Y11 2025/26 The Final Stretch

[UncomfortableSilence]

New thread to see our wonderful DC through their exams and onwards.

Come and join for chat, support and solidarity.

Wow, you must be so proud of her ❤️

Is anyone else’s child quite resistant to testing themselves/being tested on revision? Dd makes absolutely loads of notes, but (apart from Spanish speaking - done now, thank god) refuses to let me test her or test herself. This seems a risky strategy. But she’ll not be persuaded!

I shared with my DS that I used to use white tack to put posters about some things I needed to learn by rote on my walls. Then there was the catharsis of tearing down all of that subject once the exam was done. He didn't like the idea but I found the process of making them, looking at them when they were up and tearing them down all helpful.

@MayasJamas my DD refuses point blank any help or interference

@Lemonthyme exactly that. Bye bye Spanish history etc Just a shame her most hated subject is one of the last to go!

@MayasJamas and @Funkylights my DS has refused any help from me in the slightest. He tells me he's testing himself and I've printed out some past papers for him but he's also had loads from school.

I think he's ok? He's pretty stubborn as I am too. I remember my Dad trying to explain something to me in science and the explanation not just being confusing but I actually think, wrong. So I'm very wary that even in my degree subject, I might not have up to date information, it might be taught differently or I might just not remember. Frankly, if anything he's brighter than me and I have a PhD. It's slightly embarrassing sometimes to be blown out of the water by someone over 30 years younger but also I'm really proud of him for doing so.

Ha, DS is resistant to making notes but will test himself or ask / be happy for us to test him 😄.

I find it difficult not to try to get him to revise the way I like to revise - I do make suggestions, but I also remind myself that he got through his mock exams etc.

Welcome @aspacefordifference your DD sounds amazing. Is she hoping to go on and study textiles at college?

@MayasJamas no testing requested for DS either and tbh I can’t remember asking anyone to test me when I was revising anything either. It was notes all the way. I suspect DS would be very resistant to any offers of testing help! He makes notes / flashcards for English lit quotes and Greek vocab, but for other subjects he prefers to do past papers and then review anything he’s not got right. I think at this stage they’ve just got to go with whatever they’re comfiest with.

DS has two exams this week, both English, about which he seems pretty relaxed. Greek is the one he’s most worried about I think mainly because there’s so much vocab to learn and he’s cramming a two year course into one. His MFL (German) is three quarters done already though with only the reading paper to go! He has more exams before half term than after, but most of his maths and science papers (A level choices) are after half term which he’s pleased about. So like other students he’s temporarily shelved some subjects in order to focus on the ones that happen before half term.

@FlyingPandasOh I love your profile name... although I hope it's not related to the same PANDAS that we deal with! Not so cute! Thank you for your warm welcome 🤗 11:11 ✨

She is indeed hoping to do textiles at college. She needs to pass all of her exams as she's only sitting the basics. I'm not sure if she can but I'm hoping she gets on anyway. She needs to put a portfolio together to show her creative skills and I'm trying to help her as I'm a qualified design technology teacher but she never accepts my help 😆 She's happy to do an art course for a year if she doesn't get a place so I'm pretty happy with that and hoping it takes the pressure off for her. I really don't want her to have resists to follow her but remembering how far she's come gives a little perspective! She had to learn to totally function again over the last 5 years which is absolutely incredible 🤩

Welcome @aspacefordifference
would love to see your DDs dress too, how fabulous. Sorry to read about her condition it must be very hard and you sound rightly very proud of her, I hope the next few weeks are not too difficult for her.

Tensions are slowly but surely rising in the Uncomfortable house, I’ve been on the Kalms the last few days 😁 DD has been up on her computer most of the weekend, my regret at getting her the clicky keyboard she wanted is high right now 😁DH just came in and said she’s going to need a new keyboard after exams, I’m surprised it’s not smoking! She spent Saturday afternoon in the garden painting her leavers shirt which turned out fab so that was a nice distraction. We also picked up her Prom dress yesterday so she’s relieved that has arrived cause it was stressing her that it’s so late.

She mainly seems to be panicking about English Lit which is odd as she’s always got top marks and seems to mainly be focusing on that any attempts by me to make suggestions are met with an eye roll so I’m staying out of it for now. She has 6 papers the first week so it’s going to be full on.

I’m an English teacher and my dd ESPECIALLY won’t accept help with English from me 😆 At least they know their own minds!

@UncomfortableSilenceOh my, I can't stand a clicky keyboard at the best of times but especially when I'm stressed! My husband works from home and has one! There's no clicking from my daughter which probably isn't the best sign either! I'm trusting that it'll all work out!
I'm glad the prom dress arrived, that's definitely something to look forward to. I'll share a photo of hers when it's done. I still worry that she won't like it or something will go wrong but so far so good!
Speaking of Kalms, my daughter survived on Rescue Remedy to get her through going back to school, worked a treat! I hope you get some breaks too!
Good luck for all those exams in the first week, it's a lot! Do you think she's putting a lot of pressure on herself for the Eng Lit? Sometimes it comes from the teachers or their own high standards. You're definitely best leaving her to it, I'm sure she'll smash them all!

This is common! I was a design technology teacher and my husband is maths and science... we've often helped our colleagues kids for the same reasons but rarely our own 😆

I was talking with my OH recently about this. My DS is SO much more confident than I was at his age. And opinionated! I love it that he has the confidence in it all. And he's a smart kid. I wish I was as confident as he is now! So if that means he doesn't need or want my help, well, easy life for me!

Dd said crossly the other day ‘you act like you know more than me in English!’ Erm…. She also announced extravagantly ‘fuck everything!’ as she opened her laptop yesterday (we are fine about swearing).
Bless them 😆 I am finding the intense stroppiness quite endearing in a way. She always wants a cuddle a minute later.

I've worked in factories all my life @MayasJamas and my son came out with a right load of swear words the other day. I looked at him and said "I guess that's my fault". 😬

For all of the stress, I adore my son at this age. He's in this glorious point where he's part adult, so can laugh at Deadpool with me and part kid who likes nothing more than a pack of Haribo and will still give me a hug. I'm very aware that it might not last for long. And I'm also incredibly grateful he's not inherited my deep anxieties in life.

I share custody with his Dad and for a long time when he was with me, it was just me and him. We went on holiday the two of us, spent time in London together, went to museums, we'd have these deep intense chats about life from when he was quite little. It's kind of scary seeing him taking so much more independence away from me but also I'm super proud of him.

Yes! I am looking forward to having a really good clear out with my DD. Her room feels so cluttered at the moment with past papers and revision books everywhere.

Yes BUT not until post results day… JUST INCASE of any resits!!

I am quite a decent swearer. Recently i said to DS 'We both have to stop swearing I think'. His was silent for a little bit then said; 'But we can still say 'this fucking government, can't we mum?'.

Just a quick onec - DS1 has maths yr12 mock tomorrow .. and has just come asking for batteries for his calculator .. fortunately I had some .. just thought I would mention it as something worth checking 🤦🏻‍♀️

Dd is officially on study leave now and is on her own at home tomorrow. I’ve just bought her a meal deal and loads of snacks because I know she won’t otherwise bother to make anything to eat. I’ve prepped her for me calling regularly to check she’s working! She does have the option to go to work at school or to my parents so we’re just going to take it day by day.

DD is using online tests and past papers but hasn"t asked us to test her at all.

Earlier she put her head round the door and I asked her how she was doing, she pulled a strop and stormed off telling me I need to stop asking, then a few.miutes later came back and started non stop whittering about Latin and whatever she's been revising (to which I did nodding and smiling as I have no clue).

This included another I hate English lit "argh Macbeth" to which I replied "out damn spot". She then rattled.off a.load of Macbeth quotes so I said she'd be fine and she said I didn't understand.

A positive interaction nonetheless. I need to just ignore her I think and she'll come and talk at me!

@waitingquietly Good tip thank you! I got dd a second calculator because hers is the old casio model and when she lost it in year 8 i bought her the new one and it wasnt as good apparently and she cant possibly use the new one. I hunted for a second hand one and then she found the first one so she has 2. I think if something goes wrong they get lent one but it could be a different model so we arent risking it!

We’ve also got two of the previous version of the Casio calculator 😄, what a palava.

And I’ve now got spare clear pencil cases, biros, pencils, rubbers, rulers, protractors, compasses…

I realise this is ridiculous, but I also feel better for it, and they’ll be used for A levels etc. as well.