Well

He failed French as he had already assured me had done, and he passed the others, though frankly not with much distinction. He is happy with them and he can go on to do A Level. I have managed to refrain from uttering the words "If only you had put in a bit of effort." That in its self was a bit of an effort for me.

For Joe who asked, in England kids take GSCE's at the end of their last year of compulsory education. Then if they go on to our sixth forms they do A/S Levels in the first year, and A Levels at the end of the second. I actually think it is awful that tehy have exam pressure in the first year of their sixth form. 'In my day' we didn't do A/S Level and the Lower Sixth was fun. Plus all these exams are bloody awful for me. Last year D did exams, this year they both did, next year they both will, the year after that J will, then I get one year's respite until H starts her three years of exams. Think of the parents I say!