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

Can I just ask if your dc teachers are saying things like 'if you don't do well in this, that and the other, I'll have to reconsider your place on the course'?

Er - no - is it a very selective school? DS did extremely badly in his maths transition test (he's apparently forgotten even junior school maths) and other than pointing out that he will need to make sure he keeps up with the course and study thoroughly at home, not a word was said.

Can your DD talk to her tutor/whoever is responsible for pastoral issues? Or email the teachers directly?

Can I just ask if your dc teachers are saying things like 'if you don't do well in this, that and the other, I'll have to reconsider your place on the course'? Dd did not get fantastic gcse grades and is under continuous stress that they are going to 'chuck her off'. Sociology, they have far too many students apparently. She really wants to do well but she's so far had 4 hours of f2f teaching and is now expected to write essays/do assessments that may or may not allow her to stay on the course. She's never done sociology or media before so isn't 100% sure what they're looking for. I feel she needs more teaching than she's getting. Surely they need to help her achieve her potential not just leave her to sink or swim??
And of course I'm the one who she takes her stress out on ....

Oblomov. I thought you could apply for a provisional at 15y9m old? For mopeds. Dd is February birthday and I've been nagging her to get on with it but she has to have a day when she 'looks right' for the photo . Maybe I'll stop nagging

@icanbewhatiwant on the days she has no lessons in the afternoon we pick her up at lunchtime. Yesterday most ppl left at lunchtime, she had to wait as she still had lessons in the afternoon.

@Monkey2001 exactly what we said to her.

Thanks for the advice xx I’m sure she’ll be fine.
Last night some of the girls were texting her arranging to hangout today at breaks and lunch.

Fools, so glad your son is settling in better.

I tried to apply for provisional licence but because it was more than 3 months, (he's feb, so should be only allowed to apply in November) it refused me.

Assessment week here as well.

I have no idea how his subjects are going. All I get is a grunt or a 'fine'. English Lang, Business, sociology, psychology.

Suspect like many of the others he's finding psychology dull.

Aw, it will get better as she gets to know more people. Maybe she could go to the library and get some work done if she does not want to sit alone in the common room. Teenagers are so self-absorbed that they just don't notice things. As she gets to know the people in her after lunch class it will get better.

@Yr11mummy can she not go home too? Or is it like our school where there isn't transport apart from school buses? DH picks ds up every other Tuesday as he finishes midday. But if he wasn't available to collect he'd have to wait for the bus. He finishes 1pm several days too, but is happy to stay as most year 12's are staying. Ds1 (now 19) was one of the youngest in his year, he didn't like it by the end of year 12 as most were driving and leaving early. He had to wait for the school bus.

Hi everyone, I’m more of a lurker. Hope everyone’s well. Need to vent and possibly get advice and perspective.

So we’re 3 weeks into a new 6th form. DD was new and didn’t know anyone. She has settled into classes well and has made friends. DD does not think she has a solid friendship group but instead mingles with lots of different groups. All very welcoming and friendly.
However.... all the children are told if they do not have lessons after lunch they can go home. So today (not the first time) she alone at lunch time... she doesn’t want to walk into the 6th form area alone. We’ve offered advice but DD looks sad 😔

I bloody hate covid situation!! If there was no restrictions there would have been lots of opportunities to meet ppl and events outside of school planned.

It’s horrible to see her like this. I’m sure she’ll be fine, just want her to be happy. Xx

DS has 1 hour of "core" and 1 hour of "extended tutor" in his 2 week timetable. They have 25 mins/week registration - only register once a week.

ah Covid is very close to home now! We receive an email from the school every time someone has tested positive, I think at the moments it's about 5 (3 yr 13, 1 yr 8 and 1 yr9) but now someone in Yr 12 is positive. ALL of DDs friends group (7 of them) have been told to self isolate as they are in various classes with the girl that tested positive but DD isn't in any of her classes so we haven't received the call. DD is most miffed that she has to go to school when none of her friends will be there - she has been at the school since she was 3 - I am sure she can talk to someone else!
She is equally miffed that today is an inset day - and she only had 1 lesson :-)
DD

Ok thanks @Nard75 I'll give it a couple of weeks then phone if we've not heard. We are a week behind you. We have 6 weeks until we need it. But I read that someone had been waiting 2 months, it worried me a bit.

@ icanbewhatiwant just checked online application tracker for provisional licence. It now says licence has been issued so should receive it in the next few days. I phoned them yesterday don’t know if that made any difference.

oh yes fair enough @RedskyAtnight there is half an hour of tutor time at registration that is compulsory. No afternoon reg though so they just go home before lunch if all study periods in the afternoon. DS got home 20 mins ago!

DS has a 30 minute tutor session each day where they are meant to cover PSHE and general pastoral type stuff. It's the only thing that is compulsory (so there are several days when DS either goes in just before or leaves just after).

In normal times they encourage enrichment via volunteering, mentoring etc, but don't think they have any of that at the moment.

Interesting to see how different schools approach the enrichment thing! It does seem that 4 hours a week is on the heavier side

I think dd would be fine in a small group (this is partly why she has taken so well to A-levels) but being back in a group of 30 with disruption and argy-bargy going on amongst the kids has upset her

DD has an hour a week which is used to help with EPQ preparation/personal statement writing and uni applications as well as it being used for talks/workshops etc re drugs, on line safety etc. I think it means that the y can offer this sort of thing without anyone actually having to miss lessons. They also use it a various times of year for enrichment sessions and voluntary work.

Interesting - we don't have any enrichment or PHSE type of stuff at all going on - I dont think they could fit it in tbh. 4 hours a week!

Thanks all for your comments - you are absolutely right of course, DS does feel better and have more confidence thinking he is at the other end of the class instead of languishing in set 5. I still dont think he is doing enough work though!

DD has those classes Theysee. Stuff like basic food hygiene/prep; handling finances, preparing for independent living etc. One of the teachers has admitted some of it is really tedious and tick box, but mandatory timetabled.

Thanks, crazycrofter, I think she'd much prefer an online course - I'll ask

@TheySeeHerRowling dd has to do two hours of enrichment, which seems to be mainly skills/work related stuff like volunteering. However she’s allowed to do online courses instead - why not suggest you’ll look into something useful/practical online for your daughter to do?

Hi, everyone, just checking in quickly as I don't get the chance to post much

Dd1, who hated school with a passion and has ASD and various mental health issues, is really enjoying 6th form and A-level work - lovely to see after yeeeaaaars of struggle just to get her into the building of a morning

However, her school has 4 hours per week of a compulsory programme called CEIL (no idea what it stands for), which is a kind of 'work and life skills' type thing She utterly loathes it and it makes her anxious, so I'm going to see if she can give it up when we have our 'tutor phone call' in lieu of 'tutor evening' this week

Does anyone else's school do anything similar - I can see why the school are so keen for everyone to do it, but it really triggers her feelings of being a fish out of water in the neurotypical world, sadly

Your daughter seems to also be enjoying the change of scene Crazy on a whole host of measures...fantastic.

Christopher: Completely agree with Crazy; your boy has shown both the ability and attitude in a short space of time and change of scene to absolutely hammer a potential top result in his A level maths. I too would continue to be annoyed, but it’s now about how they control their often shitty hand they’ve been dealt, and turn it around for themselves. I hope his confidence is now riding higher than in August...

@ChristopherTracy that's infuriating! But on the positive side, the teacher's approach will have boosted his confidence. He might start to identify as one of the more able in the class. You never know, this could even encourage a better work ethic! Some students just seem to perform in line with their 'place' in the group, so for some students this is why highly selective schools don't work as they lose confidence.

Dd is feeling similar, despite still being at a highly selective grammar school - it just has a slightly wider range of abilities than her even more highly selective girls independent! She feels she might be near the top, which was never the case before.