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.

Me too in awe. The first time since diagnosis 8 years where I have seen the glimmer of something positive about this wretched disorder

he has made no comment as to whether he enjoys an exam setting

DD says she feels her adhd brain is suited to written subjects like English and History, as she has a million thoughts swirling in her head in the exam, so never runs out of things to write. Not so much for very binary subjects like maths 😬

DS1 has done 45 minutes of physics this morning including some help from physics /maths mad DS1 for a few minutes .

Apparently there will be geography and maths later ! .. I’ve had a chat about stepping up the level of work again as there has been a good 10 days now of less revision going on . I desperately don’t want him to fail combined science .

Feel like such a bore when it’s so warm - DS2 loves the heat

@Hassellyes mine does. He was only diagnosed this time last year after years of getting into trouble at school for not paying attention, messing around etc. I was at my wit’s end with all of the school meetings, detentions and our relationship at home. Once he was diagnosed and started medication everything changed. He moved up to higher maths and science within 6 months and no longer gets detentions. He’s actually worked far harder on revision than I ever thought he would as he’s now able to focus. I had no idea how much he was struggling before and feel bad I just thought he was messing around and getting into trouble on purpose. Anyway!

what meds is he on? It’s the impact on appetite that stops us going any higher

concerta 27mg
intuiniv 2mg

@Hassell medikinet 40mg slow release with a 10mg top up in the afternoons if needs be. I hear you on the appetite suppression. He lost a fair bit when he first went on it. It’s ok now - he takes them straight after breakfast. I think he eats v minimally at school but is normally ok for a big dinner. However he has said he’s stopping them for the summer as he wants to gain weight - also going to the gym and having Creatine too.

I haven posted on here for a while but am catching up daily on all posts! We will need a new thread soon 🙂
My son is doing ok and half way with about 10 to go. He loved the first English lit paper but the 2nd he found hard. Computer science is now done thankfully as not his strongest subject and harder than he thought it would be.
He is autistic though and will not revise at home at all. So nothing will be done this week. He has done the school breakfast revision sessions and revising in school where he can. He doesn't need any grades for his new school in September and whilst I have tried to get him to at home, I have decided to leave it now and what will be will be.
Hope everyone is enjoying the sun!

Dd has been upset today. Said the worst paper so far has been maths but that despite having two papers left, the first paper should in theory be the “easiest” as it was non-calculator. She’s got 6s in mocks and practice papers. She’s upset she now won’t achieve that (defo not an alevel choice!). No amount of mum chat is helping her see otherwise and she’s now fixated on it. God I feel for these kids so much.

My dd thinks the 1st Maths paper is the hardest. I know its hard though. My dd found the 1st Biology paper awful and needa a 6 in it. There is still hope for her and for yours too as she has 2 more papers xx

Good luck to your dd. Mine also found bio paper 1 hard but only has one paper left for biology (aqa)

My son struggled on maths paper 1. He was hoping for over 70 but got 62 (TikTok marking). This isn’t a stealth boost he’s genuinely upset about it. He hopes to do better in next two papers. 🤞🏻

Anyone else frequently checking the weather forecast and crossing everything that temperatures take a massive nosedive before the exams start again? Having to sit exams in the heat is the last thing they need.

@UncomfortableSilence I think we're at thread capacity time if you're up for starting a new one 💐

Agreed about the weather. DS's school is a new build but apparently the planners didn't think it would need air con 🙄 The big sports hall where most of the kids sit exams is ok but the classrooms are sweltering.

I am definitely hoping for the weather to break. DS still broken from the last two weeks. He has plans to revise but still needs to recover and the weather is NOT helping

Another one hoping for a temperature drop here too!

Exactly the same in our school@NotDarkGothicMama
The main hall is fine, side rooms a nightmare in the heat. Makes you realise yet again how you can never really level the playing field, even for DC sitting the same exam in the same school. The temperature difference from even one side room to another can be significant depending on what side of the building you are!

DS and I have made a plan for him to get a couple of hours’ revision done in the mornings before it gets too hot and then that’ll probably be him done for the day. No one can work effectively in 30 degree heat.

DD has 11 exams left.
She's not been able to focus in the heat and she gets upset that she's wasted the week end. She likes to work on the dining table but the kitchen is south facing with large bifold doors and it's an oven in this weather, so I've moved the dining table to the lounge. It seems to help a little but still not ideal.
@NotDarkGothicMama Ive seen a local private school boasting last week about their marquee "exam hall"... they wont boast about it if the weather stays this warm!
@makemineadecaf she only needs 45 to 55% for a 6 so tell her that even if it didnt feel like it went too well, not all is lost, especially with another 2 papers to go.

DS gave himself the weekend off revision and has played football in the park and gone to a day festival. I was fine with this on the proviso that he was back at a reasonable hour. Still waiting 👀

If it's Radio 1 big weekend he may well have left at a reasonable time. Getting anywhere afterwards is very slow progress.

Lots of Yr11 partying going on in our area before settling down again for round 2

Thank god it stops tomorrow here and then perfect for exams kicking back off. DD is having her birthday party today so a couple hours of maths revision this morning then she’s got the afternoon off. 32 degree heat won’t work for anyone

@makemineadecaf my dd is a maths-y little sausage - solid 8, occasionally hits a 9 and she HATES paper 1. It is consistently her worst. She definitely doesn’t think it’s the easiest. Your dd has 2 more to go and I bet she’ll smash them.

i had a bit of a fight with dd1. She has a lot of plans for half term which I’m happy for her to have but she does need to get some work in too. Tuesday she’s working all day and Saturday she’s working in the morning and we have a long planned family theatre trip and dinner. She’s got plans with mates on weds and Sunday. Only Tuesday and Saturday are full days so she has got plenty of time to work on all the other days but it feels like she isn’t prioritising study as much as she should. Then I feel bad because she does work hard. But it’s 3 more weeks - just buckle down for 3 more weeks love and you can have all the fun you want…..

God I need this reminder!! Three weeks (well dd finishes 17th June). We’ve got this!!

@myladyjane dont worry I have two dd doing GCSE’s and A levels and they are both taking a considerable amount of time off. Can’t say that either of them have done any work since their last exam which was Thursday and both are planning lots of nice things this week. I sometimes look back at posts about others kids doing 6 hours a day and wonder if that’s really happening or whether the kids are ‘in their rooms’ for that time!! Anyway.. I’m sure all will be well and no need to compare with what other people are doing!!

My DD has had the weekend off, no revision. She needed it. But I spoke to her last night and made it clear she needs to be back on it today.

We are going to set her up in my wfh office as it is the coolest place in the house and her room is like an inferno

Mine is also struggling in the heat. 33 today and 34 tomorrow in London! She tried to work at the back of our garden for a bit yesterday as it's shady but found it hard to concentrate. Brief respite on Wednesday but then hot again Thursday to Saturday. I may suggest she wakes up early to get some revision in. It's actually lovely at the moment.