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

[OrangeCinnamonCocktail]

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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.

Like Determined, I've suddenly noticed that I haven't done things I've been doing for years at work.
I think I'd underestimated what a toll supporting Ds through all the extra accountancy applications had had on me.
My plate spinning has had a couple of Greek tragedies.

That's a fabulous offer, Heifer.
No staggered return here, but that's probably because it's an indie. No LFT s given out at the end of last term, so I wonder how many will return without doing them?

It’s definitely feeling like a hard stage of parenting isn’t it, especially having GCSE and A Level at the same time. Plus dh has a new job as a minister, so that involves me too and we’re trying to get our house painted and sorted ready for moving. I’m so glad I left my stressful job a couple of years ago, even if I’m working full time now instead of part time. I’m not sure how I’d cope otherwise!

I drove ds into school every day before Christmas for his mocks and it was exhausting! His school is only 7 miles away but in city traffic it’s 30-45 mins and then 30 mins back.

Well done on dd’s York offer @heifer that’s brilliant! Hope her energy levels pick up. Both mine have gone back to the gym today after nearly 2 weeks off.

@Heifer Ds2 went back today. Ds3 (yr 8) is back next weds. Parents on Facebook are complaining. Saying they need to return to work and it's not on, they said they will send them in today anyway. I bet they didn't though. I think the majority of year 7's and 8's can be left home alone, it's only a few days. I know there will be exceptions. I think there will be something online for them to do as well.

Ds2 came home from school happy, definitely good to get him back to school, he enjoys the social side more than the work.

He has cashed his CTF in today and invested into an isa with a share company. He didn't have much money as I didn't add to it and only put in a savings account. He's convinced he's going to get rich quickly. If it does well he will put more in. He has more money in the building society that I've saved. He'd like to invest that too. But I won't let him. I don't trust shares enough.

@crazycrofter we are just under 7 miles away. Countryside living has its benefits, it takes about 10 mins.

@Heifer What a fab offer from York!

All quiet here before back to school tomorrow.

@icanbewhatiwant that’s crazy - it’s 7.5 miles and even at this time of day google maps tells me it’s 25 mins. On the flip side, there are numerous ways to get there on public transport, using bus/train/tram. We’re moving to the countryside soon so I’ll be able to tell you which I prefer!

ED that's one part of winter I hate - being caught out by the frosts. I have one of those silver car windscreen covers but they only work if I actually check the weather and put it on 😂

ICanbe fingers crossed your DS does it again then DH is in same position having missed getting it by being a close contact at least 3 times.

Great news on the offers Fruity and Heifer.

DD's interview seemed to go well today. She had a wobble as re read a task she had to prepare and realised she'd read it completely wrong but with 30mins til Teams meeting starting she had to keep the original idea instead but it worked well and they seemed impressed. Not sure how they can choose who they want from an online interview with 40+ students who they splinter off into smaller break out rooms and do group interviews as well as individual. So hard to tell how you are from a screen by she should hear by Monday. It's her highest grade choice Uni. She then has another one in person on Tuesday and another on Wednesday next week then two more the weeks after that.
She literally finished her interview at 3.40 then changed quickly and I took her to work so a busy day. 1st day back at school today missed so tomorrow first day back. Better get her to LFT as she missed doing the school one.

What a fabulous offer @Heifer !!!the best from York for Biology I’ve heard of - all others are either AAB or ABB! Fabulous ! I’m sure your DD will get her mojo back very soon - if she had covid she’ll potentially get fatigue for a few weeks - seems fairly common with DD friends.

Sounds pretty demanding for your DD @AnneOfCleavage when will she hear back ?

@Wheresthebeach managed to avoid covid for 4/5 of us here and still go to gigs, parties, theatre and see friends etc Organised FFP3 masks as better protection for the big kids as we have one with asthma

@ChristopherTracy thanks for that x

Well done to your dd @AnneOfCleavage for getting through her first interview! Hope the rest of them go well.

@AnneOfCleavage - I'd forgotten, I've got one of those silver covers too but it's buried in the boot under a mountain of stuff for the charity shop / tip when I get round to it when I can no longer get the boot shut. I mainly use it in summer as our car park at work is a suntrap, sometimes the car reads 39C when I get in and this stops the interior getting quite so hot. Well done to DD.

I have been looking into disability support now. Scanning and organising DS's more recent documents etc. A couple of the unis have been in touch to ask for info. I know it's important but it's so depressing having to do this stuff year in year out.

Re general brain fog / forgetting stuff at work / how hard is this phase etc. I do think it doesn't help that in many of our cases we are probably peri / menopausal. I talked to some of my colleagues about streamlining systems to make it easier to keep track of everything that needs doing. Some women of a similar age to me were nodding away and we had a chat about it after the men had gone, they get it too.

A few years ago I was talking to a relative whose DC are about 5 years older than my two about age gaps, I was saying that 2 years had been fine so far. She said - you wait till you get to the year of GCSEs and A levels at the same time. She was right.

Thanks Fruity and crazycrofter. She should hear on Monday I believe. She's just got an email from the Uni interview for next week and it is even more involved and involves maths and English tests and more presentations which she's not allowed to prepare for So many documents to bring and proof of who she is etc. it's putting her off the Uni to be honest and it's 5-6 hrs that she'll be there for Then she has another one the next day too so she'll be shattered and it'll be only be half way through the school week.

Great offer from York Heifer, they must have been very impressed with her application. And well done to Anne DD, that's a pretty heavy schedule of interviews coming up, hope they continue to go well and result in lots of lovely offers.

The GCSE / A level combo is a killer. I have to be careful not to overlook DD who I know will get on with things and do well. She still needs support despite being more of a self-starter than DS. As we are in Wales with AS exams, plus their school takes some GCSEs in Y10, this is the 4th out of 6 consecutive years where one or both of them have public exams

DD had her "interview" for sixth form college on the phone today, she now has a place if she wants it, pending GCSE results. Hoping to go to an open day there in Feb.

@ExtremelyDetermined I can imaging it hard having them 2 school years apart for exam years. Even worse with covid. My oldest 2 could have been 2 school years apart had they been born different months (but same age gap) Ds1 is an early summer birthday. Ds2 November. So 3 school years, thankfully.

Well done to @Heifer on the York offer! DS loved it there but sadly the course angles away from his interests.

That interview process sounds exhausting @AnneOfCleavage. Good luck to your DD.

DS had a day of remote school today but is back in tomorrow. He has his LFT at lunchtime after he has sat in class all morning

PS this in 20 with a slightly new name!

Congratulations @Heifer!

Great York offer @Heifer!

Thanks all re York, DD is chuffed with your comments :-) It does seem a very good offer, as no stipulations, didn't even mention having to get a B in core Maths! Literally BBB with Biology and a 2nd Science or Maths and Science Practical passed if taken.

Good luck with the interviews @AnneOfCleavage sounds like she is doing great.

Good luck with Mocks all. DH drove DD to school when she had mocks as seems a small thing to do (if you can) to help.

Great offers @Heifer @Fruitygal Gosh that sounds full on @AnneOfCleavage. Best of luck to your DD.

DD got a response from Southampton with a link to book an open day so that's a relief. Strange she had to chase it though.

@Fruitygal - I agree about the masks...sadly DD is really fussy and doesn't like the 'proper' ones. I've rather lost that battle.

Congratulations on the great offer @Heifer, maybe the person making offers is a hockey player and wants to recruit her talent?! More likely that they want to dilute the private/southern proportion of students with strong northern candidates, but either way it looks like a great offer.

@AnneOfCleavage that sounds like a very tough few weeks ahead, but great that they get a decision so quickly. Hope she feels encouraged as the offers start to come in. DS had Manchester interview 14th Dec and will have Newcastle next week, but won't hear back until March on either of them. At least Newcastle I'd only a 30 min interview though, trying to do a 5-6 hour assessment day on line sounds crazy!