Current Year 10 2020/2021 support thread

MrsW my year 10 DS is also considering physio as a career though he is specifically hoping to go into sports physio. Well, in an ideal world he would like to be a physio or a sports scientist for a pro cycling team. He is thinking of doing Biology, Psychology and PE for his A levels and already has a good idea of what Universities he is interested in. He'd picked his A level options in his mind before he'd picked his GCSEs in fact! Its a bit ironic as his elder brother is in year 13 and needs to complete his UCAS forms very soon and still doesn't know what to do. So I have one that is terribly indecisive and another who is maybe making his mind up too soon.
However, the good thing about my Year 10 DS being so focused is that he is already looking at the entry requirements for courses he is interested in and realising that its not so easy as just wanting it. Seeing the entry requirements is giving him a good push to work at all his GCSEs as he knows he is looking at competitive courses and that his overall GCSE grades will be important, not just his most relevant subjects.
In my experience schools start talking to pupils about their A level choices part way through year 11 but you can change your mind, within the limits of the timetable, up until the start of term. In fact some pupils have to change after GCSE results of course. I've even heard of people changing after the start of term when its obvious that they've made the wrong choice. Its not something that's encouraged of course but I don't thimk schools would force a pupil to continue with a subject they are not suited to - well ours wouldn't anyway. So there's loads of time for decision making. I would maybe get your DD to look at some courses and, if possible, talk to some physios, though I appreciate that will be hard at present unless you have friends in the field. But I am sure that the conclusion of such enquiries would be that a good set of GCSEs across the board is important and this may inspire her to work hard at everything.
My DS was really annoyed at having to do a language at GCSE as he doesn't enjoy them, so we sat down and looked at the variety of nationalities in all the various professional cycling teams and discussed how he would probably need to pick up at least something of a number of languages if he was working in such an environment. He can see the point in it now so will, I am sure, work hard at it.
I think if they can see the value of studying something it really helps, even if they don't enjoy it particularly. I am struggling a bit with English Lit mind you - just sticking with "well Universities expect good grades across all your subjects" for now!
Good luck to your DD. I am really hoping they get to do work experience next year though not holding out a lot of hope to be honest.

makemyweek that is so brave of your, glad it's going well!

It is interesting how differently all of the schools are doing things, DD's school are having the teachers move around, allocated areas of school for each year and pretty much mixing them up for their options. The canteen is closed so no hot food, there is a "grab bag" lunch option which has to be ordered the day before and delivered to the bubble area or packed lunches. PE here is all outside and come to school in kit and stay in it all day and no contact sports at all.
By contrast, DD's football club have been back since July with distancing at first and then all as normal when the government guidance allowed. First game back last Sunday and they enjoyed it so much, was great to see!
I'm a bit worried about DD around A Levels though (already and we've been back to school for a week!), she has always wanted to be a physio which means Biology is a must, but she's already talking about taking another science alongside it which I'm concerned will limit her options if she either changes her mind about physio or doesn't manage to get onto a course. I've said to her that it's a bit early to decide things like that and to keep things open but she has a tendency to be very blinkered and I don't want her to only concentrate on the subjects she's thinking about taking further.
I know some posters have already gone through this with older DC's so thought I'd ask when these conversations really need to start (and also advice about the most "open" combinations if there is such a thing)

Lovely to see this thread. Dd started year 10 in a new school yesterday. Very excited to begin - it's a school with specialism in the arts so very different from her previous comp. So in fairness, she has nothing to compare with in terms of covid changes. I think that makes things a little bit easier for her. She is settling in well and enjoying meeting lots of new people so I'm counting my blessings that she is content and hoping for as little disruption as possible. She is taking GCSE's in Music, film studies, history, visual arts BTeC and the usual compulsaries.

She has to wear a mask in communal areas and her bubble is all of year 10 and 11, so fairly big. Wishing you a hassle free return for all your year 10's.

So much variation between schools! DD's school has them moving between lessons as normal, but they have prescribed break areas for each year group. They have reorganised tutor groups so they have core subjects (maths, English, science) in their tutor groups. And then for options they sit children from the same tutor group together. So DD gets a table to herself in RE as no one else from a tutor group is studying it!! It's been quite cleverly thought out - I'm assuming if they do get an infection, they will not have to self isolate many more than just an individual tutor group.

They are still changing for PE though more spread out, and all PE is outside. However they are not allowed to do anything involving balls. Because, as DD pointed out so eloquently, clearly kicking or touching a ball that someone else has touched is way more dangerous than sitting next to them in a classroom all day.

A screen has apparently been put up at the front to protect the teacher, and the teachers are not supposed to move around the class - but she said one of her teachers that has always been a "prowler" was prowling regardless.

DD cycled to school for the first time yesterday (other option, the bus, which is what she took Friday and today). I can't work out which I am more nervous about, but I think probably the cycling. She says she won't do it every day. She does meet up with a friend part way, and then they go together, and I think the friend is a little bit more grounded than DD, but not much.
They are mostly within one of a couple of classrooms in one block (except for science, I think), all of which have been dedicated to her year, which are bubbled together. They are only required to change their shoes for PE for trainers, but can wear tracksuit bottoms under their skirts on days they have PE if they want. DD is probably not going to bother and will just do PE in her normal uniform. As it happens, she has PE last period on Friday only.

Interesting reading the different things at all the schools!
One of the twins is finding the 2 hour lessons a struggle - can't say I blame her - they have 2 x 2 hour lessons and 1 x 2 hour lesson a day.
Music lessons are not happening at all - no communication from school - but have spoken to their teacher who says they need to organise a timetable for lessons in the evenings via zoom. They are both doing music GCSE which has a performance section so it is not as if we could just do nothing (a part from the fact that they want to,carry on)

First day back today, three lots of homework already, inc a vocabulary test tomorrow. DD thriller

DS went back on Thursday and so far is happy with his teachers and is in the top sets that he was aiming for. He has ASD so is finding the changes in the school a bit stressful but hopefully he'll get used to it soon.

Is anyone's else's DC doing the DofE? DS started his 3 months ago so has completed 1 part and halfway through a couple of the others. They have a school meeting this week about the expedition and what teams they'll be in - I'm surprised this is still going ahead but I'll wait and see what comes back about it.

And we have wierd food rules - DDs year get hot food, DS year don't but must be hard to plan that and was expecting everyone called though that's easier with siblings. Annoyingly DS is the one that eats hot meals and DD cold.

No lockers here either though we are 5 mins walk so not too much an issue for us but most kids come in on buses from rural villages.

DD is back on Wednesday so is DS. DS has been invited in tomorrow for a tour as he has SN.

Having issues with school for both though. DS has been moved to middle set science as they said they can't get a TA for top set. and said they didn't know he only wanted to do triple but I've said in many e-mails he wants to do triple.

DD suspects she's been moved down in English but we will see. Will have to pay for a tutor if that's the case.

DS's new tutor seems nice. School seems in chaos though, no-one told parents first 2 days were online and lots of timetables are wrong. Though would imagine it will all close down shortly anyway though at least we are rural but bubble of 180 and lots of things were kids handing in things or handing out so no SD with teachers from what I can see who are in all the bubbles. And I've just been diagnosed with asthma so covid will be something would rather avoid.

Hi there, can we join this thread? DD started Yr 10 properly today. Her timetable has lots of double lessons and even 1 triple(it's actually a double), they go for lunch and then have a single lesson after lunch.Strangely, she has no PE on her timetable!DD is very happy about this but I think some exercise at least once a week would be useful. They have also been told they have mocks the 1st week back in January 2021, so its all go for them.DD is generally feeling positive so far, although it seems that their sets are going to be mixed due to year group bubble.The GCSE journey begins!!

DD not back until Thursday. But timetable now available on class charts. She basically has all her lessons in the same building; must have been a headache sorting that out although for year 7 and 8 I think they're staying in the same room all the time except for PE and computing. Means they'll miss out on getting lost all over the school

allNewModelArmyMayhem18

DS2 was not impressed by the early rise either! Up at 6.45

DD faffing about trying to decide how to get to school until she left the building this morning.

A shock to the system waking up at the crack of dawn this morning.

DD excited to be going back to school. Let's hope it lasts!

DS2 went back for his first full day today- his timetable has just been uploaded and it looks like his half day is a Thursday so he finishes at lunch time. Double science today with a new science teacher - he loved his last one ans she really got him - she retired. I hope he gets on ok!

Rather than brave the packed school bus he decided to try the normal bus service, which hopefully will be quieter.

My son went back today - it is really strange without him here!

His school seem to have taken a relatively relaxed stance. Timetable is the same, clubs and music lessons will be as normal and they will still have to change after games (they have it in the mornings and have always been allowed to come to school in their kit). No assembles, but there will be year group briefings. No parents evenings, open days or concerts. Masks are optional for staff and students.

They have a two bubbles: Y10 & Y11 and Y7, Y8 & Y9. They are going to have separate entrances and different zones in the school. Where they will have to share the same space, it will be cleaned in between.

They are gong to be tested in all subjects this half term to assess those that will need extra support.

All sounds reasonable - it will be interesting to hear how it actually went.

I do wonder how/if the increased move to devices (and remote learning) will influence exam requirements. DS struggles to write at any length (i.e. as required for any exams with high writing content such as English) as he is so unused to doing it as he types whenever he has the choice. Apparently this is becoming a really common problem.

Our school have extended their BYOD policy down to years 10 & 11 after having it previously only in the 6th form. I suspect that teachers found pupils’ work much better (and easier to mark!) when types rather than handwritten! We’ve ordered one for ds through school which should arrive “sometime in September”. We’ll see.

Naem Not quite the same thing, but DC's school brought in a "no books" policy last year (i.e. before Covid). They were intending to do similar to your school and move everyone over to iPads this year, but looks like they've shelved that idea (I suspect because of a large number of families that would struggle with cost). Anyway. The old policy was that they had paper books they wrote in during lessons but they couldn't take them out of school except to revise before exams. Text books were online and homework either had to be done online or on paper and scanned in. They had a lot of issues with families not having any/good enough tech, so I guess at least insisting everyone buys a Chromebook sorts that (though not the connectivity issue for those who don't have unlimited broadband - think DC's school was going to provide dongles).

HelloDulling Great news about singing/choir! There is not much happening here in terms of extra curricular activities at all.

Mercedes unfortunately don't know how long DD will have mobility problems. Possible she'll have to have surgery.