Year 11 - 2024/2025: It’s all downhill from here!

[QueenMabby]

New thread to help us get through the next week or so!

I don't disagree - I pointed in my post out the smarter guys in trades often upskill , run businesses, contract etc and earn a heck of a lot more than academics. I work in engineering now not education and I meet plenty of men on a daily basis in their 30's -50's who have nice cars , holidays & standards of living who aren't particular academic and started at entry level post 16 . Not many women though it has to be said . There are always opportunities for bright young men with a bit about them with work ethic in trades . Conversely we have had young temps school leavers on the factory floor who are unreliable and didn't last long or needed a lot of hand holding.

I'm more hands on than my parents were with me.

Partly because I have a much closer relationship with her than I ever had with my parents.

Partly because dd seems to expect it. And I wonder if this is because of the covid homeschooling years.

Partly because some of her friends are struggling emotionally.

She's somehow younger at 16 than I was.

I'm trying to match her effort rather than steamroller, if she gives me a completed past paper then I feel I should make the effort to mark it as best I can etc.

They are all different in what they need

DS is really struggling today to keep at it - he’s worked hard this week but has just announced tomorrow is a rest day - can’t say I blame him .

That's interesting @Yodeldodeldo , I hadn't thought too much about the legacy of homeschooling. I reckon you're onto something there.

And yes as other PPs have pointed out the school environment and approach will also have a huge impact. There has been a frustrating lack of consistency over homework at DS's school which hasn't helped him develop good habits. On the other hand, I'm glad it hasn't been highly pressurised all the way through in terms of endless homework and exams. Something in between would be good!

DD2 seems to be plugging away and having sensible breaks.

I'll be glad when GCSE are done partly to be done with a very disappointing school - it's not the same as when we applied for DD1 and partly becuase if she gets what she needs it' a big thing ticked off - she'll always have the qualifications.

It's odd time for us sort of constant flux - - there 4 school years between eldest and youngest and Y10 there are actual GCSE exams and Y12 there AS levels - so it's felt non stop. We'll fingers crossed get DS settled at uni then it a big career fair with DD2 then thinking about uni open days then AS level exams then may get DD1 back here after uni or not. As soon as DD2 done with Uni DH wants to move again for his next big job anywhere in UK - so more changes.

Thanks @QueenMabby. I can't keep up with the threads atm, there are just so many posts.

I've been at work all week, ds2 home alone, I fear very little has been done.

My friend has a PhD and worked for Jaguar Landrover for many years. He retrained as a plumber/ gas engineer in his 40s and is minted.

@QueenMabby thanks for the new thread

Next exam next Wednesday, still five days to go, this bank holiday week has felt very very long. DS seems to be keeping to his plans for revision. I am not allowed to be involved. I have made my peace with this 😀

Maths, History and Eng Language next week then another 7 left.

Downhill? I anticipate the next three weeks will go quickly as exams are one after another with only two weekends and one study day!

😀

Yes, thank you @QueenMabby!

I don’t know if anyone else finding it playing up on here tonight? Just tried to post a really long one but it just disappeared!!! 😡

Yes, I have learnt to step back from DS and try to leave him to it.. it’s so hard. When I had to go out today, DH said he did Physics and Chemistry on SME without prompting… only prob with that is, hard to see what he had done on there ( sometimes he’ll still have it up on his screen).. but I’ll take that for today. I think he was doing Biology after but I’ve not checked that, yet.

We have first exam on Wednesday too.. I think there’s a few of us, Maths Paper 2 AQA? DS then has ……… 🥁…… English Language Paper 2 AQA on the Friday… and Geography pm.. then onto the following week…. Finishing June 16th Physics. 🥳

So, sounds very similar with your DS, there? Is he happy with today, or hard to tell? It’s pretty hard, isn’t it! 🤷‍♀️

I just remember DS18’s face a good few years ago when he said “ Mum, AI will steal my dream job from me! I promise you!”… ( he’s big into his languages so must have been related, don’t know what it was!) to which I replied ….”No, no, it’s not going to be that big a thing “..!! 🫣🤷‍♀️😹!….

But, I’m holding firm that AI won’t be stealing any trade jobs anytime soon…. so, I’d be snapping hands off for apprenticeships for my DS16 if he showed the passion for any of them….. never let anyone forget Mr Pimlico Plumber!👨‍🔧

Relentless from next Wednesday DS has 1 in Wed, Th, Fri, 2 on Monday, 3 Tuesday, 1 Wednesday. Then 1 on Friday, Monday Tuesday and that is, finally, him done. He went out with his mates this afternoon but is doing a bit now. I told him 18 days to go and his eyes lit up! What a joy the summer will be!!!

@Sisublondie DS looks calm and appears ok so I'll go with that.

Its OCR Maths for DS - school changed from AQA start of Yr11.

think someone else did say in a post this is life now for some years to come with (per DS and DD plans) A Levels and then Uni but once at Uni it has to be just down to them regards academic matters!

But I intend to focus / limit my parental input during Uni years to money, parcels and moral support as well as spoiling DC rotten when they come home. 😀

Very true!

Not sure the bribery was worth the effort :-)

A chunk of geography, and a chunk of Spanish will have to do for today.

I would love to have had this half term off. But I also looked at his timetable and thought, actually he could do with the time at home. So it's swings and roundabouts for me, we compromised on last weekend, bank holiday weekend, he could basically have it off revision. Which he did.

Since then it's a slow and steady ramp back up.
I am sure it's the same for most, but it's annoying (for me I don't discuss these details with him in case it makes matters worse) but next week he can only cross off English as a subject because there is a third geography and maths paper the following week.

And he finishes on the 17th with Spanish writing. Can't wait! Be nice just to be generally ignored and only communicated with for food, money, lifts and just general fun rather than being revision reminder mum. Just mum again will be nice.

I intend on using some of that time to sit in the shade, in the garden with a stack of books (my books will probably go for the trashiest chick lit in the pile to begin with, not a stanza or social economic idea within the pages), and a table full of drinks throughout the day. (Although I suspect we've had our summer - that hot bit we got to look at out of the window whilst throwing around science revision guides). To be fair this possible future is what is keeping me going.

He said, bless him, I am going to definitely do nothing on the 18th June. So sweet, think he just can't imagine weeks and weeks of no pressing academic work to do. I will encourage that thought about 10.30am 17th June until then he needs to keep going.

Ahh found you! And you’ve been here all day. I seriously thought there’d be zero posts over half term and it’s been busier than ever! Thanks yet again @QueenMabby

DC hasn't had end of years or mock exams straight after holidays (whereas I always did) so this Easter and current half-term have been the first time the holibobs have been dominated by study.

And I don't like it! Wondering when her new 6th form setting schedules exams.

That is a LOT of exams!
Your poor DS....

(and poor you under the emotional load of it all!)

Thanks. I know I feel sorry for him. History and sciences are so content heavy - at least maths, Spanish, Eng lang less content heavy, although lots of practice needed

18 days until Freedom day!

We are very similar. Same amount of exams just spread differently. I am dreading that week! At least after it there is only two more days of exams and then a rest. My child has said they’d rather have them spread out a bit more than all squashed into the week like that!

checking in! My garden is looking good as haven’t wanted to go out and about much!

Morning all, too! Just dropped DS18 at his summer job, and popped to Greggs to get treat Steak Bake, DS16 fav, as early lunch brunch to lure him out of his pit when home!

Good luck to us all for another day! And, yes, we can start the countdown! I think we are on 18, too!

Back in a bit 😸

Excellent on garden!!! 🪴 .. you’ve spurred me on! Thank you! I hope it’s making you happy to look at 🥳 ( or, maybe that’s just me….🙄)..

Loving the steak bake bribe - mine would totally go for that.

We're off home tomorrow - we've had the most lovely halfterm/revision time in the South of France but despite the lure of the pool work HAS been done. This morning DD2 was working on translations and rotations with her grandmother as it turns out she's never been taught them as 'everyone else did them in year 9' before she moved schools.

Thanks to these threads I was able to suggest she always asks for tracing paper. She says she's now going to ask for it in every possible exam 'just to weird people out'. I suspect this is not going to be a great strategy for Music. Although it would definitely weird people out.

Dread to think of the ingredients!, tho needs must! 😈 ( sadly, Greggs hasn’t hit the South of France, yet, had it? Tho, it possibly won’t be long!)..

Your DD trip sounds great in all regards….the sun and fresh sir, obviously, but change of scenery, seeing Grandma, new/ different methods of revision, can kickstart and revive flagging DC a treat 🤩. It’s good it’s gone well.. I hope it’s safe trip home!

Now, tracing paper?? … not so for music, or, maybe to try to weird everyone out entirely? 🤷‍♀️… When is her music? 🎶, is it working ok around written exams?

Took me a while, too! I had a stress when I went to post and it says “ thread not accepting new messages!!., took me a bit of poking round ( and intel panic!!) but I landed here in the end!

How have your last couple of days gone/going? 🤞ok I hope? 😸