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Further education

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

Original poster

Thread 30 Covid Cohort, Mad March Hareing Towards Exams

995 replies

OrangeCinnamonCroissant · 13/03/2022 09:12

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 29

I've made this one a little bit earlier as things are so busy, at home and on thread, so please feel free to use up previous thread first Grin

OP posts:
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DoggerelBank · 14/03/2022 19:31

Thanks for the new thread and updated list.
Spent a very happy Saturday at Bristol offer holder day. They had some very entertaining lecturers, and the labs looked much nicer study spaces than I'd imagined. The vintage clothing shops also met with approval. The course isn't exactly what he's after, probably, but unless anything better turns up, he will end up going there with a smile on his face. Phew!

Fruitygal · 14/03/2022 19:48

Just as a rule of thumb in the NHS 16 + is classed as an adult (yes I know its nuts) unless they are in a large regional specialist hospital which have transition services covering 15-18.

We have a maths tutor for DD in Maths £20 per hour online - started in lockdown and he's doing a phd and has degrees in maths. He's the son of a friend on my DH. (I know he's cheap and would normal cost more)

Fresher's wrist bands are a giggle @BlueMarigold normally gives access to several events organised by SU at local nightclubs in the first week or fortnight - always get the kids one - they don't always go to all the events but its fun to have a few boozy crazy nights.

Fonty · 14/03/2022 19:50

Thanks for the new thread orange & singing Fab to see some of the offers turning into Bold!
Glad the offer visits are going well too.

We had the expected rejection from St Andrews tonight. DS is very philosophical about it and at least it’s an answer one way or the other.

Have finally completed student finance tonight too. Onwards & upwards!

Delphigirl · 14/03/2022 20:04

@sofakingcool

Has anyone any experience of tutors? Costs etc?

We're in the south (Hampshire) and have had a couple of quotes of A Level tutors and they seem really expensive

Hi @sofaking cool - in Oxford it is £40 -£50 ph for an experienced, mature (ie not 20something) tutor with teaching qualifications
Delphigirl · 14/03/2022 20:05

Oh I’m sorry for that disappointment @fonty…

sazzy5 · 14/03/2022 20:41

@sofakingcool we used my tutor as well. £28ph. You can have a free trial to see if your DC likes them.

NCTDN · 14/03/2022 20:44

@DoggerelBank we were at Bristol on Saturday too. Hoped to put dd off the place, but a journey with no traffic jams and beautiful weather all worked in the city's favour! It is really lovely - just a bit further than I would have liked.

Decorhate · 14/03/2022 20:57

Thanks for the new thread & list. I’ve realised I never said what Ds’ offers are - Leeds & Bristol are AAA, Sheffield AAB and Southampton ABB.

No real news here. He’s had his mocks but no results yet.

mummyinbeds · 14/03/2022 20:57

DS's tutor seems quite expensive compared to others 😵‍💫 He is a teacher, uni lecturer, former head of sixth form and A level examiner and I'm hoping can help DS with exam technique.

EventuallyDelighted · 14/03/2022 22:17

We paid £30/hour for an English tutor for GCSE a couple of years ago (also Hampshire). She was an experienced teacher. I'd expect to pay more for A level.

Covid update. DD (+) much the same. DH's PCR came back negative overnight and he feels better now (he had cold symptoms over the weekend). I went to work on the basis of a negative lft this morning but by the end of the day started developing cold symptoms so I went for a pcr on the way home. We will be gutted if we can't take DS to his planned offer holder day at RAU on Sat. All keeping as far apart as we possibly can so I've been in bed since 7.

sofakingcool · 14/03/2022 22:50

Thanks for all the responses re tutor. DS had his first session tonight, seemed to think it's going to be beneficial - £50ph!! At least it's only short term Shock. I'm really hoping he'll particularly help with exam technique

crazycrofter · 14/03/2022 23:00

Good to hear about positive offer days. DD’s student finance application is being held up by dh having two student loan accounts from the 1990s (this is supposedly not possible). They need to clarify which one to use for this application but he has to remember which Welsh address he used! He can’t remember ever using a Welsh address or what it would be (he lived in England, uni was in Wales). The person on the phone was possibly the most unhelpful, unresponsive and useless person ever! Although I’ve come across quite a few similar characters when speaking to HMRC! I can’t understand why they need dh’s loan account details to give dd a loan?!

Decorhate · 15/03/2022 08:07

Around 6 years ago we paid £40 per hour for a Maths tutor & he only did 3 hour sessions!

Decorhate · 15/03/2022 08:08

2 hours not 3!!

EwwSprouts · 15/03/2022 08:45

@fonty That's a shame. Hopefully the others still outstanding will be offers.

Good to know applicants are enthusiastic about the visits last weekend.

Monkey2001 · 15/03/2022 09:09

@Fonty sorry to hear about St Andrews, but at least you will be spared the pain of finding accommodation which is not only super expensive, but so hard to find! DS thought he had something sorted, but it fell through and even with a budget of £600/month each they have not managed to get anything.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 15/03/2022 09:18

How did I miss the end of the last thread|? there's some fast typing going on here!

Thanks for the new thread Orange and the updated list Singing. Also keeping my fingers crossed for @Monkey2001 to add an offer to the list along with anyone else still waiting.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 15/03/2022 09:24

@Cantonet that's great news on your DS's mock, really positive.

@crazycrofter I'm so sorry to hear that you are fighting an uphill battle with the meds and actually getting seen. I think I'd use the 2020 meds too, IANAD but I think the issue with out of date stuff is more to do with its efficacy than it being dangerous?

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 15/03/2022 09:46

@Fonty sorry to hear about St Andrews, I do agree though that having an answer one way or the other is better than hearing nothing.

icanbewhatiwant · 15/03/2022 10:58

I still can't get Ds2 to fill in the student finance stuff. I am away now anyway on the south coast. I came down to stay with dm Sunday as she had a hospital appointment yesterday she wanted me to take her to. She lives near Hastings. But now has a follow up appointment in Eastbourne tomorrow. She can't get there, so I'm staying another day to take her. She needs an operation in Brighton. She can't get there either. I'm hoping we can find volunteer transport. It's so difficult when she's on the south coast and I'm on Norfolk/Suffolk border. Ds3 is going to be annoyed as he didn't want me to go away. He's such hard work so I'm quite enjoying the peace. Ds2 won't miss me of course.

Zebracat · 15/03/2022 11:38

Enjoy the break from them @icanbewhatiwant altho it’s coming to something when the difficulties and frustrations of aged parents’ hospital appointments counts as relaxation!
The school are pushing us to get student finance sorted but
I want to wait until we are done with the Cambridge stuff, mainly because I’m dead busy this week and also in pain with a back problem. And it’s going to be a nightmare because of her non standard situation.
Very interested in the discussion of Adhd/ autism as our girl is to start her assessment, although the 1st appointment has just been cancelled.
I feel quite ambivalent about it really. ObviouslyI want her to get any help she needs, but she has changed so much in the last 4 years that it suggests to me that her issues are not indicative of a lifelong condition. Although obviously children with those conditions can also suffer adverse life events.. I worry that a diagnosis may make it more difficult for her in the Labour market, and that it may come to be a barrier to personal growth. I know we live in a changing world where diversity is ostensibly celebrated, so I hope that my worries are groundless.she asked me to do an online autism assessment yesterday. I couldn’t see the point as she is due to see a hugely experienced clinical psychologist, but she said she wanted to see if her perceptions were the same as mine. So we did it, but it was clear She wanted me to just agree, soI did. Left me really uncomfortable.. she insists that she has a monotonous voice, but it’s not, it’s clear and musical with appropriate inflections. She isn’t screechy and dramatic like some teenagers, but that seems to me to be a good thing. She comes home bubbling with news of her day, but apparently that is her masking her natural monotone, and pretending to be normal. My other 4 used to come in and grunt on their way to the fridge, so she’s got that wrong!

Fonty · 15/03/2022 11:42

Thank you everyone! @Monkey2001 I had been reading about the accommodation issues at St A’s which would be very stressful. I really hope your DS finds something soon. And keeping fingers crossed you will get an offer v soon.

Edinburgh has said they hope to have sent most answers out by end April Confused. I think for DS it will be a toss up between Edi (if they offer) & Exeter - which he really likes. But we’ll see.

@icanbewhatiwant Hope you find transport for DM hospital appointments.

@crazycrofter I’d also be tempted to take the old medication but I’m definitely not a dr!

crazycrofter · 15/03/2022 11:58

@Zebracat that’s tricky as it sounds like she may be grasping hold of a diagnosis almost as an identity thing? It’s good that she’s got a professional doing the diagnosis, so it’s not up to you to say whether or not you think she’s autistic. It’s more complex when there’s trauma involved because it’s hard to know how that interacts.

Hope you have a bit of a break @icanbewhatiwant. Your mum is quite a trek away from you, is there any talk of her moving closer?

Fingers crossed for an Edinburgh offer before April @Fonty

crazycrofter · 15/03/2022 11:59

Sorry to hear about the covid situation @EventuallyDelighted. I hope you don’t have to miss the offer day.

Cantonet · 15/03/2022 12:32

@Zebracat good luck with the diagnosis.
I think if it does result in a positive it will enable your DD to have some support at Uni. Or if it's negative at least it will put your dd's mind at rest.

Ds2 is 'neurodiverse' as described by his doctor and he's very difficult to deal with, especially for me. I'm not having him tested unless it's proven necessary as he's already been diagnosed with ADHD/depression/anxiety. So I don't need any more ...

@Icanbe I can understand the relief of 'peace'. However elderly parents can be as equally demanding and hard work, in a completely different sort of way.

@Monkey good luck for more offers.