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😉

We also had prom last week, DD said it was amazing and she had a great time, which was so lovely to hear.

Mostly been struggling to find clothes to wear for sixth form induction day this week. Rejected the (few) things I found for her in Primark and couldn't find anything in the shops we went to today so looks like shs's settling for a really old white blouse of mine and a black skater skirt from Amazon. Luckily school said they don't have to wear a jacket because of the weather.

DD downloaded the app at school but we will still go into school as not sure I trust it!

She’s really undecided about college - has a place to do Alevels at one college and a place at another college to do a UAL Extended Diploma in Art and Design. Im not sure how she’s going to decide especially since she’s missing the taster days next week as we’re away. Art is her main focus so the diploma seems like a good idea, but somehow when we’ve been the art produced doesn’t seem to be as good as what we’ve seen in the ALevel department which has put her off a bit. Not sure how to advise her.

Anyone else got prom this week? DDs is on Wednesday and the predicted temperature is making her stress. 37C! She will be a sweaty mess and doesn't want to wear the dress anymore. On top of that, two college open days that she needs to get the bus and walk to. I will be hiding in the house all day and it won't matter how much of a sweaty mess I look!

Oh god that will be awful they’ll all be sweaty messes! The boys in suits!! DD’s is on 29th when thankfully it’ll be a lot cooler.

37, yuck! Luckily DS's prom isn't until next week so hopefully it will be a bit cooler. He looks very handsome in his suit but is still only going because I'm making him. I showed him the thread with the mum who's bought herself a dress to match her son's outfit and told him he could have it a lot worse. His mates are going so he'll have fun when he gets there.

Dd's prom is tonight so luckily the heat won't have properly kicked in yet.

@applecrumblespider can't they just wear their own clothes to induction days? DD has one on Friday and I'm assuming she'll just wear shorts and a tee.

Yes, Thursday for us. DD isn’t know for coping well in the heat…

My dd is going to watch Harry Styles in Wembley this week a post exam treat. Its going to be so HOT!!!

No app and no prom for us which is sad!

DS has optional sixth form induction day on 1 July - I'm trying to persuade him to go in. He was talking yesterday about which colour suit he'd like (they wear their own suit with a school tie). He was also giving DS13 loads of advice on his options which was super cute.

He also has a few shifts lined up in the local pub which is brilliant. He's not very enthused about working in the heat but I've told him it's a golden opportunity. I'm sure once he has the money in his account he'll change his mind.

Does the school not hold a prom? :-(

DD's school has cancelled their prom. It was due to be held this Thursday, it is a joint prom for the girl's and boy's schools.

There is a red warning here, and predicted temperature of 38c.

Despite it being held in a venue that has two large air cons, they have decided it is too dangerous to go ahead.

It is disappointing, really disappointing.

They say they are rescheduling, but with contingency day not being needed, and the date of the prom set, lots of them are off on holiday, so it is really sad.

Worse is the the BBC weather shows it being 34c at the peak on Thursday, but the Met Office are sticking with 38c.

The schools are also closing for the two days.

Oh no, I am so sorry to hear that, that’s heartbreaking really, all the excitement, arrangements (to say nothing of money!) that has already gone into everyone’s preparations. I’d be gutted!

Wow!! We are in a very very similar position here and the met office is showing 39 degrees for us for Thursday. But prom is going ahead - as far as we know anyway!

@Bluebelle8261nope! It’s all boys so I reckon a parent would have to volunteer and I am not putting my hand up

So sorry to hear about the cancelled prom, it is such a highlight of Y11 for so many so I can imagine it's heartbreaking.

DS's school also doesn't do prom @Callmejudith - it felt like nothing was done to mark the end of Y11 at all other than an (admittedly very nicely written) email from the head of year and a few formal photos of each form group. No leaver hoodies, no prom, no yearbook, no shirt signing. DS seems unruffled - the vast vast majority of the boys stay on for 6th form so I guess they do their celebrations at the end of Y13. But even so. Some boys are leaving, and DS's description of them 'organising a bit of a shirt signing for themselves' made me feel sad.

Heat and proms aside, how are the DC doing? DS is enjoying the time off - he's had a few celebratory meet ups with various friend groups and volunteered at an activity on Saturday, but he's also been doing lots of chilling out at home! Once this heatwave has subsided a bit I really want to get him out and about doing something regularly - either volunteering or a paper round or anything really - as otherwise I fear his summer could subside into him spending most of his time sitting on his bum, either on his phone or his Switch. A bit of that is fine of course but not 24/7!

I know it will be hot but its not like they are going to be in the heat for hours! Also if there is an air conditioned venue too :-(
I guess there is lots more to consider than I am thinking about though.

DS had a few days of sitting on his bum but then we have been to CP this weekend with family. He has some casual glass collecting shifts at a local sports club booked in and we are volunteering quite regularly, he already volunteers at parkrun every Saturday but we have about 7 runs/triathlons on the calendar to volunteer at (unfortunately I have to do it with him as he's under 18 so my summer is busier than it needs to be!)

I really hope he can arrange to see his friends at some point over the summer but situational friendships are all he can seem to manage so meeting them outside of school isn't really on his radar.

My son has played golf most days, doom scrolled the rest of the time occ interrupted by watching football or golf on the tv. He’s missing the try out days for sixth form as he’s off on a football tour on Thursday - so I’m trying (and failing) to encourage him to do a very light bit of maths each day. So far - he’s done zero. I’ve asked for 10 min a day but he says this is an abominable thing to suggest and no one in their wildest dreams would do so

DS prom is on Wednesday, we're under a red weather warning - though i notice the prediction has dropped from 39 to 37 degrees. So far nobody has mentioned cancelling, though the parent grapevine has established that the marquee (!) does have aircon. He is not really bothered about the prom, but is very excited about the convertible Bentley that someone's parent has organised - he'd be gutted to miss out on that 😆

It’s really sad that even schools where most pupils stay on for 6th form don’t all mark the end of year 11 too. Luckily my daughter’s all-girl school did do the whole prom and leavers hoodie (and shirt signing!) even with the majority returning in the September. It’s still the end of an important life/ educational stage!

And yes, particularly sad for the pupils that ARE leaving. As my son said, pupils like that get an ‘Irish goodbye’!

Thank god none of them are sitting exams in this weather. We’re in the red zone here too. So sad to hear proms are being cancelled too. Will you get your money back for the ticket? DD’s is on Monday when it’ll be much much cooler.

Shes had several days of sleeping until midday, lots of meet-ups with friends. We went to the theatre last night . Prom hair trial today. She’s having a great time!

Our school also didn't organise a prom, as apparently the head is against celebrating Y11 Leavers as he's trying to expand the 6th form (not the best way to do it as more people were annoyed about it and that has put many off staying even if they planned to 😬) but the parents organised the prom themselves and (for my sins) I'm organising the Year Book. 🫣 A teacher did organise leavers hoodies and shirt signing though. They also had a Y11 trip to a theme park, so that was nice.

The parents' organised prom was thankfully last week so we were very lucky with the weather.

I think it's a real shame when schools don't mark the end of Y11.

We've taken an impromptu trip to West Wittering Beach 🏖️ for just one overnight stay, but it's been really nice. It's certainly the nicest beach I've ever been to in the vicinity-ish of London. Warm water and sandy beach feels like a holiday abroad 😀

For any teens looking for part-time work over the summer, my daughter found kids' soft play centres to be very responsive. She had a trial at one last week and it's really nice fun work (feels very easy compared to working at livery yards which she's done before 🤣)

That's really sad @Anonymousemouses and a real shame for those who hired cars/suits and booked hair and make up. A lot of these will not be refundable.
We had prom last night and as we met with friends for photos the sunshine disappeared and the sky turned pitch black before the worst thunderstorm I've ever witnessed in this country! We sat in the car at the venue waiting for it to pass and I got very wet investigating a non flooded way to deliver her to the door! It was a little sad as we didn't get to take all of the photos they had planned, but they did some on their phones once in the venue as it was actually nice once the storm passed. Some students even manage their grand entrance by helicopter! The money some spend is staggering - I thought the dress, hair, nail, shoes and the rest was expensive enough!
@Callmejudith and @FlyingPandas there is no prom at the local all boys school, not even joint with the all girls - They get a burger van and a game of football. Not sure about the shirt signing. I think it's a little sad.
DD has her induction day at her current school today (Oh the drama of finding something suitable to wear!) but the one at her reserve school tomorrow has been cancelled as we are in the red zone.

Do they need to be 16 to get a job? DD isn't til the end of August.