GCSE '18s (20) - half term beckons!

[mmmz]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/3355907-gcse-18s-19-new-beginnings

The primary school reports were by pupil post, but this is different: it was addressed to DS1, not me.
I guess it is his education, his life, his future, his responsibility but I wasn't expecting to be disenfranchised so soon!

DS school tend to issue them to pupils first then we got access to them on line later, which I think is a good balance. But yes they are aimed at pupils and in the blurb they are very much seen as a tool to help the pupils and their tutors not as a report for parents.

We'll get a progress report for DS2 (which will include target grades) in the third week of November.

His teachers have looked at his files to check he is making notes properly, and have reported lesson attendance and level of engagement to the head of year. The head of year will speak to DS2 and us if there's a concern, so no news is good news.

Pretty sure DD doesn't get a report at all!! She is doing exams today and Friday in her 4 A Level subjects then she has a meeting at the end of next week with the head of year to decide which one to drop. I am not invited.

She will be given her target grades at the meeting too. Mind you, she's enjoying all her subjects so doesn't know which one she wants to give up - and I suspect she will get the same grades for them all too which won't help

For all those worried about DCs flying the nest and off to uni, I can offer reassurance in that, after what seems like no time at all, they are back emptying the fridge, filling the washing machine and leaving their wet towels and dirty cups all over the floor :):):)

Thanks oratory so reassuring

Not been on much lately as too much going on real life. Hard to explain and will be outing. Have tried to read and catch up with all of your news.

Wanted to ask are there any good sites or your tube videos that explain the a level science concepts? Knew there was stuff during gcse but any idea for a levels?

Hope you're ok Eaglefly. I don't know the answer but its a good question.

Yes hope all ok eaglefly. I don’t know either as neither DD or DS did sciences. Have you looked on TSR? That’s often a good source of recommendations.

Tassomai do AS levels now.

Otherwise, I don't know yet. Is teenmum60 still around? She was always good with these suggestions

Thanks all. Things will be ok we hope but not easy right now. I never thought of checking student room. Will check it. Thank u

I sent you a PM, eaglefly. Hope you are ok.

Yep - hope you are okay eaglefly

Thank you. It will be ok. Appreciate your thoughts.

I had a bit of a google search and found a site called Revisely. Not sure if it is any good but will ask DD to take a look. I am
Not 100% sure what boards DD is doing so hoping one of those are here.

Eaglefly

Has everyone's subject choices settled down now? A few have dropped their 4th subject now and one dropped the bombshell on Friday that she was moving to another huge 6th form tomorrow as she was struggling to settle down. DD is not upset as it's one of the group who have been vile in the past.

More for Eaglefly.

Dd feels her A levels are going well. Looking forward to having her home for a week. She’s working Saturday morning so we are going to go & pick her up after work.

Enjoy your time together Alex. You've all had so much upheaval over the last few months that you deserve a break.

Unfortunately Ds has half term the following week so we can’t really have any family days out.

We are going to Birmingham for the day combined with a trip to the Dance Medicine clinic. (a little known about NHS service)

Quality time with each then.

We have the same Alexander - half terms on different weeks.

Sticker - I do think its a benefit for our dc and their peers, that they have made the transition from leaving school to go to huge university style sixth form colleges at this point (whilst they still have the stability of living at home with their family). Whilst it is a 'shock' to an extent and a big adjustment (hence the girl that you reference switching to a different college having not settled), if / when they actually go to university it will be more of a gradual step change which they fairly well prepared for.

Busy week last week for me so just catching up with news. Hope all ok eagle. Shame about the half terms Alexander, but quality time with each dc will hopefully be nice.

No grade card or report here - I don't think there will be anything until February parent consultation and reporting of first rond of tests after half term.

I am very preoccupied with my work - it's front line NHS in a team whose workload exceeds what we are comissioned for by 100% (measured bu number of patients we see). Without outing myself, it's also an acute service so the work can't be planned and there is no option but to just get on with it. I really need a new job but I have a lot of flexibility in terms of hours and days which helped enormously over the GCSE period so I'm waiting a bit (and hoping the stress doesn't kill me!)

I am also interested in whether we get a report card or anything in writing. DD is doing exams at the moment which will determine which A Level to drop and whether she should do an EPQ. They are turning the marking around very quickly since her meeting with head of year is Wednesday. When she swapped Maths for Gov&Pol I had to send an email confirming that I was happy with the change, so I am a bit bemused that parents aren't included in Wednesday's conversations.
....mind you, it's her decision so I guess there's no real reason to include me in the conversation.

Never mind turning marking around quickly - DS is astounded to find that he is getting his worked marked at all! iImakes a huge difference to know if you are on the right track or not.

The secondary school believed in peer marking. Even at GCSE, DS's english teacher only read 6 things that he wrote over two years. God knows how she was able to accurately predict his grades. (Oh, that's right - she got them completely wrong!)

Speaking of exams/tests...I’ve had a series of furious texts from DS this morning. They did a maths assessment in class last week (done during a double lesson so pretty big/long). DS did a lot of work for it and felt it had gone pretty well. They got their papers back today and DS was only given the first half of his. The teacher accused him of either not having done the rest or not handing it in. Refused to accept that she may (must) have lost it.

I’m so pissed off a) because he really wanted the feedback on how he’s doing b) because I know how much work he did for it and c) because she’s accused him of lying. Luckily it’s parents’ evening this week so we’ll be able to have a discussion about it.

cherry how frustrating! Yes, luckily you can bring it up!