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!

We had the A level/ GCSE combo and A levels whilst good were not enough for first choice so haven’t been shared. Very very disgruntled in-laws..Roll on Thursday

@rosemarble I hope something comes along soon.

I remember the stress being awful when it happend to DH - I was pg and at home with young kids - and we'd sunk all our savings into house which had turned into a money pit. It worked out long term - but short term was bloody awful.

DD2 siblings seem to be helping keep her distracted - but she is getting nervous. The maths went from predicted A*/A to teacher suddenly predicting B/A border - I think there were a few class tests when she was mid textiles course work. We'll see and deal with what happens.

We'll tell DGP grades - we still have A*-G - but it won't mean much to them. DN all that mattered was the 9 in art and that she passed maths and english so could do her first choice of course - rest was just noise to Mum and us.

DC school make a huge fuss of a very small number but it's because they overall grades are really low since previous head left and most of the staff. DS got good results but wasn't staying and got results via e-mail - so doesn't exist for them. My secondary ignored me having second best results despite staying for sixth form mind you they usually listed all the uni places their sixth form went to - and younger sibling said mine wasn't there either.

I wish I'd been allowed to leave for college - DH did and had a much better time. So we've been pleased kids have wanted to do college for A-levels.

@rosemarble - so sorry. Tough times and tough timing - I hope you find something else soon and it's even better.

@Soundofshuna sorry to hear re a-levels and first choice. Whereas we had 'not that good' but into first choices anyway - also not sharing.

Sorry to hear that @rosemarblewhat shit timing aswell!

Also hate sound of disgusting photo booth.

I don't intend to tell anyone ds2's actual grades, I didn't with ds1. All I care is if it's enough to get to the minutes away 6th form, or if he has to accept back up plan of college which is trek and a half by train and walk.

It's all going on here : Dh bought ds2 a car, cheap little micra and after years cleaning and waxing, took him tonight for his first driving lesson (on his works massive private site). Dh bought me a car today , a 2nd hand Tesla, I'm well excited . I've got an exam Friday, and I've got myself in such. Tizz that I literally can't think straight and seem unable to answer a simple question. I fear massive failure on Friday. 🙁

I go with ds2 to school @9am,all Parents hover in the background. If he gets grades he must accept place by 12pm online.

I will leave him with friends and come home and study.

I post on FB a lot, it's my record of things. But only vague , like rosemarble said 'enough to get to xxx'.

I don't know how to feel. DS is expected to do well but he pushes himself really hard and has said he would be disappointed if he doesn't have all 9s. I have explained (and he knows!) that both 8s and 9s are A stars and are considered the same by most unis. We have no concrete celebratory plans for Thursday yet as everyone is avoiding mentioning anything about GCSEs. I think it's the disadvantage of how schools sometimes report stats, his school tend to say the number of students who had a clean sweep of Grade 9s, so I imagine he wants to be part of the statistic. Hoping and praying all goes well on Thursday.

I've been lurking here for ages, because DS is on his third attempt at Maths GSCE, so actually just finished Y12, but has been doing a Level 1 course alongside Maths resits at college.

He failed the November 24 Maths resit, so did it again in May 25. The college say he can't progress to Level 2 without a 4 in Maths, but their entry requirements for Level 2 state "A minimum of 4 GCSEs at grade 9 - 3 including a grade 4 in either maths or English and a Level 1 qualification."

He has 5 GCSEs 4-6 (including 6 in both English Lit and Lang) and has the Level 1 qualification he's been doing, so I'm really confused as to whether he can continue even if he fails Maths again.

His tutor says no, but the entry requirements as I read them say yes, and although I've emailed the college for clarification, they just say he has a conditional place, without telling me explicitly what those conditions are!

Long story short: we're on tenterhooks for Thursday, and if he's failed Maths again, I honestly don't know what his options are. He's a lovely kid, likes the course he's been doing, has a part time job, never given us a moment's trouble, but this fecking Maths thing has been hanging over us for years now.

DS appears to be pretty relaxed about it, but I'm massively stressed about his future, and I think he is too.

@ThatWordDoesNotMeanWhatYouThinkItMeans
Love your nn BTW!
Can your ds do FS maths?

I asked his tutor that earlier in the year, and she said no, FS maths is not enough for Level 2. When I quoted the entry requirements for Level 2, she just said grade 4 maths was a minimum requirement. Who knows?

I've also massively fucked up the dates and we're going on holiday on Monday, so if he has passed, he'll miss enrolment day on 27th, and the bloody course starts before we get back, so an all round car-crash either way!

Hmm.
I'd query that. Can you contact the HT?
Or BofGovs?

I did this last year...
Booked a holiday and then dds university graduation ceremony date changed 😫
Cost £700 to change the date 😬

@rosemarble so sorry to read this. 🤞🏼 for a new job that’s even better than the last.

DD has to log on to the school portal at 8am. She wants to do this in private and then tell us. School opens at 10am for tea and pastries. I’m keen to go in as I’m hoping some of her teachers will be there to thank face to face. She’s also keen to say thanks & see friends. I’m then dropping her as she heads off to a music festival for the weekend. So she’ll celebrate with friends.

How long do enrolment days last? She’s starting a new 6th form (state school) and I thought they may get her on their IT system, give her email etc as well as confirm her A level choices after she shows them her results slip. They don’t have many new external starters so I’m a teeny bit worried she’ll be forgotten. My eldest started a new school in yr 9 and it was an absolute shambles! Different school but I’m still concerned.

Hello all from sunny Florida! Well actually there was a storm earlier but it’s blinking hot! 🤣 Not any visible nerves here but we’ve been on the go every day so not much time to dwell on Thursday’s results. Dd has arranged to WhatsApp call her friend at 4am so she can do a live opening for her - really hope that all goes to plan as we need to do the necessary online enrolment to her first choice, all being well! Dd assures me that she will get an email on Wednesday with all the instructions 😬 Whatever happens, we will spend our last full day on Thursday, enjoying Universal with a celebratory meal somewhere on CityWalk. All the best for all your dcs.

(Sorry to read your news, @rosemarble - twisted digits for getting a new post soon 💐)

That is insane about that Photo Booth?!?!!! One of the most heartless things I have ever heard!

@ThatWordDoesNotMeanWhatYouThinkItMeans DD has just resat maths too, 21 next month, so solidarity. She has so far done 2 years at level 1, then a year out, then level 2. Next step is supported internship.

I would hope the current tutor is just plain wrong. They shouldn't be stopping someone from a level 2 course just because they only have a 3 in maths. I guess you'll need to speak to admissions come Thursday.

@NotDonna Enrollment shouldn't take long, 30mins tops (except for queuing). Showing results, filling in a few forms, done. Unless there is a query over timetable or anything.

Regarding what we tell people, much to the fury of some family members we’ve only ever said that DC has got what they needed to get where they want. It isn’t our news to share, and as a PP says, it’s a bit like talking about salaries (ie something that you never do).

I vote for CowFish!

@ThatWordDoesNotMeanWhatYouThinkItMeans- I really hope that your ds gets his 4. I agree with your interpretation of the wording and would definitely be taking it up with the admissions team or Head.

@rosemarble- sorry to hear about the redundancy. That’s awful at any time but definitely worse around other transitions. I hope you find something else soon.

Hello all - long time no post but nice to catch up with news although sad about @rosemarble’s news - I read on another post yesterday “rejection is redirection” so whilst it’s not rejection you take the point. Stressful as all get out though.

DS has been delightful through most of the holidays and recently has become very scratchy so I can only surmise he is anxious about Thursday. Apparently hopes he doesn’t get great results as it will limit his options and he can do something easier at college…we’ll see. He won’t commit to going in or say whether he would prefer to get them online. I am not looking forward to it either way and just want it over now.

For FB for DS a-level results I just posted he got what he needed for his uni course and he was already in the pub. Shared results with my close group with same aged kids. DS knew everyone’s anyway and school posted the great results on X and he was on there so it’s not a secret if you look! It’s a state school so not all straight A*s either.

Hi everyone - not long now! Sorry to hear your bad news @rosemarbleand hope something new comes along soon. I think the nerves are starting to hit here, as Ds is being really quite grumpy about his summer job (and most other aspects of life tbh).

He’s also decided that he wants to swap one of his A Level choices (GCSEs permitting), so that’s something extra to sort out on Thursday. We don’t go along with him to get the results, but I’ve told him that we can pop down if he needs help deciding on final A level choices once his GCSE grades are known. He’s staying at his current school for sixth form, so it should hopefully be quite straightforward (unless the results don’t drop out the way we hope!).

Checking back in ready for results day.

Dd has been winding herself up into a real state about whether she’s going to get the Maths grade she needs. She spoke with head of 6th form at the end of term and they said if she passes, but doesn’t get a 5 they will consider how subscribed the subjects she wants to do are and let her know within 24 hours whether or not she can still attend. She’s still flip-flopping about changing A Level subjects though, so that’s not helping.

In the meantime, she had to enrol at her reserve choice college two weeks ago, which seemed a bit premature and will now be a pain if she does get into her school’s 6th form.

@rosemarble I am sorry to hear about your redundancy. The same happened to dh last September, so I completely understand how awful it feels. (I can’t work due to my health, so we essentially have five adults at home and only one income.). I hope you find a new job really quickly.

This is bloody dragging now, isn’t it?! Well, the typing the other day with my left hand was a good call, and I braved ( well, had to really, as the pain was making me want to chainsaw my arm off 🙄🤯😹!) A&E yesterday and I now have my right wrist in a cast, and off for an MRI scan ( was offered 9am on Thursday… would have been a better option to go there! 😈) next week to see if I need surgery on the fracture. So, consequently I’m having to try double-y hard with the bright and breezy crap. I’ve been up since the crack of dawn -as couldn’t sleep ( speaking of crack, DS18 emerged earlier to then go “WTF is wrong with your 👁️?!” in horror….apparently I looked like I was on drugs, turns out my jabbing trying to get my lenses out after hospital with fingers poking out of a cast has caused that blood thing in the eye white.. looks great!)……so.. I thought I’d leave DS16 to sleep as I knew he was up late…

Heard a sound just now… left him for a bit to “ get up properly”….. I knock and wait ( woe betide you enter without authorisation!). I am allowed entry. He is sat in his usual place. At desk, headphones on, tap tapping away.

“ Hey! How’re you?! Sleep ok?!”
He grunts “ wha’?!”
I repeat. Just ignores me this time.
“Can I get you some food?”
”No”
”Can I get you some cold water?”
”No”
” Ummmm, can I take some clothes to wash?”
”NOOOOO!!!!! Just GET OUT!!!!!!!!!!”

All without pause on the tapping or eyes moving off the screen.

Are all yours being similar?!

Sigh. Ah well. I can take more painkillers in 8 minutes! 😈😹😹😹