GCSE Summer 2020 - Thread 11 Carry on Corona Cohort - Starting New Terms and Settings

Sorry to barge in on this thread but tonight at half past nine my dd got an email from the college, specifically the art teacher, saying she unfortunately doesn't have the gcse grades to do A levels'

Now we actually know this. But she's spoken to A level people, has an email from the head of A levels, has her timetable, ID badge and went to an orientation session yesterday. Been told her first week is online, then the next week in college.

She is distraught. It's not the first time she's been told this - it's like an emotional rollercoaster . She's always been honest about her grades but to be told you can, then you can't, then you can and now you can't do A levels is just awful. She's bought loads of stationery and clothes and is so excited.

Can they do this? So late on? Surely all the other courses will be full by now.

She would have been gutted if she was told 2 weeks ago she couldn't do them but would have accepted it and moved on.

I'm just hoping the this art teacher will talk to the people we have and let her on. I've no idea what she will do otherwise.

@PaddingtonPaddington. DS did Alis tests last week too on induction day. DD (Y9) did MidYIS tests on the same day too.

Max class size of 16. Selective Indy. Textbooks received so far for Maths & Physics. All brand new this year for obvious reasons - normally, they are inherited from the previous year and are a tad dog eared. Most work to be submitted online. Still researching laptops to take to school for the free study periods. There is too much choice.
DS is also doing Computing & DT so wants a decent HD so no chromebooks.

I read that some of the outbreaks in schools at the start of term were due to teachers who had been abroad. Obviously they would not have known before going away that they would have to quarantine on return.

@PaddingtonPaddington. My DD had baseline tests last week (alis). They are doing screening tests next week (dyslexia, processing etc).

Yes @Shimy ds has been the smallest boy for all his school life. In secondary he got to year 9 before there was a smaller boy in year 7.

It's all very cloak and dagger shimy. the MFL assistant implied the teacher was still in America!

@EasilyDeleted glad to hear there is another small one. I'm only 5'2" but I guess that's not that small for a woman. DH is 5'9" though so fairly average. So no idea why ds2 is small.

Thanks @Shimy I'm sure he will be happy with his size. Yes...I think the gym would help.

Ds said this evening he's really enjoying 6th form. I smiled to myself and wondered if he will feel the same in a few months. He's been cooped up in his bedroom the best part of 6 months so it must feel great to get out and see his friends. Ds1 said he remembers all the free periods to start with in year 12 they used to all chat and play games, but soon there will be work set to be done in free periods. It won't be so much fun then.

My Ds is very short. He was born tiny and grew very slowly. When he stRted secondary aged 11 he was wearing 7-8 clothes. Before lockdown he was in age 12-13 clothes but he’s shot up recently and is now in age 14-15 or primary xtra small.

Mine's always been the second shortest but his shorter friend from yr7-11 has gone to a different 6th formso he takes the crown.

It’d be nice if our short ds’s could meet some short boys their age so they doesn’t have to feel like they’re the shortest persons in the world. DS has always been the shortest every year of school.

Place marking. DD with ASD had her first week start this Monday on a co.pletely different setting with 3 hrs travel per day...So far so good. We'll see...

@Piggywaspushed Surely they would’ve quarantined in time for today’s class? You’d think so wouldn’t you?

@icanbewhatiwant another parent of a tiny 16yo DS here. 5'2" and no idea of weight but very, very slim, age 13 trousers are big on him. It doesn't generally bother him but sometimes he gets mistaken for a y9 which winds him up or a twin to his 14yo sister who is the same size and height. He plays disability football (he has SENs) and mainstream hockey. Their dad is short too and I'm only 5'5". It would be useful to have one tall person in the family I must admit.

@PaddingtonPaddington- that sounds like the CEM suite of baseline tests?
At DDs old school she did MidYis in Yr7, Yellis in Yr10 and would have done Alis in Yr12, if she’d stayed for Sixth Form.
We haven’t been told that her new school use these baseline tests.

I'm very dubious who this person is they have dredged up tbh!!

DD’s first day today- induction yesterday.
Timetable wise, over 2 weeks, she has 10 hours per A level subject, 4 hours for EPQ, 4 hours for enrichment courses and 1 afternoon of games each week.
‘Independent learning’ expectation is 15-20 hours per week, spread over ‘study periods’, evenings and weekends.
Class sizes for her 3 A level subjects are: 10, 7, 4
Normal ‘perks’ of being able to nip in and out of school during lunch times and ‘frees’ are currently suspended,

@Piggywaspushed We have had a nightmare with teachers coming from abroad this term - because of COVID all the visa applications were delayed. One arrived today but now has to quarantine for 2 weeks before they can even go out to find permanent accommodation etc. Another seems to have gone AWOL altogether. And of course it’s too late to find anyone else.

We were told tests at half term to see whether they could carry on with the courses or not. Especially for those that are doing 4.

DD is really pleased that another person has joined her drama class so that makes 2 of them. Also another person in music too so that’s 4. Psychology is 13 and photography 19. But there may be some changes to come as everyone starts with 4 courses for at least a month.

DD also has to stay in sixth form even if no lessons which is good as she travels on a dedicated bus so couldn’t get home anyway.

Is anyone else’s DC having baseline year 12 tests done? DD has a test later this week as all year 12 are being tested a bit like in year 7 From what DD is saying.

@Piggywaspushed hope they are just quarantining....

@ChristopherTracy - you couldn’t make it up.... oh wait! Turns out you can!

@estherfrewen I love the inconsistancy as DS isnt allowed to stay at school for end of the day frees so they leave after lunch!

DS back form school today having had his 'Spanish' lesson which was with the MFL assistant. I am amazed they have any at the mo!

After a line of questioning, it transpired the teacher is either 'waiting to come from America' or is possibly quarantined having arrived.

It's not just me that thinks this all sounds really unpromising is it??

DS says classes about 15 (very large school sixth form so am surprised numbers are that low - he says there are several classes for each subject). They aren't allowed out in free periods but I just find it bizarre that both Fridays he has no lessons after lunch but has to be in school - in normal circumstances fine, but at the moment I can't believe school don't want to send them off the premises! Even more annoying when we live 2 minutes walk away ....! He seems happy enough though and enjoyed his day.

@RedskyAtnight @crazycrofter you’re probably right. Just so frustrating.

We think you’re capable of this, you were working at that but we graded you at this other completely random number because 🤷🏼‍♀️ Algorithms.