Year 12 and year 10

[googlepoodle]

What do people think will happen with these year groups - possibly the worst affected by this, especially if we have further lockdown in the winter. I have children in each year and I know the year 12 is particularly worried about the impact on A level exams.
There is also the closure of universities and not being able to go on open days etc to get an idea about courses.

Not just invested parents, but invested teachers and moreover invested kids. It’s not just a private v state issue either. Some schools are working their butts off to overcome these setbacks, others a lot less so.
I don’t think anything will be ‘done’ though by the govt. they’ve got to much else to worry about!

@woodlands01 what kind of support?

notdonna for Y10 (&11) support sessions with homework and issues every lunch time. Intervention for those below traget grade in tutor time and afterschool - promoted to parents through meetings. For Y12 (&13) support with head of KS5 every morning from 7:30 and every lunch time too. Friday afternoons session on exam technique. I have offered my free period for support to Y12 as they complain pace us too fast but very few turn up. It is relentless what is on offer, it is frustrating the take up rate. What students want (particularly 6th form)is one-to-one with their teacher when it suits them.

Oh my goodness!! Lunchtime, tutor time, after school, parent meetings!!!! You are doing lots woodlands01 my yr12 & yr10 (and I) would bite your hand off with this type of offering!! Mine have been given zero homework for the 3 week Easter holiday and told to revise. Ok for my Yr12 DD as she has revision experience but my Yr10 hasn’t a clue; they were meant to look at revision techniques soon. Their online learning was very hit and miss prior to breaking up! My Yr10 has learning support but that’s stopped now. I’m mostly concerned about her maths and motivation. She struggles anyway so doesn’t know where to start... I don’t understand her maths now so can’t help and my yr12 wants to do her own study and not teach her sister. And Mine are definitely luckier than some. There’s going to be a huge disparity as to what is offered and if it can be taken up... home circumstances etc.

DS' college have been offering video lessons which he's had for two of his three subjects, his other teacher was just setting work at the beginning of the week to be handed in at the end. They set some holiday work too.

I hope the third teacher will start teaching online when they "go back" after Easter, as just setting homework isn't enough. DS was quite engaged in his video lessons and was actually doing some work. However, I can't see it being enough for the entire summer term. I also think there will be a degree of thinking they've got the summer holidays to catch up which will be fine for the motivated (mainly girls) few, and not so great for those who need some kicking up the bottom (mainly boys) and therefore they won't make allowances next year.

the motivated (mainly girls) few, and not so great for those who need some kicking up the bottom (mainly boys) and therefore they won't make allowances next year. you want allowances to be made for laziness?

I'm hoping that if it's safe for schools to partially reopen before September, Y10 and Y12 will be the ones to return. It would give the schools an opportunity to assess how much had been done/not and where the gaps are as well as feeding that info to Ofqual. Having an opportunity to take stock would enable schools to plan for September and make decisions about dropping subjects, timetabling differently etc. It would also mean Ofqual could consider what arrangements could be made for the 2021 Y11 and Y13s e.g. reducing the number of themes or texts that need to be examined in essay subjects such as English Lit or RS so any three themes instead of 4.

I'm not sure what can be done to support the university admissions process because that seems so dependent upon being able to visit these days.

To the PP who mentioned Y6 transition, if I were in charge of deciding how schools return, I'd have Y6 move to their secondary schools when the Y10 and Y12 go back. Having missed out on end of primary rituals, at least they'd get a decent transition in a relatively empty school. It might be possible for them to be in small groups to facilitate distancing but also for baseline testing which I'm certain the Government will want given the lack of SATs.

I wondered if exams could be maybe taken a little later say June /July (not sure how marking could work ?)as opposed to May /June I have year 10 would be nice to know as soon as they do but reality is I don't think they have thought that far ahead yet . My yr 10 was supposed to sit 1 exam early as well but guessing that will be added to next year . I'm just looking at it that he will have to do best he can and if he has to re take them so be it , he has no plans to do a levels so that makes it easier

Of course all children are affected however year 10 and 12 will be the hardest hit by this. That said I think that those in year 12 should be well placed to do lots of extra work during this lockdown - that it was I have told my DD - do use this time to your advantage. Yes there is an issue with uni visits and applications however we are not there yet and bearing in mind this is also a lowish birth rate year the unis will do everything they can to support the students in there applications.

I don't have a child in year 10 however personally I think it is most difficult fo them, the load of GCSEs is huge and I know that for some subjects my DD was working right up to finishing to get the curriculum done.

This is in the Times today- any thoughts?

"Meanwhile the exams regulator has said that younger pupils could be awarded GCSEs this summer. Ofqual said last week that only Year 11 pupils due to take their GCSEs would get a grade from teachers this summer. But after an outcry from some schools, they have launched a two-week consultation and say they are minded to allow Year 10 pupils due to take GCSEs to also have a grade awarded by teachers Thousands of teenagers take GCSEs a year or two early."