Year 12 preparing for AS levels

[HSMMaCM]

Here we are everyone.

It's all going very quickly isn't it?! I'm currently on gap year insurance and sorting dual nationality for DD in case the referendum goes for Brexit, want her on a EU passport at that point.

Also need to get her to arrange a sensible schedule of lessons with her tutor for the Japanese A level in September and make sure she spends the money I have given her for TEFL actually on the course. We've sorted a monthly allowance and I've put money aside for one return flight so far. Hoping her old school will be happy to let her sit the A2 exams as a private candidate.

I agree with Littleham's about the Park and Ride at Bristol. You can find spaces around the University if you know where you're going but much easier not to drive right in. I secretly have hopes DS might look at Bristol when the time comes. He's hopefully going to be my straightforward one (relatively)

We are going the night before and staying in a hotel, it'll be some time just for ds and I to use the free wifi and ignore each other to have some quality time together.

Grrrr, trying to get DS to register for open days is like trying to herd cats! He hasn't even got an email address...

He has a long list of unis to visit - trying to emulate his brother's record of 12!!
No degree subject decided yet...

First one will be Leeds, think that's the day after his last exam. I will go to some with him as tying them in with visits to family.

This has come round very quickly - is it 2 yrs since I did it with DS1? Seems like 5 minutes ago!

Sympathy to all those suffering from poorly-timed illnesses, there's a lot about. DS2 has a hacking cough just in time for SATs.

DS1 is feeling perkier (he is the up cycle of white cell count but will be in the nadir at exam time). He has another week at school, then study leave, two internal exams week 1, two in week 2, then half term, then the two AS exams so all nicely spread out for him. They don't get the results of the non-AS exams until the end of the year in case people decide there and then to drop them. They are back on 12th June and keep trucking until 20th July.

We've been looking at open days but Liverpool now seems to be off the agenda following this week's liberal studies where they had a talk by a prisoner who was a former gang lord in Liverpool - let's just say it was a bit of an eye opener and he thinks Liverpool is too dodgy (having grown up in Belfast, I can say that Liverpool is a much nicer city)

We've had a look at the open days; one is on the same day as Bristol which is stupid as it's a stone's throw from Bristol but the days are so full on that you can't do both in one day.
DS is now changing his mind about his subject choice, he's thinking of the new one over a subject which he is passionate about. Both are equally good for careers. Of course I can't tell him so I just have to hope that the original subject department has a better sales pitch at the open days. Bugger.

So ... Have all your children been busy all weekend, or have they been partying revising with friends like DD?

Similar here HSM - friends rallying round as DD and bf gage just spilt - crap timing, eh?

DS has been revising at his friend's yesterday, as far as I know anyway. He's been down for food and gone back to his room now. Tomorrow we have the fun of the year 6 SATs starting and then the first AS level is a week tomorrow so we have three weeks of it. At least the AS levels are useful.

God Littlehouse, I feel so mad that these bloody SATS have become so stressful for the DC.

Yeah, me too. DD is fairly laid back about them thank goodness, she's feeling confident and says that she doesn't need to worry because DS didn't get the levels that she is expected (by the government) to get because then the levels were lower and he's done fine in his GCSEs so what's the worry for. She's got her head screwed on right I think. It is stressful though, some days they have 4 papers in one day which is not the best planning and certainly not when you are full of hay fever.

A word in Liverpool's defence that my DBro had a great Uni experience there _ I enjoyed visiting him there and strolling along the fairly unrearkable Penny Lane and having a trip on the Mersea.

On SATs DD2 has done a little online stuff this w/e but I have been ensuring she doesn't get too stressed, as she finds it all hard so needs to keep up her confidence to have a go.

DD1 prepping for Spanish AS. I spent the morning working with her on how to plan the writing task of the exam. It is in the lap of the gods really. if she gets a question she knows about she'll be OK, but she can't think up ideas for herself.

Also looked at DD1's latest BTEC assignment. Again very lacking in detail - she can't see what is needed so makes bland statements and doesn't back them up at all.

Just wondering what she would do if she dropped out after y12...

Bemusement at Liverpool's gangland warfare.I never came across it and was born in Liverpool,left when I was five and went back for Uni.Lived in liverpool 7 ( Toxteth).
DD wasn't very keen on the RVC yesterday thank God.Its very expensive living in London (/especially with 4 kids to pay for).

No, I've never heard of anything out of the ordinary for a big city either. In Liverpool, I mean! Do you live in a quiet area, Ono? Maybe he's just not that aware of what big cities are like?

What is RVC, teta?

Ah, just googled it! Where else is he thinking of?

Bloody sats, lovely, funny, creative, sporty dd has gone to bed stressed about the bloody things.

Those with SATS, I'm sorry they seem to be getting more stressful with every year. Can you not try to tell DC that they are more a test for the school (and teachers) than for them really? That they will make little difference to their own outcomes and futures.
Other things are more important for them really - those relating to secondary school applications.
It annoyed me a bit that primary school barely acknowledged those things that actually might be important for DS such as a music audition for a place at secondary school (though he prob would have got a sibling place anyway)
And just cranked up the stress for the bloody irrelevant SATS

But tbf they weren't too bad when mine did them, just lots of practice and they put on a breakfast club for them which they quite liked.

My DS (Y9) has a week of exams from today. First ones for him in the school hall and they will contribute towards setting in maths and science next year.
He just about found out - by phoning a friend yesterday - that he has Chemistry today.
I hope they go OK for him. If he's fairly chilled about them I feel reluctant to ramp up the pressure just yet, but perhaps I should ask him what he has next day so he can do some preparation at least the night before!

Juggling I have told DS that they are a test of the teacher and school so try not to worry but it is the teachers saying things like have a good breakfast, go to bed early etc that has stressed him a bit.

BTM we live in Hertfordshire/north London borders so not too quiet and not very rural. My niece went to Liverpool JM and loved it. I work for Manchester Uni and have never seen any gang wars during my regular visits. Any city will have its criminal underworld, I expect it was just the stark reality of being confronted with it that hit home.

Juggling my DD thinks that as well, she's right. The pressure this year is ridiculous, far more than in previous years from what I can tell and very, very different to when DS did them.
DD's school are doing a breakfast club and then an hour of yoga type activity and then the first test. They have planned a day of no lessons at all for Friday, I'm not sure what they are going to do though.
DS went into 6th form this morning and then texted me to say he's coming home as he feels ill, I hope it's not the start of something!

Little house - I hope your ds is ok. DD has her final exam timetable with room numbers etc.

Last week of school before study leave. Boy has that crept up on us.

I have a feeling this week is going to fly by, with DD's mood getting worse as the days go by.

Your poor DD BTM, very bad timing. Hope she's bouncing back

Huge sympathies to all of you having to contend with these new ridiculous SATs on top of everything else. I really feel for the DC and am very grateful DS did his last year. Nicky Morgan et al have a lot to answer for.

Same here, HSM.