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 got the DC vaccinated against Men B after the news coverage of a little girl dying some years ago. They're probably due a top-up but I want to time it so they've got the maximum coverage when they need it most.

On a more fun note (though obvs I hope all our kids stay healthy) DS1 had his prom last night. I dropped him off and all the kids looked lovely - though some of them a bit awkward and I understand some of the girls had problems making it to the upstairs venue in their long skirts and high heels! He had a good time - I really wanted this to be a fun experience for him and due to the autism wasn’t sure it would be. So very relieved here. Now feels like he has properly left.

Hope anyone else’s prom also went well - think there were several others yesterday.

My daughter also had her prom yesterday 😀👠 It went great by all accounts although apparently the DJ wasn't the best, but they still had a great time 💞

Was a mad last minute dash to the hair and nail salons yesterday morning 😂

Still ten days until our prom! Glad those who have had theirs have enjoyed it

DS has his prom on 2nd July. I was surprised he wanted to go and even more surprised he still wants to go now following his mental health decline and very recent autism diagnosis. I'm hoping he will manage to organise going with a friend so he doesn't have to arrive alone but he refuses any help to arrange this and I'm not sure he will sort it himself. Also refuses to wear a shirt and tie but has compromised with suit with a t shirt 🙈

Honestly the boys all wore different things at our prom - some even came in jeans, trainers and leather jackets. Loads didn't have ties. It was very relaxed.

The girls were all glammed up though 😂

It’s our son’s prom this evening! We bought him his suit before the exams started and he chose his own tie (wouldn’t have been my choice but hey it’s not!). I think he’s going to look very smart. I hope he and all the kids at his prom and others have a wonderful time.

Our prom is July. They have specified that it’s black tie. After a year where we have lost 70% of our income and have been prioritising school fees plus his post exam gift I’m unenthusiastic! But we won’t let on to him and he can go if he wants. He’s not sure yet though.

Great to hear those that went to prom have enjoyed it. DD is meeeup with freto talk about travelling to prom today
Hope all DC are feeling refreshed now after exams.

DD had her prom last night and it was touch and go whether she she would actually leave the house once she was dressed (ASD and has had horrible friendship problems this year, it’s been brutal) but she did go and had a lovely time.

I was so happy for her and it’s a lovely way for her to end her time at her school. She is going to a new sixth form in September (her choice) and it all feels like the end of an era.

Dd is so flat and keeps saying she is so tired. Is this normal after exams have finished? She had raised a considerable amount of money this last year to go on a voluntary trip to Uganda in July but unfortunately its been cancelled because of the Ebola outbreak. We dont have a holiday planned as she was going there. We havent got time off until Aug but we can only really afford UK camping...

Prom is still 2 weeks away.
Went suit shopping on Tuesday lunchtime and again today. Think we have something suitable from Next, will just show him other colours available online before buying it.

Really sorry to hear about the Uganda trip. How about Jersey or Guernsey for a bit of something different but still not far and better beaches? Can be done cheaper than flights abroad

That's annoying about the Uganda trip especially after she'd saved so much. Is there a similar charity trip she could do with the money? I know Responsible Travel do them. but may be too expensive.

Dd's prom is on Monday. Weather forecast is 33, so they'll be baking. Bit of stress about the after party at the moment which someone in the other half of the year is hosting and hasn't invited many people from their half. Hopefully they can just enjoy the party itself without worrying about what's next.

That’s a shame about the Uganda trip, have insurance repaid the money? Could you use that for a holiday if she saved the money and then pay her back?

DS2 is feeling completely lost and flat too. Still doesn’t know what to do with himself and is daunted at the thought of 11 weeks stretching ahead. It’s a weird limbo when almost every other year is still in school! Am sure it will settle soon

DD is loving lazing about, messing about, clearing out room, cooking etc Prom in 2 weeks. Some college taster days, trip away etc & then her brother will also break up

Prom here was Thursday night. I was lucky that a bunch of DS’s friends came over to walk there together so I got some fab pictures of them all! I think they had fun. Afterwards there were various after parties and roaming around a bit. Felt like one of those summer evenings which will linger in the memory for them all! Oh and for DH and me it was our first experience of going to bed before DS was home which felt like a milestone! Though he was at a party literally across the road and we didn’t actually go to sleep until he came in.

DS has many plans for the summer, including a coast to coast solo hike, writing a book and setting up a business selling sweets at sixth form. Apparently writing the book is harder than he thought, which I can well imagine! Right now he's busy trying to catch a fish in the Med. No luck with that so far but he's having fun.

ETA: I think I spent my post-GCSE summer holiday working extra hours at my job in a gift shop, reading a lot of books and at Reading festival with some friends.

Prom done here (with shoes, for those that have followed the shoe updates over the various threads). It was lovely blue skies all day till 1hr before prom when the rain came. The rain stopped for the prom photos. 🙌.

there was an eclectic mix of vehicles for the prom drop off. Lots of tractors (we’re rural), trucks and supercars. DTs went in the family car and saved us an expense.

My 2 are already getting bored, so the upside of the 11 week holiday is that the dog is getting more and longer walks!
they are now back to playing their competitive sport so that will provide a break from the boredom.

its great to hear those DC were a bit apprehensive about prom having a good time.

Can we safely say that the exam contingency day (24th June) can be crossed off the calendar now?

So far we've had a leavers trip to a theme park organised by the school for the Y11s, the prom and I've taken her out to see Witness for the Prosecution (recommend the Rush tickets as otherwise it's unbelievably expensive) and a bit of Central London shopping. A part-time job is hopefully on the horizon, as she has a trial day there today, and then it's a mix of trying to fit in various plans like horsey holidays, stay-away shows and waterpark trips, as well as a trip to the South of France to visit a friend and we'll probably go away the very end of August (if results day doesn't ruin the mood 🤦‍♀️).

I darn well hope so as we have flights from Heathrow on that day!! 😬😆

Did anyone else’s DC get asked to download an app on their last week at school which contains all their educational history on it? My dd had to download it and get it verified by school with a code. It just has her school history on there. I’m now remembering a bbc news article about how gcse results are going to be available online for the first time this year and wonder if it’s linked to this app. Anyone have any clue? She asked the teachers but they didn’t seem to know anything about it!