Class of '18 nattering as they head in different directions.

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Hope this works. On phone with dodgy signal.

I'd say most school kids don't wear coats. In part because they often don't all have lockers and so there's no where to put them, some schools have regulations about the kind of coats that kids should wear, so they don't and in some schools, it's just the culture.

I've no idea about weekends though!

Hi shanghai in the UK 20 degrees is considerered quite warm so I am still wearing T shirts and my OH is still wearing shorts (he's a Geordie though).
downey it's mostly a school day thing. Many secondary schools have got rid of lockers and pupils have to carry all their kit for the day with them. Even with lockers there isn't anywhere to hang a wet coat!

And no one goes out with a coat at night. Well no youngsters. I have a fine line in coats and scarves.

conversely there's a breed that never take their hoodies off even when it's 30c.

Ds1 is also finding the paperwork a real pain. He's had no sympathy from me- I've been calling the child benefit line for 15mins waiting for an advisor to answer so I can tell them Ds2 is staying at sixth form!
The recording keeps trying to get me to do it online, if I wanted that as an option I would have done it to start with.
I went back to work today, got halfway there and had the realisation that I ought to sort dd out for school next week. She needs loads so I can add that to my list of things to do.
On a plus note Ds1 is somewhat calmer today.

"I've been calling the child benefit line for 15mins waiting for an advisor to answer so I can tell them Ds2 is staying at sixth form!"

I'm pretty sure I didn't have to do anything. It carried on automatically as far as I can remember.

Regarding GIffGaff. It is cheap, but the signal where we live and where MIL lives is so poor that we all have EE in one form or another. OH and I are with Virgin, and DD is with Plusnet, both are virtual providers for EE but offer better customer service.

When DD and I went to The Globe when the weather was boiling there was a chap stood in front of the stage wearing a large knitted beanie.

Nearly there shanghai when does he start Warwick?
Dd is in her second week of full time work with 2 Sunday’s left before she leaves!

Re child benefit, you do have to let them know otherwise it automatically stops in August when they are 16. You can let them know well in advance, though. It's tax credits that don't register anything from the future. You have to let them know when it has happened. Which is slightly scary because if they stop completely you have to transfer to UC when you reapply.

Yes you do have to ring CB (or go online if you can figure how to log onto the government sodding gateway shite) if they stay on in education after 16.

Right...so I've scanned and copied (for me) all the documents that DS might need - Passport/Birth Cert/NI Number/NHS Number/Student Finance Letter - what else is there? He'll have the originals but under strict instructions to swap for the copies when he comes home.

I've also scanned DS1's GCSE certificates.

And given him a printout of his vaccination record.

I've done the vaccination record! I made him get a print out from the doctors when he went for his Men ACWY jab.

I didn't realise they'd need GCSE certs. I'll do those too. Do you think they'll need the A level results slip?

Found you! I had a crazy week at work last week and just didn’t have time to MN. DS1 and spent Saturday sorting out his room. Things were put in three piles; keep at home, take or throw away. It’s the first time I’ve seen his carpet in years!!

I think we are ready now, just a food shop to do next Friday before he goes.

They might not need GCSE certificates, but handy to have, for example if applying for a part-time job.

We got a set of passport photos done. Don't know if DD will need them but I thought they might be useful.

DS said he'll get passport photos done tomorrow.

I'm pretty sure I've read that he has to upload a photo onto the university portal so they can produce ID cards.

I'm trying to think of every eventuality- I know stuff can be emailed on but if he doesn't have to faff around when he gets there all the better - he only has one speed and it isn't fast!

Yes I have a very bright yellow folder that all of DDs paperwork is going into. Hoping it will be less likely to get lost in the mayhem of her room.

DS1 managed to do the online registration for university this morning. It was only moderately frustrating. It was one of those online application things where you can't move on to the next stage until the computer is happy with the format of what you've submitted so far.

Luckily he had his passport photo saved as various file sizes; the third one he tried was accepted.

There was a section for qualifications; they already had his A-levels and GCSEs listed (presumably from UCAS) and they asked him to upload any certificates.

He also had to confirm if he would be staying in university-owned accommodation (council tax exemption).

It will feel very weird only having three children going back to school next week.

Ds has arrived at my mum's and is no doubt stuffed full of chocolate cake.
Freshers' week starts on 24th September so hopefully time now to sort out bank account etc. he has the originals of all documents and we have scanned copies at home. Still no accommodation details from Warwick but has registered for his course and with medical centre on campus so slowly getting there.

No school returners for us this year. Which is strange.

A colleague was telling me that A level results will be later next year, is that true? It feels compressed enough from results to term start as it is.

Dd starts on the15th September. Or rather Freshers' Week does.

Not long.

A level results are 15th August next year.

dd starts last weekend of September. So we've got a whole month yet.

Ah right OYBBK, possibly colleague had got something wrong there.

Mid September start for DD2 at Sheffield. They operate semesters rather than terms. Not sure if that is just a distinction without a difference.