GCSEs 2018 (15) The Reckoning

I'm having complete parent failure because I cannot find the letter the school emailed me about results day ...I think they go in at 10am ...plan is to drop DD off and wait outside ...I think the friendship group are planning to spend the day/evening together (she has the day off NCS). We were away on Awards evening so DD will also collect her Prize on the 23rd too - it may lift her spirits if things have not gone quite as expected.

My aspirations will be that she has passed all the exams .....I'm expecting spiky results....

I'm hoping the day will go like this:

DS2 and I will go together. Unlike his siblings he doesn't yet find me embarrassing, perhaps that phase is still to come.

DS2 will get the combination of 7s and 8s he needs to do four A-levels at the school he loves. There might be some 9s in Maths / Sciences.
He will confirm his place there and email the back-up sixth forms to let them know.

DS2 will want to come straight home to continue his A-level prep and D&D campaign. I will give him the books I've bought him to mark the occasion.

DH and I will quietly share DS2's results with grandparents etc. whilst being mindful of DS1's feelings. I will attempt to distract DS1 from any thoughts of comparison/inferiority by helping him buy stuff he needs for university.

Interestingly re talk of uni's I've just been working out my finances as DD1 goes in to 4th uni year (after a placement year) and DD2 starts in September. With fees and minimum maintenance loan they will both end up with loans of £40k for the three year. DD1 with relatively expensive accommodation and a fairly generous allowance from me will have had £23k parental top up over the three years. DD2 with cheaper accom but still a generous allowance for food etc with have had £18k. Neither worked so with a job and a less generous allowance the total could be nearer £50k than £100k. As someone said the loans are more like a tax than a loan so deducted from salary so effectively you only repay what you can afford. But the interest racks up quite fast. I think the two main issues are the figures can sound quite scary for those who don't understand the system or who haven't had peers or siblings go through it. And the maximum maintenance loan is not enough for those with out parental support.

There have been lots of threads as to whether you should pay up front if you can afford it rather than take a loan - or take the loan anyway and put the money towards a house deposit when DC s graduate. I think the debate balances on how likely the DC are to have a well paid high flying career where the pay the full amount off.

ie the interest rate is very high for student loans but the y don't repay if they are not working or not earning enough.

Hi All, just back from a lovely few days holiday. Very brief but the only time we could get all the family together. Ben enjoying reading all your news and views !

I will go in with DS on results day (and try not to embarrass him too much !). I think that's still the expectation at his school although they have said that for the first time this year results will be available on line. We have no worries over which school for sixth form which is nice and he is really looking forward to it. Only concerns are whether he should do maths and physics if his grades are comparatively low in those subjects. Requirements are 7 for maths and 6 for physics which he should get and even if he misses the 6 I think his teacher would say we know you're capable its just your intelligence doesn't fit the mark scheme or you had a bad day/not good in exams. But my concern would be he still has to sit A level exams and how do we know that will be any different. I will talk to him about options nearer the time. I really don't know what to expect on the as he did work hard but his results right from SATs to mocks have been below his and his teachers expectations, sometimes spectacularly so. I think I need to try and lower my expectations over the next few weeks and then hopefully may get a nice surprise.

The other thing just hitting me is he has decided to Board in sixth form. I don't want him to but at the same time am really pleased he wants to as it shows how comfortable he is there and how his confidence has grown and it does help form bonds etc as most boys board by sixth form. But having spent so many hours with him during gcse's and enjoyed his company I will miss him dreadfully, especially as I've had DD2 home most of the year on a gap year. I may have to talk to DH !!!!

Nope - it just had...

His work is above / consistently at / mostly at / occasionally at / below the standard expected for boys at this stage.

Picking up results from school is not a 'thing' at DS's school - they just post them on the parent/student portal. The boys are only encouraged to go in if there is a problem - remarks or change of A level choice.

I honestly have no idea what DS is likely to get. All I hope is that he does justice to the amazing teaching he has received...

DH has announced he has taken the day off, so I think I will go to the school with them, me and DH will wait in the car. We are holding three sixth form options so it will either be;

1. DD has got an average of 5.5 across top 8 subjects plus a 6 in English Language and RE and off we trot to first choice sixth form to enrol for A-Levels in Psychology, Philosophy and Sociology giving the finger to current school from hell.

2. DD has not quite made the average of 5.5 or has a 5 in English Language and RE and off we trot to second choice sixth form to enrol for A-Levels in Dance, Philosophy and Sociology giving the finger to current school from hell.

3. DD has had an absolute disaster and off we trot to the college to enrol for BTEC Dance Level 3 giving the finger to current school from hell.

I hope it's option 1, she has her heart set on it. Although apparently she had a dream she went to option 2. I had a dream that her results looked like the Periodic Table and her form tutor said there had been a mistake in them marking and all students had to resit the entire year

DS1 has work experience during results week but has negotiated a day off on results day. He wants me no where near school so I will probably work from home.

The results will be available on the parent portal (from 10am I think) so I'll see them then if he fails to return home or call!

No particular plans for the evening. Maybe a nice meal but keeping it quite flexible as he's being cagey about possible plans with friends.

I'm hoping for a 'good' set of results with 8/9s in maths, chemistry, physics and history. The rest could be 7s and I'd be surprised if there is anything less.

DISCLAIMER - Before I get flamed - DS attends a very selective and high achieving school so this is pretty much the the results profile the boys get , most do better.

I agree Loose it would make life alot easier but fairer to, as not everyone can afford to apply for reviews and at DS school they never even suggest it, whilst some schools do it automatically.

Our exam collection window is 9-12. Of course, I'm hoping DS will be there at 9 on the dot!

Bluebelle I wish this was standard across all exam boards.
AQA charges for even looking at the exam paper. I think OCR is the same.
They won't remark but they will check the marking. For English this means that if they agree with the banding given by the marking examiner they won't change it, which can be frustrating if you were hoping for a couple of extra marks.
I'm not sure what I'll do on results day. I'd like to hover just outside school but may end up waiting at home as we aren't far away.

Don't worry you have until sometime in September to apply before the deadline (can't remember exact date). If your DD hasn't done as well as she hopes, is she mature enough to deal with it herself and / or you may find she turns to you for help, this is what DD did and she was very similar in attitude to your DD, they could be twins except for the age difference

Bluebelle DDs school only has a two hour window to collect results and I expect she will not want us anywhere near the school. I also expect she will be arriving at school towards end of that window which will give us no time to discuss remarks with teachers if necessary

Also something to be aware of is that Edexcel allow schools to access pupils exam papers, very handy if the grade is a shock, plus I believe there are no longer re-marks but a review of papers, you should look at your DC's exam boards for more detail as this sort of thing is better to know in advance than trying to work out on the day..........

DS has work experience on results day so I will take him wait in car and then drop him off at his work......everyone will be totally calm relaxed and smiling.......

when DD got her results a few years ago I took her and waited in car (we are rural so plenty did similar) she came out very upset so we quickly drove home only to return a bit later to discuss options with the teachers.....some may also want to discuss re-marks

It’s August, it’s results month!!

Anyone got any thoughts about how to handle the big day? Go to school with DC and wait outside until they emerge with results? Go into school with DC? Wait at home? If you wait at home, how can you speak to teachers for advice if results are better/worse than predicted? How to celebrate/comissarate results? To buy or not to buy a present and if so what as a well done? Anything else??

All my thoughts and prayers to alexander and dh.

FE section sounds good to me too!

We have been looking at costs for uni too and being poor may be an advantage. My dd only earns about 12k tops so we should be able to get full bursaries for dgd. We will apply for a bursary at current school for 6th form. It is a worry I must say.

Glad all are well and it won't be long till results day and the next phase of our dcs lives start. What about title for thread being something like...the song and dance of opus 2. A bit lame I know

The cost of US colleges is insane
The sticker price is over $60k per year including board and food. BUT there are massive need and merit based subsidies.
UK students aren't entitled to federal funding but the Ivy League Unis often do needs blind admissions whereby they assess what parents can reasonably afford to pay and make up the difference - so they don't expect students to have student loans.
Whilst we have been here we have found that many of the Unis that are just below Ivy are equally as generous because they want to attract the brightest students to improve their standing in the leagues.
So...if you have an Oxbridge/High RG DC then it could actually be cheaper than the UK
The majority have a cut off of $160k or even $250k income before you are unable to access the funding.

...however....,many (most?) of the DC don't seem to come home between school years and are expected to do research during break and they are 4 year degrees
So yes, not coming back is a risk/likelihood.
There's also a holistic approach rather than pure exam results- so unless DC have a really good extracurricular profile there's zero chance (sports, head boy/girl/peer tutor/community service etc) - and it's normally expected over many years
We didn't know the extent before we came but they are looking for people who can demonstrate many years contributing to their school and local communities.

@Alexander - I have messaged you.

Yes, agree with using FE thread

I feel that Further Education would be the right place, as some will be doing their Level courses at at a FE college rather than at a sixth form attached to a secondary school.

Also, it's a quieter board, so easy to find the thread if it drops off your TIO.

I think Further Ed seems more appropriate.

Threads for sixth form seem to alternate between staying on secondary and moving to further education. DS1's thread was on secondary but DS2's moved to further. I guess it is further education to include colleges but sixth forms in schools just feel like an extension of secondary.

So no help from me, I'm on the fence.