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

DD does loads of end of topic tests, and major tests each half term, but they are not full mocks. School will certainly have loads of evidence. I have re-read the guidance, and much of it is things being 'suggested' and does say centres may have alternative approaches. I've been wondering whether I should query, but they are usually very good at what they do.

Good luck with the tests @zebracat.

We're still in the dark as to whether dd will get extra time. You may remember that she randomly got it (and a separate room) for her mocks pre-half term. She did really well in History - one mark off an A* - compared to the C in the summer. When I questioned it with the SENCO she seemed to think it may be difficult to get dd extra time (so why let her have it in October?) but asked for a letter from her therapist - which I sent. She mentioned testing her for slow processing/handwriting etc but nothing has been done. In her psychology test recently she had extra time.. in two history tests she didn't (and didn't finish). It all seems a bit disorganised!

Ds now consistently gets extra time in all tests and exams, as his SENCO said they needed to show it was his normal way of working. I'm not convinced dd will be able to meet her predictions without extra time.

On the subject of 3 sets of mocks - dd's school has already had them before October, but they've added some extra 'invigilated' tests in December too. This is a grammar school

@ChristopherTracy quick email to person responsible tomorrow am just checking in to see if there is ‘anything more your DC or you need to do before it goes off? ‘

December, Jan and March mocks here … previously only January were happening. Topic tests happen almost weekly too.

I wouldn’t worry about offers and where they will ultimately go yet. Choose unis and courses they like that cover a good day and a probable day and a bad day. If you do thus most students apart from possibly medics ( as super competitive) should get 3-5 offers. Put down two you like as firm and insurance (make sure you go to the offer days for these two) If neither will take you on the results day then have a Plan A & B & C mapped out. We did this with the DSs in July about 1 month before results as you can’t think right on the day - they both had 2-3 places in clearing chosen and had their answers for ‘ if uni 1 offers foundation instead of degree do you want to go for it or do the straight degree at your 1st choice ? ‘ thought through. When you get to the day it’s a blur. Also find out if the 2nd choice has accommodation you can get DCs to apply to before results day so you are ready if they end up at reserve uni.

DS had mocks just before last half term and is having mocks again straight after Xmas.

@crazycrofter I honestly don't know why schools create so much stressthat around getting extra time or other support for students with SEN. The guidelines state very clearly that students with adhd in particular, are eligible for this concession. Yet at our school also, they refused to give DS extra time (despite formal diagnosis) and he has never had it. We got fed up in the end and DS said he will learn how to write as fast as he can watching the clock and dividing the time by no of questions etc. In his last mocks, he ran out of time. It's so frustrating I really feel for you and your DD.

Thanks for the messages everyone. Got through the tests, they will contact me with the results. @fruitygal .your approach to this is so fabulous. Unfortunately I think we’ve only got good days covered. Mocks haven’t gone particularly well, altho the results aren’t in yet, but I just wonder if I could ask what she thinks she’d get if she had a couple of bad days, like this next June,and should we look for somewhere for those results as an insurance?

@shimy that’s terrible! Ds (year 11) has ADHD and they’ve given him extra time and a separate room since Sept. It’s not like they’ve got much experience of ADHD as it’s a grammar school (more au fait with ASD I think, as most kids with ADHD probably wouldn’t get through the entrance test) and ds is the only one in his year who has extra time but they’ve been so helpful. Dd doesn’t have a diagnosis except for anxiety and the extra time isn’t really for that, it’s just that she’s really slow. If she needs to get faster it would be good for her to know that now and work on it!

@Zebracat maybe wait and see what the mock results are and then raise the worst case scenario with her if need be?

@Zebracat it all depends on the DC. If she is motivated by aspirational grades it may focus her, or some DC find it stressful. There really will be loads of options in Clearing.

Something you may not have considered is how much of a grade reduction different universities give. Newcastle gives BBB offers to "Partners" applicants (normal grades AAA). Some just reduce by 1 grade.

One set of mocks for us in first 2 weeks of March. DS has done lots of tests recently, but in the Mr Salles video he said that schools have to tell you in advance which tests would be used if TAGs are needed.

Is it BMAT results tomorrow? If so good luck to those who are waiting for them 🍀

Monkey, what are “partners” applicants? And do you mean they reduce offers on results day, or when they make the original offer?

It’s those sorts of unknowns that are confusing DD. For eg, if she gets an offer from her aspirational choice, would she ever dare put it as one of her 2 choices, knowing the odds of getting those grades are slim/very slim?

Everything crossed for good news, zebra. It’s great that you’ve been so quickly, so at least some of the stress of not knowing has been reduced.

@Fruitygal Sent! Bit worried my interpretation was slightly pass agg but consider them prodded!

DS has an offer from his favourite choice, Notts (AAA) - it means he didn't mess up his LNAT with his fuggy head. Now it's time for him to pull his finger out to get those grades!!

Ooh that’s exciting @JustHereWithMyPopcorn! Nottingham is currently DD’s favourite too.

Fantastic news @JustHereWithMyPopcorn! Congratulations!

I think I'm just really relieved because it was the only uni he really wanted to put on the form, he'd absolutely set his heart on it!

Great news @JustHereWithMyPopcorn! 🎉🎉

@Alsoplayspiccolo this is the Partners page - www.ncl.ac.uk/partners/how-to-apply/eligibility/. The way it works is that you apply for eligibility either alongside or in advance of applying to the university. I think English is AAB, so with Partners it would be BBC.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn Yipee! that's a great offer and what a relief to know he did well in his LNAT! (we need an emoji for pompoms here).

@crazycrofter Your school sounds very kind. I think what tipped it for me, in the end, I was trying to push for it for GCSEs by arranging another meeting with the SENCO, sent a long lengthy email explaining ds's condition, etc only to get an email back from the HOA informing me the poor woman had passed on . She must've been ill along. I felt awful.

..... Meant to say that I missed a trick with Partners as I am mixed race, so DS is 25% BAME (although he is very white looking) so I think he could have been eligible for a BBB offer. Seems ludicrous to me given the number of Asian people who do Medicine!

@Monkey2001 thank goodness you posted that link. At first glance I thought it was a special scheme for applicants whose partners were thinking of applying

@ChristopherTracy don’t worry let’s hope you get the form sent

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn congratulations 🎉 Nottingham is fab

@Volterra DDs friends x 6 for BMAT results tomorrow and they had lots of technical issues with the test - started 3hrs late so super stressed for tomorrow x DD s taking chocolate 🍫 for them in the morning.

As for offers and aspirational etc - both DSs had aspirational choices some offered others didn’t but that’s why there are 5 choices. They have loads of time to think about it later on.

Fabulous to get his favourite in JustHere!