Y11 2025-26 Final exams are here. Now we wait….

[UncomfortableSilence]

New thread for all things Y11, did they cook or are they cooked. We will find out in 10 weeks😉

I am so sorry to read this. How is your DD?

A boy in year 11 at my DS school killed himself last year just before exams started. It really does put it all into perspective x

I quite agree. We reward input, not outcome.

Thankyou. Dd is doing ok. Shocked by it all but she wasn’t close to him or his friends as she’s in a separate friendship circle. She says she feels exhausted but I presume lots of other children are feeling that way too right now.
On a very, very selfish note I’m hoping her exams weren’t too affected as she worked so, so hard.
Hope these threads are still around on results day! We are rural and there’s not a lot of choice about where to go next so I’m hoping she gets to stay at the sixth form of her currant (last!) school.

We also try to reward effort rather than results, so we bought DS a couple of things that he wanted. I hope that effort turns into decent results though 🤞🏻.

Our DS had such a crash yesterday, he is not sure what his “purpose” is as his purpose for months and years was to do GCSEs. He has so many interests but they apparently don’t count. We are trying to help him run with it but the pressure has gone and he’s lost.

@whereonthestair he could start lightly preparing for his A levels. You can buy guides for this through the usual revision guide providers

DS2 seems to be coming out of the exhausted fog - I have prom pictures of DS1 looking exhausted a week after he finished so I was ready for it . I probably made things worse as both of mine had the MenB vaccine the day after exams finished .. DS1 was fine but DS2 physically sick bless him - hoping it won’t put him off the second dose

We are not putting monetary value on results either. DD put a lot of pressure on herself and confided that she was scared she wasn't going to make us proud. So I spent the entire exam period telling DD that there was nothing she could do in the actual exam that would make me more proud of her, because worked every awake hour of every day since January. Also, I was so proud of the fact that she put so much effort in the subjects she found hard and won't get a 9 in. Like others have said, some 6s deserve to be celebrated like 9s! This is the work ethics I want to reward.

We have actually discussed results day and I said I didn't need to know her results because I am proud no matter what (this is true, but also not as I really want to know lol). She said she definitely wanted to do it with me, so I will go to school with her, but probably will seek a quiet room to open them together.

First day of "freedom" yesterday was spent shopping for make up and prom accessories. Today she has a big audition and this has caused her a lot of stress last night. It's likely there will be a lot of very experienced, older people there and unlikely she will get through (just getting through to the singing part of the audition would be fab!) but she desperately wanted to do it. So worried it will shatter her already low self confidence but they have to go and figure things out for themselves don't they.

@Just2MoreSeasons that's so tragic, poor kid. A yr12 pupil took his own life at our school last year it's so shocking.

We are rewarding effort here too - DD is going to a 2 week course at the Royal Drawing school this summer for portfolio prep. (In case it’s useful to anyone here - they offer 100% scholarships for children on free school
meals) DD has worked like a dog since January, so whatever results she gets I will be so proud of her.

Oh wow , bless him . DD absolutely the same we had tears 3 times yesterday because she doesn’t know where to go what to do. No structure to her day . She’s been desperate for school to be over now she is flagging. She starts a job next month i feel it’s going to be a long couple of weeks !

@Just2MoreSeasons such a tragic story, so sorry to hear.

@Caddycat I love your exam reassurance approach with your DD. Hope the audition goes well.

We won’t be doing cash for grades, though will likely give a set amount of money as a well done and reward for effort on results day as we did with DS1 for A levels (eldest never got to sit GCSEs due to Covid). I can see why cash per grade can be a great motivator for some DC but it would be tricky in our family, DS2 is so much more effortlessly academic than either of his siblings so I’m wary of effectively letting him ‘clean up’ financially in a way neither of them could. I’ve bought him a Merlin pass and a chocolate orange as a well done for getting through the exams though 😁

Hooe all our DC are enjoying a bit of rest and relaxation now it’s all over and thinking of those of them who are finding the sudden break from routine hard. I think it’s quite common to feel a bit adrift once the euphoria has worn off.

We bought DS a new football top as a well done for effort gift. He's been living his best life since Monday, loads of socialising and world cup fun

Interested in the men B vaccine - is this something you booked privately? And is this a recommended age to get it? Thanks!

We booked the Men B vaccination privately through Boots when son was 15. It’s 2 doses. Big risky age is late teens I think - often when they go away to university. The NHS are offering for year 13s and some 18 to 25 year olds due to recent outbreaks. Our 10 year old son was vaccinated on the NHS when he was a baby because they’d just added it to the standard programme then.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3rzg0vg947o?app-referrer=search

@happylittlebirdy - I’ve done it as we are only a few miles away from one of the recent reported fatalities sadly . One DC is also booked to go to Reading Festival . The other has been subject to some peer( parental ) panicking so wanted it .

I believe late teens is a high risk age . My understanding of the current year 13 offer is that it’s a one off whilst the NHS figure out whether the risk profile has changed . I figure Men B doesn’t ask for proof of age .

My research has been AI based , but the fatality rate is pretty high , as well as the rates for lasting effects.

I booked via Boots

Thanks for the info - sounds worth doing. Did your DC have any side effects from the jab?

Thanks so much for the info - will have a read. Did your DC have any side effects?

@happylittlebirdy - both DS very tired after , sore arm and DS2 was sick - though he is sick quite easily . Anecdotally I think it’s quite common for kids to have a day off school the next day as not feeling very good .

The drawing course sounds really interesting - I will look that up. Not on free school meals though, so it might be expensive. It’s great they offer it free for some though.

No financial rewards for grades here as DD is super stressed about just passing them, and would definitely find that pressurising rather than motivating. We are going away on holiday next week though, and shes got various fun stuff booked in to decompress.

@Just2MoreSeasons Absolutely tragic, we have had a couple of similar incidents at my school and it’s just heartbreaking.

No cash rewards here either. We are doing little things to reward her for all the effort she has put in. She wanted new make up for prom so we had a lovely morning buying her some really quality products that she would never normally buy for example, I do know lots of parents that do cash and this is generally to motivate DC that maybe need that incentive.

DD hasn’t had the crash I was expecting, she has been out every day this week and has plans up to Sunday at the moment. She said she feels like her and her friends have missed out on a lot as they are all a very hard working bunch so they want to make the most of it.

I had a meeting at work yesterday about the logistics of results day and it did feel a bit strange when one person said obviously Uncomfortable can’t help this year as it’s her daughters day.

@coffeeagogo I just had a look at those course, they look fab and DD would love it. Very expensive though!

I hope your DD really enjoys it.

I wonder whether our DC’s cohort will be offered the Men B vaccination later, I think they probably will. It’s also worth considering that the immunity wanes over time, so it’s about making sure that it’s at its highest at the time of highest risk.

Not much - he said he felt a little rough for a day.

A family member had bacterial meningitis at university (sepsis / nearly died) so that has made us more aware of the risks.

I was told by the pharmacist that they could have a further booster at the 2 year point - though I’ve not seen that mentioned elsewhere .

I guess there are lots of variables but my DS are both gym goers so I wanted them covered now.