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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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20newnames · 04/01/2022 18:35

@ExtremelyDetermined

I have found similar over the past year, that I have made a few mistakes that don't actually matter now because I have got to them before the final documents have been sent out to clients but have caused a fair bit of extra work to rectify once spotted. My life has been ultra busy supporting both DC with various issues and family matters. I am self-employed so at least I don't have to explain to anyone, the only consequence is my extra unpaid time to fix.

Don't be too hard on yourself, we have been spinning a lot of plates. And your new username shows you are no longer disorganised Smile

ZittiEBuoni · 04/01/2022 18:48

Don't feel bad ExtremelyDetermined, at least you weren't the person who ordered the wrong medication for her DD from the pharmacy today...

(That'd be me. And I'm blaming poor sleep due to chest infection.)

icanbewhatiwant · 04/01/2022 18:49

@OrangeCinnamonCocktail yes he was set on Sussex. I think he will still choose Sussex. Just looked and Lancaster is almost 6 hours away by car. Similar time by train. So I think that will put him off.

Ds's report was all good. He obviously participates in lessons better than he does in anything at home. Attainment and target grades were the same. Distinction star in business. B in history. B in philosophy/ethics/religion. I asked if he'd like to read it. He said no, he's not interested. He may well have read it already though. He loves to wind me up. I've found ignoring him the best. I'm not looking forward to the mouldy lunchbox tomorrow though.

ChristopherTracy · 04/01/2022 20:23

Page 3 already! As to how much revision - maybe 1-2 hours but only the set revision from school. I am trying not to stress it. I have agreed to some extra physics tutoring though.

crazycrofter · 04/01/2022 20:39

In desperation with year 11 ds, I agreed to pay him for revision over the summer (he had mocks first week back in Sept). He missed loads of online work in year 9 and 10 because of his ADHD, he struggles to concentrate on revision and he wasn’t motivated so I was clutching at straws - but the pay per hour worked really well! And he was very conscientious about not over charging, he set a timer and paused it when he had a break! So the approach has stuck!

Anyway, dd felt that this was a bit unfair and she was also ‘struggling with motivation’ (I don’t think she was really!) so I ended up paying her too for her Oct mocks 😩 and she apparently did 26 hours revision (at £3 an hour!) Not sure if that’s a lot or average. It was certainly more than ds managed but she admitted she wasn’t as strict as him with the timer.

Anyway, I’m not paying her for anymore revision - I never thought I’d do something like that but for A Levels it’s a bit ridiculous!

Zebracat · 04/01/2022 21:19

Oh crikey @crazycrofter you will be bankrupt at that rate! I’ve just read the draft history, and it’s really not bad, I’m pleasantly surprised. No idea what her teacher will say though.

EwwSprouts · 04/01/2022 22:02

Thanks for new thread @OrangeCinnamonCocktail Page 3 already!

@singingstones That list is amazing. It's fascinating to see all the journeys underway.

Back at work today and had a number of people off with Covid and then DH came home and said his counterpart has it.

Good luck to those going back to mocks.

Monkey2001 · 05/01/2022 00:35

Hello all, thanks @OrangeCinnamonCocktail and @singingstones. Hope the Covid impact on your life is manageable @JustHereWithMyPopcorn

Oblomov22 · 05/01/2022 08:07

Thanks Orange.

Oblomov22 · 05/01/2022 08:09

Nice list Singing. I too love a good list.

icanbewhatiwant · 05/01/2022 09:59

Ds2 has gone back this morning. He did a LFT before he left even though he's having one at school.

He started asking at me "where's my school bag?" at 8.30am which was the time he should leave. I told him it's where he left it. He knew I'd found it as I had retrieved the letter he apparently didn't have. I did tell him it was in the car. I also sat in his car for 10 mins thawing it out for him as it was thick ice. I know it isn't appreciated. Boys!

I think he was pleased to be going back really. He's there all day today. But only one lesson tomorrow and off Friday. So he will be eased back in gently.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 05/01/2022 11:37

DS2 just back from his school LFT and it's negative. I am also negative still. I'm keeping my fingers so tightly crossed that my circulation is cut off.

@icanbewhatiwant I have done this before with the car defrost. It's a safety thing that they just wont have had to think of before. DS1 has work today so I'll give a gentle reminder (car is parked in shadow so not defrosted) to get that cleared in good time.

crazycrofter · 05/01/2022 11:59

It’s a shock to the system isn’t it! There was snow on the car this morning 🥶 We pulled into the station car park just as the train was pulling in, so it was tight but dd made it! But from tomorrow we need to factor in ds too. It’s sooo hard getting them out of the door at 7.20!

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 05/01/2022 12:15

It snowed here for at least an hour or so yesterday @crazycrofter, bright but freezing today.

icanbewhatiwant · 05/01/2022 12:17

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn he'd probably drive off without being able to see out properly had I not done it. I suggested driving the long way to school on the main road. I walked the dogs along a part of the back roads earlier and it was very slippery. The car drivers are always oblivious as to how slippery it is. It's so nice to see the sun though. We've had dull, grey weather where I live for months. I much prefer cold and frosty to dull, damp and grey.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 05/01/2022 14:30

It has been miserable weather here all over Christmas, dark and wet every single day, its lovely to see a bit of sun! I actually bought myself a sun light lamps - one of those SAD ones - to try and lift me out of the winter slumps.

ExtremelyDetermined · 05/01/2022 14:38

I forgot to allow car-defrosting time this morning and I've been driving for 35 years Blush. I knew it was frosty too as I went out to the shed for something earlier. I normally drop DD at the station which is on my way to work and she walks from there (about a mile) but she asked to be dropped all the way in today so she wasn't cold before starting mocks in freezing cold rooms with all the windows open - got an email yesterday advising them to wear base layers. So we left 15 mins later than usual and I spent that 15 mins on the sofa MNing on my phone instead of de-icing the car. Luckily I had a can of de-icer to hand and it wasn't too thick so it only took a minute or two.

Fruitygal · 05/01/2022 15:02

Hi all,

Thanks @OrangeCinnamonCocktail and @singingstones for the new thread and updates.

DD back to online school today. Her teacher who was in hospital before Christmas with covid is still not back to health so phased return in late January.

To add to the list - My DD also York offer in November as AAB or ABB with EPQ. Still waiting on Durham.

Have a question for any mums who’ve had an older DC graduate - I’ve managed to calculate number of graduation photos wrong when ordered back in September. Only realised once I gave them out yo all grandparents and relatives etc Bought the digital copy (thank god) so now need to order a print 8 x 10 inches for us. Any recommendations on online companies to use or not use ?

ChristopherTracy · 05/01/2022 15:13

Snapfish absolutely fine and good pricing. Unless I have misunderstood the question!

Wheresthebeach · 05/01/2022 15:33

Contemplating the joys of driving DD to school during mocks as normally she catches the train...timetables seem up the swanny at the moment. Will keep frost in mind!

ExtremelyDetermined · 05/01/2022 16:37

I've said I will take DD all the way to school if she wants during mocks but she's back to drop off at the station afterwards, it's only a mile walk but it makes me half an hour later for work by setting off later and traffic around the school.

Piggywaspushed · 05/01/2022 16:53

Ooh, found you all! Rushing in belatedly! Thanks for the thread and the list.

No more news here.

icanbewhatiwant · 05/01/2022 17:07

Ds said they all did LFT's on arrival. He then sat with a lad chatting. That person had tested positive and told to go home, after Ds sat with him. I can't see us avoiding this much longer. Ds said to me...if I avoid covid again it'll be epic. Not quite sure what that means, but he's the only one in his friend group who hasn't had it, or knowingly anyway.

Wheresthebeach · 05/01/2022 17:46

Getting Covid does feel a bit inevitable these days. DD asthmatic and I'd really like it to pass her by.

Very stressful.

Heifer · 05/01/2022 17:47

Thanks for the thread and list :-)

After a Meh Christmas & New Year - we have some good news today. DD got another offer. York at BBB - so that has become her backup.

She is very happy with that - I say very happy, what I really mean is that she didn't moan about it. She is currently lying in bed tired, really tired. Not great on day 1 of term. I think she has done so little over Christmas & New Year that she is now over tired. She said she needed a complete break and that is what she had (apart from going out with friends once out of isolation). Her mocks were completed just before Christmas so she isn't behind with work/revision. I'm hoping a new term will get her back on track as she is definitely better with a routine. It's not really like her to do so little. She hasn't exercised for weeks. She has ortho tomorrow and is really hoping that her brace will finally come off (at least least only 1 more visit).

I am interested to read how many school did staggered return v all in for bun fight. DDs school did staggered Wed - Fri. SO many parents on social media are in uproar about it and that other schools on the Wirral aren't staggered so why us etc. I think it's a great idea. DD only mixed with people from her form before being tested and getting told if positive or not (only positive got told there and then). Each form had a different time slot to enter school and get tested. Other schools must have all be in together milling around the corridors etc which seems to odd to me.