Thread 27 Covid Cohort Snow or Like Spring? Let's Do This Thing!

[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 found here

Re improving grades from mocks, crazy and Monkey, it’s so hard to know, isn’t it, because they never got the chance to see how that might have worked with GCSE exams.

I was all for DD taking a pint with an ambitious uni first choice initially, but now I’m worried about the affect missing out on her first and insurance choices might have on her MH, not to mention the scramble for accommodation etc.
Part of me thinks it would be less stressful to lower her sights now and only go through clearing/adjustment if she does better than expected - that feels like a win-win.

I’ve got no idea how her mocks have been examined or marked, so no way of knowing whether her predicted grades are attainable in light of them. The SENCO told her that if she’s within 2 grades of what she needs, she’s in the right place, but 2 grades sounds like a mountain to climb to me.

Hi Guys.
Can I come back on this thread after a long hiatus and a series of unfortunate events 😂
DS has finally applied on UCAS a couple of days ago and has had one offer but forgot to put down he has dyslexia and ADHD. So he's now added this to his application. Is this a good thing to do? I told him to do this in the hope his offers will be lower but I'm definitely not an expert in these matters.

I'm looking at Warwick, UCL and York.

Get well soon @Zebracat

I think improving grades between mocks and exams is quite common. I seem to recall (pre Covid) that going up a grade was 'expected'. For DD the issue is Chemistry. Her school are confident that she'll really improve - which makes some sense as they are finishing the course in Feb so after that its all revision and exam practice.
@Fferny1 - DD is dyslexic (really very dyslexic). We found that all offers came in as standard, then Plymouth and Portsmouth asked for her Ed Phyc reports (post 16) and lowered her offers. We emailed Swansea the report and a request to have a points, not grades offer, and they've converted it to points, and lowered her offer too. No move from Southampton or Liverpool, so from our experience the RG uni's don't take it into account.

Welcome back, Fferny1!

DD put that she had ADHD on her application and one of her 2 current offers was reduced by 2 grades, from BBB to BCC because of that (Reading uni).

It will say on the uni website whether they take into account learning disabilities when making offers - Reading is the only one of DD’s choices that does.

Welcome back @Fferny1. DS did put his SENs on the UCAS form, but in addition we looked at all the different uni websites, the only one he has had a reduced offer from is Bournemouth - if that is one on DS's list they have a separate form called AccessBU which he should fill in and submit. DS nearly applied to Reading and they do seem generous with the breadth of eligibility for contextual offers. Have you looked into applying for DSA (disabled students allowance)?

The whole thing of how recent are your diagnoses/assessments is another issue for us. DS hasn't had an Ed.Psych assessment since year 5 and was diagnosed in year 3, but he has had an EHCP since y6 and is in receipt of PIP. I am hoping to get away with not spending £££ on yet another assessment but accept that I will probably need to at least get a GP letter to support all this for DSA. I will need to see for DD (y11, dyslexic) too, she had a formal assessment to support her GCSE extra time but not sure if it will hold for unis/DSA.

Thanks @alwaysplayedpiccolo & @extremelydetermined. It's nice to have the headspace to actually consider Ds1s needs after the last few months worry.

DS has applied to:
Aberystwyth
Bangor
Oxford Brooks
Surrey - 2 courses.

For Sports Science. I've been looking on the websites but I'm not finding any useful information. Aberystwyth's offer is at the higher end of the points range. So I'm debating phoning them up to see if ADHD ( pretty severe) & dyslexia are considered mitigating factors for a lower offer.

Definitely worth phoning the admissions departments, I know some would say the student should call themselves but having the SENs may make it harder for them (it does for my DS) so I always start with "I'm calling on behalf of my son who has a learning disability which makes telephone calls difficult and has applied for XYZ". If it's a general enquiry there isn't an issue with privacy, I've never been asked for his name.

@Fferny1

Thanks *@alwaysplayedpiccolo & @extremelydetermined*. It's nice to have the headspace to actually consider Ds1s needs after the last few months worry.

DS has applied to:
Aberystwyth
Bangor
Oxford Brooks
Surrey - 2 courses.

For Sports Science. I've been looking on the websites but I'm not finding any useful information. Aberystwyth's offer is at the higher end of the points range. So I'm debating phoning them up to see if ADHD ( pretty severe) & dyslexia are considered mitigating factors for a lower offer.

Do Aberystwyth still do their scholarship thing? They did an exam and reduced offers a few years back . Basically the exam was lip service as everyone got a reduced offer.

That’s really useful to know, thanks, Extremely. We’ve been thinking about contacting Birmingham on DD’s behalf, because there’s an issue with her offer holder day and no-one is replying to her emails. We were worried that the uni might take a dim view of parents getting involved in their DC’s behalf, but the angle you’ve told it from is perfectly reasonable, given that the SEN issue does make things harder for DD.

@piggy yes it is! 🙏🙏
The closing date is the 22nd of February.
I've looked up the papers ds1 would do.
They look ok to me.
Now to persuade Ds...

@Alsoplayspiccolo

beggsie, we’re still waiting for Kings…and RHUL…and Southampton.

Thanks - I'll stop being impatient (for now....)!

We're still waiting for RHUL too.

With regard to the parents speaking for their children, there was a permission tick box on the UCAS form where the student could give consent for the unis to speak to their parent. If that has been ticked you should be able to speak on their behalf whenever needed, without that they can only speak to you about general things. So something general along the lines of "they have SENs, is there someone we can send reports to" should be fine. The specifics of that students needs would need consent under data protection.

Some of DS's unis did ask us to send them in and I haven't done it yet. The older he gets the less I like sharing all his information but I know its important.

Another fast moving thread! Congratulations to those who have had good news and, to those who have had bad news, I’m sorry and hope everyone bounces back quickly and isn’t too despondent.
No news here but we have booked a couple of offer holder days, one next month, the other in March.

@kiwiandcherries how did your DD do at her interview today?

DD's last interview of 5 went well. She was not in the mood at all and was a bit quiet on the drive up however once there she got chatting to some of the other applicants and went off to her interview. Had a group one, a writing task and then a smaller group interview. Apparently her and the other two girls were grouped up and got interviewed first as their application was the strongest they said and the interviewer actually said they'd all be offered a place so we are just waiting for the grade ask now. We are very relieved it's done now so on to mocks.

Watching Encanto as a treat after a busy month of interviews. Not seen it before. Cannot wait as we love the songs.

@AnneOfCleavage her interview today went well thank you, a quick and easy online one! But it wasn't one of her top choices so she was quite relaxed.

Glad to hear that all went well today and that your daughter got such great feedback. It must be lovely to know that they are out of the way now. Are you close to knowing which will be her firm and insurance choices?

We just have one more to hear from now and we really hope that it will be soon! 🤞🏻

DS got 84 % in his economics mock so that's nice for him.

@Piggywaspushed Well done to him! And sorry to hear about his and others disappointments yesterday. One of my mentees applied for the same Cambridge course as your Ds & was also unsuccessful.

Hopefully now that the UCAS deadline has passed remaining offers will start to come through.

I don't think HSPS had a high success rate!

Don’t know if it’s true but someone said to me today that there are 20% less places overall this year (across all unis) due to the number of deferrals from previous years.

@estherfrewen

Thanks everyone. His friends at school who didn’t get Oxford or Cambridge all seem to have got Durham so are very happy. Always popular choice where we are as not that far away. DS has decided Lancaster for second choice as really liked it there.

@KingscoteStaff - can’t help but think Nicola wouldn’t approve of picking Cambridge over Oxford….!

Does that mean lots of people have heard from Durham?

DS apparently got a B in his physics mock. That will do! His coursework is like treacle still but I am trying to appreciate the good news!

NCTDN I know the grand total of one person applying to Durham so probably not that helpful but she got an offer on Monday for Chemistry.

DS's school have not had a good Oxbridge year, 0 offers when usually they get 5 or 6

I'm proofreading his Welsh Bacc project tonight, an EPQ type thing. Let's just say he made a good decision not to study any essay subjects for A level

DS reports only 1 of 6 got a Cambridge offer at his school. Usually do better. Don't think they got more from Oxford.

No Durham offers. DS plus 3 friends (may be others?) have applied. 3 still waiting incl an early applicant and 1 rejection received.

AnneofC and Kiwi lovely to hear positive news of interviews.

Piggy hope that he takes that as evidence he is still an exceptional student with fabulous prospects.