Thread 34 Covid Cohort - Heat 'Waving' DC to final exams and drinking more

[OrangeCinnamonCroissant]

...water

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. It's all relative!

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 continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed) We have decided for anyone interested they will find a thread within the Further Ed board.

Possibly a move to Parent of Adult Children Board in future? Post Results?

Previous Thread

DS has decided he really doesn't want to go to uni now so we are looking at Apprenticeships as an option. His younger brother has started one in a bank and is earning a good salary so I think this has made him have a rethink. Has anyone else experienced this change of heart and know when the best time is to look at good apprenticeships in financial services. He's predicted AAB and was going to study economics at Leeds. I'm not sure how I feel about it although his dad is all for it as he doesn't feel he will put the effort needed in at university as although he gets good grades he's lazy and procrastinates a lot.

DD’s prom tomorrow, I need to nag her into sending back the 6 dresses she decided against or else my credit card bill is going to be hefty!!

Thanks for bag advice, her dress is wine red and she will be wearing black trainers under it so black is the way to go, no nails to consider as she bites them. I have got a black one of those clutch bags with a chain somewhere gathering dust through lack of use. I'll dig it out and see what she thinks, I had in my mind that it might be a bit big as she is tiny and petite and I am anything but.

It's lovely to hear all the prom news - DD hasn't really said much about not having one but I think she will mentioned it for years to come once her holidays are over...

@crazycrofter how about a pot of curry to go with the garlic naan? I find it easy in a slow cooker if you have one. Also usually do a veggie chilli which is actually tastier than the meat chilli I do.

Good luck with handbag shopping - that is well out of my knowledge range. I have finally purchased a bag for myself after years of being a rucksack kind of girl..

I found a very plain black nylon bag on ASOS. It has good lines -Prada dupe apparently, and I thought it might have more useability than something glittery. She has clumpy black ankle strap shoes, and a beautiful sea green satin dress with a low cowl back. Sounds odd but the ensemble has a kind of 70s Biba feel, and she looks amazing.
@crazycrofter We live in the Midlands too and all party catering involves at least 50 veggie samosas hot from a local Samosa place. We never have any left and people talk about the marvellous catering for years afterward. I do decant the dips into little china bowls though! Salads, Big cake, preferably homemade, but not by me. Also very popular are Nigellas sticky sausages. So easy. Cook twice as many as you think you need. Anything else is just added stress, except for asking people to bring a sharing dish and not getting involved at all in what that is, except for informing about allergies.
@collywobble please post lots about the search for an apprenticeship. We definitely may be looking at this after results day.

@Zebracat I will do , I'm thinking he'd just drained if studying at the moment and may have a change of heart but he's very much someone who knows his own mind and sticks to decisions he's made . There's no point going to university if your heart isn't in it I guess.

Exciting @Heifer! My only 2 tips - 1. Make her promise NOT to get a tattoo. That was my only request. Honestly some kids come back with bloody awful drunken body ‘art’. 2. If it is a bit too silent, just text her “proof of life please!”. Teens think that is hilarious and you will get a selfie or a picture of a foot or beach or something, which does help to reassure- without appearing to be too demanding or fussing.
she’ll be fine!

Just googled claw nails. Crikey!

Yes @Zebracat - you know what I mean by the samosas! My mum just told me not to bother and to get everything from the supermarket but she hasn’t tasted ‘proper’ samosas before! We always used to have them after special services at our old church.

@collywobble my year 11 ds is saying the same. The website notgoingtouni looks helpful. They seem to advertise apprenticeships all through the year. Has he seen the government economic service one?

@crazycrofter thank you, he's had a look at not going to uni but not seen the government economic one. Is that in the NGU website or somewhere else ?

@collywobble and @Zebracat this is what my DDs school have on apprenticeships:

Websites which list apprenticeship opportunities
www.ucas.com/ucas/undergraduate/getting-started/apprenticeships-uk
(look for the "Find apprenticeship vacancies on the right hand menu)
www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship
(ideally set up an account and register for alerts)
targetcareers.co.uk/ (click on "Jobs" then sort by job type and select the appropriate level apprenticeship you are interested in. There are other filters you can use)
www.allaboutcareers.com/apprenticeships/ (provides guidance on apprenticeships and details about job opportunities)
investment2020.org.uk/ (for apprenticeships in finance and banking)
Rate My Apprenticeship publish a guide to Career Options including information from the Top 100 Apprenticeship employers www.ratemyapprenticeship.co.uk/advice/guide-to-career-options-2021
www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/career-planning/study-and-training/apprenticeships-traineeships-and-cadet-schemes
as a starting place for apprenticeships in the NHS.
Also try Step into the NHS website.
www.ciistepforward.co.uk/ (for apprenticeships in insurance)
www.notgoingtouni.co.uk/ (for several different types of apprenticeships, some overlapping with other listing sites)
www.multiverse.io/en-GB/programmes (new site with really good materials and links to apprenticeships - they are developing many of their own.
Took over the UK apprenticeship company White Hat)
www.milkround.com/school-leavers/
careermap.co.uk/
targetcareers.co.uk/careers-advice/work-v-uni/20-what-are-school-leaver-programmes-apprenticeships-and-sponsored-degrees (sign up for feeds of apprenticeship opportunities)
Student Ladder provides an overview of apprenticeships by sector. For further information click here

@Seeline thank you that's unbelievably helpful. He needs to get cracking on these.

@collywobble I saw it on a link sent by school, but I've googled it and it looks like they've just finished this year's recruitment process.

If you look at the candidate pack here: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-government-economic-service-degree-level-apprenticeship
it looks like recruitment starts again in Jan.

We can wait until January as there's no real urgency for the right apprenticeship as he has a job in a sports shop that can keep him ticking over I guess.

Bag emergency over, I have found mine and it is smaller than I remembered and DD says it's fine

That would pass dd's test @ExtremelyDedicated !

Before she bought one, dd asked me if I had a clutch and I said 'yes, our car has a clutch as it's not automatic'. 😂😂I've never heard a clutch bag referred to as a 'clutch' but then, what do I know?!

😂@crazycrofter
@ExtremelyDedicated We are in the same boat and I'm trying to sort a clutch type bag at short notice too. I have a silvery one that also has a chain type shoulder strap should she need that. It just needs to hold ID and her phone plus lipgloss et al.
DD has her prom Saturday evening and is thinking it probably wouldn't be prudent to go clubbing after as she starts her new job at 9am the following morning. She's just turned 18 so plenty of time for that. She's not a seasoned drinker so I hope she's careful with all the yummy cocktails that I know they'll be having - this place is famed for them. No teachers either as they washed their hands of them once exams ended.

I hope all the DC on here are enjoying a well deserved break now exams are over. We have glorious sunshine here which is meant to last for quite some time (the whole of the 2 week forecast I can see so far in any case). DD is down the beach with friends as i type. Need to start driving lessons now she has more time and I got her a theory test for Oct but need to get her that 4in1 app but DD is being resistive to more studying - i wonder why 😂

How did everyone manage with the train strikes of last week? We had DD's award ceremony in Leeds and had booked a train(s) which fell on a strike day so we were worried we wouldn't be able to go as DH didn't fancy the loooong drive there and back but our school put on a fancy minibus and overnight accommodation in the end for us which was so lovely. It was a magical experience and one of her teachers she knew from lower secondary bought her a G & T (she was still 17) and we all went and had drinks out after with them which her friends thought was hilarious.

Girly prom planning seems so much more exciting than boy prom planning. DS's is tonight - he's still in bed and hasn't made plans on how to get there yet. I'm waiting for him to ask me to iron the new shirt he threw into the bottom of his wardrobe 🤷

His holiday planning is equally laid back. He's bought a bucket hat. His friends will tell him where they're going and what date/time he needs to be ready.

Meanwhile DD's Ghana trip prep is going to send me over the edge. Who knew an online visa application would be so complicated and involve sending so much paperwork to the High Commission. Not helped by her being under 18. And she can't book the hotels she wants because she's under 18. And she can't have a credit card/Monza etc she can use abroad because she's under 18. I think it would save a lot of stress all round if I went with her (but I don't want the zillion jabs she's had to have 😱)

@collywobble

I only know about Accountancy Apprenticeships, but my understanding is that they all are now considered crème-de-la-crème, so sought after that many of the brightest are choosing them over going to uni.

Accountancy ones start, can log on, set up an account in early autumn, September. And they really get going in the new year with closing dates often in about Feb.

@Oblomov22 that's good to know as it's certainly a route he would like to explore. He's done a few applications today with some of the banks so I think he means business now. I think it might be easier if he has some good grades in there too

Ds has gone off to his prom. I just took a photo of him in his suit by the car, dh has taken him in his Porsche, it's not a posh expensive Porsche, but still quite nice to turn up in...though I think I'd be embarrassed.

I'm glad we don't have bags to worry about, his wallet and phone are in his pockets. They have to pay for drinks, no food, so I'm not sure what my £45 paid for apart from the venue.

Oh wow, £45 and no food?! Dd has a meal and a certain number of drinks at both of hers - and they cost about the same. And they’re both at quite posh venues too!

Hope he enjoys himself anyway! Is there a post-prom party? I’m trying to persuade dd not to stay quite as late at this week’s post prom party as we have her 18th bday do the next day. I think they were out until about 4 last time.

DD’s prom is £50 with food and soft drinks (they are y11) in a marquee on the school field. We are taking her, there is an official after party but she isn’t keen.

DS had a BBQ and football match earlier in the week (they did get their y11 prom as it was straight after mocks before the first lockdown). He is staying at school till the end of next week as there are a few other events and he is enjoying just hanging out in the 6th form centre with his pals.

Lovely to hear all the news of proms etc! Ds is in Ayia Nappa (along with every other Y13 from our town it seems!) Was quite relieved to hear that one of his more sensible friends has gone too.

His prom is a few days after he gets back but no suit bought or hired yet…

@collywobble One of the brightest boys at the school I work with decided on a law apprenticeship rather than a law degree. I think it is the right choice as so many do law degrees now & there are not enough jobs.

Originally Ds said they were going to a party after. But tonight he said he'd text when he wanted collecting. I had to get up at 5.30am this morning...so I don't want too late a night.