Poor year 11’s seem to have been just forgotten about

I do feel for 11s and Y13s, it must be an unsettling feeling for them to not have finished school in the way they were planning.

I worry about Y10s (my DS is one). Government guidance wasn't very clear, so not sure what is going to happen after 1st June and then what will happen with GCSEs.

There is another thread about Y7,8 and 9 as they haven't been mentioned at all, at any time, as unlikely Secondary schools are opening properly this term.

There really isn't anything that could be done for Y11 at the moment. Their classes have finished. Proms, parties etc can't be done obviously. Yes, it is sad they have missed out on a fun end of year, but it would be utterly ridiculous to bring Y11 back to school, just to sign hoodies and meet up with their friends.

You're welcome lovelylegs2019.

Why would the government be mentioning year 11'as they have effectively finished there education at school level and more will be on about colleges etc for sept later , proms and all the fun stuff will be down to the schools to maybe do next year if safe to do
I know our school has mentioned they will look at doing something for year 11 if and when safe to do so
But the government clearly only going to concentrate on those who still actually should be in school.
I have a year 10 ,I wish he was year 11 as personally it's year 10 and 12 who have it slight tougher as it stands they still have to sit exams next year yet likely to over missed several months of school and gcse topic
But this situation is rubbish for all of us and everyone is missing out on something

I have a Yr12 (mine) and a Yr 13 (fostered) plus a first year uni student. It's tough for all of them.

The Yr13 hasn't done any uni open days and wouldn't have been able to even if COVID hadn't happened - very difficult background situation. Has worked hard, is glad that their work done so far will be taken into account because Yr 12 didn't go great for them whereas Yr 13 when they were here has gone a lot better.

Yr 12 is getting work set and is keeping up well. Has already picked her top 3 unis based on the course she wants to do - it's a shame about visits but she considers them non-essential.

School is going to try to do prom/6th form leavers ball in the early autumn if at all possible.

My first year uni DD is missing her friends and her life at uni, but is doing exams online (no more lectures) and has had her halls rent returned for the third term without having had to pick up her stuff in a rish. Her new landlord has dropped rent for second year accommodation too.

We've been very lucky.

I totally get what you mean OP my Y11 DD is so upset with it all and missing out on everything makes her upset how ever much we try and help her. Her friends have been brilliant wots it maybe your ds friends can help support him with it all? It did feel weird watching the news and no mention of Y11’s anywhere my dd noticed that- a lot for then to process eh? Least he has work etc. Shame some mnetters are less tolerant of posts eh? Lots of support mainly

My y6 was very very upset about what she would miss. So was I.

She’s moved on a little. I haven’t. I’m still horribly upset by it. Perhaps it’s because I can’t fix it, when part of being a parent is trying to ‘fix’ things.

The feeling of helplessness lingers with me, even when she’s feeling better. Maybe others are just feeling the same. It’s ok to express it.

I’m surprised year 11s are still focusing on school related disappointments as it’s a long time now since the bombshell was dropped. At the time my dd was disappointed at not having the chance to do GCSEs, celebrate at the end, have her prom etc. This was followed by even deeper disappointment at the cancellation of the camps, D of E expedition and other activities she had planned over the summer. It’s definitely important to let them grieve over this, as this was going to be their long fun summer.

However all of these things are ‘old news’ now. Dd quickly started to see some positives in the situation - no long months of revision, results would may well be fairer, the chance to rest and do lots of things she’s not had time for before.

Like others have said, I don’t really think year 11s are worse off than others. They get GCSE results with three months less effort than all other years and a really long extended break! I feel more sorry for other years trying to work at home and worry more about my year 9 who’s missing parts of his GCSE content but isn’t going to be prioritised like the year 10s.

I think for all of us - kids and adults - there will be disappointments. We all need to focus on seeing the positives. For most young people there are some. My son is able to sleep in instead of having to be out the door at 7.15.

I acknowledge that for many adults there are no obvious positives to this situation. But I think we should encourage our young people to look on the bright side if they can.

Bit harsh, that!

It's not about showing empathy. I have a very disappointed yr11 DC at home as well. This is about OP and her DS being 'angry and sad' because year 11's were not mentioned in the latest updates. They are angry that other year groups were mentioned but Year 11 in particular wasn't (despite previous announcements). The anger & sadness seems to be around the fact the usual leaving rituals did not get a mention which is ridiculous because there's nothing the government can do about that and its not new information, that's been the case for weeks.

We already know exams are cancelled, we also know how grades will be calculated. Other year groups also deserve to have their questions answered and their anxieties about the near future mentioned. Year 11 has had its shot, most have COMPLETED the yr 11 curriculum if not all, so we are lucky wether you agree or not.

People need to stop being so self absorbed and realise everyone is affected and announcements and updates cannot revolve around personal needs.

Instead of OP indulging petulant anger she should be the voice of reason for her DS helping him to see that actually, though its been a crap way to end the yr, his year group are still better of than others e.g yr 10/Y12 and those yr 6s perhaps preparing for 11+.

That’s very true, hasn’t considered that.

It's also a worry that those that are going on to take A Levels will have never sat formal exams before they take A levels in 2022. Ds was highly anxious about Gcses and was in a smaller room and not the main hall but he won't get that experience of the real thing. Oldest Ds was saying you can sit lots of mocks but nothing is the same as sitting with a paper in front of you with the actual date on it. .

Empathy isn't a competitive sport
This, a hundred times

Each year group has it tough in its own ways, of course some will be fine but for some this will pinball them off onto a different trajectory - potentially a worse one. That's incredibly sad.

A thread feeling sorry for Y11 doesn't mean we can't also feel sorry for other years groups - or indeed people not at school.

I feel like some allowances must be made for year 10s exams next year, surely they will change something as the whole nation of years 10s have missed so much school.

It will be via the usual "standardisation" process where grade boundaries are adjusted to get the right number of pupils in each grade. So, if, say, last year you needed 90% for the top 5% to get a grade 9 and next year you need 75% for the top 5% to get a grade 9, the grade boundary will be lowered accordingly. What certainly won't happen is that no one gets a grade 9 and loads more people get lower grades.

Mine is Y10, I’m so sorry for our Y11s for different reasons - all the reasons given.

I hope something can be done fir them in the autumn?

Can't feel sorry for our year 11 and 13 children but endless threads about how poor year 6 need to be back in school to say goodbye properly, rites of passage etc.
Some year 11s will need transition too. But as you say they seem to have been forgotten about.

Tearful shouty 16 year old in this house that should have started GCSES yesterday, she hasn't seen anyone of her age for weeks and all their summer plans have gone.

It is so sad for all of them.

I have a year 12. He is missing , what 4 months of teaching? There are no university open days so he in October he will have to submit a ucas form choosing universities purely on the basis of online information.

Come September he will have to somehow make up for all the lost learning plus all the additional new learning needed to get the high grades needed by the unis.

He has missed out on a residential course that he worked his bollocks off to be selected for, a summer school he earnt through sheet hard work, etc
I am heartbroken for him.

Got off lightly, Shimy??
A bit of empathy wouldn’t go amiss, especially since you’re telling the OP to have some.
You make it sound like not being able to sit exams was a get out of jail free card. Many, many year 11s wanted to sit the exams; they’ve spent years gearing up for them, only to be stopped in sight of the finish line. They wanted to be able to celebrate the end of exams, the end of school, results day, and they won’t get that now.

Yes, there are people dying but empathy isn’t a competitive sport.

It's not just about missing prom. It's about finishing and moving on from secondary school.
Broadly the same reasons as it's deemed important to get Y6 into school before the summer.

Thanks Green. It's a sixth form attached to a school so i will try and contact them closer to the time. I'm very aware though that the school will be dealing with their own pupils and all the new year 7s who will not have a proper transition. I don't think Ds will be a priority as they will expect new sixth formers to be able to cope better. His autism diagnosis is only recent so things are difficult at the moment. I'm also wondering if year 12s will even be returning in September.

@Punxsutawney

Have you contacted the colllege to request this? Worth doing early and getting in touch with the relevant people (pastoral, etc.)

OP I think I have a very good idea what you meant and I also have a yr 11dc. You and him need to get some perspective and see that whilst it’s sad school has suddenly ended unceremoniously, it could be a lot worse. At least they can move on to the next stage of their lives. He has college sorted out, in your own words he has a part time job and various projects. That’s fantastic!. That’s a lot more than many dc have.

Everyone has lost something as a result of the pandemic, so you both need to look at it in the context of that. Getting angry and sad because yr 11 weren’t mentioned in the latest updates is silly and you should be the voice of reason.

My twins are year 11 and their school has been setting them preparation work for A Level. Even though my two might not be staying on there for A Levels (they've been offered places elsewhere) they're still doing the work just in case.

The prom has been cancelled, though my two weren't keen on going anyway. Leavers Hoodies should be arriving soon, and the year book should be completed soon too.

I'm sad they didn't get to say goodbye to their friends, especially if they do move on next year. They had plans for things when exams were over, I hope they will still get to do stuff during the summer.

Waiting for the exam results is hard! They didn't revise for their mocks because "they don't count" so although predicted 7s and 8s their mock results were lower in quite a few subjects. I'm hoping their teachers realise this (I did mention it at parents evening before all this happened!)

I will still do a last day of school photo on what would have been their last day as their school closed suddenly before the lockdown when a member of staff tested positive. I'm sure they'll love me doing that.