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

Should have said some of the 40 minutes slots are timetabled as doubles so 80 minute sessions.

Surprised how many are doing 4 plus EPQ. That’s a heavy workload - but suits some DC I guess.

CANCEL TIMES SUBSCRIPTION REMINDER

Anyone who took out a times subscription to look at the league tables on Friday 24th, needs to cancel today if they don't want to be tied into paying for a 3 month subscription.

You cancel your membership 0800 018 5177 before 7pm today.

I just cancelled it and they make it really difficult. First you have to navigate f=through various menus and then you get put in a queue (in my case it, at 9:30am, it took 8 minutes to get put through).
When you do get put through, you are are asked to discuss the reasons for cancelling.
They will try to keep you on the phone as long as possible and to dissuade you from cancelling. Suddenly, you aren't calling to cancel, you are calling to "discuss cancelling".

I had to ask four times for it to be cancelled before the person I was speakign to finally gave in and cancelled.
I made it clear that i didn't want to engage in a discussion about it. I read their T&C back to them about being able to cancel within 14 days and not havign to give any reason. The man replied that he wasn't asking for a reason, just for feedback.
I replied (again) that I wanted to cancel immediately and told him that i don't use it so I can't offer feedback.
he responded by asking how I would access the site if i did use it?

and on it went. I had to be really firm about wanting to cancel.

It would have taken even longer if i didn't have the account page open in front of me so was able to ask his 6(!) security questions to identify myself. home.thetimes.co.uk/

So, if you took out a times subscription, at my suggestion, please set aside 15 mins today to spend on the phone trying to cancel it, unless you want to be tied in until late January.

and i've just realised that they haven't sent a confirmation email, so i might have to do this all again this afternoon. (They only allow you to cancel by phone, not on the site and not by email)

Ds had first day in sixth form yesterday . Came home very miserable partly just the shock of being back I think , he has had a lovely summer . Also new HM though and he really respected the old one and is very sad that he has moved on , also a few friendship issues . The thing is teenagers do thoughtless things sometimes but are also not always good at seeing the bigger picture and the long view . Feel a bit sad that what should have been an exciting time has been marred by the thoughtless actions of another boy . Still it will blow over.

Also reality of hard work kicking in

Sounds like us trying to cancel our TV OSN subscription. Having paid an arm and a leg for it for years, they came back with such a low price it was ridiculous. Have been busy making the list of all things needed for eldest to start at university. She is leaving on Tuesday. I can't take her, as three weeks into term here. OH keeps looking at it and rolling his eyes. However, an old school friend of hers was round last night and said yep, you will need ALL of those things. Ha!

Ds is doing 3 plus an EPQ , school have really discouraged four but have had a flurry of people asking to add a fourth mostly down to parental pressure or indecision over subjects . Ds is what you would call a high achiever but we have stuck with three and the Head of Sixth has supported this. She said to me that most will flounder with four and end up giving one up and as they don’tdo AS levels they will have nothing to show for it .

I also want ds to have time for drama , sport , music and his other hobbies .

Oh, and eldest has just gone for her pre-university hair cut! Hasn't been done since January. And I made the appointment! God help her.....

Peaseblossom the shock of going back will ease, but I empathise because my younger dc was utterly dejected when returning to school yesterday (start of year 10). He was even less impressed when he heard he had to go into school all day on Sunday for a DoE training day. I hope all settles for your ds soon. I'm expecting a rocky couple of weeks when dd starts Sixth form college on Monday

Thanks limits it’s a bit of a shock because he has always been ‘mr school’ and loved it but they grow up I suppose and I am sure he will get over it .

My lovely mother in law passed away suddenly Sunday night. I’m devastated and miss her so much. She was the one family member who was generally interested in my children. Found a note by her chair with my dd’s gcse results. She was so proud.

That’s tough x thinking of you

Jinglebells99 I am so sorry.

Jinglebells99 So sorry to hear your news.

@JufusMum Did you get your remark sorted? DD's has just come back and she managed to move up a grade. We were given the breakdown on each paper by her HOY and were advised to just get one of them remarked. It was only 2 marks off the next grade but she got 4 marks higher in the review.

DD desperate to start sixth form (she's the only one of her friends to move schools). She has an induction day tomorrow, then full timetable from Monday. She already wondering if she'll be allowed to leave early on the days she has free periods at the end of the day.

I'm so sorry to hear that Jinglebells. It's so tough losing the people that really have a genuine love and care for your kids. How poignant that she still had the results by her chair.

DD has just received a congratulations card from my aunt, which is totally out of character. But I know she sent it in memory of my mum - her sister - who died early this year and would most definitely have been a very proud granny.

Although he starts 4 they drop to 3 either at Christmas or end of yr 12. It givea them a chance to check they like subjects they haven't done before eg. Psychology, economics, sociology or to see whether they can cope with the step up eg. Chemistry, maths as many A* level kids can't. That way they still have 3 to continue with without having to repeat a year or catch up.

Jinglebells99 so sorry for your loss. How lovely that she was thinking about her grandchild and feeling proud. I hope you can soon feel able to celebrate her life as well as grieve.

So sorry to hear that Jingle, you clearly loved her a great deal

I can see the sense in 4 to try one or two your not sure about. Or if dc are either very able or enjoy lots of work or both. Can’t see the point in routinely continuing a fourth to the end of year 12 with a view to dropping it then. But I guess every school is different and has good reasons for their choice (or I hope they do anyway)

Just looked at ds timetable and it seems to have 6 hours for each subject - I think that can’t be right as leaves no frees, (and means 12 hours of maths a week) perhaps it’s its just the way the option blocks have been filled in in the slots. I’ll check at the weekend.

Jinglebells99 that's so sad - she must have been so proud of your DD.

Have just counted up DS's hours and he has 5.25 hours a week on each subject (8 x 35 or 40 min lessons). He also has one whole afternoon off for sports, 2 'Private study' sessions (35 mins each), and 2 days when he isn't timetabled for the last lesson, so finishes at 3.35 instead of 4.15.

DD is timetabled to have 5.25 hours per week for each of her A level subjects. She's starting four though i suspect one might get dropped as she wants to do an EPQ and has musical commitments.

Maybe the 6 is right then - but wil mean he has less frees than when doing gcse s 😂

Thank you for your kind messages. They have made me cry again. She had been in my life since I was 18, and we were very close.

Jinglebells so sorry to hear of your loss. Sending love xx
WhatHaveIFound ended up emailing Head of MFL. She is unhappy with results across the cohort. She is recommending a remark of speaking and writing. I've told them they can pay for it!

Sorry to hear that Jinglebells.