Year 13 A-levels 2021 - general support thread?

My dd is having to self isolate for 14 days as someone in her English and sociology class tested positive. Work is being set by teachers and they are having their classes via zoom.

NotDonna Anyone at home can choose to join classes via Zoom, or everything from lessons is uploaded to Showbie. They all have iPads, and have been working that way for a few years now, so we were really lucky to be able to cope when lockdown started.

Are the Yr9’s that are self isolating getting sent anything home Baaahh? This is my main concern as I think it’s inevitable that my DC will be at home at some stage but I can’t see how teachers can do both teaching in class and at home. I’m pretty impressed yours did rasoberry but how?
My DD has one predicted grade added to her UCAS form. How’s everyone’s DC getting on with their personal statements.

Update on our year 9's. School did own contact tracing, those kids stay at home to isolate, rest of the year back on Monday.

We still don't have predicted either but promised before early submissions go in.

Still waiting on predicted grades here, no sense of urgency at all from school for the Oct applicants. Without mocks or any assessment in year 12 I'm hoping school aren't too harsh.

Hello all. DS2 is applying for Maths.

We started off this week self-isolating, for DS and myself. His came back quickly but mine took 4 days. I've been really impressed with the remote learning provided, including live lessons on Teams. He was also contacted immediately to work out who close contacts had been.

DS2 was given predicted and working at grades in July, with the exception of FM, for which he was waiting for an AS grade.

Kind of nice having him home again, for the day. I think a day here and there would be very tolerable, it the potential of weeks and weeks that is so dire.

Well we have been emailed to say that DS is not a close contact, and can come back into school tomorrw. Apparently (according to DS, the school is revealing no more than this) the case is among the humanities students, so the science/maths crowd are all back (until the next time, probably).

There’s bound to be a lot of this isn’t there baaahhh? Are they sending work home for those yr9’s?

Email tonight, we have a confirmed Covid case, in Year 9 though. Entire year group off, until they are told otherwise by PHE. Are deep cleaning all the Year 9 areas tonight. DD said loads of students have colds at the moment, although many are wearing masks, which is thoughtful.

So, here we go......and hope.

@pistachioicecream thank you so much! I hadn't realises you could look like that, it will help enormously

Well done to your DD working so hard frog. A lot of dyslexia isn’t noticed until very late especially with bright DDs apparently. Let’s hope some strategies are put in place for her!

@Notdonna My DD has received predicted grades ABB and working grades A/B, B, C/B. She's working really hard and I am hoping she manages to stay well as missed large parts of school last year due to epilepsy. She has just completed a full assessment with an educational psychologist as epilepsy has affected her working memory and processing sped. It also looks as though she's always had dyslexia but managed as she had learnt to read by memory and shape but I think it has now become an issue and doing history hasn't helped. I'm hoping when her report comes back next week that with intervention and her work ethic she'll be fine.Also, hoping that they all can stay in school as very happy back there on daily basis

Checking in and following with interest. Waiting on predicted grades here, and trying to visit unis with no open days

Thanks @NotDonna-I am still in disbelief with those predicted grades as he's a lazy bugger and his gcse's were a mixed lot of the highest and lowest grades depending on whether he found it interesting.He said that lockdown actually helped him study as there was nothing else to do!
I'm not sure if his school are doing working at grades-he doesn't really tell us much!

Hi Baaaahhh there’s a few threads aren’t there? But yr13 is still secondary I guess. I’m happy wherever it is. Just happy to have a thread!!

@nancypineapple Your DS predictions are great so he can apply wherever he likes!
Are your DCs receiving predicted grades AND ‘working at’ grades? I’m concerned that if it goes to CAGs they’ll get the ‘working at’ grades but if they sit the exams there’s a chance they’d make the predicted grade.

Morning all! How are we today?
@bimkom what a pain in the arse-hope he can go back very soon
My DS school had first positive covid case within 2 hours of opening. Luckily not DS year group but just waiting for him to be sent home-however no one can get tested here anyway so maybe won't be until that fiasco is sorted!
What's everyone doing about visiting uni's this year? We have put aside a couple of hours this weekend to go through various economics degrees and figure out if that's what he wants to do! He has discounted Oxbridge-his GCSE's won't be good enough and his predicted A levels are 2A*+1A.

Being back at school is making such a difference to my DS. He's much more motivated and finally starting to think properly about next year. His school have been really good and they are all back with a full timetable of face to face teaching. Have everything crossed they stay open.

He's decided to do a Geography degree to keep his options open. I think that's the right decision for him so that's good. Now just to decide where to apply!

Hi gleegeek

CeaseAndDesist Hi there, can we get his thread moved over to Higher Education. I asked MNHQ but they won't move it without you asking. I think we are missing some posters who wouldn't look here for Year 13.
Thank you .

@gleegeek I don't know much about psychology degrees but if you sort the Guardian league table by average entry tariff that might throw up a few options for you.

www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2019/jun/07/university-guide-2020-league-table-for-psychology

Several around the 130ish mark have BBB as their published entry requirements.

Good luck.

Haha! I've found you!
Dd's sixth form are doing blended learning for September, one week in college, one week at home doing live lessons online. Will see if they keep doing it next month or whether it all ends up from home.
It's so hard doing a-levels, epq, ucas, personal statement all with this uncertainty and lack of face to face contact. Dd is really unmotivated and is doing the bare minimum but no revision at all. Also really anxious and panicky
Her college do continuous assessment with exams each half term. Her predicted grades are A*AB but her current actual grades are ABC so lots of work needed as she wants to do psychology which ask for silly grades. She knows which courses she likes the look of, mainly asking for AAA-ABB but struggling to find a couple of slightly lower insurance choices. The lower ones seem very much lower BBC-CCC....

bimkom That's a pain, but at least they are being sensible and following the rules for close contacts, and not making everyone stay at home or insist on tests. Hoorah for sanity. Hope your DS isn't a cc.

Just had an email, confirmed covid case in Year 13, all Year 13s asked to stay home tomorrow and do remote learning, while they work out who it was that the child in question was in close contact with. Apparently those who were not deemed close contacts from Year 13 will be allowed back in school on Friday, and those that are have to self isolate for 14 days since the child was last in school. Of course the whatsapp groups are going bananas with everybody trying to work out who it was and whether they might be a close contact.

I think in normal times I would have suggested that ds takes a year out as he also lacks "clarity". However, I suggested that he apply, and see what happens. If he has changed his mind in a year's time it's not the end of the world. He could see what was in Clearing or wait a year or two. He's a lifeguard and has been told that casual shifts are now available, which he wasn't expecting, so he might be able to get back into that and do it in the medium term to earn some money while he works out what he wants to do with his life.

As for the personal statement, he's looking at two different but related courses so it's quite difficult tailoring it to fit both. One course asks for slightly lower grades than the other. His college will predict one grade above summer assessments, which were BBB, but I don't think he will get AAA - more likely AAB, probably BBC at worst (assuming exams and not teacher assessments, then all bets are off).