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Further education

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

Original poster

Thread 28 - Corona Cohort Awaiting Offers, Advance Notice, Gap Years and New Jobs

999 replies

OrangeCinnamonCroissant · 07/02/2022 19:35

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 27 Here

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15
Zandathepanda · 08/02/2022 15:28

Does anyone know what happens if they have covid when it’s exam time? Do you think they’ll be false positives or negatives to get out of them if they have banked good grades/ do them when they are positive if they chance they can get better? Just wondered as a few here pulled out of mocks but also school has just had a big ‘do’ where lots seem to suddenly test negative 2 days running just before (at least 2 were lying as they were bragging and were found out).

22Newnames · 08/02/2022 15:59

Yey, DS finally has another offer - Nottingham AAB which will probably be his insurance if he gets an offer from Bath, Durham or Warwick! It is for the BEng rather than the MEng as he wanted an insurance but the first two years are the same at Nottingham and you can easily swap across if grades are good enough.

Just happy to have another one in the bag.

Let's hope the other three let us know in the next month or so, and don't wait until the May deadline!

Monkey2001 · 08/02/2022 16:00

@Zandathepanda

Does anyone know what happens if they have covid when it’s exam time? Do you think they’ll be false positives or negatives to get out of them if they have banked good grades/ do them when they are positive if they chance they can get better? Just wondered as a few here pulled out of mocks but also school has just had a big ‘do’ where lots seem to suddenly test negative 2 days running just before (at least 2 were lying as they were bragging and were found out).
My understanding is that there should be at least a week between each paper for each subject so that people can't miss more than half the exams for a subject. I would have thought it was very likely that a load of people might want to test positive for the paper they don't like! People who don't like applied maths could contract Covid after the other exams are over! I assume the exam boards extrapolate a score based on the content you managed to sit.
Shimy · 08/02/2022 16:06

Great news @mummyinbeds.

Thank you @OrangeCinnamonCroissant for the new thread.

We're still waiting on Bath.

Nard75 · 08/02/2022 16:23

Regarding positive tests during exam time haven't the government now said that from mid March even if you test positive there will be no requirement for you to self isolate unless you are feeling unwell. A lot of people are testing positive now but aren't feeling ill or don't even know they had it.

icanbewhatiwant · 08/02/2022 16:35

@Nard75 yes I understood self isolating is ending in March. So they'd only miss an exam if they are actually too ill to take it. Surely that must've happened pre covid anyway. Though obviously if covid is still about there May be a lot more off poorly.

ChristopherTracy · 08/02/2022 16:56

well done @22Newnames see you at the offer day on sat of half term!

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 08/02/2022 17:01

@icanbewhatiwantit's hard to know what to do isn't it? The only reason I took him is a lot of pupils in his Biology class have come down with it, including the boy he sits next to so I thought it better to check. I'd rather he was home while he's feeling unwell anyway, whatever the result of the PCR.

icanbewhatiwant · 08/02/2022 17:17

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn yes. Ds3 doesn't know anyone off with covid. If we'd known people with it I'd have definitely taken him for a test like you did.

Wheresthebeach · 08/02/2022 17:20

22 Great to have another offer. Its a bit pants that so many are waiting for offers still. I guess the uni's are sifting through all applications making offers all at once after they've reviewed them. Be nice if they'd at least give indications of timings.

Re: Covid. It may be a nightmare for some kids, but as they are out of school during exams I think it will spread less. Vital to be well before exams start I'd think. Wonder if they will bring in another booster?

School have emailed saying they will update parents and schools about the advice as and when they have a greater understanding. I think that's code for 'please don't ask us anything as we don't know either'.

22Newnames · 08/02/2022 17:27

Thanks! @ChristopherTracy. DS has not made me aware of an offer day!! Is it on 19th? I hope so as can’t do 12th. I have asked him to look.

Oblomov22 · 08/02/2022 17:29

Ds's school is bare of friends and nearly all his teachers, because loads have covid. And 2 of my friends text today that say their dc have it aswell.

Oblomov22 · 08/02/2022 17:30

Well done on Nottingham offer newnames.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 08/02/2022 18:04

@mummyinbeds

Hi *@JustHereWithMyPopcorn* yes it was a massive relief apart from the Spanish. I need to get DS to call Nottingham to make sure it's a typo and he hasn't got to learn a new language in three months.

Did your DS get an invitation to an Offer day? I'm not sure I'll manage to drag DS there again - I might take DD and pretend she's DS just so I can go and see what I missed out on when they rejected me 30+ years ago. I'm still bitter 🤣

Haha, yes Spanish might be a bit tricky if he's only studying French!!

Yes DS got an invitation to the open day a little while back, we're going next week. Don't forget to war you MN scarf with a packet of Pom Bears in hand so I can recognise you if you do come!! Grin

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 08/02/2022 18:06

Congrats on the Notts offer @22Newnames! I'm getting quite envious of everyone getting all their responses, I keep checking UCAS even thought I know they'll email DS first. It's a sad life!

22Newnames · 08/02/2022 18:09

Thanks @JustHereWithMyPopcorn. We are still waiting for 3 so I fully understand the frustration.

Piggywaspushed · 08/02/2022 18:15

DS has eventually admitted that his rank order of unis is influenced by the 'ooo' factor : so how impressed people seem to be...

This seems to go Bath, Birmingham, York, Sheffield. This isn't my 'ooooo' order so we may never resolve this!!

Besides which he seems to have foolishly omitted applying to Bristol, Durham, Edinburgh , Warwick and St Andrews for the ooooos.... Grin

BlueMarigold · 08/02/2022 18:23

What would your order be @Piggywaspushed?

Fruitygal · 08/02/2022 18:31

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn work in research - team next door is covid research - symptoms are out of date by 3 variants - most symptoms these days are bad headache, fatigue, aches and pains, runny nose and in little kids tummy issues. Continue to be careful with asthmatic teens as it can bring on severe asthma attacks. Make sure they are using preventers to stop asthma getting out of control.

ChristopherTracy · 08/02/2022 18:34

@22Newnames we are going to the one on the 19th feb as a lot of the others were on a school day which we cant do. There are others though. They will send him an email but you can email them to speed it up (we did!)

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 08/02/2022 18:50

Thanks @Fruitygal, how hard can it be to updated the nhs website!

Piggywaspushed · 08/02/2022 18:51

@BlueMarigold

What would your order be *@Piggywaspushed*?
Probably York, Bath , Birmingham ; Sheffield!

Think one and two are interchangeable.

Piggywaspushed · 08/02/2022 18:52

[quote Fruitygal]@JustHereWithMyPopcorn work in research - team next door is covid research - symptoms are out of date by 3 variants - most symptoms these days are bad headache, fatigue, aches and pains, runny nose and in little kids tummy issues. Continue to be careful with asthmatic teens as it can bring on severe asthma attacks. Make sure they are using preventers to stop asthma getting out of control.[/quote]
Stomach issues were always an unspoken of issue with Delta too.

Piggywaspushed · 08/02/2022 18:55

@Nard75

Regarding positive tests during exam time haven't the government now said that from mid March even if you test positive there will be no requirement for you to self isolate unless you are feeling unwell. A lot of people are testing positive now but aren't feeling ill or don't even know they had it.
This hasn't actually been announced. As a teacher, I'd hope my union would have something to say about this...

To be completely honest , I genuinely don't know anyone who hasn't felt unwell but I can imagine the definition of 'unwell' would be different for many if they had a life changing exam that day...

22Newnames · 08/02/2022 18:59

Thanks @ChristopherTracy. He said there was something generic about open days but he expects to be emailed an invite to one.

We have had a quick look at the programme and he and DH have already been, seen some accommodation, sports facilities and a basic tour. The only thing they would really be interested would be the subject specific talks.

Accommodation seems pointless as it will have opened way before DS has heard from his other choices. It’s also unlikely to be his firm so if he ends up there it’ll be a scramble for accommodation no doubt. (Nottingham is the only place he has applied for BEng rather than MEng, so that it is lower grades for insurance purposes).