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

[mmmz]

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

Hi Villanelle - I've also got a Year 10 ds. There has been a thread started for Year 10 parents. let me find it.

This thread is a bit quiet yet but hopefully we can get it going Villanelle

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3354089-gcse-advice

Maybe not a bad idea, SpreadALittleKarma. The name kept going because we couldn't find a short universal name for all the different qualifications our DC might do now.

Ooo, namechanged and forgot. Must change back!

@Brainmelt this is Vs younger sister. V flew through her exams, although she may have seduced the headmistress and threatened the chemist teacher. We don’t like to talk about that.

Her sister is much more reasonable

Thank you Alexandra I shall head over there.

*Alexander

"Her issue is remembering information, she writes big long revision essays but I’ll ask a question and she can’t remember.

An example is she had to study two Volcanoes, I asked her the names of the volcanoes and she couldn’t remember! "

Villanelle - I thought along the same lines as Oratory when reading those remarks above. Possibly spLD?

My ds (Y10) has considered a future career in Medicine, but has reflected that he doesn't have the stamina for all the study required . I am not going to dissuade him from this since I think its potentially a bit of a poisoned chalice of a career (there's plenty published on suicide rates, alcoholism etc among medics) and only really suits those with the most robust (mental and emotional) constitution - which of course may well be your dd (sorry, rambling..)

Dd has been offered a free place on a trip to Auschwitcz.

Only problem is its the end of November and she doesn't have a passport!

You can use Post Office check and send service for that sort of timescale Alexander - they will most likely have it back within a fortnight, especially at this time of year

AH its ok ... passport applications are quick, especially in the autumn. Apply online. Take a digital photo.

DS's 1st adult passport arrived after 3 weeks in July when we did it that way, and his old passport had expired too.

I can get an appointment in Liverpool next week when she's on half term if dh can take her on the train and If she can get photo countersigned by a teacher before school breaks up tomorrow and I can find the £140 odd fast track passport fee. We were about to apply for passports for both dd and ds in the next few weeks anyway as they are both going on trips next year with school.

You don't need the photo counter-signed. She's an adult.

It will be her first adult passport. She can't use the photo on her old one when she was 10.

DS was the same last July - 1st adult passport, old passport had expired, photo was way out of date.

He/ I just went onto www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport and applied. He/ I uploaded a photo i took that morning on my phone. Then he (I) had to post back the expired one. 3 weeks later, his passport dropped through the letterbox.

DS had to do the application, so I helped him.

That’s interesting as I thought that if your appearance had changed a lot it had to be countersigned.

You can still submit a countersigned physical photo via the online form, as we did it. A lady in the passport office talked me through to the section where your appearance has changed. A couple of tick boxes later and a passport photo in the post and we were done. I couldn't find the relevant bit by myself though. It took a couple of weeks to come through.

Is it with the holocaust education trust Alex - if so they are amazing. But will be amazing anyway if not !!

Did dd s first adult passport last month and it really wasn’t clear whether it needed countersigning or not - we did just because we could but may not be needed.

So glad its half term it tomorrow - I think DS is dead on his feet but he gets two week now :):)

On the other hand time is flying by so quickly its scary. Seems like only yesterday we were building up nervously to the first GCSE exam.

I don’t know. I’m guessing it’s a GCSE history trip and someone dropped out but the RE teacher thought it would be great for dd.

As a result of something that came to light today, I've decided to go back to my origins and start again semi-acronymically. Hopefully far enough to elude an AS, but hopefully close enough to be recognisable to those here. Happy to clarify by PM.

I think I’ve got the gist ohn

@TheFirstOHN - yep, still recognisable thank goodness (it's just so hard to remember who is who after name changes!!)
DD finally settled on her 3 A Levels. She has dropped her best subject (which was also the only one she had intended to do pre GCSE results day) and settled on all humanities (previously all STEM).
Think she has made the best choice as a combination so I am heartily relieved that she made (what I think is) the right decision.

I think I know who you were ohn, but I can be a bit slow-witted sometimes so if a post appears from the other username, I will take you up on your PM offer!