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

Fingers crossed for the Cambridge candidates.

Congrats PP that's lovely.
Commiserations CT neither of my step kids passed first time, nor did I. Irritating but fingers crossed for the next time.

Best of luck to the Cambridge crowd.

Good luck to the Cambridge candidates. Congratulations and commiserations on the driving tests.

sorry I missed the driving tests near passes (my fault for trying to catch up too quickly).

Congratulations to your DD @PaddingtonPaddington, totally agree about the black box. We ended up going with it as DS's insurance was £1800+ without it and around £950 with it. I absolutely hate it, it is so inaccurate and penalises for night time driving in the afternoon and driving in urban areas when he only drives where we live - same urban area, if you can call a busy village an urban area.

For those of you happy with the black box can I ask which insurer you're with? I won't be staying with this one but a reliable one I wouldn't mind so much.

Good luck to the Cambridge crew today!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn

We found directline good but it did seem to dislike some particular roads we couldn’t avoid. Otherwise the app was good and the scoring seemed sensible and fair.

DS also had the Hastings direct one which was not good. It seemed to penalise absolutely everything and particularly any jour yes after 10pm which is difficult with a teenager. His driving was not great but not as bad as the score would indicate.

@22newnames thanks for that info, we're with RAC and it is genuinely awful. I am under no illusions that a teenage boy is a perfect driver but it gives him zero for braking every single day when I have been in the car with him and he's driving well (no harsh braking). Night time driving deductions for driving at 4.30pm and as mentioned the urban driving thing which is mad. So frustrating.

Stupid question: but what exactly do the black boxes do??

It’s a no from Cambridge here. DD is ok, she would be ringing me from school. But she does move on quickly, just feel for her keeping the ok face up all day.

So looks like I’m looking for flights to Montreal to suss it out!

No here too. I am at work so can't give him a cuddle but I'm sure he's fine. All that effort for no reward.

Sorry to hear that @ealingwestmum. Montreal sounds very exciting though!

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn It's good to know which ones are awful isn't it and very difficult to get sensible reviews online to compare them.

Sorry for your DS too @Piggywaspushed

Ahh commiserations @Piggywaspushed and @ealingwestmum

Sorry to read that @ealingwestmum @Piggywaspushed, as you say, it's a long hard slog. I really hope your DD & DS get offers for their next favourite if they haven't already.

Not too long before you can see them and give them a hug (if allowed) :-) Favourite takeaway to commiserate?

To be honest, I am not sure the HSPS course is best fit for DS anyway. He is much more social policy inclined so Bath, York, Birmingham are all more inspiring sounding. I think he would have liked college life and that side of things. But never mind.

I will buy him cupcakes or something on way home!

Sorry to hear @Piggywaspushed and @ealingwestmum. No news here. I think emails from college DS has applied to were slowest out last year. Long day…glad am at work this pm.

Ah I'm sorry to hear the nos from Cambridge @Piggywaspushed and @ealingwestmum, I am sure they will find a place where they will thrive and be happy.

@Isthisjustnormal they are a device fixed to your car battery that is suppose to monitor your driving and give you scores for things like speeding, braking harshly, accelerating to fast, urban driving and night time driving. All of these things are BAD. Some black boxes have difficulty in being accurate..

So sorry for the no’s @Piggywaspushed & @ealingwestmum. Such a hideous long process for them, but on a positive it sounds like their other options could actually end up being even better suited to them. Virtual hugs all round

Sorry to hear that Piggy and Ealingwest. The Cambridge policy of interviewing more candidates compared to Oxford means a lot more rejections at the end. Glad they are both OK with it. DS1 realised he would have struggled with the intensity of Cambridge although would have loved the lifestyle. Now very happy at St Andrews.

Sorry to hear about the rejections @Piggywaspushed and @ealingwestmum. It’s such a lot of extra work to go through for no reward, but I’m sure the experience will have helped them in various ways. And they may well have a better work/life balance wherever they end up. My brother went to Oxbridge and he was worked so hard!

@Piggywaspushed @ealingwestmum
Sorry to hear your news about Cambridge. Its such a lottery in many ways. I'm sure they will be very happy with other choices but its hard the first few days.

DS got an offer for history at Downing. Bit flabbergasted to be honest

Oh wow @estherfrewen that’s brilliant news. Huge congratulations 🥳