GCSE '18s (19) - New Beginnings?

[whistl]

Following on from the GCSE 2018 threads as our DC enter year 12.
This the first thread in our new home in further education

Looking forward to pick up later and finding out how the first full week went. Communication is a little lacking !!

Sounds great the third I wish I could sing.

Hello from a fellow choral singer TheThird. We sang the Vaughan Williams a couple of years ago. It's challenging but totally worth it. The performance was very moving. Have currently just started on Handel's Israel in Egypt which is a new one on me and I'm still at the "it'll probably grow on me" stage. I'm also choir librarian and up to my eyes in boxes of scores that might be performed again one day!

Whistl It frustrates me so much that so many schools have set aside any consideration of the value of learning for its own sake and/or to support the next step. It cannot possibly be true that there is no benefit in getting 50% more science under your belt if you are heading for a science degree/career. So even if a child drops a grade because it the workload, they have still benefited from the extra knowledge.

I do agree that they are right to emphasize that triple is lot of work. At DDs school it is also only open to top set for that reason. But it is assumed that the top set will be up for the challenge and they are positively encouraged to do it.

I'm also choir librarian
One of those behind-the-scenes jobs with a lot of work and very little glory. Well done.

DD and DS3 are in Y10, in different schools which are part of the same trust. In both schools, the bottom 40% of the year take combined science and the rest take triple science but within the same number of timetabled lessons (so it doesn't use up an option). In both schools the school decides who does which.

DD and DS3 have a similar level of ability. Both aiming for 6s at GCSE but hoping for a couple of 7s. Both slightly below average in the year group at their schools, but would be above average in a school that was 100% non-selective.

DD has a slight edge over DS3 as she works harder.

DD has been allocated combined science and DS3 has been allocated triple science. As it happens, they are both happy with this outcome. DS3 enjoys science and might want to do a science A-level. DD wants to do Art & Design and would have found triple science hard work.

I did find it interesting that they were allocated differently though. I suspect they are both quite near to the cut-off point at their respective schools.

Third the choir sounds amazing. I love singing but am relegated to the shower more so. These are one of those things I think I may do when I one day have time.

Whistl I have to say I am a big believer in doing all 3 sciences at gcse. For me it should be compulsory like English and maths. I can't believe a school would actively discouraging students from studying 3. STEM is the future and we need to offer opportunities for those that are interested.

It's great to hear about all the positive stories of the remarks.

Oratory hope you get a good debrief.

Sandy hope DS got in safely and had a good evening

eaglegly do it! Singing with other people is an amazing buzz. It's worth making time for.

I would love to be able to sing but I am still scarred by the fact in primary school I joined the choir, there were too many of us so we had to re-audition and I was asked to leave......I could only of been 6/7 at the time.

Regarding science its the same at DS's school done in the same time as double and everyone is actively encouraged to do combined. When I attended the meeting regarding science for DS I spoke to head of science afterwards and he said only those destined for Oxbridge should be doing triple, I pointed out that in the last 5 years no-one had got into oxbridge, so bascially there would be no-one in the class, didn't go down well and then he said its the parents that push their DC to do triple as they assumed its better and he would be telling his own children to do combined. Needless to say I ignored his advice

Well done on the reviews, a grade up and you get your money back!

A shame triple us only open to some with the same number of lessons. DS had the option of combined or single sciences where you could do any two of the three or all three. They were part of the option choices so if you wanted to go all three it used up a choice but at least it was an option for those who liked science but didn’t wNt to cram three subjects into the lessons for two. Benefit I suppose of s non academic school who don’t care about league tables

DD just had a hissy fit that I was using chemicals to clean the bathroom... not sure what she thinks I could use. I did helpfully suggest that she could clean it if she wasn’t happy.. I also wished her a fun time out with her friend this morning while I cleaned the loo .. Patience snapped

Ds school were also fairly brutal with the triple science option. They were told that only top set would be entered, but that it was also dependent on the end of Y10 exams, so a few of the bottom of Set 1 dropped and a few from Set 2 moevd up to do triple. No additional time was timetabled. A few local schools had the same policy.

I do wonder once the new GCSE's bed in and schools become more confident about teaching the new syllabus they might change their stance on combined/triple routes.

Oratory have you picked up DS yet and was the radio silence due to having far too much fun/work to be contacting his mum!!

Just to say I was cleaning the bathroom that she has taken her over. DS use our en suite. Apparently we can use this bathroom (very kind of her), so DS just sprayed Lynx Africa in there I’ve got a naughty head on today.

Just catching up on the thread now after being at work all day yesterday - was knackered last night! Surprising how the brain forgets stuff after 16yrs away (like, remembering to turn off pc when you leave, and asking others if you're making teas!!) Anyway it's going really well, my boss seems pleased and she's a very straight-talker and somewhat controlling so we get along well I think our patients reflect the rest of the UK - it seems the majority are 80+ with orthopaedic problems, then there's the 60+ with cancers, the 40+ women with gynae issues and the 19+ with mental health problems. A bit depressing, but very interesting as well.

Had school letter on Tuesday asking to remark DS1's maths (he got an 8), I replied asking for the raw marks, but haven't heard back. He isn't bothered but the school will lose out if they don't organise themselves a bit better.

We also have a Y10 curriculum meeting next Tuesday - DS2 wants me to go in case he gets into trouble if I don't - but the teachers of his best subjects (PE, Construction) won't be there to ask questions of and the HT will waffle on about post16 stuff. I could use it as an opportunity to moan about results service...

It's an ordinary comp but triple science is the default setting for all except those pupils with LD or specific needs. Teachers decide whether they will do higher or foundation tier exams. They changed to this philosophy about three years ago, before which pupils could choose Triple as an option and of course lots didn't because "it's hard". This year's results were pretty good I think. Dreadful to write off a pupil at 14 who is deemed not likely to 'need' Triple science!

No menopause here yet despite being a 69 baby (50 in Jan!!!) in my new job I am one of the younger staff which is really refreshing I do creak however!

DS1 has gone to UCL today for their 2018 Festival. My DM is an alumni and has got tickets and passes for a few events and free refreshments so he's going to see what the buildings, vibe and staff feel like as it's on his prospective uni list. He's had a really good first week at SFC, hung out with his old mates at lunchtimes, and looking forward to starting enrichment, societies and EPQ next week.

DS2 on the other hand has a R+J homework to be done for Tuesday. Aaaargh! It's like Groundhog Day

there were too many of us so we had to re-audition and I was asked to leave

That's such a shame.

We have to reaudition every three years, but we are fully-grown adults who understood that policy when we joined the choir.

It's like Groundhog Day

Yep! My younger two have both started studying An Inspector Calls.

Not yet Bluebelle (Saturday school and games) but I'm hoping you're right. That and the fact that he is not naturally communicative anyway. And I've been resisting the urge to keep texting, and trying not to say after all those hours I put in to help you last year (and be your slave) the least you could do is take 5 minutes to send a text - but probably best to leave him to it.

Agree with others - no you don't 'need' triple science but some might enjoy it/benefit from it.

The Vaughan Williams is beautiful. I sang it years ago with City of Birmingham Choir. One of my favourites.

I really miss singing in a Choir, I had to give up when I used to work shifts on a rotor as it would mean I was working one Wednesday evening in 3 which was above what was acceptable attendance wise.

These days I’m too busy with taking ds where he needs to be.

I am pleased to report that DS1 got home just before 1am. He had a fun time at the cinema and hanging out a friends house who has a pizza oven in the garden. He missed the last bus home but walked with a friend. I'm ashamed to say I fell asleep.

He's off out again today at Open Morning and then has a rugby match mikes away - so I won't see him until much later.

DD (Year 10) seems to be fine with the prospect of GCSEs so I really can't be bothered to go to all the talks. They all do triple science as standard. She's doing Greek as an extra and will also do Ad Maths - my only concern is that she's taking on too much as she rows and does music as well. She's off into London to see the musical version of Heathers tonight - I loved the film but am not sure the musical will be great.

@TheThirdOfHerName - I'm guessing you're a KCL alumni? They have some great outreach stuff which I think your DS would really like - and it's free!

I'm guessing you're a KCL alumni?
Yes, I had a choral scholarship, which was enjoyable (if a bit time-consuming); it led to great opportunities and I made life-long friends. If any of you have children who are thinking of going to university and enjoy singing, it's worth looking into.

I lived in intercollegiate halls in Malet Street, across the road from where DS2 went for summer school this year.

I haven't seen any outreach stuff from KCL (apart from an arts & humanities festival which is not DS2's cup of tea) but will have a look. Imperial do Physics outreach events & workshops at DS2's school and he has been to their science festival a couple of times.

@TheThirdOfHerName - KCL are running a physics taster day on 24 October!

DS3 has done triple science, only top set and no extra time, and has moved to a sixth form where the school doesn't offer triple science at all! I have no idea if his 3 x 7 compares favourably with the 9-9 and 8-8 kids doing chemistry with him. The A level topics covered so far are all new to him. The school gets really good results with A level science so doing double only hasn't affected that. The DC from that school do tend to stay there to do science at A level though, so the sixth form is used to teaching double scientists. Some local sixth forms taking double scientists for A level put on 'catch up' classes for them.