Year 11 - 2024/2025: And relax! Support Thread for the summer holidays.

[QueenMabby]

New thread to carry us all through the summer as we transition from dealing with stressed teens to dealing with bored teens!

I think its one of the reasons why dd has opted for an FE college...
She's done with uniform and what she considers "pointless" rules 🙄

Sixth form here is no blazer and a different jumper and tie like VioletIndigoBlueGreen. Dd is quite pleased as she's quite young looking and can't be mistaken for a yr9. She's a bit annoyed though as only trousers allowed in Sixth form unlike rest of school.

I'm doing this right now (having successfully and very easily found DS's NI insurance online via gov gateway).

It says: Get your first provisional driving licence for a car, motorbike, moped or other vehicle from DVLA online. To apply you must:

• be at least 15 years and 9 months old

@rosemarble But I think as pp said, if you apply too early it won't cover driving a car (unless disabled in some circumstances).

Yes, you can't get behind the wheel of a car before you're 17, but a provisional license states you can drive a car, motorbike, moped or other vehicle; it doesn't note that the holder is 16. Otherwise no 17 year old would be able to take their first lesson on their 17th Birthday.

I think?

@rosemarble I thought that was the reason for 16y9mnths. But I can't remember, DD is only just learning now but is approaching 21!

@frozendaisy how new does the passport need to be to use same photo please? That would be so useful as it’s such a faff getting a passport photo.

I did DS’s yesterday, his passport is nearly 3 years old and it let me use the photo from that

Morning! For the early 17 year olds who want to drive. A) reserve lessons now, good people book up. B) Book provisional test as near to 17th birthday as possible. You can’t book the driving test until this is passed. Driving tests are hard to get and usually have a 6 month wait. That’s a whole other topic. C) revise for theory test. If your child does well at GCSEs they think it can’t be that hard! As a result all the September kids failed. DS included. Their peers learnt from their cockiness.

labrador means book theory test as soon as possible

@TeenToTwentiesyes, that’s the one! Book theory test asap. Aiming to get DD booked in the week of her birthday. Luckily she’s in half term. Theory tests are easier to come by than practical tests.

And another thing you can’t book a theory test until you have provisional. Parenting, the gift that keeps on giving!

So...
Results day is 3 weeks on Thursday 😬
Dd seems ok...she's got a few plans with friends and has her enrolment day slot now for FE college.

I think DD2 is pretty busy for next few weeks - though she was annoyed to be told she needs to go to college day of results at lunch time - though she's not the only one.

I think they were hoping to pick results up and hang out - but many of them need to head of to different college campus and register there now on the day. Then only a week after that before she'll be starting somewhere new.

@CatHairEveryWhereNow
Yes, older dds results day was pretty busy iirc...

Thank you lovely people - provisional license now applied for 🤞it doesn’t take too long to come . Now to try and find an instructor with availability for September … just tried the theory test and I only got 42🤦🏻‍♀️

Hey all! I’ve been trying to play catch up .. provisional licence!!! 🙏🙏🙏for that! I thought about it too early on, but he is Sept birthday, so I best get cracking! We are rural too ( it’s not going to be as easy as DS18, as DE16 will need medical but he’s excited to be old enough to get one, all the same ( I just shelled out for a “ citizen card”, he needed to show he was 16 in town!).

Is anyone else feeling weirdly settled because “ it’s not August yet?!”)… DS has settled into his routine… unfortunately had big fall out with one of his only ( and oldest ) friends last week so it’s been a bit of a nightmare. My Mum’s birthday is August 1 ( my late Dad’s 5th), mine 20 and DS18 on 21st… so since I was a teenager, my mums birthday signifies Exam Results on horizon 🙀!!… but, chill till the mental angst of “ August” arriving! 😹..

So, time to play catch up with your holiday news now I’m back online 😸

@waitingquietlydds took 4 days, 2 weeks ago! I’ve also just emailed DS driving instructor to book her
in. Hope he doesn’t think I’m completely mad. Her birthday is in February 😂 but he is brilliant. 3/3 in my close passed first time with him.

Sorry about the fall out @Sisublondie friendships issues can be so upsetting for them and us as parents.
We are back from a lovely week away and now have a few other nice things planned before the 21st-namely Oasis this weekend and then a trip up north to watch his team in a pre season friendly.
I think once all that is done and then my birthday on the 12th I will start to think more about results day.
I am going to look at a laptop for him for college as he didn’t have his own before -any recos?

We got older dd an acer one
It's been pretty good

Dd is going to be away at an orchestra residential for results day. She wants to go in though so I’ll pick her up the night before and drop her back after she’s got her results. School is open from 8am and there’s always coffee and pastries on offer.

It all seems quite far away still but I think it’ll start to feel closer once we’re back from Japan this weekend. It’ll be August too so that’ll make it seem even closer.

dd still has all her bridging work to do but she says she’ll start that straight away so it’s done before results day!

@QueenMabby so glad there is some other child who WANTS to go in for results day. DD2 doesn't have to at all - and it's miles from home - we are literally having to get a hotel (and yet they post them online). But I figure she's worked for them, so we need to put in the time if she wants to see people.

Hope she enjoys the orchestra residential. DD2 is on tour from tomorrow. It's been a long hard week of contrabassoon rehearsals in a new orchestra but she seems pretty ready now. The instrument is taller than she is!

@Sisublondie sorry to hear about the falling out - it all feels a bit febrile as they prepare for big changes in their lives.

My DD wants to go in. Talks of big reveals, opening together. This means DD will have to wait for her friend who is last in the alphabet to get her envelope. At this rate, the internet will know before me 😂. Then we need to register for 6th form and then we are off to the airport to go on a mini holiday ☀️🏖️

Ours are posted on the school portal but there’s quite a culture of going in. DD’s not sure if she’s happy to get her first look at her results from the envelope or whether she wants to peek online first. Regardless of whatever anyone says to her, she is going to be gutted if she doesn’t get all 9s and I think doesn’t want anyone else to see her upset if she doesn’t as she does really appreciate that most people would be ecstatic with a mix of grades (ds certainly was!)

Bridging work has got underway this week, after some gentle prodding - phew. Although I'm torn between feeling glad that DS has something constructive to do and wishing that they could just give them a break from studying this summer!