Finishing year 13 in 2017

[HSMMaCM]

Hi all. Keep in touch with uni offers, new jobs, gap years, exams, etc. We can get through his

We've had that conversation too Ono.Dh also tried to tell me and dd how to vote .

Thank you for the drug advice .I'm not nauseous luckily but still dizzy.If it carries on I will see the gp .Though 12 years of being a drug rep and a coming from a family of doctors mean I endeavour never to set foot in a surgery .

ono, re finances, DD thinks she has done hers but it only took 10mins so I'm not convinced! She won't qualify for any means-testing so does that make it quicker?

DD has been championing Corbyn again and telling us if we don't vote Labour she will disown us She is so upset to not be able to vote this time!

I'm very late but I am so sorry to read about your Mum Littleho

Thought about you all last night as was up at school for info evening for DS, they were talking about current Year 13 and what they are going on to do. A lot of them DD went to first and middle school with and I felt a touch emotional that there is so little time left for them and they are all grown up, I remember them tiny in the playground . Feel like I'm starting all over again with DS now it's all different !

DD looked very surprised when she realised she was going to get to vote and doing a postal vote as away then. Still waiting to hear back from one college about Foundation Art but having a place takes pressure off.

That's great Mirabelle - will she go away or live at home?

Thanks BTM, she will be at home. Likes to do things in a different order my DD !

BigTillyMint, yes if you don't have to apply for means testing then the process takes about 10 minutes (plus faffing about looking for passport numbers etc). I am not sure why they means test loans, after all he will be responsible for paying it back, not us.

Great news Mirabelle that your DD has got a place for Foundation Art! Well done to her.

We had a letter from school yesterday rollicking some of the Y13s who are not turning up for class. DS has gone in for most of his lessons as he says the revision lessons have been helpful but someone he knows who is doing sciences has decided not to go in for lessons ever again as they are just doing papers in class

It may be a loan, but that money still has to come from somewhere up front, and a heck of a lot of it will never be paid back. Even back in the day of full grants, there was means testing and a parental contribution (the numbers were all so much smaller then though!). Its a fairly weird system though.

Bugger. DD went shopping with a couple of friends for prom outfits yesterday, but they spent most of the time looking at suits (one of the other girls bought one). So today I've got to take her into town to try to find something appropriate. I'm fairly clueless tbh - she doesn't want anything OTT or skimpy, and being short but well-endowed really does need to try things on which means online shopping probably wouldn't work well. And she doesn't do heels, so suitable shoes also liable to be tricky.

Hmm, DS needs a new suit for the Leavers' Ball. Need to get that organised soon.

He has decided (at long last!) to firm Newcastle. Hasn't looked at any accommodation options or started Student Finance. Hasn't even set up a current account yet

First exam on 16th...

It is all coming round very fast indeed.

We've bought a leavers ball gown from Monsoon.Dd has silver heels from the last one so we just need to have the gown shortened a bit.Luckily I spotted it online reduced and took a punt on it looking good on Dd.We need dd2 as a dresser though as it takes 20 minutes to tie her into it.It has super long ties that can be fastened in a multitude of ways and styles which I guess makes it adaptable.
I've spent the morning combing nit solution through Dd very long ,very thick hair.Caught from her younger sister watching Netflix in bed together.Oh the joys!

Thank you Mirabelle.

As the whole of February, March and April got taken over with caring for Mum, planning the funeral and looking after Dad, the school have said that they will tell the exam board especially with regard to the formally assessed units that are due in this week.

I'm not sure how much difference this will make but the worst case scenario is that she will have to repeat the year.

LittleHo, fingers crossed that it won't come to that

ono, I still get texts when DD skips classes to go to revise in the library - WTAF? They are 18 or almost!

Don't envy prom dress shopping - it was very stressful in Y11. DD does have some sort of end of sixthform do, but it's in a local club apparently, so only a clubbing sort of dress will be needed (of which she has many, but will no doubt need a new one...)
DS has a suit he had made in Vietnam last summer for his Y11 prom, but wants blue loafers to match it

Horse, is Newcastle nearish to you? DD discounted it once she realised it wasn't near Birmingham and it took bf 8+ hours on a coach to get there and back

Yay! DS1 logged onto UCAS Track and chose his firm and insurance choices. Did take about 150 prompts from me but at least he's done it!

teta - if you're still suffering with vertigo, look up the Epley manoeuvre. I was astonished how miraculous it was when the GP had to do it for me one time.

That's great namechange - so good when they've decided and chosen!
And Horsemad, great he's decided on Newcastle

I remember DD saying that Newcastle has some really nice new accommodation, I think she said it was the best she saw.

BTM, we are 3 hrs by road from Newcastle but once on the A1 it's not a bad journey and the train route is very good also.

Errol, I have to agree with your DD, the accommodation is pretty smart!

Ah, 3 hours is OK!

Glad your DS has decided, namechange. One of DD's mates is still pondering!

DD has found her finance letter - just needs to sign and post it. And she mentioned something about choosing halls....

LittleHo I hope you are ok.I know from having 4 kids that if I can't function everything goes awry and the pack of cards I'm juggling collapses.I'm sure your children are more resilient than you think and it's probably time to think of yourself a little.
Name change thank you.The Apley manoeuvre looks fascinating.I'm seeing the gp and will see what he suggests.I'm going overseas for the weekend to a wine festival so wine and dizziness is not a good combination.
Dd passed her driving test today ( hooray). Whats the best insurance policy add on for my car ( for new drivers)We were paying about £25 a week as a learner driver so I don't know whether it will be similar.Also how long before you trusted your new drivers with other family members?
Congrats. To everyone who's firmed and pressed the button.There has been no agonising here with solely two offers .

Teta - congrats on the driving test. DH looked into car insurance - we've not been taking DD out for practice yet but will do so in the summer - iirc adding a learner is quite a lot cheaper (presumably because they have to be supervised and won't be going on the motorway), but it would be possible to add her after passing her test for a reasonable sum for a fixed period - can't remember if it was up to one month or three, the plan if she'd passed would be to time this for after exams and before uni. Probably best you ring your insurer and ask what the options are.

Well done to all those who have pressed the button and firmed their choices. Horse, DS liked Newcastle as well although it is a long journey from us. I believe it is the place to go if you are a Sloane!

Teta well done on the driving test. We found that it was fairly reasonable to put DS on my car insurance for a specific period. the real ramp up in price came when we had to buy him insurance for his own car where he was the main driver and I'd recommend Tesco Black Box insurance as the cheapest (and apparently the black box isn't too strict unlike some of the others).

a Sloane! Really? I hadn't heard that!

We are so totally not 'Sloaney' I thought it was Durham/St Andrews that was considered a bit 'Ok yah'?!

ds is heading up to Newcastle and we're in Kent so have decided to have a holiday in Northumberland the week of the drop off as the thought of 8-9 hour drive for a couple of hours unloading and then 8-9 hours back just seemed too horrendous. He has ASD so didn't want to drop and then just leave for the other end of the country - if there is a problem at least we will be within striking distance for a couple of days but we've done quite a few visits over the course of his gap year to familairise him with the area and how to get to and from the station, granger market, halls and campus so am crossing fingers he will be fine though I'm not sure he will like the idea of the place being overrun with sloans.

eatyourveg, funny enough I was thinking of doing the same regards Northumberland, I've been wanting a holiday there for years!

The thing that put me off was, going by the amount of stuff that DS1 took, it would mean there'd be no room for our luggage!

Good idea though and I'm sure your DS will be much more settled by you doing that. It's a hell of a trek from down South

Thanks teta. It does get like that when you are juggling lots of things. I think all the juggling balls fell onto the floor during the Easter holidays. We are all on major catch up now (for the exams and everything else).

DD is having a bit of a stressy week with her first art exam coming up on Friday and needing to get all the prep for that finished in her sketch-book to hand in on the same day.
We're all feeling it too.

She was doing quite well regarding pacing herself for this and did lots over the Easter break, and certainly more on track than last year for the AS. Also producing some lovely work. But she does find getting the timing right for a dead-line and presenting all her ideas in her sketch-book as well as possible quite challenging. Organisation isn't always her or my strong point. Just hoping that she can bring it all together to do herself justice today and tomorrow. And getting some sleep on Thursday night would be a real bonus too!