Year 11 support thread - keep on keeping on!

[AtiaoftheJulii]

Just getting this ready!

Following on from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/2936097-Yr-11-support-thread-the-scaffolding-is-holding-up-well

Good luck to those with exams today 🍀

Dd2 done and dusted after history source paper this morning. Getting ran and nails done this aft ready for her prom tomorrow.

No exam news today but physio review was very positive - DD has been doing her exercises conscientiously and is reaping the rewards. Which are more and harder exercises but at least one of them is analogous to drawing a bow, which is what she is aiming to be able to do again.

Congrats to all those who have finished today.

DS so demotivated for physic tomorrow, what with the heat, knowing lots of his friends have finished and played the PS4 again over the weekend. He hadn't touched it for weeks but it's amazing how one session can get him back on that bandwagon again!

He is also pissed off this morning because I got an email about the 6th form inductions days at the beginning of july and in it they said they would be set some work to do over the summer holiday!!!

I must admit I don't like that idea at all Give them all a break is what I say. It's also weird because ds is still not sure of his 4th subject, his final decision will no doubt take into account grades obtained in August. Oh well..

Oh passanda that's awful. My DD is between 2 school for 6th form: her current one(a girls' school) and a new school. she is planning gone going to both inductions as she has places at both. The new school expect her to wear smart clothes, as is their policy, for this day. She has nothing suitable. Am I really expected to go and buy clothes that are A, suitable and B, that she will wear? I don't like this school and this has put me off even more!

pasanda same here, DS will be set transition work. Problem is his a level choice may well change after the results. He too is going to 2 sixth form welcome days, has officially accepted both places but obviously will only go to one. So, which sixth form's transition work should he do?? Both?!

Giddyaunt she probably does need some smart clothes anyway though? There will be a variety of things in 6th form, work experience, mock interviews etc when she will need a smart outfit. Also presumably the dress code for 6th form at this new school is smart so if she goes there she will need clothes like that on a daily basis.

giddy does your dd want to change? Is it because she wants co-ed? What don't you like about the new school? Could she borrow something for the induction? Or buy her a cheap dress from Primark?

passanda, DD is moving school for Sixth Form - we knew she'd have to start coming up with ideas for her EPQ and rough notes in readiness for September. They'll also just issued a list of books that are available to borrow from the school to give them a head start - DD won't be able to access these until September, but I think she's going to see if she can get one or two.

Giddy - could she wear her school skirt/trousers with a different top or perhaps something she might wear if going out with the family?

Ocelot - my DD will be doing the work for her first choice school school.

Just got report back from ds re graphics exam...."surprisingly difficult, but think it went well". Now looking forward to freedom. Although he is also going to two sixth form induction days as hasn't made up his mind yet. Don't think he has considered they might set work for them to do.

She is undecided which school. One week she wants to stay , the next she wants a change. Her current school is a girls only but 6th form is co-ed. The new school is boys only but co-ed 6th form. She is 80% wanting to stay put but is very indecisive so wants to look at the new school but might not get grades as it's tougher there. I am happy for her to borrow my stuff or buy a Primark dress but getting her to wear it is another thing. Prom expense at the same time and now she says it's dress-up day next week! I do wander sometimes if school give a thought to the expense.

Also she does have smart things but the dress code is super strict, they can't show an ankle and skirt length is to the knee!! It's not what 6th form means to me and what's the point with uni years ahead?

I hope dc school never bring in suits for sixth formers. Sixth formers should be in casual clothes in my opinion. [Gavel]

If our sixth form ever bring in compulsory suits I'm shipping my two off to Cambridge. So far no plans to do that though, the casual dress code is unusual for our area and seems to be a usp for students coming from other schools who are tired of uniform and ambitious academically.

my school's sixth form has a relaxed dress code but today our boys are up in arms about wanting to wear shorts nonetheless. I guess the issue with a causal dress code is they take it as carte blanche to wear whatever.

That said, I have no issue with tailored short. What the girls wear is a very interesting debate...

My DS's sixth form to be as a smart dress code and like giddy I shall have to purchase shirt and trousers (he hates smart clothes) specifically for a potentially hot induction day. A couple of weeks ago, I had to buy stuff just for a 2 minute photo before a football final. Sigh. And that's too smart for school (and too funereal)

He isn't going to prom, doesn't have a job and any 'family dos' don't exist would be casual.

Double sigh.

I know some teachers don't share my views but I couldn't give a shit what they wear!

Oh yes - we were told in the email that they had to wear 'smart office attire' I don't get this because I see the 6th formers getting on the bus every morning and none of them are wearing smart office attire! I know that ds just won't do it tbh. He won't go in jeans but will be as casual as he can with getting away with it I think.

I hadn't considered those who had two 6th form choices on the go. Which work do you choose to do if you don't know where you will be going??

He is so pissed off about it - more so because he was laughing at those at the local school having to do work over the summer and being chuffed that he didn't - little did he know!!

As far as I know there is no work unless they give it out on induction day! This other school that are strict about attire also want a deposit before the induction day for a residential trip in the autumn!!!

when I was a 6th former(1987 to 89) it was all about jeans and the common room, never mind the A levels!

When I read out the letter about 6th Form induction to ds, and it mentioned work being set, he thought I was winding him up. The thing is, I wasn't expecting an induction day until Sept, so have booked a holiday and he can't go. I think it is more important for those joining the school from outside. Re dress code, it is "smart casual" and the rule of thumb is that if you would wear it for a night out on the town it is not correct.

pasanda dd's 6th form set them summer work & a reading list during induction (day one is 'team building' in casual clothes, day 2 is work day so 'smart attire'). All the maths & science people have a maths test two weeks into term that they have to pass. I expect the summer work will be mainly maths revision for dd.

That's awful pasanda, they deserve a break!

My dds sixth form college is very relaxed with dress, she's planning to dye her hair and wear lots of grunge I suspect this was a factor in her choosing it over her school sixth form. It does seem a really good college though so I'm happy.

Ds's school uniform is a grey suit, and for sixth form they can go crazy and diversify into dark grey or black Still a white shirt though. They all manage to look very scruffy anyway! I wouldn't be very impressed with him if clothing choices came into the decision of where to do his A levels, tbh.

No induction day there, but he does have a taster day at sixth form college (probable choice) after the exams.

History went ok, he was writing right up to the very end. And additional maths this afternoon was fine - one incorrectly worded question which ds answered literally rather than what they obviously meant to ask, but that was only one mark!

Dd also thought Add Maths was fine, although hard in places. Which was the dodgy q? History was on
NHS , coincidentally revised in a school session yesterday as it had never come up before.