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

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

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No one knows . 'Later this term' according to DfE.

It's deliberate. It stops teachers pre emptively cutting content.

Is their idea that all the content should still somehow be taught but not necessarily assessed? I thought the exams were being adjusted to allow for the fact that not everything could be taught because of the disruption. And the sooner you know the details the better, to iron out the unfairness of some kids having already studied the stuff that's staying and just needing to revise it, and some having studied the stuff that's being binned, so still having a lot to do.

There's probably more risk of this at GCSE, but DD's history gcse has gone from 4 units to 3 - they haven't started the one that's been ditched so they can just revise what they've already done and not touch the 4th unit. But in science the opposite has happened, everything she's studied so far is not being assessed and they will struggle to teach it all if there is any disruption this year. Swings and roundabouts I guess.

Yes, Nick Gibb is adamant it should all be taught.

Has he issued you with special devices to stretch time or something, how are you supposed to get through it all? And what's their reasoning for changing the exams if everything is being taught? 🤯

I have to sing the praises of ds's school.

Just received email : "UCAS Welcome back. "

They are spot on with their frequency of emails. To the point, explaining what is going to happen, when, how, deadlines, meetings for parents, meetings for children.

They also support lots of Oxford and Cambridge applicants.

It's just super impressive.

Yes singing, we are Timelords.

Couldn't work out why Nick Gibb has made me so furious but I realise it's not him, it's DS, who in spite of all the heart to hearts over the summer, all the declarations that he will approach year 13 differently, oh yes mum I'm going to work my arse off etc etc, has come home from school, ignored his maths homework, ignored revision for biology test, ignored his personal statement and gone straight on the fucking x box excuse my French.

@singingstones mine always goes straight to Xbox then shouts at all his mates.

DD has come back from her first day saying she was told that none of what she was taught last year for geography and English lit is going to be examined; essentially, they will be examined at AS level, but awarded an A level.

We are in Wales but she is at an indie that follows the English pathway in most subjects (they don’t offer AS levels and all GCSEs are grades 1-9).
The school only has to evidence that they’ve taught the rest of the syllabus.

God knows what happens if the next 2 terms get disrupted.

Just checked - geography is WJEC, and English lit is whichever board includes A Streetcar Named Desire, Hamlet, Canterbury Tales and Carol Ann Duffy/Phillip Larkin poems - Piggy?

I watched the select committee from yesterday. They are going to decide about 2022 exams "soon", and when pressed Nick Gibb said October. I was pleased to see an awareness of the variation in educational experience over the last 18 months, but I found it so annoying when Nick Gibb kept focusing on the difference between 2020 and 2021, when the relevant comparison is obviously 2019. Interesting that the underperformance of boys was given a bit of time, then various DSs on here drawn to their Xboxes with a magical pull!

They said the October decision will relate to content and approach to grade inflation. Heaven help most state schools if they decide that grade spread will go back to 2019 levels in 2022!

Not sure what board that is also!

Are you sure geography is not Eduqas?

Oh no, just seen you in Wales bit. As you were...

Here's WJEC info about geography, Also

Section B (contemporary themes in geography) of the Unit 4 examination will cover one optional theme only

And English Lit if that is relevant:

Advance notice of extracts/poems to be assessed in the Unit 3 and Unit 4 examinations

DS went in today for assembly and timetable. As he is adding Y12 Chemistry to his 3 A levels + EPQ it looks very full. 5 hours/week each for Maths and Physics, 4.5 hours/week for PE and Chemistry, 1.5 hours/week EPQ. Only 4 study periods (or frees) each week. No practical PE and don''t know about extra curricular music yet.

He is also a learning mentor for Y12s struggling with maths one afternoon a week and a transition mentor for Y12s from other schools. Not quite sure how that happened as he did not volunteer, but happy to do it!

Not sure whether that’s what DD has been told in other words, or whether it’s different, singing - I’m not up to speed with what units she has already studied.

She’s been told that she can ignore The Mayor of Casterbridge, A Streetcar Named Desire and all the poetry studied so far (ie all of year 12), and they’ll only be doing Hamlet and Chaucer.

She’s happy and unhappy in equal measure, and I don’t know what to think.

DS hasn’t been told anything about GCSEs.

Eduquas's provisional timetable coming out at some point this week.

Just had parents evening via teams. Lots of positives, prediction has gone from BBC to AAB, but very surprised to learn that here are 2 pieces of coursework outstanding.in history. Ooh but ructions when I said quite gently afterwards that I would rather have known that from her. She stropped off. She is ill though, so maybe that made a difference. She’s been off school, had a sore throat and been really tired all week. 2 negative lfts . She was complaining about sinus issues, everyone has Pooh Poohed my suggestion she get a test, but today she has started coughing. I don’t know why I am so pissed off really, I know it’s all par for the course , but grrr.

I have had enough of this term already, is it nearly Christmas yet?

Are you going to get a PCR zebra?

For your DD, I meant...

My Dd (y11) went back today and has been lying on the sofa plugged into earphones ever since, says she was totally peopled out - she has no formal diagnosis apart from dyslexia but definitely has some sensory issues (our family is full of ADHD, ASD, SPLDs). Have gradually winkled her out of her shell by buying her fish and chips, making rhubarb crumble and custard and putting Ghosts on.

DS has phoned from boarding a couple of times feeling a bit wobbly, with hindsight we should have kept him at home for the first two nights of term, let him go on the residential (gone today) and started boarding next week, double packing and organising has proved a bit much. Oh well, too late now.

Delphi hope it's been a great 18th for your DD.

Piggy pleased you are still recovering well.

DS started back today. With free periods and teachers dealing with day 1 hiccups he hasn't actually had a lesson apart from games (not doing PE A level). Now on the playstation.

Amazed some are already having parents' evening. DS suspiciously quiet about drafting a personal statement. Don't think he's started but probably should have.

@Piggywaspushed. I am going to take her tomorrow. Should have taken her earlier. But she hasn’t been out so no broken rules.