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

Dd1's birthday is next week but she's absolutely adamant she will never want to learn to drive

Thanks for the info about driving licences, DS is unrecognisable from his passport photo (expires next year so it's old) so we might have a long wait.

@MirandaWest you'll be ok if you use passport photo.

@MirandaWest yes...I have booked lessons months in advance because all instructors were booked up. I intended to send off for the licence start of august but the website was down...then i completely forgot. Birthday 14th nov. I fear the licence won't be here 🤦‍♀️

DSs birthday is in November - I need to apply for his driving licence don’t I?

@Fiddlersgreen yes won't take long that way. My son is 12 on his passport. He was a very young looking 12 too so sentbin new photo.
It's the ones being sent in with photos that are taking ages. I've just spoken to another mum with a ds 2 weeks older than mine. Sent his off beginning of august and it's not back. So looks like not much hope for us 😩

Absolutely Fiddlers.

It’s a very strange transition this 16 to 17. DD drove me back from the supermarket today. And now has her head down declining to go out tonight with her friends as next weekend seems diary packed, and workload is high. And I’ve not had to open my mouth once...

Wish it was like this all the time ☺️

Going to apply for my DS provisional too, he’s Feb but you have all inspired me to get it done.
His passport was renewed earlier this year (that took 3 months!) so can I use the photo from that?

@Dearover ds's was taken 1st sept. So there's still hope then 😂

@Nard75 Ok thanks. He just said he could see that our online application went through and that we were sent the forms in the post. He said our forms should have been received by them by now, he asked if I'd sent recorded and if so to check it's been delivered. But we didn't send it recorded. Yes...I will wait another week. I don't know why he couldn't just tell me how long they are taking. He must know. Never mind, I'll give it another week or so.

My DS had the payment taken for his Provisional on 18 August and it arrived in the post yesterday. The website still says it only takes a week though.

@icanbewhatiwant when I rang I was told that it was showing as form not received and would only be updated when the application was looked at. I take that to mean that there is no record of the form until your application is processed and then they will update online status as application processed. I would give it another week as you were a week behind me.

DD doing a lot of homework - but she's writing up revision notes as she goes (as they've said to do). As she's dyslexic it all takes a lot of time.

Easily 3-4 hours a night.

She had a wobble last night about Chemistry but we planned how she was going to get everything done and she calmed down rather. Parents evening next week so yesterday Head of Sixth told teachers they all had to give the kids assessments to discuss. Last minute - you've got three tests to do in 4 days just sent her off a cliff...Luckily the teachers aren't pleased and have been making it clear that these tests aren't important and will be very limited. Still cross about the unnecessary stress.

@Oblomov20 yes the forms only took 2 days to come through. Added photo and sent back. Now I have to hope they received it and we get a licence!

Great to read about how all the DC are getting on. So sorry things are tough for your DD, @pasanda, and that Spanish has been such a nightmare for your DS @Piggywaspushed. @ChristopherTracy, I would be hacked off too, re your DS's maths - at least he is clearly now proving what he is actually capable of.

All okay here. DS seems to have a middling amount of homework - biology definitely generates the most, probably around 6/7 hours per week. He is getting on with it, sometimes feels a bit lastminute.com but that's probably because I was one of those hyper organised girlie students and he is just nothing like me! It gets done by the deadline which I guess is the main thing.

Assessments next week for all subjects apparently.

Thank you. Because of you lot I have now applied for ds's provisional licence. He's February. It still freaks me out when it says 'moped only'. So now I wait a week for the paper forms right? Return them. And then wait? Right?

@Nard75 I messaged dvla via chat today. They said they have no record of it arriving yet. Is that what they told you? Now I'm worried it may have got lost in the post. He said to message again in a few weeks 😩

@ icanbewhatiwant DS received his provisional licence today so you should get yours in the next week.

Mine is in free period now and keeps sending messages. He wants collecting 3.30. Bus comes at 4pm. Seems silly collecting him really. He's also sent the game ping pong to play because he's bored. So they aren't being watched otherwise he'd not be on his phone.

DD is doing IB so has limited free periods. She's doing 2-3 hours a night as well, most nights nearer 3. It's a lot more work than last year but she seems OK with it.

The volume and frequency of work (6 subjects) means she has to be 100% on top of it. I think that discipline suits her.

She is still fitting in music, sport and socialising as well. For now socialising is allowed so I think she's making the most of it.

@Monkey2001 I think if the frees weren’t supervised then my DD would also be socialising. But they have to sit in silence in a classroom and do their work. They are allowed to use their phones though!

The supervision is something they put in place for covid. Normally they would be allowed to go to the common room or even go into town during a free.

Hmmm, not much evidence of homework here, not more than a couple of hours/week and spends frees socialising. Maths test today.

DS has very few frees but does work in those. he does about 90 minutes work a day at the moment. The 3 hour lessons do mean they seem to be getting less homework.

@ChristopherTracy dd also has less work than last year. I think it’s because her last school drove them into the ground.. plus she’s now not doing the subjects she found harder and she’s able to work at school in her study periods.

Yes ds says he is doing most of his in study periods. It concerns me that he doesnt seem to be going the extra mile though, I would say he has half the amount of homework he used to have at his old school.