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Original poster

Thread 19 - Corona Cohort, Enrolling on Year 13, hopefully NOT unlucky for some

999 replies

OrangeCinnamonCocktail · 02/09/2021 22:37

Place holder

OP posts:
EssentiallyDisorganised · 06/09/2021 23:13

I think they take one exam then they have to be supervised by a staff member until taking the second one later so they don't talk to anyone who's already taken it.

Re blood tubes, DH couldn't have his routine HBA1C (diabetes) last week due to the shortage. I work in this industry, it's worrying.

Well, term starts tomorrow and DS is starting weekly boarding. I took him over tonight so he could unpack and settle in a bit and not be rushed in the morning. Did have a bit of an emotional moment driving away, but he'll be back on Friday. I think he'll be fine (wouldn't be doing it otherwise) but it has been a bit nerve-wracking the last few days.

Monkey2001 · 06/09/2021 23:33

Edexcel have also published - qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/Support/Examination-timetables/GCE_Summer_2022_Provisional.pdf,

I think they all do the same subjects on the same days anyway. We have a clash on 26/5 - who does Physics and PE?! Didn't happen for DS1 as he did a sensible combination. I think that means he will do one in the morning and then be supervised until the one in the afternoon. So looks like his exams will run 26/5 to 21/6, maths is a week later than 2019 and a bit more spread out. So the talk of delays for catch up did not mean anything.

@Zandathepanda your poor DD. Can't imagine how you feel. Does she want to go back or are there other options for her like hospital education?

Zandathepanda · 06/09/2021 23:38

Unfortunately this isn’t anything unusual. The calm of summer was boring but led to better health. Trying not to stress about her exam dates - just looked and seen her provisional exam board timetables for 2022. She isn’t going to manage. I am hoping at least with the clash (both afternoon) they can move one over so she can have a sleep between. She is allowed a separate room and extra time if she has a seizure so she can rest then continue.
Good news is she’s just woken up and no temp or cough so must just be more of the crappy usual.

Fferny1 · 06/09/2021 23:39

He will be fine @essentially.
They generally love boarding in sixth form. Ds1 has been a weekly boarder since year 9 but recently admitted he didn't really enjoy it so much until sixth form. Now he only comes home every third week as they're are often things on at the weekend he wants to do. Plus he's a Rugby player so i think there will be matches this year, unlike the last.

I'm sorry to hear of so many being unwell & coming down with Covid. I'm hoping it's not going to be another year of disruption again. @Piggy so sorry you are still feeling ill.

I'm amazed how many people are still traveling. We're in Mallorca and there's a lot of overseas, pretty elderly couples visiting here. It's wonderful to see all the visitors, as Mallorca went through a very tough time during lockdown, with a lot of families very dependent on foodbanks.

NCTDN · 07/09/2021 06:26

We have an English/ Spanish clash. I'd have thought that was quite a popular combination too.

Volterra · 07/09/2021 06:35

Glad it’s not looking like Covid Zanda . Is it worth talking ti th3 school soon about the exam timetable so you know exactly what the situation will be?

Another weekly boarder here Essentially. It is nerve wracking at the start but you all soon get into the routine . DS struggled at first (but we now know he was probably unwell at the time) but settled. We came up with an alternative plan for this year but he chose to board. Do you have other DC at home?

DH had his Hba1c just before they said about essential tests only. I think DS and I are lucky to be getting ours.

EssentiallyDisorganised · 07/09/2021 06:55

Thanks @Fferny1 and @Volterra. I must admit I was a bit weepy driving off, but there is a park close to school with a sweeping vista which looks amazing at sunset so I went and sat there for half an hour to settle myself. He won't have the option to stay weekends (unless we pay the difference) but I think he'll be ready for home by Fridays, he does hockey on a Saturday and football on Sunday and will want to keep those up if he can. He is not too far away and has decided to come out for hockey and football training on week nights on alternate weeks (disability football so non-competitive and hockey are fine at that level, he's in one of the lower teams in the club). I think the combination of being in 6th form and boarding is a good one, they get single rooms and other privileges.

Volterra · 07/09/2021 07:02

DS’s college is weekly boarding only . I think it is an excellent preparation for university, for us and them I think ! I’m hoping that they will be able to do more this year and be able to go out evenings and get the full benefits of it. We found Fridays came quickly and before we knew it we were all home having dinner, washing in ready to start the weekend.

Piggywaspushed · 07/09/2021 07:35

Is there a link to this Cambridge 'killer statement' somewhere?

MidLifeCrisis007 · 07/09/2021 07:48

DD is another weekly boarder. Before last year she was a full boarder and she definitely prefers weekly - particularly as the activities on offer at weekends were massively compromised last year by Covid.

Weekly boarding offers the best of both worlds.... but she has to share a room still - even in her A level year.

She's on draft 3 of her personal statement. Probably about 80% there....it's quite quirky! She's applying for medicine.

Seeline · 07/09/2021 08:55

N0t topic related- but have to share. I have the house to myself for the whole day for the first time since 16 March 2020. DH has been in the office twice since before first lockdown (his office saw it coming and decided to do a trial couple of days and never went back) - the first DS hadn't started at uni, the second DD was on school holidays. I have been a SAHM/WFH for 20 years. It's all been a bit much TBH.

I am so overwhelmed by the prospect, I'm not quite sure what to do! I should do some work but it seems a bit of a waste......

Isthisjustnormal · 07/09/2021 09:05

Good luck to all the weekly boarders: sounds great fun! And enjoy your day to yourself, @Seeline. I know just what you mean, I've been wFH for 17 years now (although actually will be back in an office pt from Oct: not sure how I'll cope with that!!)

ZittiEBuoni · 07/09/2021 09:14

Seeline I am so jealous! DH's company mentioned that they're going to go for hybrid working with 3 days in the office, and I just can't WAIT. I work from home and it's been so hard to focus with people in and out of the living room (where I work) all day. Enjoy the peace.

Day 2 of term and we have problems already - dd refusing flat out to go back to school after her first day. I've called the 6th form office and the safeguarding member of staff is going to call - but not until tomorrow apparently.

She told CAMHS last week she was 'fine, no problems, looking forward to going back to school' and they discharged her.

We were already thinking of deferring university applications for a year, but I can't see it ever happening unless she engages seriously with MH services instead of telling them what they want to hear all the time.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 07/09/2021 09:23

@Zandathepanda oh that doesn't sound nice, your poor DD! Fingers crossed its not covid.

Where is the killer Cambridge link? I need to get DS started on his - at least a rough draft.

stoneysongs · 07/09/2021 09:47

Looking at that AQA timetable the GCSE schedule for DD is brutal - 7 papers in the first week. Her school do a ridiculous number of GCSEs which is normally fine because they start the courses in Y9 and do some of the exams in Y10, but that didn't happen last year. I hope the school won't kick up a fuss if she asks to drop a couple. And I hope I can persuade her to do it!

EssentiallyDisorganised · 07/09/2021 09:50

@Seeline, I'd get some iced drinks, a good book and find a shady spot in the garden if the weather is as hot there as it is here and make the most of it. It's hard though, I work 4 days and I feel guilty if I don't fill Friday with productive activity. DH and I both continued to work outside the home throughout the pandemic (well, I managed about a month at home before going back, we really weren't set up for home working but it helped DS get through that awful stage where they didn't know how the GCSEs were going to be graded). Any prolonged home working would be extremely hard for us, we just don't have the space for proper desks anywhere, also I am extrovert and like being around other people most of the time.

Seeline · 07/09/2021 10:00

I'm liking the sound of that Essentially !

I've worked from home on a part-time consultancy basis for about 10 years. Just use the dinning room, and clear up after me. I don't have colleagues or anything so very self-contained. DH is constantly on zoom meetings and has lots of papers spread around, so I had to move out into the living room, working on the sofa. During the first lockdown I had one doing As and one doing GCSEs on Teams so the noise levels etc were bad. Since DS has been at uni, DH has taken over his room during term terms, but this has been a long summer holiday with me back on the sofa. Hasn't really worked, because the DCs are permanently in and out wanting chats, or music, or TV etc It's made worse by DH being rather noise sensitive so things like me clattering around in the kitchen or having music on really disturb him.

Volterra · 07/09/2021 10:45

ZittiEBuoni so sorry to hear that, you must be feeling so stressed. Really hope the school can get a plan together that works for her. So difficult, as you say they have to engage. It’s also tough when you are surrounded by people whose DC are just getting on with the whole application process, it feels really isolating 💐

PaddingtonPaddington · 07/09/2021 11:04

@Monkey2001 thanks.

DD has 2 exams after half term 5 days apart so should be ok. One bonus of taking creative subjects is less exams. Her photography exam is in April but over 3 days.

I just dug out the spreadsheet I created for DDs GCSEs that never happened and now using that as a template for DS. At least it’s come in useful!

Sorry to hear of DCs having a hard time Flowers

Link to the killer PS from earlier in the thread

ChristopherTracy · 07/09/2021 11:26

Sorry to drag the discussion down from the highbrow but can anyone recommend a restaurant in London for DS' 18th - has anyone been to any of them in the Shard. I'm slightly clueless as that isnt my normal scene at all!

ZittiEBuoni · 07/09/2021 11:41

Thanks, Volterra, that's exactly how it does feel - isolating.

She says she's ready to engage with help now and I'm hoping with every fibre that she means it this time.

ChristopherTracy, we have similar 18th plans and I'm leaning towards the restaurants in the Sky Garden at the top of the 'walkie talkie' building. Haven't been though, as we're a long way from London. Will read recommendations with interest...

EssentiallyDisorganised · 07/09/2021 11:47

DS has announced that his best friend (already 18) will be taking him to the pub and buying him a pint for his 18th. We may do a little more.

Volterra · 07/09/2021 11:57

Low key plans here for 18th as think he will be tired after few few days back but DD joining us and we have plans!

Zitti, really hope she does, keeping my fingers crossed. 6th form wasn’t straightforward with my eldest, was hoping a smoother ride with DS but jury out on that.

U18 blood tests are going ahead apparently where we are but they have been told to stop everything else. They haven’t so waiting to see if labs will process them.

Monkey2001 · 07/09/2021 12:56

@ZittiEBuoni sorry to hear your DD is struggling. Definitely don't need to worry about university if she does not know what she wants to do - I have said before that so many people regret drifting into the wrong degree, then when they realise what they are actually interested in they have used up their entitlement to a loan. Taking time out now or after A levels is not a big deal in the long term if it helps her to settle and be comfortable with life. At DS1's school almost all his friends took a gap year and one of the ones who didn't wished he had, although he had a difficult home life with a toxic relationship with stepfather, so maybe he had to move out really.

Try to focus on the moment and how to make this week work and let the future look after itself for now. Flowers

@Seeline has your DH tried noise cancelling headphones? My DH could not cope with the background noise and they transformed his working experience at home. He got really good ones on expenses - www.johnlewis.com/sony-wh-1000xm3-noise-cancelling-wireless-bluetooth-nfc-high-resolution-audio-over-ear-headphones-with-mic-remote/black/p3751140

crazycrofter · 07/09/2021 13:10

Sorry to hear about dd’s struggles @ZittiEBuoni, I hope she accepts help.

Dd started back today, it was the usual last minute rush/just catching the train palava this morning - I’m so glad it’s her last year! She can be responsible for her own timing keeping at uni (not her strong point!).

Ds in year 11 went straight back to exam week yesterday- pretty brutal! He really struggles with the number of subjects. I think he’ll find A Levels much easier (and really hope we can persuade school to let him drop Computing).