Thread 33 - Lovely Jubbly Jubilee Break, then back to Exams

[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. Possibly a move to Parent of Adult Children Board in future?
previous thread

DS called - the bad mood has gone and Law went very well. He's realised he only has three exams left so is taking the evening off ( just like every other evening 🤣)

His version of the argument with his sister is rather different to hers. She's just walked in the door fuming 🤬🤬

Hope all the Monday exams went well for everyone.

Hope today has gone ok for everyone. ChristopherTracey DS dropped Computer science as did some of his friends but others still sitting it. I know a couple that have effectively given up on it as it is a 4th and they want to focus on the other 3.

DS is revising stats for later this week as the only thing he has down loaded and we have a power cut - keeps him off the computer 😀

OCR but B I think, not A… he said some of the multiple choice were hard but he really liked the 1st half of the paper in particular… It is luck of the draw really depending on what they’ve covered well in revision most recently, isn’t it.

Ds1 said he smashed sociology 3. So that's 1 subject finished. Like Monkey's ds2 he is irritatingly body temple, so protein bars as revision snack treat.

I on the other hand have put on half a stone in less than 2 weeks and can only assume HRT?

HRT helped me lose weight <most unhelpful comment ever>

Oh good for you CT, bugger for me then! I assumed it was that. 1.5 stone since November. Not good.

@Delphigirl Yes it's tricky. Just hope she get a B. DD did OCR A. Onwards and upwards.

Not lost any weight on HRT (but I've just scoffed another donut so that may have something to do with it...plus increased wine intake recently).

@ChristopherTracy . Yes we had Computer Science today. She said that it was ok. I think she only took it cos she liked a boy who was doing it! That will learn her. She really needs a C.
Shes calm today but still saying she doesnt want to go to University. I’ve said that’s fine but she will have to get a job. McDonalds are hiring.I always think a physical job can help to concentrate the mind. My oldest abandoned Alevels after a series of issues, but went back to them after a spell working on the bins. Definitely the best thing I ever steered a kid into. He thinks so too!

DS back and happy with exams. No controversies over advanced info and AQA today it seems!

One more to go, next Wednesday.

DS had comp sci too today! It's a fav for him and sounds like it went pretty well although he's beating himself up currently for forgetting to write enough comments to explain his coding in the long question, he just forgot to do it as he got wrapped up in the coding apparently ;-) : although having looked at the mark scheme it looks like that shouldn't loose him many marks.

Well done to all that sat papers today! ⭐️
DD happy with Latin literature paper 1 although ‘there’s no time to breathe’ and she felt rushed in the last 20 marker.
Revision snacks: hummus, cubed feta, olives, tomatoes ( punnets of) bread sticks, crackers, yoghurt covered flapjacks, Cornetto ice creams and fizzy dummies.

@AnneOfCleavage yes he NEA too. I didn't know much about it. But I asked.

Religion and ethics paper tomorrow for Ds.

Ds1 has brought home a car load of stuff as he's moving home from his university house this week. The 3 years have gone so quickly. I shall go through the stuff and see what I can use for ds2. I've already taken out a bedside lamp and first aid kit. I'm hoping there's quite a bit. He will be back with the rest later this week (he has his car and is only 40 mins away)

I hope exams have gone well for everyone's dc's today.

Ds1 snacks:
massive bowls of fruit.
Banana's.
Sui Mei dumplings.
Gyozas.
Spicy Korean noodles with veggies.
Eggs.

Ds2 is pure carbs:
Cashew nut Chinese cookies.
M&S Strawberry tarts.
Spicy noodles.
Dumplings.
Ben & Jerry's.
Ice cream Mochi.
Pizza.
Microwave Mug cake.
Jelly with peaches.
Salt & vinegar crisps.

Currently feel rotten & headachey.

Snacks here are cereal bars, chocolate biscuits, crisps, apples, sweets of various kinds and chewing gum. And copious amounts of orange juice. And tea (I don't know how they like tea. I hate even the smell of tea).

DD's maths GCSE was fine. DS revising ethics ready for his two paper day tomorrow of ethics and maths.

I am now into marking exam papers although Accountancy ones. @Oblomov22 it is one of the ones your DS will do in the future. I also work for the accountancy training provider PwC use in the Academic Support team so there is a possibility I may one day answer your DS's live chat or email 😊

Ooh I fancy jelly with peaches now 😋

@MirandaWest
Miranda that is so cool. What a small world.

DS found Economics paper 3 hard today and messed up and the timings so he's feeling a bit down in the dumps. Last exam now is Friday politics and he's done. It feels very surreal at the moment that he will be leaving school and then home .

Miranda I went to BPP Holborn, years ago.

Right, MN gang: anyone fancy helping me with dd (y11) A level choices?!? shes still up in the air…. She’s strongest at languages (solid 9s for the last year); pretty good at essay subjects (eng; history) but a bit patchier in English due to timing issues. Languages or linguistics likely to be her uni subject but probably a start from scratch language, and shes relatively open to persuasion! . She’s debating:

• 1 or 2 languages. Currently thinks two languages would be too ‘samey’ (French and Spanish so she has a point…)


• eng lit OR eng Lang and lit. She’s swaying towards the latter as she enjoys creative writing. It feels no -trad to me but I may be old school - anyone know anything about it’s reputation?


• psychology (but not a natural science person. Hated maths…)


• ancient history/classical civilisation. Adores mythology but all learnt through the modern retellings (song of Achilles etc, not just Percy Jackson ;-) Not sure how much she’d genuinely appreciate actual original texts.


• sociology but have been told at school some unis don’t count this as a proper a level: all my sociology people , any truth in that?!

any words of wisdom?!?

Ummmm, jelly with peaches….!)

Sorry @Isthisjustnormal my DD is also dithering about choices but is strong in sciences and wants to possibly ditch psychology for chemistry.

DD says GCSE maths was hard but not as hard as last weeks paper (not sure what board, maths isn’t her strongest subject but she is doing higher).

Snacks - we are a fairly snacky family anyway (DS has food issues and is extremely skinny so snacks are helpful for him). He is having sugary cereals (tends to skip breakfast normally), eats a lot of meat snacks, things such as salami, cooked chicken, also ice cream. DD loves pringles, doritos, yogurts, bananas. We don’t tend to eat together in the evenings much (DS is in boarding on weeknights) and the rest of us do sport/exercise and are in and out a lot. So a lot of omelettes, pasta, quick meals like that. Our chat times are usually in the car, we do a lot of ferrying about for all the sports. Also about 11pm the DCs usually find their chatting voices.

Extremelydedicated - my ds was strong in sciences at GCSE (and still is I guess, - doesn't have problems with comprehending the material at A level) but regrets that two of his 3 A levels are sciences. My advice, for what it is worth, only do A level science if (a) you really love to study and enjoy doing lots of academic work since you'll have to work a heck of a lot harder than your peers to obtain a high grade in the sciences - not least because you are in a peer group including the aspiring medics who absolutely need A / A* and will apply themselves accordingly [my ds inclines to a slower pace and an easier life - hence his regrets] and / or (b) you need science for you future plans (medicine, midwifery, vet etc). Otherwise give yourself a break and choose something else.

Feel free to ignore my unsolicited advice - I hope that I haven't offended

Not true at all about sociology! Cambridge does it. It's the ology snobbery, which psychology seems to have reinvented itself and overcome the stigma.

Some students who do Class Civ find it quickly a bit dry but some love it.

I did two languages and was fine must say.

I'd say for the uni aims - Lang+Lang+ Eng (lang lit fine and might be preferred)

Two languages makes you a proper linguist ime...

Don't think se needs to throw another essay subject at the mix - the English is doing this.

Psychology might be good if speech therapy is a possibly aim.

ps I meant preferred by DD, not the unis who don't mind these days even for an English Lit degree.

Yes DS reported Computer Science a solid exam whatever that means although the 9 pointer was bizarre and he just made something up. err ok.