Starting Year 11-GCSE2021 (title edited by MNHQ)

iheart It’s awful to see him at the moment, he’s just a shell of his usual self. I can’t even remember the last time he laughed.

That just breaks my heart, the pressure they are under is immense, DD suffers with anxiety but she seems to be holding up fairly well so far but it shows in other ways, she's exhausted, snappy and nothing I seem to do or say is right.

DD back in school tomorrow after self isolating for last 2 weeks. The remote learning has been fine but she’s keen to return.
They had a virtual A level information evening tonight that was pretty informative and she seems to have decided on her subjects. All dependant on the grades she gets but it feels good to have some idea at least.

We have managed so far without having to isolate at all with is nothing short of a miracle considering I’m a TA so also have the potential risk in my school.

DS has his mocks after Christmas. He got his report today which some predicted grades, not sure how accurate they are but quite honestly I’d be more than happy with those-majority of 7/8’s plus a 6 for Geography and a 4 for Spanish.
Never thought I’d say this but at the moment his mental health is more important than any grade. He is normally very calm and laid back, but they are having so so much pressure on them that he just can’t cope. It’s awful to see him at the moment, he’s just a shell of his usual self. I can’t even remember the last time he laughed.

First day of mocks here, English and maths. History on Friday. Revision has been constant, sending off practice question over the weekend which teachers have marked and given feedback by Tuesday. They have been brilliant and DD really encouraged. Just glad that so far no days off. A good parents evening via school cloud, and all going well. Hoping we can make it to the end of term with no isolations. Some of the year 11 in nearby school have been off isolating on three separate occasions and have had their mocks move back! Rotten times. Hope all DC in different situations are managing to cope somehow.

How's everyone holding up, fun times

DD has avoided any further isolations and we are counting the days till mocks start next week and praying she gets through them considering we are in a London borough with very high cases, several of her teachers are isolating which is less than ideal this week.

She is working her backside off and I really couldn't ask any more of her, we got her report and predicted grades so she can use them for sixth form applications. She either wants to stay at her sixth form or come to the one at the school I work in, still a bit undecided on courses though.

Sorry I didn't mean to post that here!

Email from our school today:-

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your continued support and update you on a number of things happening within our school community. In no uncertain terms, the last week has been the most challenging in our continued management of the ongoing impact of Covid 19 upon the operating of the school.

Over the weekend we were informed of another three confirmed cases of COVID 19; two in our Sixth Form Bubble that are already learning remotely and one in our Year 7 bubble. We have been in contact with our local health protection team, LA, Governors and the * Trust and have taken all the necessary steps to identify and communicate with direct contacts.

Due to the recent increased number of identified cases there are now several staff self-isolating as direct contacts. Moreover, a number of staff with dependants that have developed symptoms or are having to self-isolate are also unable to come into school. This has meant that there is a reduced capacity to teach and supervise students on site. Controlling the spread of the virus is a significant priority and one that we are having to balance with the need to operate safely and deliver high quality teaching and learning for the students, both in school and remotely. This has led to an additional two days of remote learning for Year 10 who will now be returning to school on Wednesday 25th November.

Whilst the number of positive cases within our school community potentially may continue to rise we are having to explore a range of options which may lead to the school having to rotate Year groups in moving to remote learning for short periods due to depleted staff capacity. In doing so, we will take all steps possible to avoid disruption to those year groups who have exams this year and seek to distribute the impact as fairly as possible between other year groups.

Please can I take this opportunity remind parents that if your child is unwell and/or suffering some of the possible symptoms of Covid 19 that they should not come into school and they should take a test, only returning to school upon the receipt of a negative test result. Additionally, if they have a sibling in school, please do not send them into school while awaiting the result of the test. In normal circumstances, we would encourage parents and students to try and attend as much school as possible however, if anyone in the family has symptoms and is getting a test or waiting for test results we would ask you not to send your child into school at this time in order that we can contain the virus and remain open for as many students as possible.

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Only 3 weeks ago all was pretty much fine bar the odd case but it is getting worse and worse (SE here)

We are in the north west, so very high risk up here. I seem to get a few emails a week about cases in our school and 6th form. The 6th form is in a totally different building, but they do share staff. That’s where the majority of cases are currently. I just want ds unscathed until 11th Dec, his last mock exam day - so fingers and toes crossed here. He missed the cull last week where about 20 got sent home as deemed to have been in close contact with a year 11 case. He’s trying his best to stay focused and study - but it’s so hard.

And our area is only 119 cases per 100000 so quite low in comparison to most places!

Jeez titsy a grade 8 at this stage is flipping amazing!!! Well done her. I’m shocked that your yr9 is home due to staff shortages. I’m guessing that’s teachers who are ill or having to isolate? What a nightmare for all concerned. Is that the whole of the year or just a couple of yr9 classes?
And yet there’s all this planning for a 3 household Xmas - so probs more cases in Jan/Feb, staff & kids isolating, etc etc. Not sure it’s such a good idea. It’s exactly when both my yr11 & yr13 will be doing their mocks (just the one lot). And no doubt similar timing to a lot of mocks.

@NotDonna. Oh what a pain! Luckily dd not had to isolate yet but its only a matter of time. My son in year 9 is home for the rest of week - not for self isolating but due to staff shortages. I've had to email the head of languages as dd has no French teacher (hasn't for about 3 weeks) and isn't learning new content or getting set homework. No reply yet though! Yes art is a massive pain in the arse. The mock for that has been delayed again as the art teacher is now self isolating. So it will be in the last week of term when everyone will be exhausted and fed up - oh and the same week the portfolio is due in. You can't make this stuff up!

One bit of good news - dd got her history mock result back and got a grade 8 so very happy about that! They do 2 sets of mocks at her school for some reason (next lot in Feb/March) but if the exams are cancelled the good grades will help a lot!

Yr11 bubble burst. 2 weeks off for DD who’s apparently a close contact as sits in front of infected person. At least it’s only close contact meaning only half sent home to isolate. They’ve got online learning set up so it’ll be fine.
Unlike Art. Aghhh! Thank heavens mine have zero artistic talent. Always a bloody nightmare. Way too subjective. And never ‘done’. Plus there’s always an art teacher disagreeing about content/context etc. As I say, bloody subjective, never finished nightmare! Give me maths any day. Not helpful, sorry.
Re exams - I think England is likely going ahead and our DC should assume so. Meanwhile ensuring they give 100% effort in every test just on the off chance it’s needed as evidence. So no pressure there then!!

In my dd's experience 2 years ago, art gcse had by far the most heavy workload of all. Consistently throughout. The volume of work is phenomenal, and really can be at the expense of other subjects.

Not an easy choice by a long stretch.

It’s just such a stressful situation all round, the uncertainty of whether or not the exams will actually go ahead next year puts an even greater pressure on our children doing well in their mocks. @Neversaygoodbye it’s my worst nightmare currently just waiting for that imminent email saying my child needs to isolate - I completely understand and sympathise with you and your daughter. In a year group of 150 I have received 10 emails relating to covid cases.....it’s only a matter of time.

@Titsywoo art - ha don't get me started! I can completely sympathise with your DD as mine is also doing it. She's supposed to be starting her final piece but is now SI as her bubble burst today. Also told it's to be completed by the end of term - without access to the art department I'm not sure how they expect that to happen. She also has a fractious relationship with her art teacher who seems to expect every child to bash out a perfect drawing in record time - not sure what that's all about but seems to be a common theme!

I'm so so cross today. I don't even know where to begin with what has pissed me off!

Mainly it's the sodding art department who I am so close to letting rip at. The art exams have of course been cancelled but they aren't telling the kids that as they are trying it appears to scare them into working harder. The kids have only really had 2 terms in class working on their portfolios - the first half term of year 10 was spent on something completely unrelated to the gcse then they had a term and a half before lockdown. They were basically sent home in March and told to just create as many pieces as they could. No contact from the art department between March and Sept bar I think 2 zoom calls in June. Emails rarely responded to. At first they told the kids when they got back that their portfolios needed to be done by end of Oct then they said end of Nov now it's by the end of this term. I have no idea why since the portfolio is now 100% of the mark. Apparently after xmas they will work on a 'special project'. Dd still have about 10 pieces to do (most of those small bits) plus all the writing and mounting. She has done several amazing very detailed pieces though and admittedly they have taken longer than is ideal. But she works as hard as she can considering how much work there is from all the other subjects too. The art teacher has been having a go at her for the past two days and made her cry both times. Yesterday she told dd that she talks too much and doesn't work hard enough (dd is always told she needs to talk more by teachers - she is a girl of few words and no way is she chatting away and not working all lesson). Today she went mad at dd and said she has been spending too long on this one piece and made her start a piece that doesn't even fit with what dd is doing. She told her she couldn't leave until it was done (even though the lesson was over). Dd walked out and ended up in tears in the counselling type area they have in the school. I'm so angry with this teacher. She is making this so stressful. Dd wanted to do alevel art but says she can't deal with this teacher for another 2 years. It's so sad as art has been her passion since she was little and she is really good at it.

As well as that her french teacher is shielding and has been replaced by a cover who isnt teaching new content and is only going over foundation level (dd does higher).

Re teacher self isolating, maths teacher teaching via zoom to a laptop on the desk.

It's ridiculous. This can't carry on.

My dd is so stressed about the exams next year. She works hard and faces a lot of health challenges already. She recently was ill, had to have a Covid test (thankfully negative) but has missed 2 weeks of school. The uncertainty of what will happen to English exams and the disparity between nations is adding to an already stressful time for our youngsters. It’s so unfair.

@PettsWoodParadise thanks for responding. I think at the moment having just collected DD from school I'm the one stressing and having a melt down - very unhelpful to my DD I know, unfortunately I tend to be quite verbal in my feelings whereas she keeps things tucked away inside (which has caused big issues in the past with her mental health). Still, I need to get my act together and be the grown up! 😬 No news from the school on contingency plans or revision/lesson work which I think is quite poor, surely they must have planned for this.

DD had two weeks off just before her mocks which have just finished, second set of mocks in Jan (maybe moved to Feb). I don’t know many who haven’t had at least some time off, it is all very hard for them to deal with. When DD first heard she was in tears and this is a resilient child who copes in most situations. She felt as though life’s opportunities were being snatched from her as she’d never be able to prove her capabilities.

Latest proposal is that in England (all the others having cancelled exams, so how can that be even!) subject of question and core content will be revealed before exam so teachers can focus on that. It isn’t going to help with our DCs getting a rounded education. Also one of DD’s strengths is dealing with the unknown in the exam, which I appreciate will not be something all will have.

Just one almighty mess

So my DD has just been sent home as a friends has tested positive. We're less than 2 weeks away from the start of their mocks on 1st Dec. I know she doesn't manage well with online learning not that we've been told what will be provided yet or what happens about the mocks. She's also missing out on the opportunity to attend after school revision sessions so how's that a fair playing field.

@Titsywoo your daughter sounds as if she’s doing remarkably well despite all the obstacles that keep on appearing! She’s had a tough run of luck there - but as you say she’s learning resilience!
I too hope the exams go ahead, I keep on changing my mind on this, but I do think it’s for the best. DS is currently studying very hard and is keen to do well in his mocks. I just hope he doesn’t have another 2 weeks isolation. His sister managed to get a week in school before being asked to isolate again, it’s pretty soul destroying for her. But thankfully she doesn’t have any exams for a couple of years.

Thanks @Hellohah and @Neversaygoodbye. Yes it's so rubbish isn't it? I didn't expect so much stress so early on this academic year! I think DD is getting used to it now though so is just shrugging it off and doing her best. I'm the one getting wound up

God that online lesson sounds a nightmare Hellohah - I do feel sorry for the teachers too but then I'm also annoyed at some of them for dropping the ball. I feel like I've sent more emails to teachers this term than the whole of DDs time at secondary! It's not that I'm complaining to the teachers I'm just constantly trying to clarify what is going on.

DD is doing her eng lang speaking exam today too - the teacher is shielding so the kids stand at the front of the classroom and speak to the class and a laptop so the teacher can watch from home. Sounds horrendous and DD is pretty shy but she has become very resilient this year - a bonus I guess!

At this point I really hope the exams go ahead - but I'm selfishly thinking of my DD!

@Titsywoo ... that sounds tough. DS is having live lessons on Teams, and they had an IT problem earlier in the week, all the kids were kicking everyone out of the lesson, the teacher had to boycot, it was really terrible behaviour :(
His mocks also start on the 23rd November, he is currently (along with all of his Maths, English and Science classes, and some of his History and PE class) self-isolating and will return to school for his first English exam on the 23rd! He is determined to do well in these mocks, he had his "expected grades" on Monday and really wants to try and improve some of them.
He's had two college interviews, another one on Monday. Been trying the virtual open days, but you just can't get a feel of the place, so I have no idea where he'll chose to go.

Hope everyone can keep their chins up and muddle through this shit show :)