Thread 30 Covid Cohort, Mad March Hareing Towards Exams

@christophertracy some individuals are becoming reinfected within 4 weeks at the moment, due to the different variants. So having it now doesn't guarantee you immunity over the exam period

hmm how long do they realistically think you are covered by one infection - is it still 90 days or is it now much shorter? So if DS got it now from me that would be better obviously then later?

@KingscoteStaff I think they've spread the exams out so if you're ill for one History exam, for example, you should be ok for the second one. And they will then award the grade based on that one exam.

I'm a bit worried about it to be honest, as ds has barely done a full week of school this year, with migraines and covid and he now appears to have covid again. I can't actually imagine him having the stamina to get through all those GCSEs. Also, he knows what will happen if he misses one, and I can just imagine him claiming illness for his second exams so that he only has to do half of them!

@GoldenRuby Glad to hear she’s got 2 very sound offers already. Wish her luck for more good news soon.

@Fruitygal Thanks. That’s what he’ll do for now, I just got confused it was supposed to happen before results, clearly I’m wrong.

Sorry to read about Exeter Golden but lovely she's got a Durham offer.

Fingers crossed for everyone else waiting offers.

Kings I asked our head of sixth that question and the answer wasn't great. The grade will be awarded based on exams taken, plus any evidence the school can supply but only if they believe there is enough evidence. Got that email the Friday night, and we're broken up now. It sounds to me like no resit offered automatically - I guess they can resit in November. I've though she's had Covid now, I'm seriously thinking of keeping her off school for a week before exams (as school isn't doing study leave as far as we know) to keep her well. They won't like it, but there isn't much they'll be able to do and being healthy is much more important.

What happens if a student is too ill (COVID or something else) to sit an exam?

Sorry to hear about the rejection @GoldenRuby. It’s horrible for them.

@Shimy just put some bank details and a uni choice and you can do the finance - things are changed later once you get to results day

@Shimy thanks. She has got a Durham offer, so is really pleased with that, and Sussex (but less keen as that is too close to home), but two good options.

Thanks @icanbewhatiwant. That’s good to know. I’ll also check if HSBC still do the £100 cash gift & compare it with Santander’s offer.

@Shimy Ds didn't open a student account until he had results. His put his child's savings account number on student finance page, then edited once he'd opened the HSBC student account. He chose HSBC as they offered £100 cash. He didn't need a rail card so didn't go for that.

Seems I’ve replied nard twice .

@GoldenRuby So sorry to hear about the latest rejection. This years admissions is really brutal. Has she got any other good options if Sa/E don’t work out? Fingers crossed for her that she gets one of them.

Thanks Nard. I was hoping he’ll be able to get the discounted railcard that Santander offer but will see what happens after results.

So finally an update here. It's so tough out there this year. DD just rejected by Exeter - Flexible Combined Honours in Anthropology and Human Geography, on the basis that they were over subscribed with applicants with higher achieved grades/predictions. She is not too disappointed as it was her 4th preference, but is not feeling confident about getting good news from St Andrews or Edinburgh now. Her friend was rejected from them for Human Geog, but offered combined Geog at their Cornwall campus, which she is not interested in (they don't offer Anthropology at the Cornwall site so not an option in DD's case).

@crazycrofter your are right about the 18yr old criteria, DS was told this too. They didn't say you needed a confirmed place, what they said is you can only apply for an account once you have received your A'Level results. Which means wait until August. DS has also just completed his student finance application and it asks for your banking details (obviously as they need an account to pay your maintenance loan into), ds just saved it without any bank account details for now.

Dd wants to get a Santander student account for the railcard, but it said on their website you have to be 18 (although I’m sure it didn’t say you needed a confirmed place). I assume she put her Lloyds current account down on the student finance form. I don’t remember it asking for bank details though?

I didnt even know that we needed a student account - so much admin!

@Seeline Well I must be completely wrong because I could've sworn ds1 opened his student account in January of the yr he went (2019) I must be remembering it all wrong. He also has 2 accounts one for the loan and another for his weekly allowance. It works great doesn't it!

@shimy It's certainly been like this for a couple of years. DS had a TSB under 18 account that converted to a student account once he had his place. He actually has his loan paid into a different account and transfers a weekly allowance into his student account. Stops him spending too much 😁

@Nard75 thanks for replying. DS also has a current account which I guess he could convert. I just don't understand what's happened to the usual just walk in and open a student account ahead of exam results.

@Shimy DS has a current account with Halifax which he can use if he decides to actually apply for student finance and firm a university. They said it can be changed in august to a student account with same account details when he gets a confirmed place at university.

NCT, I too think the early accommodation thing is disgusting. And what these Unis are doing who still haven't offered, is also questionable.

Both my ds's have been recently vile. Neither deserve the effort I put into helping them.

Apologies re: all the typos in my 15:08 post. Hope people can make sense of it. (Got a terrible keyboard that does delayed typing and sticks.)

@Cantonet This is what my heavy sleeper uses Alarm clock for heavy sleeprs