Thread 31 Covid Cohort - Hopping through Easter and Revision

[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 30

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

I tried to encourage DS to consider Rootes but he's adamant it will not make his final list of 6 and it hasn't. I thought it was ideal for him. How does your DD find the kitchen sharing? ds said its 23 to a kitchen but I doubt they're all there at the same time.

@Isthisjustnormal , that’s wonderful. We still have 1 to go. Will he go to Bath?
Hate this new iteration.

DD has spent her Easter break - back next week- with a mixture of paid work, visiting her lovely boyfriend (LDR) and revision.
I don’t think it’s ‘useful’ to break down revision into hours per day.
During our last ever parents evening 😱prior to the holiday, DDs teachers advised to revise but not to ‘over cook it’ as rest is also important otherwise she’d run the risk of being burned out once the exam period kicks in.

Excellent news @Isthisjustnormal - we might have a few of them at Bath!

Congrats isthis. Lovely to have that offer.

For afternoon exams both of DD's start of 2pm according to the school. Seems everyone else is 1pm.

If you touch the Mumsnet M at the end of the row of emoticons the MN ones are there. I'm struggling with the new format too, I'm on my phone, will dig out the iapd later and see if that's better (I use the browsers not the app).

Thanks everyone :-) Bath is probably his first choice although now he's actually got the offer in he's wanting to go back and look at both York and Bath courses and accommodation next to each other to make the final choice. They are pretty similar choices in terms of the course (although York is actually maths and comp sci whereas Bath is straight comp sci), both with a solid and well established year in industry - I possibly have a slight preference for York as I think it'll do him good to go up North, and I think York may be a slightly more 'caring' space especially in terms of the colleges: I think living away won't be the easiest for him to get used to. Wisdom of the thread welcomed!

And yes, new format is of course horrid: change is never good in MN ;-)

Glad to hear a few more offers and decisions are happening. DS is back to school tomorrow and is definitely ready, he’s been revising steadily and I’ve been going through the day’s revision each evening with him (I have learnt lots).

We had his DSA draft report through to review at the end of last week, it was all pretty accurate but depressing reading, like every single professional report is. It’s getting on for 10 years since I embarked on the EHCP process and it feels as though I’ve been doing this stuff forever now. It has made me feel pretty nervous about him going.

@Isthisjustnormal Bath has a reputation for excellent pastoral care which I evidenced on our recent visit. On the inner door of all the loos were details of a emergency helpline to call all hours for anyone with mental health issues including, thinking of dropping out, not making friends, horrible flatmates, overwhelmed with coursework etc etc. I thought that was quite helpful and wondered whether other unis did something like that.

@shimy DD has loved being at Rootes. The kitchen is messy but she manages to work around the mess and cook every day. They get a cupboard each and a fridge/ freezer shelf each. They tidy up once a week the day before the cleaner comes. I was a bit worried about the party reputation of Rootes, but it is fine, they get time to work as well as party.. She wanted somewhere central so it would be safe to walk home at night.

Good for your DD @Pourmeanotherwine . DS is at his cocky, 'I know it all phase' and won't listen to reason. So has eliminated Rootes altogether without so much as going inside (doesn't like the block from outside) and gone for swanky Bluebells or whatever it's called & Lakeside (despite Lakeside being far away from his dept) he thinks it'll be just fine.. this is coming from DS with executive function impairment/adhd. I tried.

@Shimy : thanks for that, useful to know that’s the reputation and that you experienced that too :-)

I've visited a lot of loos on various open days and many have similar notices which is great. I was a bit surprised at UEA which had gender neutral loos - the signs on their doors said only 1 person allowed in each cubicle 😆

Have been looking at DDs timetable. She only has 3 afternoon exams (1.30 start), but 2 of those have exams in the morning as well so no lie-ins there.

@EasterDecorations, such a good idea to go through the revision with them in the evening. I think if I suggest that it might be welcomed and offers both motivation and reinforcement of the learning. I finally have a copy of the exam timetable, which i# useful. They seem quite nicely spaced.

Well done on your DS's offer @Isthisjustnormal that's great news.

It was DS's idea, it really helped him with a difficult BTEC sport exam last year and it reassures him that some of it is going in. He has handwritten copious notes (two A4 exercise books full for just one subject), which I'm really impressed with as he is sufficiently impaired that he gets a scribe for exams but it is legible (just), neatly laid out, colour coded and very detailed. He says writing rather than typing definitely makes it go in better and I found the same when I was doing some OU courses a few years ago.

I woke up in a cold sweat at 3am today worrying about him going though after reading that DSA assessment

@NCTDN Can you see us now? I believe you got lost somewhere in the movearound? 😀

I cant cope with this new layout!

DD has pushed the button! Portsmouth firm (u/c so that should be that), but just for the sake of it she put Swansea down as insurance.

I keep trying to post but it won't. I've deleted phone app, and reinstalled, now have ' threads I'm on', which I didn't have yesterday. But won't seem to post at all.

Oh. Working now!

Well done Beach! 🔲

Well done @Wheresthebeach ! @EasterDecorations your ds won’t be that far from home will he, if you need to step in? Hopefully he’ll do much better than you expect.

Dd is actually doing some revision today (I think - haven’t actually checked!), before going out at 4.

I just went to get ds’ ADHD meds and the (handwritten) script wasn’t dated so they couldn’t give them me as they’re controlled drugs 😬 However if I get the doctor to date it, that will be fine! I’m not doing a 10 mile round trip for a date, I can write it in myself, but that slightly makes a mockery of their controls?! You’d think they’d ring the doctor to confirm instead?!

@Seeline Your comment about 1 person per cubicle really made me laugh. Perhaps them being different 'ahead of the times', calls for different priorities .