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!

Mum nerves creeping in here too with non-academic DD, so sending solidarity hug! Is your DD set on doing A-Levels? Does she have any offers for sixth form? As far as plans go, I guess you need to think about what ifs – what if she doesn't get the grades she needs for one particular place, where else can she go? What if she needs to do resits – which sixth form would let her do that? What if she doesn't get the grades she needs for A-Levels or doesn't want to do them, would a BTech or T Levels better and where could she study those?

My DD had access arrangements in place for anxiety after CAMHs referral and did well in her mocks, but we're not sure she put same amount of work in for the real thing! She's not doing A-levels though and has an easy path to college with an offer for a Level 3 BTech that's only dependent on her passing English and/or maths – but we obviously want her to pass both otherwise she will need to resit for sake of future job applications. That would mean starting at Level 2 for first term and do resits alongside it. Not ideal, but not end of world either.

That's great news! What's the Plan B now? I wasn't sure if colleges would be open yet for queries.

Anyone expecting real results to be less good than mock results slip?

They should go up a grade given the work put in but I think DD had a couple of subjects where they might go a grade in the other way.

I have concerns DD might slip in a couple of subjects but equally hopeful she should improve in some. Just really want her to do well in maths and English to void resits.

That all seems normal. They've sent the reference sort of details and soemtimes details on SEN if they might back up extenuating circumstances (late diagnosis, etc, or just so they know). Or they'll send the SEN details in September so they know her access barrangements for exams and it's easier to put in place.

@CapybaraCafeOrNot It would be difficult for that to happen as normally the whole file is sent over because the new schools pastoral team, her HOY, and teachers may need to know. Normally, the UPN goes across, and then files do as well. Whether they inform all her class teachers is slightly different (but they likley would be informed just so they know to watch out for it), but I'm HOY would definitely know and pastoral. She would also need teachers to know for her access arrangements so that even in class tests, she gets them. Otherwise, that would be unfair. I'd get her to talk to them, though, including thr SENCO and her HOY.

I wasn’t but Ratty has started fluttering claiming he hopes he passes English, I’m thinking oh my god was he just coming out of exams all cocky so I wouldn’t nag!

But he’s rubbish at lying

Good luck A’level crew tomorrow hope everyone gets what they want for whatever comes next

I’m a bit worried about results slipping from mocks - DS worked hard but I thought there was a lot more content and it looked over whelming at times …

I have DS2 getting a solitary English Language result for GCSE on the 21st too and am a little worried about how I am going to juggle them both - my strategy so far is to hope DS2 won’t wake up till after 9 so that DS can be dealt with first . DH will be wfh and has his calendar clear but in reality they are probably both going to want me .

Normally (not always) students do the best in final exam, because students realise oh in three months I have all my GCSEs and normally study the hardest they have. They also tend to write the most because you can force yourself when you have the last English Lit exam and just get it done. The only thing is whether they learn the content from February/March to April well and how much it comes up.

Older dd went up 3 grades in one subject from mocks to gcse.
It can and does happen!

At this stage, after a summer of no work, I have lost my sense of proportion and would not be surprised if DS failed everything!
I have to try to take myself back (as PP has said) to the point where he knew the most about everything, which is when he took the exams. He was def better prepared for the GCSEs than he was for the mocks. His mocks weren't great but they were enough for his next stage.
I guess it's natural to be more worried the closer you get to the results. My A Level friends are all panicking today, despite having bright kids with reasonable offers.
Good luck to all with A Levels tomorrow, then roll on next week!

We've shipped DD2 off as well so can focus on DS A-levels.

TBH don't really have much of a plan B for her - other than talk to the college and see what her options are on the day.

Good luck to all the A-level parents out there! DS u decided whether to hide at home or come out with DH and I and a friend who are taking our off it with a drink! This time tomorrow we’ll hopefully know what he’s doing, or on hold to clearing.

As for grades changing. DS was within 1 mark of predicted. Except RS. Went from a 4 to a 9 (he realised there wasn't as much to learn once he got his head round it.)

I’ve been lurking and thought I’d pop up and say hello. DD worked as hard as could be expected all through school, and for the exam period. She’s had friends issues and hasn’t found the work easy or interesting. She needs high grades to stay at her school for sixth form and will be devastated if she doesn’t get in. All her friends and acquaintances from different schools are likely to get in, and she can’t do the courses she wants anywhere else. I’m pretending I’m cool about the back up option, but I don’t think knitting will be helpful for her socially or academically.

DD is fortunate, in that she’d have to do very significantly worse than her Mocks to need a Plan B, but she is going to be v cross with herself if she doesn’t get 10 x 9s. From how she described her exams, esp. timing issues, I don’t think her wish will be granted.

@ChannelLightVessel we are quite similar it would have to be a huge swing from mocks to not get what she needs and maths she has already marked.

thankfully she wasn’t aiming for all 9s (Spanish for a start is not her favourite) and she hates RS (compulsory 1/2 gcse) to the point she refused to revise

We'd need quite a downwards turn from mocks to not get what he needs to stay at school for his chosen A levels so I don't really have any concerns about that. I think they'd probably be a little bit lenient anyway - he's at an independent school and I think they'd quite like our money for another two years.

But I know that he's hoping for 9s in his chosen A levels (maths, physics, chemistry) and wants 7/8s in everything else. He'd be annoyed with himself if he hasn't achieved that. It just worries me that he won't be able to enjoy his birthday if the results don't go as he's hoped. We've agreed we're going to leave DD in bed and go to school for results and 6th form stuff. Then, if need be, we'll forget all about it and concentrate on it being his birthday for the rest of the day. He hasn't said much about results day/birthday generally, but I sense a bit of worry when he said 'if I do well can we go to the steakhouse in the evening, if I've done badly then we'll just have McDonalds'. I had to reassure him that we'd go to the steakhouse either way - because it's his 16th birthday!!

Dd now needs 5 x 4s.
She will be very disappointed if she doesn't get 9s for art and drama 😬

Yes DD will be disappointed if she doesn’t get 9s for her three arts subjects. But I think that’s a big ask and also strategically unimportant! She needs 6 in English language and maths, both of which she hates and never wants to see again. I’m slightly petrified in case she has to rest them-it’s been a miserable year for her slightly older friend who had to resit them this year.

Yes, dd would hate to do English and maths resits, but now shes doing a Level 3 btec she needs 4s, not 5s.
She should be ok but you never know...

Do you already have the raw scores for Art? We do from AQA so know the grade already subject to moderation and grade boundary changes.

Gosh I remember the A level results of 2 years ago and the stress of missing out on firm Uni and having a remark, which still left DS short by 2 marks. Don't think he would necessarily be agreed with by him, but for anyone else in the same boat tomorrow, it has actually potentially worked out for the best in lots of ways and he's thriving.

At this point not sure how DD will go with next week. 3-9 in mocks for varying reasons inc MH but at least the lowest one is not English or maths, and is neither one she wants or needs in the future. Would be nice to say she passed the Spanish though! Nervous as to whether she'll get enough on the sciences to do one in 6th form, but other 2 she should do well on. She's not talking about it!!

@Michele09
Yes. 2 x 9s, but last year both subjects were moderated down 😔

Grrrr!! I thought I’d have time to continue with Plan B but client came in and it hasn’t stopped, back to catch up on all others Plsn B and rest of news in a little bit hopefully! 🤞 😳…( hope you’re all surviving the heat? I just came out of air con and want to go back in 😹)!

@Sisublondie
I am very cranky and moody today...I do not cope with heat 🫠
Ugh. It's awful here today 😔
I've had an ice lolly and the air con is ON
Dd has had another offer of some p/t work, so thats good 👍