GCSEs 2018 (15) The Reckoning

Reassuring to hear that only 4% of students actually do their summer holiday work Stickerrocks. I know dd has some work set for Art but not sure if she has anything for biology or psychology - will ask.

mmzz - is your ds definitely staying at his current school then? I remember some suggestion that he might go elsewhere?

Good luck to your dd Jufusmum on your dd's trial shift at a posh restaurant. I do wonder if I should give dd another little nudge to try again on the paid work front. She did, at least, recently do a week long work experience for a Visual Merchandiser of some renown who wins contracts to do the displays for the Oxford Street flagship stores (and apparently makes a tidy sum doing so) - so at least that somethings useful on her cv (she is looking for work in the creative field ultimately)

Nice clobber Brainmelt

Brain - that looks very stylish.

DD School is no uniform or suits - basically live in whatever you want. So jeans and jumpers and tshirts. DD is still only halfway through organising her wardrobe.

That's interesting - at DS school the sixth form were pushing to change to suits rather than uniform - just shows you can't please everyone

Very easy uniform at our school: black skirt and shoes, black jumper if required, striped shirt, tie for boys only. There was a suggestion last year that they move to suits but the students stamped on the idea ferociously, and the HT listened - so no change which is very good on the purse strings and also in terms of comfort. The idea of home clothes is too horrible for words for different reasons (lots of changes, much more washing etc etc, competition as to who wears what etc etc).

Phew 6th form clothes question solved! The picture is obviously NOT DS, but for illustration purposes, the "look" he's gone for.
We spent 6 full hours in Westfield hunting for suits, shirts and ties during which DS somehow decided that every suit made him look like a middle-age salesman. So final decision was to forget suit, go for suit jacket + smart chinos combination and I must say he looks very cool and fitting for a 16 year old. He fell in love with an m&S jacket, bought two m&s flat front skinny chinos, a knitted tie and a gorgeous smokey shirt from Moss Bros to every now and then break from white shirts. For years he hasn't cared what he looked like but now he has very strong opinions!

School has given summer prep homework for the first time since y7. Lots for French A level, reading for English, even for EPQ! You'd think they would give them a break after gcses... Oh well.

No work given from state sixth form college.

No work given by DS state grammar, where he'll probably stay, or by the local 6th form where he could go and get up later, be home earlier and save me loads of bus fare money but doesn't have friends.

Thanks also for the suit suggestions. We got one from Dobell. Now the shirts!

Somehow I can't worry about GCSE results at all with A level results looming next week. Anyone else feel like this?

No homework for BTEC but a letter with dates that work experience is required and a form to return when we have arranged it (for April)

Jufus she's very dedicated! Good luck to all the dcs with work and volunteering.
I know DS has done a lot of reading for psychology. I will suggest he looks at some maths before term starts but I think that's about it.

DD has done all prep work for both possible sixth forms (loads and loads and loads of it), no homework given by college.

She has a trial shift at v.v. posh restaurant tomorrow night!

OddSocks our DDs sound similar! As all the prep work is for the subjects she loves, I'm surprised she is so reluctant to get started! Doesn't bode well for the A Level courses (but she does like to be instructed and tends to compartmentalise 'work' to during term time...)

No summer prep worked issued by DD's current school but the back up school actually ran lessons on all days in the A level subjects and gave out work to be done and also text books.

Not sure what my thoughts are on your DS's school mmzz. I can understand why parents may want to send their DC's to the school if the results are so good. However, there approach seems to be teaching the DC's to pass exams in the last year of school which is not necessarily a good education....not sure I would be keen for my DD to attend an exam factory type school.

Still not heard from DD (apart from first night text to say all OK) ..so I trust she is enjoying NCS

Hi slinkyme yes he just went round local businesses but the one with success was actively advertising for staff and is notoriously short under staffed

Thanks Peggy

slinky we put together a one page CV with a line at the top saying "local student looking for holiday or weekend work". Then the obvious stuff - education and results pending, work experience volunteering, hobbies.
We kept it all short and upbeat. Then DD took CV into local places.

If your town has a fb page then places often advertise there or there may be a local jobs page on fb.

Dd has some summer reading but only because she approached her teachers herself. The two subjects are English Lit & philosophy so background reading is almost for pleasure than work.

Stick - completely agree with what you have said

mmzz It makes the conscientious students like your DS worry about whether or not they are doing enough work, whereas the students who need the push will ignore the emails anyway. Their results won't change because they have nagged DC relentlessly throughout the year. However, some of their students mental health will undoubtedly suffer as anxiety levels build.

We haven't been given any summer homework at all. DD could almost do with some as she is getting bored. She is doing some volunteering currently be would love to get a job too. Not sure where she starts - do you just go round the local shops asking?

Her school is super selective and achieves the highest grades nationally. However they have a big stance of no Home Work in the holidays and have been like this since the beginning of senior school. I think they must have changed their stance then as remember DD getting lots of summer projects in the junior school.

The closest thing I found to Home Work is on one of the parents site - showing a summary Maths pack for reminder - basically some cgp notes but a clear message across we do not expect any girls to do any homemwork over the summer. I think they have a work hard rest hard approach. Let's see what the results tell us.

mmzz the impression I got about your DS's school was it was more to do with panic over the new GCSE's rather than how they generally do things (although your find this out with DS2), with each year schools should be able to better plan the delivery of the syllabus.....well lets hope so!!