Corona Cohort: Statements Scripted, Grades Predicted

[Monkey2001]

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting. It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, please don't within this thread. Please also be sensitive when responding to threads about grades.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue.

From OrangeCinnamonCocktail:

Our DS/DD may go down various paths (such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will most likely find us within the Further Ed board.

Previous thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/4339233-Thread-19-Corona-Cohort-Enrolling-on-Year-13-hopefully-NOT-unlucky-for-some?pg=1

zebra, the criteria for Cambridge foundation is really convoluted and the year doesn't guarantee progression on to a full degree at Cambridge. I am just checking you knew all that as it's v complex!!

Morning everyone - quick question. Do universities start making offers before the UCAS closing date? Or do they wait to see how many applications they have for each course?

On the petrol front I can’t help thinking the government is missing a trick. They should either send Savid Javid out to the news studios to reassure everyone there is no need to panic because there is absolutely no prospect of a vaccine shortage OR offer everyone who shows up for a jab 1/2 tank of petrol. We’d be at 100% vaccination in no time.

Ha great idea Horace.
Yes they can offer before the January closing date.

Yes, some offers come within a week of application - the algorithm ones where they don't read PS. It may be slower this year as we are all waiting to find out what is going to happen to grade inflation this year, including the universities.

Horace123 you should be in government, love those ideas.

Another week dawns - we have petrol but used a lot getting to dd2's dance festival yesterday so who knows how long it will last.

Dd1 has various school and MH service meetings this week, perhaps something will stick. Reading everyone's open day experiences with interest - looks like I'll be doing these rounds next year with two dc!

DS1's new house includes a 'fair usage policy'. He has only been there a week and they have all been told off for spending too much . The heating isn't on yet, obviously.

Not sure of anyone else knows about this but their allowance seems to be £2600 for 12 months. I am guessing this includes metered water, too. They didn't have this in last house. There are 5 of them. Does this seem reasonable does anyone know??

Thanks @singingstones and @Monkey2001. Although after the GCSE debacle our lot went through I'm not a massive fan of algorithms ... Maybe they'll deal with IB applicants first given they know what is going on with them (she says hopefully).

Thanks everyone. She does fit the criteria for Cambridge, and we do know that they are not guaranteed a place, but it gives her a wonderful opportunity to try lots of different stuff, so it would be good for her. Really good shout about the foundation year, but would mean dropping 1 of the other courses, all of which have possibilities that she likes. Is it possible that a university might offer for a place on a foundation course if they did not believe she would make the grade.?
She doesn’t deal well with uncertainty, and I think she may feel that I’m introducing a new level of complexity every time we get somewhere, and I might be, I’ve always found it difficult to complete things.

I do that too - I keep adding other possible course to DS's shortlist! I'm like a magpie; I see shiny stuff...

What are her predicted grades? Might she not be better looking for a standard lib arts course with lower offers? (Keele springs to mind?)

I have heard of people being rejected but then encouraged towards foundation degrees by unis.

@Zebracat I was just suggesting that if one of the other 4 has an option with a foundation year, she could apply for the course with a foundation year instead of direct entry, use it as her insurance, then if her results meet the standard offer and she wanted to go straight into the course, she could ask to switch. So no change of course choice, just an extra option.

@Monkey2001 , Thanks, I will check that. She is quite particular and I don’t always understand her criteria. She rejected Sussex out of hand although I thought it had much to recommend it.
She is predicted AAB, but it’s all been so upside down that we don’t really know. She has PPEs soon, so that may help. She did get an A for her EPQ, so it could be right. She had the worst ever cold at the beginning of term and it does seem to have left her a bit low energy. I’m wary, I know how easy it is for someone to fall off track.
She is going to be assessed for ADHD and autism. She is convinced she has both and is already asking me to arrange for extra time in the exams. I’m not sure that the result will be what she expects, and I worry that this will be a wall to hide behind. In saying that, I am not suggesting that these are not real and challenging conditions, I am very much aware that they are. She is unusual , but I think her particularities make sense as a response to her previous life. I guess I want to protect her from disappointment, which is silly of me, because that is part of life, And she needs resilience not protection.

Well, the A in EPQ should get her some juicy reduced offers!

@Zebracat ds has ADHD and I was worried a diagnosis would be being something to hide behind, but in fact it’s been really helpful as he’s become a lot more self-aware - he recognises what he struggles with, knows why and is more motivated to make changes. Also school has been much better on the whole since his diagnosis and the extra time in exams, which he just got for his delayed year 10 exams, has made a huge difference.

I understand you’re worried she might not have these conditions and will be disappointed- but even then, she’s surely got something as a result of past trauma - complex PTSD maybe or a personality disorder? It would be equally helpful for her to know that and understand why she responds in particular ways.

And she needs resilience not protection.

I think she can have both. You protect her and she develops trust and therefore has better resilience?

@Piggywaspushed

And she needs resilience not protection.

I think she can have both. You protect her and she develops trust and therefore has better resilience?

Totally agree with this.

You are all right of course. She is getting the help she needs, just need more tests. I’m not worried that she would be disappointed by a different diagnosis, more that she will be disappointed if, she doesn’t get the exam results she wants. And a diagnosis might help her.

Ah, sorry , I misunderstood! The extra time you get with ADHD is certainly helpful. But I think it has to be in place by Feb at the latest? The school have to demonstrate it’s her normal way of working.

It's March, but yes, it has to be assessed and shown to be necessary and normal for that student. This document is quite useful (mine both get extra time due to SENs).

www.jcq.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/AA_regs_21-22_v11.pdf

I think you are doing a great job zebra. She will do well because you care and help.

Crowns self as good mummy, watching Southampton Uni online subject talk for Accountancy, on the way to Ljubljana airport.

@oblomov I anoint you Good Mummy of the Month

One day our DC will award us all the "Good Mummy" award, but I think it may be a while for mine!

@Piggywaspushed I was dog walking with a friend whose DS wants to do Sociology with Social Policy so I pointed them towards Birmingham, York, Bath and Exeter. She said he was looking at Leeds - and thoughts?

Actually I let DS use my Laura Mercier secret concealer to cover up his love bites (sat night 18th party) before school this morning - can I have runner up Good Mummy of the Month?!

@Oblomov21
@delphigirl. Reminds me of the time a few years ago Dd decided to upload her Donald Trump make-up tutorial using my expensive Estee Lauder Foundation.

I'm not sure what she'd say about 20 threads worrying about her and her education.