GCSE’s summer 2020 thread 5 - And then there were none..

If not it

We have had a ‘Don’t forget to think about what to do it you don’t get the grades for 6th form’ email . Then realised it was sent to all of Year 11 .

Any suggestions on driving?

Which book are you going to buy?
Which app and online stuff is best these days?

Is it best to get a old fashioned Highway Code? A book to work through chapter by chapter?

Before you even get to the app? And the trial tests?

I don't know what the current kids do these days?

DDs school report attainment grades and effort grades every half term.
We’ve never had a ‘target or predicted grade’
Last grade sheet we received was in March.

@Wheresthebeach I’d have been more surprised if they had to be honest. Hard to see how they would draw up a grade sheet whilst keeping mum about predicted GCSE grades, surely there would be a strong correlation? Unless perhaps they based it on performance since lockdown. Frankly, I’ve lost interest in grade sheets and think it more prudent to just wait for results to come out.

Ds1 got his bridging packs on Monday. He's worked solidly on business and handed it in to his teacher.

He will now tackle his 3 other subjects.

Apparently bridging stuff gets released each Monday.

Thanks for the heads up on driving theory planning. I'll mention to him. If he takes a look now, it'll be less pressure later.

I'm still hoping they'll start some sort of school learning, be it not the same as it used to be, but more 'normal' in September.

We didn't have a report at the end of last term for Year 11 DS (but did for Year 9 DD) so I was assuming not. It would be pretty hard for a school to write up a list of grades without laying themselves open to comeback later, and I'm not sure how they would evaluate the effort/behaviour grades either (which are the other things that are normally recorded).

Anyone else expecting grade sheets at end of term? School didn’t do reports at the end of last term, but said they’d send them out this term. Bit tricky I’d think...be interesting to see if they remove the target grade and just report working at grade.

fair point about consultation Piggy that must have been a massive job.

Strange how it seems so drawn out...Monday DD would be doing RE exam...so strange to think of that.

The most recent newsletter has not got the ‘Yr11 parents - please don’t contact the teachers about grades’ plea. It does say that they are working out how to open the school but it won’t be fully open until September. Priority will be given to Years 10 and 12. They will be expecting pupils to adhere to strict social distancing (!)

I don't really know wheres. I assume to give schools time to gather data, rather than create some new stuff. There was the Easter holidays , don't forget. I think they also probably planned in the need to discuss with exam boards their role, and also they ran that consultation document.

They have now said that all the grades need to be with them by early June iirc.

Conversely, senior leadership in my school have given all depts. exactly the same amount of time to QA data (gathered form subject teachers) and submit it to them - less than a week, which is just not possible in my mammoth department. hey ho!

One question for Piggy I guess. If work from lockdown shouldn't really be used, why were schools given so long to give in the marks? It's something like end of May isn't it? You'd think they'd want the marks in as quickly as possible and to avoid confusion over what work counts, and what doesn't.

One of the local boys schools here is doing a full set of online GCSE exams and has told the boys they count towards their marks.

Fools - theory tests have opened up for booking again. DS1 has one next week. People who had their tests cancelled are already being given new dates.

School will now finish off GCSE this week, and start A level work next week. Thank goodness for that.

Some of the teachers were getting emotional saying goodbye today, this is so hard for everyone.

DS's school has sent out a letter saying there will be no more online work after tomorrow. Children continuing onto the sixth form will be contacted in due course.

So that's it. The last contact (barring any future potential reunion) that many of the year group (who are leaving the school) will have.

I'd half expected this, but it still feels very final.

My DD has rediscovered a love for art. She has started oil painting and today tie dyed a teeshirt. It's costing me a fortune! I think she is finding anything to do other school work tbh.
Her routine is something like this:

11.30/12.00pm. wake up and look at phone
1.00 have brunch and watch tele
2.00 do a project or some sort
4.00 play tennis with me against the wall
6.00 play hockey with DJH (or run/bike ride a few times a week)
7.00 dinner
7.30 go up to bedroom
9.00 may come back down to watch tele, but often starts oil painting,. 11.30pm starts her fitness session...
12.00/12.30pm has a shower..
She has always been a late to bed person, but now is definitely wide awake when I'm off to bed.
I'm letting her go with the flow (which at first I found very hard to do, but I've decided she is old enough to know what feels right at what time) - for now ;-)

www.gov.uk/government/news/ofqual-publishes-initial-decisions-on-gcse-and-a-level-grading-proposals-for-2020

Info on year 10 & private candidates post the consultation

DS has started his A’level bridging classes. He’s really excited about them but at the same mourning the loss of his GCSE subjects. He is complaining about missing learning Biology, Chemistry and being wistful about Maths . I’ve got annoyed and told him he should’ve done the bloody IB but he hates languages. Anyway, today he’s been learning about ‘social progress index’ and feeling really important.

DS baked a cake last week.....

boredom has bred creativity!

I am concerned that the time he is going to sleep is getting later & later & he is sleeping well into mid morning (very unlike him)! We’ve had a chat about some structure / routine to his days.... but I’m not sure he paid any attention!

.....ok sounds like it might take a while . I like that she is also playing with other gamers. I think it’s probably a social thing too.

We have nostalgic gaming too - minecraft and the old DS!

Ds actually started reading a book yesterday. Outside in the garden. This is unheard of so he must be getting bored

I'm actually starting to see that DS is getting bored of gaming.
Don't get me wrong, his average computer/gaming hours are still pretty high, but he's more likely to take breaks and be open to the idea of doing non-gaming things than previously. And he's definitely moved more to enjoying gaming as a social thing - he's playing very little one player these days, and has rediscovered games like Minecraft where he and his friends are currently building a disaster world amid much shouting.