Y11 2025-26 Exams have started - chat, support & drink of choice if needed here.

[UncomfortableSilence]

New thread for all of us with lovely Y11s to support them and us through the coming weeks.

Ditto and ditto!

Heard from DS. he said Chem 'could be better. could be worse'. I have no idea what that means.

I'm picking him up in 4 hours. I hope he is revising but also that he gets some food in. His ADHD medication kills his appetite and he is a restricted eater anyway thanks to autism. Today I made him a breakfast milkshake....... he thinks it was a chocolate ice cream milkshake, but it had frozen strawberries in it, oatmilk, blueberries, a tiny bit of spinach, vitamin powder and flax seeds as well. If I quietly agree to straining out the fruit seeds then he quietly agrees to pretend he hasn't noticed that it's not just made out of milk and chocolate ice cream....

DS1 has just dropped A level Further Maths . It wasn’t going well and we wanted to avoid low AS level . Anyone wanting to do Maths/ Physics/ Computer Science maybe even Economics and Engineering does need to look at the small print on individual uni websites as to whether they prefer Further Maths . I do emphasise Small print too -a 16/17 year old isn’t necessarily going to find it . From having done it I would say that there are plenty of options where FM isn’t required . There are a whole host of extra tests now though for the most competitive options

also while I’m on this check very carefully whether EPQ is valued before they start it . Of DS1s shortlist only 4/5 give reduced offer

Aqa combined chem here and DC has come out happy. Big relief after biology went badly last week.

English Lit tomorrow.

AQA combine chem - ‘ok, I got at least 1 mark’. No news from triple but she only tells me when she gets home

I also did chemistry A level back in the distance past of the last millennium. I loved chemistry at GCSE (got an A when A stars didn’t exist) and thought I might study it at university. A level absolutely humbled me.

I absolutely wouldn’t want to put anyone off but the step up was big. Also maths.

I think A level is where you really need natural talent in subjects and being generally bright and having a good memory isn’t enough.

Chemistry OCR triple was great apparently big smiles followed by whinging about English lit tomorrow "I hate my life. I hate poetry ".

@applecrumblespider just tell them that English Lit will be completely done this time tomorrow!

@waitingquietly good advice - I do think it's such a lot for them to navigate and think about. This time next year, they'll be doing their mocks that are then used for their uni applications - it's intense!

Agree the step up to A level for the STEM subjects is tough. I think maths in particular can be seen as a bit of a badge of honour by some DC and parents, even if maths is not a major strength, and it was very interesting to hear the maths teachers genuinely seeming to try to put boys off doing maths A level.

I also have several friends with DC who hit strong 8s in their GCSE chemistry but ended up dropping the A level as it was so hard. I think it is either chemistry or maths that has the highest A level drop out rate in the country (though can't remember where I read that so happy to be corrected by any teachers!).

That said, DS2 is aiming for the maths/further maths/physics/chemistry combo - we'll see how that goes - personally I can't imagine anything worse but he's his father's son! He was very happy with this morning's chemistry exam though.

@waitingquietly agree re EPQ. Lots also start EPQ and drop it (DS1 did, too much to juggle with A levels too). DS's school doesn't even bother offering it, theory being that the unis most of the boys would be aiming for wouldn't take any notice of it anyway.

We put DS off maths, he’s not a natural like his father and has worked very hard to get to where he is, but just doesn’t find it easy. Some of his friends have been doing maths Olympiad’s well for years. I think in some ways that helped us put him off as he knows he is just not wired that way. Initially DS wanted to do maths as he thought he might want to study economics at university we have nudged him towards subjects he enjoys doing so work doesn’t feel like work.

Interesting what PP’s are saying about EPQ.

At DD’s school you must do either EPQ or 4th A Level.

It’s a tough decision but most do EPQ on the basis the school says it’ll mean reduced offers.

DD is doing a 4th A level but is constantly 2nd guessing herself.

Oh my DTs do this board and they were talking as they left this morning to say they hoped they didn’t get electrolysis. But they were talking about cathodes and anodes. Will wait to hear more from them tonight. Hopefully they did some last minute cramming on the bus

Happy with AQA Triple which is a relief after Biology! Now to slog for Eng Lit before day to reset Wednesday.

Chemistry (AQA Triple higher) went ok here, DD was happy there were no "inferring" questions, as she never seems to know what they want her to say (Often they want a basic/obvious thing and she gets stuck thinking it's complicated!) As long as she's happy, so we can plough on to the next one...

Interesting about A levels and EPQ. Dd has worked really hard at maths. She was never a natural at it. She's done FM but stopped before the exam - completing the paper in time was difficult for her, but given the time at home she always got 8/9. She's predicted an 8 for maths. She wants to do A level maths and it worries me a little. She's also keen on an EPQ too, mostly as a way to show her interest in the subject she'd like to do at uni, but it's all a distant, vague plan that's she isn't set on... How are they meant to know at 15 which uni they'd like to apply to?

Mumsnet is terrible for posters who are adamant that maths A level should be taken above other subjects they see as “soft” and that universities / employers expect it. To do maths A level you need to be very good at and have a love for maths, plus you only need it if it’s required for the next step.
DS is aiming for a 7 in maths. If he gets it, it’s because he’s worked very very hard. He’d then have the right GCSE grade to do the A level at the 6th form he’s hoping to go to. But, he’s absolutely not a maths A level student candidate. I am trying to persuade him to do core maths but he’s said no, GCSE is as far as he’s willing to take it!

Edexcel single chemistry paper one ‘went fine’ according to a WhatsApp from my son. I’m at work and am hoping for a bit more nuance when I see him later …

Would you say it's too hard for a Grade 8 student who definitely isn't just a natural/genius but got there by hard work? She is so certain that's what she wants to do and I keep reading how hard it is...

How are they meant to know at 15 which uni they'd like to apply to?

This is DD’s issue. She has absolutely no idea what she might want to study at university. Nor what career she wants.

It’s made choosing A Levels a struggle. We went to a university open day at her school and so many uni’s were saying they prefer students to have further maths for STEM subjects.

So to keep her options open, she’s doing further maths at A level despite not particularly wanting to do it. She’s also doing economics so she has an essay subject in there in case that’s needed for the degree she chooses.

It all just feels too soon for DD to be making these decisions. She knows what she is good at and what she’s not. But she doesn’t really know what she’s interested in yet. Also things like engineering etc that you don’t actually do in school and so have very little exposure to.

I need more puns/dad jokes for the rest now.

I've just dropped him off for Sports Science with a "break a leg!" But I wasn't too happy with that.

In reality they don’t know at 15 . At this point last year we researched 4 subjects - I have a big grid 😂… covering a variety of different level institutions . DS1 decided on a fifth maybe November time .. so I started again with my big grid . At this age they make their own decisions - I’ve just provided the scaffolding . No song and dance about it , it was just there when he needed it .. When DS1 was stressing out about dropping FM my info I’d found was already there and available to him . He’d been doing 4 A levels and EPQ .
I don’t mean to put people off Maths or Fm - it can always be a fourth subject while the figure it out . DS2 has been actively steered away from maths by his teacher . They must get a high 7 minimum

@Beachforever FM is definitely a subject for YP who really really love maths. For whom maths GCSE was fun. Half your timetable will be maths.

Unless she wants to study maths or economics at a top uni (LSE, imperial , Warwick) it’s not needed. It’s helpful for engineering as well but not essential . Certainly not needed for STEM degrees such as bio or chem. If she doesn’t really want to do it then I suggest she looks at other options.

DS2 who considered FM did take maths and is finishing a masters in human bio. Maths - useful; FM - not needed.

@clary

Thanks, yes, that’s why she’s taking it. As she doesn’t know what she wants to study or where although will likely be a top uni. She’s very good at maths, but not sure if she loves the subject or just likes it because she’s so good at it if that makes sense?

I imagine she’ll wait until her results to make her final decision. If she doesn’t get a 9 at FM GCSE then she’ll probably have a rethink.

I’d also like her to start reading through some uni prospectuses over the summer before she makes her final decision re A Levels.

I’ve been sending subject-themed-punned good luck messages and post-exam celebratory messages for each exam too!

It’s really more for me than DS, who groans at them all (and asked this morning if I intended to continue for each exam).

But will it be maths @Beachforever ? That’s my point really. If she loves maths then great, and ofc if done as a fourth it’s droppable.

I'd love some puns. Any suggestions for English? !!

@Beachforever we have a similar issue with DD being undecided. She wants to do architecture or modern languages or a Maths joint honours or biology depending on the day! Really hard to know what to advise her at this point.

I've arranged for some architect work experience to see whether the reality meets what she thinks of it, as if she does go for that she'd probably need to do art A level. Otherwise she's thinking of covering all bases by doing Maths, a language, an essay subject and biology. You have to start with 4 at her school and then do 1 AS. But yes, it's hard to know if down the road she'll regret dropping one or another.