The cancellation of Year 11 and Year 13 exams this year has brought a lot of disruption and confusion to these cohorts.

But what about us Year 12s?  

Here’s what we’re worrying about:

Learning remotely

The first worry to emerge for most Year 12s was about learning from home. We’re at a fairly crucial stage in our A levels, when the summer term picks up in pace compared with the rest of the year. Learning at home could be damaging to some students. 

Those who tend to be less focused will naturally struggle more with the new informal teaching requirements as there is little authority to prevent falling behind. 

But I believe that, for our age group, intrinsic motivation is the most powerful path to meet our goals. We need to remind ourselves why effort should remain high, why we want to do well in our A levels and where they will take us. 

Teachers can help by reminding students of the end goal and how far they have come, by being adaptable and communicative about how students are doing and how to improve. 

Now more than ever, students need support. This may take the form of emailing students to check how they are getting on, providing interactive lessons where possible and following up quickly where students appear to be falling behind.

Predicted grades

Most Year 12 students are well aware that predicted grades - which are often measured at the end of Year 12 - are influential in the university admissions process. But with school closures, it is unclear how these grades will be created.

Some courses will have had constant progress reviews in the form of term exams, but some Year 12s may not have been formally assessed in 2020. The worry here is of not being in control; knowing how the process will work, whatever it is, would put most of us at ease.

In the meantime, students pushing themselves academically will be the most crucial step. Whenever we do return to school, it is almost guaranteed that schools will want to set assessment for Year 12s. 

Teachers will hopefully take the break into consideration and give students ample time to prepare, but getting ahead in the revision process now is vital for achieving the very best predicted grades.  

University applications

There are many questions over whether the applications process will run as normal for Year 12s as they enter Year 13. Depending on how long disruption continues, applications could be pushed back or the interview and entrance test system could entirely change.

On top of this, there’s the worry that a high number of Year 13s will want to defer their entry, retake the year or reapply because of the turbulence surrounding their futures - which could make the next round of applications even more competitive.

However, Ucas has offered some reassuring information about the effect of the coronavirus on admissions. At the moment, they are expecting a similar pattern for this admissions cycle compared with previous years, and Year 13s will be moving on at the right time.

There may be some worries for Year 12s hoping to study medicine that the required work experience is going to be hard to source. The main message here is that Ucas understands the pressures and problems that the pandemic has brought, so these students will not be disadvantaged. 

With all the disruption, it is easy to feel like staying on top of school work, getting fair predicted grades and making a strong application to university will be challenging. 

However, Year 12s must remember that almost every student around the world is in the same position. Although learning from home presents new challenges in remaining focused and on track, the rewards should be worth the effort.

Robbie Hicks is a student in England