crossed) 🤞