Thread 23 Covid Cohort Stepping Into Christmas, Tests, Mocks & Interviews

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

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.

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

@20newnames/ DS / Engineering
@Alsoplayspiccolo/ DD / English + Film
@AnneofCleavage/ DD / gap year? Primary Education
@BlueMarigold/ DD / Biology
@cariadambyth/ DD / History / Southampton, Bath Spa, Warwick, RHUL
@collywobble/ DS / PPE, Economics / Lancaster (AAB)
@crazycrofter/ DD / Child (?) + Mental Health Nursing
@Decorhate/ DS / Economics + Politics
@Delphigirl/ DS / Oceanography
@DoggerelBank/ DS / tbc sciencey
@ealingwestmum/ DD / Middle Eastern and European Studies
@EerilyDisembodied/ DS / History or Environmental Management
@estherfrewen/ DS / History / Birmingham (ABB), Cardiff (ABB-BBB), Warwick (AAB)
@EwwSprouts/ DS / Biology
@Fiddlersgreen/ DS / Journalism / Bournemouth (104 pts), Brighton (BCC), Cardiff (ABB)
@Fruitygal/ DD / Biology
@Hattifatteners/ DD / Vet Med
@Heifer/ DD / Biology
@Hopeful201/ DS / Medicine
@Horace123/ DS / Classics / Edinburgh 34/665
@icanbewhatiwant/ DS / History + Philosophy
@Isthisjustnormal/ DS / Comp Sci
@JustHereWithMyPopcorn/ DS / Law
@KingscoteStaff/ DD / Medicine
@Knickerthief1/ DD / Child nursing / York
@Monkey2001/ DS / Medicine
@mummabear74/ DD / Environmental Science
@mummyinbeds/ DS / Law + French Law / Birmingham (AAA), Kent (AAB)
@Nard75/ DS / Maths
@NCTDN/ DD / Liberal Arts
@Oblomov21/ DS / Accountancy / Southampton ABB
@OrangeCinnamonCocktail/ DD / Music (uni)
@PaddingtonPaddington/ DD / Music (cons)
@Piggywaspushed/ DS / Social sciences / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), York (AAB-ABB)
@ProggyMat/ DD / Classics / Bristol (BBB), Edinburgh
@SandyBayley/ DD / Medicine
@Seeline/ DD / Liberal Arts / UEA (AAB), Kent (BBB), Nottingham (AAA)
@Shimy/ DS / Business + Management / Birmingham (AAB-ABB), Loughborough
@singingstones/ DS / Neuroscience
@Volterra/ DS / Maths
@whatsnext2/ DD / English joint hons
@Wheresthebeach/ DD / gap year? Marine Biology / Southampton, Portsmouth
@whoamitojudge/ DD / RyanAir cabin crew training
@Zebracat/ DD / Liberal Arts or Anthropology
@ZittiEBuoni/ DD / tbc applying next year

Zebra, we’re having a similar panic here, with forms due in tomorrow too.
DD has predictions of AAB, with choices looking like AAA/AAB,BBB, hoping that if all else fails, she can jump on a foundation course or clearing.
Trouble is, she feels like her predictions are already aspirational, so doesn’t know how she’d choose a firm and insurance if she gets offers from all, and she’s someone who needs to have achievable targets, otherwise her MH will plummet on results day.

I have to say, her school hasn’t been super helpful about giving tailored advice, and DD is worried that she has no idea what she’s capable of in exams. The standard advice of one or 2 aspirational, 1 or 2 achievable and 1 or 2 safe choices isn’t necessarily appropriate for SEN students like her.

@Zebracat I've been having similar worries. There's something called UCAS Extra, apparently, which means you can apply for one uni at a time in the spring/early summer if you get five rejections. So that's one back up. In our house, we've decided to go for a high-risk application strategy on the basis that a year off is a good thing anyway.

Zebra I'm also secretly panicking. Durham AAA and Southampton. And 3 x PwC. Which he could get none. What happens if he flunks exams? He'll have nothing. I am seriously a bit worried.

@Zebracat there will always be low to mid taiff places in Clearing. I think that it will be harder than usual to get the aspirational offers, so very sensible to put in lots of aspirational ones in a scattergun approach, as the chances of an offer from 1 aspirational choice is lower than usual. I would say that, as you are doing, just carefully manage news of rejections, making sure they understand that in a normal year they would have been much more likely to get the offers. Yes, UCAS Extra if they have no offers in May, but you can only apply for one at a time. I think universities will be keen to give her a chance, apart from anything else it looks good for their stats to have some care experienced students!

Nice to know I’m not alone. I was half thinking of doing some research and saying look you wouldlove this course at this place, and they would love you and it’s 3 Cs, but I don’t think it would work. She made a last minute change, dumping a course she liked in a place she wasn’t sure about , but BBC, for a course we’d never looked at in Sheffield, without a thought for the course requirements, AAA or the fact that it didn’t resonate with her PS. But then some of you have been told nothing at all. Guess I need to chill.

This may well be displacement activity, saw my doctor yesterday and have an urgent scan today, on the 2 week pathway to rule out cancer. Need to get this girl sorted.

Woah Zebra, no doubt the speed of testing is scary, but also great that you are being taken care of so quickly. Wishing you all the best on your results.

Good luck @Zebracat, glad they are speeding you through. Hope tests are negative, but don't get too scared by websearches, drugs are getting better every year, so outcomes are much better than they used to be. My mum had breast cancer a few years ago, all treated and done in less than a year and no problems now. 🤞🤞🤞🤞

Fingers crossed for you, @Zebracat.

Btw he hasn't got an offer from Durham. We all know they are the last to actually offer. I mean he knows they'll ask for AAA.

Fingers crossed Zebra.

Good luck with the tests @Zebracat, glad you're being seen on time.

Fingers firmly crossed for you Zebra💐

@Monkey2001 one is something else. She did say what...but it went over my head! It's a back up if she doesn't get offers for veterinary course.

All good wishes coming your way from here Zebracat.

DD is sitting across the room from me doing her second RE mock over Google Classrooms. Seems to be going OK.

Hope the tests go ok @Zebracat. I had similar early in the year and the speed of being seen gets you worried, but mine was nothing to worry about.

@ZittiEBuoni that’s great that she’s on to second mocks. I think the fact she’s able to study and focus on goals is really positive. Depression/mental health issues often reduce any drive. It does sound like school as an environment really doesn’t suit her. I went to a support group for SEN parents last week and chatted to 3 parents of autistic boys, who are all struggling with school - one in year 13 who’s dropped out and one in year 10 who’s struggling to make it in each day and all 3 are very anxious about school. When we home educated a few years back it was noticeable how many autistic kids there were in the home Ed community. School doesn’t suit everyone. Sorry, I can’t remember if your dd has a diagnosis or you just suspect she may have SENs? But either way, if school is the major trigger, hopefully she’ll find environments that suit her in future.

Good luck with the tests @Zebracat - the power of the mumsnet mums is behind you! How are you feeling?

And brilliant news that dd is feeling up to doing her mocks @ZittiEBuoni. Hope they go well and give her a boost.

Thinking of you with fingers crossed @Zebracat

Got an update email from school yesterday. Talked about the already planned mocks in end of Feb but no sign of any additional mocks apart from those ones.

Good luck with the tests @Zebracat l posted my reply to monkey without reading the other posts.

DS getting very stressed that his form hasnt gone off yet - apparently the teacher promised him it would go last week and all his friends have had theirs sent (in the same school)

Good luck @Zebracat

There’s a horrible unjustness with the final button control being at the school’s fingers, that includes the prioritisation of Oxbridge/medical applications. I know resources etc but still, think the application UCAS design can definitely be improved to give students more control, with the right checks and balances. I hope it goes today ChristopherTracy

@20NewNames - we've had similar from DDs school. No exams since end of Y12, mocks as planned in February. If exams are cancelled, exams at that time (although how those would happen in a lockdown situation.. ).

Doesn't seem to match up with the guidance, so hope they have it right. Is yours state or private - we're private. I am assuming there have been discussions amongst other schools.

@Seeline we are a state comprehensive although a good one. If I was paying for private I would maybe consider questioning the approach. DS does lots of end of topic tests so maybe they will rely on those??

@Seeline DS's school is the same. No mocks until Feb.