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

Apologies for the typos!

Sorry to change the subject but could someone tell me which app to use to get a cancellation for a driving test earliest I can get is January. Also if I book this can I cancel it with a full refund if I get an earlier date.

Thanks @Monkey2001.

Just got text from DS saying he's spotted Warwick has increased entry requirements for his course by a grade. Has anyone else had this?

@Nard75 we used driving test now. You need a test booked first though.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn we have a letter about nasal flu vaccines for 19th Oct. no mention of covid vaccine. So I can think/worry about it a bit longer.

No change for DS's course Shimy

I’ve finally got dd’s first driving lesson sorted. It’s been so difficult finding someone with spaces.

I think we’ve got to the bottom of the OT wobble, it is simply that she really wants to do some sort of psychological therapy long term. We’ve researched and it seems that OT is a good route into that sort of thing, although there will obviously be further training involved. In terms of her application and interview do you think she should keep quiet about that and just try to sound positive about OT?

DS had his second Pfizer jab over the weekend and did feel tired and rundown in the next two days after. Unusual for him.

Thank you everyone for congratulations re DD's driving license. She is super pleased. She was taught not to stop in every junction if she didn't have to as the inspector would see it as 'un-due hesitation' and it would be a minor mistake.

Her school's deadline for UCAS application is on Friday, so she has been working hard on her PS and it has been approved by her supervisor. She is only going to apply for four unis and she made sure that she knows which ones will use the PS in the selection process. Not all of them do.

@singingstones Is it also at WarwicK?

@Shimy I think the maths degree DS1 is looking at in Warwick requires 3 A* including maths and further maths but if they get a high score in the MAT the third subject can be an A.

Yes @Shimy, they still want AAB for neuroscience

Crazy I think she should definitely try to sound positive about OT but I guess no harm in saying she's looking forward to finding out which areas particularly appeal to her?

@Seeline try going to the "book a vaccine" and entering her NHS number. I found that it lets you book the second one.

@AnneOfCleavage for medicine they always say it is not what you have done, but what you have learnt from it. So if DD learnt skills in the process of applying to be Head Girl and has since done things which have developed relevant skills. I can't remember what subject she is looking at, but for medicine you might say "as Head Girl I was responsible for organising .......... and was able to share my passion for ....... by ..........."

@Nard75 3 A*s Didn't know there were any course anywhere asking for that high.

@singingstones I'd keep a beady eye on that, last week ds's course was 3A's this morning it had changed.

@Shimy

Thanks *@Monkey2001*.

Just got text from DS saying he's spotted Warwick has increased entry requirements for his course by a grade. Has anyone else had this?

I noticed that Bristol has changed it's grades from AAB to AAA for Biology last week, and Manchester changed the wording so DD would need an A in Biology when before it was AAB but didn't dupulate in what grade Biology had to be.

The issue on top grades is that in 2019 1.6% of candidates got 3xA, but in 2021 it was 6.9%. In 2019 4.6% of candidates got 2xA,#. So with grade inflation, 3 As in 2021 was more accessible than 2As used to be. Obviously we have no idea how it is going to work for our lot, if they decide to go back to 2019 grades I think the attainment gap between North/South, State/Indy will be horrendous.

@Heifer that's quite annoying but I can understand why they are doing it. It all feels a bit sneaky though, why don't they put a notice on their websites to 2022 candidates to 'read the entry requirements', because they have updated some? just sneaking it in is going to screw up quite a few people i'd think. There will be loads who won't notice until offers come in and wonder what happened.

@Heifer is your school on the contextual list for Bristol? Usually AAA subjects are ABB/AAC for contextual at Bristol.

Thanks for the heads up Shimy.
Manchester have already shifted their requirements up a grade for neuroscience. I wonder if there's a cut off date after which they will definitely stay the same. Bit unfair to be fiddling with the entry requirements now that people have started to apply.

[quote Shimy]@Heifer that's quite annoying but I can understand why they are doing it. It all feels a bit sneaky though, why don't they put a notice on their websites to 2022 candidates to 'read the entry requirements', because they have updated some? just sneaking it in is going to screw up quite a few people i'd think. There will be loads who won't notice until offers come in and wonder what happened.[/quote]
It would not surprise me if they were lenient with missed grades on the day if grades are back to 2019 levels. If grades stay at 2021 levels they need to have a way of controlling numbers. I think we would probably prefer them to make the normal number of offers with slightly higher grades than to halve the number of offers? Particularly if they make an A*AA offer to people with AAA predictions and are then flexible on results day if grades come down.

Looking back at the OFQUAL table I shared:

AAA - 2019 - 17.9% 2021 - 37% of candidates

If you don't change grade requirements and we get another year of high grades, the only way universities can make sure they are selecting the most able applicants is by adjusting the grade requirements or using Admissions tests.

I was just going to say what @Monkey2001 just said! I hope we find out soon whether grade inflation is going to stay for this year or not.

Ds in year 11 has just had his delayed year 10 exams and he said they hadn't had English back yet as the papers were being moderated in case it's teacher assessment again this year!? Maybe his school are just being cautious and trying to save time in advance. I'm a bit concerned that these results will form part of his final grade though, as this is their first real go at exams and he's still trying to get his head around how to revise. He basically managed revision for about half his subjects (which thankfully, are the better grades - a good lesson to learn!).

@crazycrofter I hope that is just an abundance of caution. Expect the best, prepare for the worst!

Thanks for the good wishes singingstones but she didn't make it in .

Next time we're going to try for a lesson directly after a counselling appointment - if she's already in the building, that's a lot of the hardest part out of the way. We've also got various appointments with MH services next week. Something somewhere somehow has to work...

@ZittiEBuoni sorry to hear she is struggling so much. The disruption over the last couple of years has made us all a bit agrophobic, must be tough for her.