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

Ds started at college today. All good so far except he's angling for a very expensive macbook that can take some specialist music software he wants to use . He has the software at home on the family music mac but he wants to be able to use it in college. (because he's obsessed with using it).

DD says that both Biology and Maths seem to be starting all guns blazing and a huge amount of homework - she thinks that they're trying to 'flush out' anyone who won't cope. Chemistry, on the other hand, (which she was most worried about) has been quite laid back in their first 3 lessons.

Eek! Just looked at the homework DS has been set today (on the VLE). They are clearly not believing in breaking them in gently - both of the pieces he has will involve considerable effort and need doing for Wednesday/Thursday. Guess this will force DS to start up some sensible evening study patterns from day 1 (he was very much as last minute merchant previously).

@Alsoplayspiccolo glad to hear your DD can go to school. Hope it just turns out to be down to nerves and nothing more serious.

It’s first proper day back tomorrow so hope they sort it by then...

Piccolo finges crossed her health settles down.

Still no timetable online here. DS has opted for packed lunches this week as trying to sort the dining room in year bubbles/slots is bound to lead to longer queues.

That’s good news Piccolo, hope she is better very soon.

Similar has happened to a few at DS’s old school Harrystyles.

DD’s time table just arrived. One of the subjects completely missed off 😐

That’s great follow up from the GP Piccolo, really hope she’s back in good form soon.

GP just called and spoke to DD and DH.
Absolutely nothing to indicate Covid, but could be gastritis or the start of appendicitis. Watch and wait - if it worsens, straight to A&T, or it’s still the same in a few days, try Gaviscon.
In the meantime, she can go back to school, thankfully 🙏

Are any of your DC taking an exam in Oct/Nov? My DS decided he wanted to as he felt he was given a cr*p grade for one of his A level subjects-he is allowed to study it-but may cause issues when he goes to Uni.

I am just interested as his school were quite keen that no-one sat any exams-which we thought was a bit unfair when there were a few rogue marks given.

He seemed ok thanks Crazycrofter. Got a bit lost coming out of station but arrived at College in plenty of time. He has to cook tonight which I feel is a bit soon really but apparently will be more of apprentice than main chef and it gets it over and done with for a bit,

We appealed on the technicality, had a short phone call with the deputy head and then nowt since so I guess thats that.

Just rolling back for a minute to GCSEs, does anyone have a clue when we might hear about appeals?

@crazycrofter arrgh! DS2 is year 8 and not even back to school until tomorrow! I've been jokingly saying that with all these other schools going back weeks ago I bet the schools will close before he does!

Just heard that year 8s at a local grammar have been told to isolate for two weeks due to a covid case. There’s lots of overlap between the grammars here - lots of families have kids at two or three different ones, due to some being harder to get into. My two are at two of the other grammars in the city so I’m wondering how long before there’s cases in their schools!

Hope ds has a good week @FoolsAssassin. How did he feel about going back?

Alsoplayspiccolo what rotten timing, hope she is ok.

DD still has not been given a timetable yet - hopefully will be emailed today. We know that her year will be split into either A or B with alternate weeks in college - no idea which one she is!

She is doing her prep work this morning - under protest!

Oh Piccolo, what rotten timing , so sorry to hear that and hope she is ok.

Let’s hope that it’s a good day for them all. Realistically there are going to be some teething problems , I do think the Covid situation adds another layer of stress.

First Monday station run was pretty smooth. He got a little lost other end but has arrived with 30 mins to spare. He has his headphones with mic attached so hopefully easier to hear him this week.

@Alsoplayspiccolo worth keeping an eye out if you think it might be appendicitis. Dd had that in year 7 (also felt like bad timing as it was first term in a school where she knew no one and I think she missed 3 weeks or so!). She had stomach ache on and off for a week or so then severe sickness. Hopefully it’s not that though!

@Monkey2001 I hope your ds finds some friendlier people today. It makes me so cross that 16 year olds can be so rude and unkind! My sister started at a new sixth form college knowing no one and nobody spoke to her until after half term! Awful. I’m glad to hear of all the kind students on here who are looking out for newbies!

Oh @Alsoplayspiccolo what a nightmare. Hope she feels better soon. I can completely understand your frustrations though. My youngest has had a cold over the weekend and my immediate (silent, in my head) reaction was a kind of “oh ffs, already?!” So frustrating when it’s the start of the year. Is there any way it might be new school nerves related do you think? I only ask because I know with DS1 any kind of nerves often manifest as bad stomach pains/feeling sick. Hopefully the GP can shed some light.

Thinking of your DC too @Monkey2001 and @crazycrofter and hope they find some friendly people to get to know this week. So nerve racking, I really feel for them. I’m hoping that for all our dc, once classes start properly there will be a natural development of student friendships as they begin to work and study together. DS is lucky in that he has a few friends going to the same sixth form as him but he won’t be in actual classes with any of them as all studying different subjects. He struggles socially at the best of times so I feel nervous for him too.

DS has headed off for his first full day today - well I say a full day, that’s two lessons and a tutor session! This sixth form lots of free period timetable malarkey is going to take a bit of getting used to after full days of lessons at school. Then again this year perhaps it’ll benefit them to ease in gently!

Sending positive vibes to all for the first full week.

Thanks, crazy.
I honestly don’t think it’s Covid, but of course if the GP insists on testing, she’ll have to isolate until the results come back.
If it’s not that, I’ve got no idea what it could be - grumbling appendix? Ulcer?
My catastrophising brain is already imagining all sorts.

Oh no @Alsoplayspiccolo: hope she feels better soon! And hope your ds manages to break into some friendship groups soon @Monkey2001. I was delighted that both dd and ds mentioned that they were making a special effort to talk to new kids this year as (prompted by comments on here) we'd had a chat about how hard it would be to start this year with everything so weird. DS has only two lessons today and the rest is all free! As he hasn't got any homework to do I suspect he's going to have an easy day!! He's been giving it some chat about getting on top of making revision cards now, but I don't think he's actually taken any in, so not holding my breath on that one ;-)

@Alsoplayspiccolo on no, what a nightmare! I would be exactly the same - really worried about dd missing the important settling in days. But I’m sure she’ll be fine. Hope she feels better soon - and hope it’s not Covid!

greenele, I’m irrationally irritated by the situation with DD (my chaotic hormones aren’t helping!) - I know it’s not her fault she’s not well, but it’s such bad timing. She slept over at a friend’s last week, and told me that said friend’s dad doesn’t believe in Covid, doesn’t believe in masks etc.