Corona Cohort Y12 into Y13, braving the storm of the third wave

Dd has been in bed all day ill. 18 months after whatever virus hit her, she is so shattered and picking up other bugs. Don’t know how school is going to work for vulnerable children. She is getting top grades as well . At least she’s been double vaccinated in Group 6.

I simply cannot understand their stubbornness about vaccinating young people.

I guess we wait and see what happens now and hope there is no nasty mutation en route.

I don't think DD really took it in to be honest, but it worries me. She won't get a jab for nearly 13months under current rules. I suppose some of her year will start being jabbed as soon as school goes back which may help. Also with only those with covid having to isolate rather than close contacts, it's going to be pretty hard to avoid ☹️

Dd is very worried and she has been double jabbed and term ended. Her concerns are she doesn't want a winter lockdown with online learning and new variants. I'm trying to calm her and explain we are in much better place, but it is all a bit of an unknown isn't it?

To be honest, it was a really growing up moment for him - I think he probably thought we'd sort it out for him, but we just listened to the tale of woe and asked him what his plans were!

Thanks Kingscote, that's good advice. 😱 at having to do an exam the morning after!) DS is doing science subjects but perhaps he could do some past papers as evidence and ask his teachers to take a look.
He will be doing his absolute push the boat out best on all work set early next term of course, but I'm thinking there may be work he can do over the summer to show he's capable of better.

@Bovrilly My DS (2 years ago) was predicted a B in Politics rather than the A/A* he was hoping for. (Never take an exam the morning after a flight back from a cricket tour!)

The Politics dept. said that he could retake the Summer exam the day before the Autumn term started. One of his teachers also very generously offered to give him feedback on a couple of essay questions if he submitted them over the holidays. He retook the exam + got a high A - they probably would have predicted an Astar if he'd pushed, but he didn't need it for his courses so was very happy with the A.

I would say it's definitely worth asking the HoD if he can raise his prediction with a retake or extra essay submissions.

Yes I can see your point @Piggywaspushed. Dd has definitely got the skills in history to get an A/A* but hasn’t yet really put her back into revision, so that should also lead to an improvement when/if she does. She’s working nowhere near as hard as she did for GCSEs- mainly due to the change of schools/co-Ed environment and amount of socialising! I do think she’ll up the ante next year though.

Piggy, my DS is one who will try to persuade his teachers to give him higher predicted grades than they might based on Y12 - he's already working hard and will continue through the summer, but do you have any advice? (If you don't mind my asking.) What would convince you if one of your students was trying to persuade you? I think he has until November, when his school will finalise applications and send them off.

I think whether they improve or not does depend a bit form subject to subject. So someone getting a C in English now is largely showing C skills . They'll learn more texts but their ability to write essays won't change (much) alth0ugh in some subjects NEA has an impact.

In other subjects they tend to make more linear progress - the sciences and maths.

But UCAS grades, whatever, should be on the optimistic side. So, if teacher thinks A/B, UCAS should be an A.

This is what did cause such enormous backlash with a (national) group of parents after CAGs as they did expect their DCs to get their UCAS grades!

There is also a lot of bargaining at this time of year where a student 'needs' an A because they have found a course they want to do that asks for AAB and their teachers think they are BBB- BBC. That's always a tricky one. Especially if the student decides simply having the A predicted means they will get it!!

Psychology entry grades tend to be high don’t they? I would ask if there’s going to be a chance to up his UCAS grades in Sept/Oct. Surely they would expect him to improve anyway by this time next year so if he’s generally getting Bs now he might be up to As by then? At least, that’s how I thought it worked and it’s also DD’s impression.

She’s just had her disastrous history mock back and scraped a C which isn’t too bad in the scheme of things. Her teacher said she’ll be predicted at least a B.

@PaddingtonPaddington thanks for that info. I’m still nervous that they’ve lost our documents but hopefully not!

Tip for those looking for apprenticeships...don't forget to look on Uni / College job pages. Local ones are advertising for Marketing apprenticeships and have seen some Accounting ones in the past too.

@crazycrofter I thought so too but I daren’t say that to him.

We are still self isolating so he hasn’t been able to go and speak to the teachers about it, they have meetings set up next week to discuss their progress and what their next plans are. He is currently looking at psychology or journalism

@Fiddlersgreen those UCAS grades sound low given what you say; I thought they were supposed to be aspirational? What subject is he looking at for uni?

Dd is worried about her UCAS grade for history as this was the exam she cried in and missed out loads. She’s also totally inconsistent (mainly due to lack of revision I think) and has managed to get every grade from A* to E over the year.

@Monkey2001 thanks so much, helpful as ever. I really appreciate everyone on this thread, we would be lost without all the info I’ve gained on here!

www.gov.uk/guidance/dvla-coronavirus-covid-19-update

For those still waiting for a driving licence this page is useful, looks like they are now processing provisional licences submitted 21 May and it’s taking up 10 weeks. This is about the date they would have got DDs form back so fingers crossed it will be soon...

*least

DS received his UCAS grades yesterday, BBC. He is disappointed as they are the same as the grades he got in his most recent exams.
For the subject he got a C for, he’s been getting a B all year and this was the first time he’s dropped below that.
At lease it’s meant he was willing to sit down and look at Uni’s properly yesterday for the first time as he now realises that some of the ones we had planned to go to open days for, are now probably out of reach.

Thanks everyone DS does seem bit better. Of course doing a Zoom lesson is an outrageous suggestion

Heifer Is Nottingham on your DD's list? Beeston plus I know a biology first year and they have actually managed a decent amount of lab time this year as they used the labs of the medical school/hosp.

Orange Snap, we're also going to see SIX but in August. Got a couple of other musicals lined up to see this summer too as have so missed the theatre and it's DD's passion. Want to support as many theatres as possible as they've had a raw deal this last 18mths and also orchestral concerts too if we can. Have missed lunchtime concert recitals. Our local theatre looks well and truly closed
Have a nephew who has Lancaster as his top choice Uni and due to start this Autumn too. Roll on Aug 10th...