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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Thread 26 - Covid Cohort Hoping for a Stable, Successful 2022

999 replies

OrangeCinnamonCocktail · 04/01/2022 08:35

previous thread

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.

OP posts:
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Oblomov22 · 08/01/2022 08:59

Do you Beach? I'm still hoping that exams will happen and think they will.

Monkey2001 · 08/01/2022 09:10

Congratulations ED

@singingstones the school really should not be doing the same subject on different days if they might count, it is a natural consequence that students will use that information if they can! DS said a bit sadly to be that the thing which worries him about TAGs is that some people are better at getting hold of locked papers than others, which can distort the results.

He doesn't think they will finish the syllabus in any subjects, so it will be interesting to see what guidance comes out 7th Feb.

I agree that the government is likely to resist TAGs from a political position, although I think they would be fairer than exams and will turn out some shocking results unless there is some sort of uplift for schools most badly affected by pandemic. Maybe if schools start going on line due to Omicron they will re-think, but I am back to expecting real exams.

Heifer · 08/01/2022 09:33

Thanks @icanbewhatiwant. Strangly I can now see the pic on my original post on PC too now.

Well done on the offer @ExtremelyDetermined I love Bournemouth, many childhood memories from there.

DD got her final offer from Loughborough AAB (as expected) so a full house now.

She went to an 18th Party last night and stayed over at friends, now have to go and collect her and take her to play hockey in Wrexham (1 hr away). It's a really horrible day here so guessing it's the same in Wrexham. To make it worse I need to film her for PE, so that's cold and wet hands for me.

Hope you are all doing something for you this weekend? fun to be had?

Seeline · 08/01/2022 09:37

I asked DD about biology. Apparently they have one topic in module 5 left and about 2/3rds of module 6. They taught themselves the first third over the summer.

ExtremelyDetermined · 08/01/2022 10:25

Thanks all re Bournemouth offer. The reality of this is starting to hit home now and I am feeling kind of unsettled, I think DS is the same. For me, the fact that I could have both leaving their schools for pastures new at the same time this summer feels like a lot to deal with, although DD would only be going to college locally. I have a lot of friends locally with DCs in the same two years so we will all be in the same boat but I do think the SENs both mine have add a whole extra dimension, especially for DS.

DS is still very undecided on history vs countryside management options but now the offers are coming in with all the emails urging him to firm up and book accommodation he is feeling quite pressured, I actually hope the 5th uni take their time to give him thinking space.

crazycrofter · 08/01/2022 10:30

Good news @ExtremelyDetermined but I understand feeling daunted. I’ll have two moving too and we’re also hopefully moving house/areas. I think the latter move is at the front of my mind now so I’m not thinking too much about the others!

Dd is feeling quite anxious about offer holder days. We’ve booked them for mid Feb to mid March at two week intervals so that puts off any decision making until at least the end of March.

Hearing about all the unfinished courses (I’ve no idea about my two) makes me think surely they won’t do exams?! But are they holding off announcing it so that schools do their best to cover the content? So as not to store up problems at the next stage?

Wheresthebeach · 08/01/2022 10:39

Oblomov only because DD is getting so stressed about Chemistry. She's comfortable with Geo and Biology but prone to getting panicky and brain freeze. So I do worry about it being 'all or nothing' as it were. I'm Canadian and in my day grades were always a mix of coursework and end of year exams - which seems fairer to me.

All her teachers are saying they think TAGs but I don't think they have any info - just their opinions.

DD has been keen on exams one day as it makes it 'real', and then not the next as no GCSE experience to pull on. I do think with all the absences that the grade boundaries may be tricky if they do go ahead. Level of absences are going to be an issue.

Wheresthebeach · 08/01/2022 10:40

Congrats on the offer @Heifer. I know a couple of kids at Loughborough and they seem to love it.

ExtremelyDetermined · 08/01/2022 10:41

You have got a lot on @crazycrofter! I need to look at the dates for offer holder days this weekend, we got a bit overwhelmed doing too many back to back open days but I do think it might be needed for DS in his decision making.

Yes, the exam thing is unsettling. DS is doing two BTECs and they always seem to be bottom of the DfE priority list for announcements. I'm not sure how they are both doing re finishing courses, but both have parents evenings coming up so might find out more then.

crazycrofter · 08/01/2022 10:49

Great to have that final offer in @Heifer. Does she have any idea which are her favourites?

ealingwestmum · 08/01/2022 11:02

Full house Heifer and well done of to your DS on his offer ED. Just work through everything step by step to try and manage the feeling of being overwhelmed. Easier said than done I know.

ExtremelyDetermined · 08/01/2022 11:28

Missed that about the offer @Heifer, congratulations. DH went to Loughborough and loved it. DS will be playing hockey in the rain today too, luckily my duties are confined to giving lifts (it's a home match so not far, he'd go under his own steam if it was dry).

cariadambyth · 08/01/2022 11:56

Congratulations on the full house @heifer.
DD’s school are saying giving mixed messages about their exam thoughts, on the one hand saying how hugely important mocks are and on the other that they are still assuming exams will happen in the summer. I suppose the long and the short of it is that nobody knows! We’ll just have to wait and see which is proving very stressful for our dc.
We went to ds’s appointment and it has thrown up more questions than answers so more tests needed but one possibility they’re considering is long Covid.

NCTDN · 08/01/2022 12:02

@crazycrofter where have you got offer holder days for? We've only heard from Bristol.

sofakingcool · 08/01/2022 12:03

[quote NCTDN]@crazycrofter where have you got offer holder days for? We've only heard from Bristol. [/quote]
Have you heard from Bristol as your child has firmed? Or is Bristol offering all offer holders a place on the day?

sofakingcool · 08/01/2022 12:03

First born, feels like such a minefield, and he's rubbish at admin! I'm worried he's missing emails...

crazycrofter · 08/01/2022 12:12

@NCTDN Nottingham, Southampton and York. She has an offer from Manchester but it looks like their offer holder days are online.

NCTDN · 08/01/2022 12:59

@sofakingcool she's got an offer but not confirmed any so assume it's for all. Are they course specific days?

NCTDN · 08/01/2022 12:59

@crazycrofter dd has an offer from Manchester but not heard about offer holder days, online or otherwise.

singingstones · 08/01/2022 13:38

I completely agree Monkey and it seems to happen every time. As far as I know they have not been told that this test will count. Last year for AS the school put on assessments in April and May that replaced proper exams. Still annoyed at DS's attitude though!
Must remember to ask him about offer holder days..

EwwSprouts · 08/01/2022 13:42

@Heifer Well done on a full house of biology offers! No hockey here today which is a relief as it is pouring down....and DS went to an 18th last night.

@ExtremelyDetermined Nice Bournemouth offer! Good to have a desirable fall back.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 08/01/2022 14:08

Well done on the offers, we’re still waiting for three who have all said that no decisions will be made until after UCAS deadline at the end of Jan. No idea how long it will then take them to decide.

I am shocked to hear that schools are telling pupils to learn their Biology A level content in their own time/holidays. It’s not easy stuff and I imagine most, like DS, benefit hugely from having someone actually teach them. Out head of a biology told me last term they are should be hearing soon what content is going to be omitted from the syllabus - I hope it’s the stuff they haven’t done yet!

Monkey2001 · 08/01/2022 15:36

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn the boards are supposed to release info about what will be in the papers by 7th Feb

Seeline · 08/01/2022 15:41

Offer holder days are usually a specific invite to the individual. Keep an eye on emails. DD has only had an invite from Nottingham so far. UEA said they would email details later.

I had the GCSE/A level double two years ago. It was weird having one changing school for 6th form and one off to uni at the same time when neither had done anything much since the previous March.

Delphigirl · 08/01/2022 17:23

Ooooh just checking the Dalhousie application site - it now says “Accepted”! I’m so pleased! I need DS to get out of the bath and find the email they will have sent him to find out whether it is conditional at all…