Thread 29 - Covid Cohort - Whirlwinds and Waiting

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

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 28

It makes so much sense for the gym to be free for their health (both physical and mental) as long as everyone is not just paying an extra £200. Whether they can afford sports/gym should not be a question for any student.

I think its fab that gym membership is included.

Got to admit to be impressed it's free too - shows a level of caring?

DD had a wobble last night and said she didn't think she wanted Nottingham after all! I can't keep up :-) I am sure it's because she doesn't know anyone who is going there, everyone here seems to be going to Manchester this year (obviously not everyone but a high number). We chatted and I mentioned the reasons she was so keen on Nottingham in the 1st place and she finished by saying ok I will pick them then. But I am worried I talked her around, I don't want it to be my decision.

Oh dear @heifer they’re so up and down aren’t they! At DD’s school everyone seems to be going to Liverpool! She had been talking about looking at Manchester but yesterday she said maybe it’s too big a city, even though she’s used to Birmingham. Has your dd actually firmed Nottingham yet?

It's funny how it's so regional/ school type isn't it? No one I have taught has ever gone to Manchester, to my knowledge and I only know of one Liverpool person - and he got in on a late application got a first in the end and a prize so the boy done good).

Loads of ours go to Nottingham , although , in my artsy/ soc sci end of the universe, Nottingham and NTU are being a bit supplanted by Lincoln.

@crazycrofter

www.nottingham.ac.uk/sport/membership/studentsportsmembership.aspx

@justherewithmypopcorn Have a look half way down - from 2022/23. Maybe I’m mid-reading it?

Your definitely reading it correctly, that's brilliant! You'd think they'd tell gym staff, especially on offer holder days!!

@crazycrofter @Heifer @JustHereWithMyPopcorn we were also told gym membership was £230 at the offer holder day. Great news that it's free (or rather 'included' in the massively overpriced accommodation) and transferable to other uni gyms in the holidays.

@crazycrofter - no, not actually firmed yet. She has 2nd lot of mocks next week so was going to look at it all again after that and then firmed w/c 21st March. If your DD does pick Nottingham, heads up that accommodation opens up 4th April (usually 8.00am apparently) I emailed to ask what time. Keep that under your hat though as don't want every Tom, Dick or Harry knowing ;-)

As we are on the Wirral Liverpool is too close for most, so they look at Leeds/Sheffield & Manchster. But what is odd is that each yr group seem to pick something different to the previous. 2 yrs ago Sheffield, then last year loads from the Wirral went to Leeds and this year it look like Manchester. DD was the only one of her friendship group (10) to even apply to Nottingham and none of them applied to Bath/Bristol etc as deemed to be too far. Some waiting on Durham still. DD decided not to apply for Manchester as she thought it was too big and they upped the grades to AAA quite late on.

Re Nottingham Gym membership - I'm guessing there will be a lot of students staying in accommodation other than mentioned so perhaps that is why they didn't say anything? I'm just chuffed there are so many facilities on hand whether free or not - although obviously prefer free :-)

I personally would have preferred DD to consider Manchester as firm Piggy and she would have been happy to, but cannot get away from the course and teaching style of Durham will be more suitable for her if it’s a UK decision.

I think the ups and downs Crazy are purely because these kids are just totally wiped out. Fkg knackered is more appropriate. I’m not surprised they can’t quite envisage where they’re next home may be, as delivering on their exams is not as clear cut as people make out, and yet they are still being judged for having it ‘easier’ if grade boundaries are semi pegged.

Yep, it’s not an easy time for them is it. I also think too much choice is a bad thing, especially for my dd!

She said the main reason a lot of her friends have gone for Liverpool is that the entry grades are lower than most other RG unis so it’s the best bet for the B graders! I’ve looked back at her school’s destinations over the last few years and they usually send double figures to Manchester/Liverpool/Leeds/Nottingham and also Birmingham. I think this is why dd is out off Southampton as she doesn’t know anyone considering it. At her old independent school a lot more tend to go to London.

Thanks for the opening time heads up @heifer. I need to work on dd and get her to go for the 31 week catered at around £6.4k rather than the en-suite self-catered at over £7k! Especially with food prices rising, it would be great to not to have to worry about that. She thinks she needs an en-suite…

@ealingwestmum whilst the ‘grade inflation’ that occurred between 2019 levels and 2021 levels is being ‘pegged back’ to a mid point for our Corona Cohort in 2022 it certainly won’t be ‘easy’ for them, I agree!
In fact, I think our kids need to be aiming for the 2019 boundaries to meet offers!

Totally Proggy.

The other concern I have for DD here is burn out ahead of mid May. There is absolutely no point in them peaking too early on revision to have the switch off. Fine balance I know….

Difficult isn't it, I really feel for this year group, it really shouldn't be that A Levels is their first shot at proper exams

I've been thinking! Ages ago I mentioned DS had been asked if he wanted to upgrade to the MSc at Sheffield and on the offer holder day they said we have sent a few of those out and if you want to chat about it we're here. Clearly there is financial benefit to them in capturing students for four years. But what I'm wondering is if they are worried about being caught short of quality undergraduates if the higher ranked (not Oxbridge nor medicine) have discovered they like the extra revenue of bigger cohorts? In which case our DC might not have to hit the 2019 grade boundaries?

Thanks for the gym info. Nottingham is still in the mix here.

School has decided a second set of mocks the week before Easter holidays is in order.

Speech day is usually midweek early September.

@crazycrofter - good luck persuading your DD re 31 weeks! Mine wasn't keen on packing up the room 2 extra times but relented when I mentioned it was saving £1k each time.. I may have to relent to ensuite though to seal the deal.... I def think catered will be right for DD in the 1st year - just 2 less things to worry (budgeting & cooking).

@Heifer funnily enough she didn’t protest too much at the packing up but she’s not sold on catered at all, especially as it’s every meal. She said she’d much rather just make what she wants. And she’s never heard of anyone being in catered accommodation before!

Like you, I think it’s just less stuff to think about and actually, the difference between non en-suite self-catered and catered for 31 weeks is only £900 so £30 a week! So it’s cheaper overall. And with food prices going up too….

@EwwSprouts I think there is a big up sell towards MSci which is very different from having a BSc and MSc. DD says she wants to be able to choose where and if she does a MSc. Her older brother did one but ended up at the same place and due to good degree grade and deciding to stay at Portsmouth he got given a £3000 bursary so she doesn’t see the need to pin herself down yet as there were benefits of her brother not committing til later. DD has Durham and Sheffield as provisional choices lancaster has gone in her bin and so has Exeter…. York might be in the mix.

What is speech day?

@Fruitygal Yes you're right about MSc and MSci. DS doesn't have a long-term plan so he's still pondering. We could be going snap! when they firm their choices.

Speech day at DS's school is really an award giving day, although the headteacher and usually an invited guest make speeches too. It's not GCSE and A level awards but individual attainment awards, sports cups, then a few special awards plus announcement of the new head boy.

In good news, DS's DSA application was approved this evening. Now we need to book him an assessment.

DD went for the MSci course and it’s possible to switch back to BSc if you want to. I think Nottingham was the one recommending to opt for MSci to secure funding.

@Fiddlersgreen speech day is like an end of year assembly for the whole school that the parents are invited to. There are prizes awarded to the outstanding performers from each year or each class. Plus in each subject and sometimes special prizes for head girl and boy. Normally you will have a well known person from the local area or an inspirational individual to give a talk at the beginning and gives the prizes out. Mostly seen in private schools both day and boarding plus some grammar schools. Normally separate from A level and gcse presentation evenings where the kids get their certificates.

@Fiddlersgreen there always refreshments on the lawns if the weather is good afterwards. …. Remember the homemade mini eclairs and pimms as a highlight when I was a teen 🤣😂

We had speech day at my comprehensive in the 90s! No pimms or eclairs though I think my kids’ schools do it too but neither of them has ever won an award!