Thread 36 - Covid Cohort from GCSE 2020 - The Final Countdown to Results Day for Some?

[CinnamonOrangeCremeBrulee]

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

Thanks so much for that very kind post. Big part of what has made this thread so pleasant and welcoming and kept me coming back is people who are very introverted in rl like me, can duck and dive and pop back in every so often and there's always something pleasant to read. I also don't do the usual social media posting, tweeting, texting etc so this is my only social media outlet. I've really enjoyed all the threads and they have proven that it is possible to have healthy debate, arguments and differences of opinions without destroying each other's MH.

I am looking forward to Thursday albeit quite nervously as you may remember DS had some nasty wobbles during exams that really threw me. Like the other dc here, he also is not interested in a Clearing plan...why or why not? I do not know but hoping to talk more sense into him again tomorrow. Apart from that, I shall be biting nails nervously in the early hrs of Thursday as I did for DS1. Ds's school loads results onto the school portal so will get his results there, if they are good, he wants to go into school to see his friends and eat some of the delicious pastries school lays on every yr for results day.

For some crazy reason I also booked a dentist appointment for ds1 & ds2 on Thursday and now I can't reschedule as they don't have an dates before uni resumes. Oh well, It seemed like a good idea at the time!

Out of all 4 GPs, only my DM is still alive.
She can be very critical and has a habit of speaking before she thinks, as well as being underwhelmed (she’ll always focus on the bit that wasn’t quite perfect), so I always slightly dread telling her about any of my DCs achievements.
Additionally, my brother’s 2 boys are academically very able - DN1 got 3A last year, DN2 is expected to get 10A next week, both of them work hard but find school and exams very straightforward.
My DM will compare my DCs to them, and my brother will no doubt make some snippy comment about private education…

We have been on all sides of exam results so know what it feels like .....

As for Thursday - Plan of attack

Probably not sleep as too stressed .(me not DD)....snackage in fridge and Long lost family episodes to watch plus anything with Nicola Walker - dont judge me on long lost family ...
Up at 6am and showered
Get DD up at 7.30am for shower and beautifying
Start checking UCAS 8ish (DD has said I have to look for her - ?!?!?!)
Drive to School with DH and DD (checking UCAS)
8.30am DD and friends meet and pick up results
Have the following - snacks, drinks, tissues, etc
Have the following - UNI stuff - phone numbers, exam board grade boundaries on tabs and Plan A-E with numbers and codes etc on A4 sheet
Firm 1st or 2nd choice in the car park
DD if good will go to beach with friends or day out with us
IF disaster back into school to discuss retakes or clearing
Dinner with us in the evening and then ....
Out for pres and clubbing with friends
I am off for a sleep and then pick up DD and friends as taxi at 2-3am

Mine is a bit like that Also, luckily no direct comparisons amongst the cousins this year but I do have a DN with a first from Cambridge which is a lovely stick to beat them with 🙄

Luckily my DSis and her grown up children are big cheerleaders for the DC (and me for that matter).

I just saw a single magpie on my way back from the shop. It bounced across my path.

I can't unsee it in my mind now.

Where are all the bloody black cats when I need them?

@MidLifeCrisis007 all you need to do is say:
Morning/ afternoon or evening Mr Magpie and either salute or nod.

I don’t do social media so I don’t have to worry about that! What the kids choose to post is up to them.

so DS’s school makes them go in and get their results from their personal tutor, who they have to set up an appointment time with in advance. It’s a pain. My other two just got emails and it was much easier to the spring into action or not, as the case may be. so I don’t know when he will find out as he hasn’t made the appointment yet grrr.

I hope ucas will give him the news that really matters though - whether his firm has accepted him. If it hasn’t the insurance is unlikely to. His real insurance is the uni in Canada which he needs 2 Cs for. If he doesn’t get that (Please his, surely he must get that!) then he gets a job and thinks about uni as a mature student after a few years work.

Ooh I have just got a 2 page letter from the head of sixth form at DS’s school giving chapter and verse on clearing. They are clearly nervous.

Oh blimey Delphi, will they have the results by now?
<scurries off to check emails>

Ha! I do this too. Failsafe !

Our issue may be very different sibling results. I think DS1 will be fine, though. He doesn't do jealousy but this could be a test.

@Piggywaspushed gotta be done! 😊

I have to agree you’ve all been so welcoming which as a parent of 2 additional needs DC is not something I experience always

sadly we have no family to celebrate with, I lost my last parent when I was 30 before I met DH and had DC. Friends have disappeared when I was too unwell to notice and didn’t return when DD became very neurodivergent

So we celebrate as a close nuclear unit. It’s taken enormous efforts to get here and DC know how proud we are of their efforts come what may

ALL our children are heroes of their own stories, they have thrived through a once in a century catastrophe and they will succeed

DD has had yet another issue thrown in her path today with a new medical condition diagnosed first thing, we knew it was likely but was confirmed today and so now we have to advise DSA and University of it as it has a major effect

Fortunately DSA have so far been fantastic and have agreed taxi transport 5 days a week to and from Uni

DS is like many others getting stressed and just needs this over

If anyone needs to see black cats then I can provide pictures of one. She’s called Suki 😊

(she came upstairs and made me get up this morning)

So interesting to hear all of the different plans! DS will check UCAS first then go to school to get his results. He has plans with friends but these are subject to change. They might go and get something to eat and stay out all day. They might do the first bit then go home and back out again at night. I am sure I won't know his results for a long time (unless he does not meet Firm then will be on hand).

I would never put DCs exam results on Facebook. Think with DS and GCSEs I just said something nondescript about being happy which we were 😊

Why?
My DD will get the full student loan as our household income is ( genuinely) under the threshold for her to be eligible since there’s always been just ‘me and her’ since she was born.

I only just found this thread this week. Just want to say thank you to you all - it’s been really helpful! I have DTs and am on pins this week. Thanks to this thread I have done my research as neither will consider a proper back up plan right now. Neither want to go to their insurance unis.

The sibling rivalry bit will be horrendous! What if one’s happy & one’s not? At GCSE DS did better and although DD did well she compared. We’re in Wales so last summer it was AS. This time she did better. This year she needs AAB for Birmingham & he needs ABB for Swansea. But whilst I hope Swansea will be lenient I doubt Birmingham will be. Either way it’s going to be tricky if one doesn’t get what they want. The one celebrating will feel awkward and unable to fully celebrate whilst the other will be feeling awful for themselves & bad for the other twin that they’re not celebrating together. I can’t wait for this week to pass! Fingers crossed that they both get what they need!

@Zebracat Sorry to hear about the problems. Have you tried asking her school for advice? - they may have experienced this before. I know it can be a real battle at any stage to get support when a child is looked after within the extended family rather than foster caters.

Schools won’t have results till tomorrow- though I know of some exam officers who get up in the middle of the night to have a look - so perhaps they are sent after midnight.

Ds seems quite relaxed at the moment. He has said he will be happy to go to his insurance if he doesn’t get his firm - though he only visited once around 4 years ago when older brother went to an open day. Though I think it will be a real shame if he doesn’t get his firm - he has worked consistently hard & is easily the most able if my 3.

We are going to take him out for lunch & he will no doubt celebrate (hopefully) with friends that night.

Welcome boxcar, it's lovely that new people are finding us, returning or de-lurking. I cannot imagine what you must be going through with twins, I hope they both sail through.

Everyone's talk of special plans made me feel a bit guilty because I had assumed that DS would go straight out (assuming no frantic clearing phone calls needed) and we wouldn't see him until Friday. So now we have a plan for crempogs together at 10am and hopefully they will be celebratory ones. I will go out and get something fizzy first thing if he gets into firm or insurance, way too superstitious to do it now (I am another magpie greeter).

Oh Suki, you are beautiful 😍

'Gotcha Day' for this one tomorrow who has had one whole year of blissful retirement with us lazing around the house

PS I know he brings luck too !

@singingstones don’t feel guilty!
Nowt planned from my end either but DD has bought tickets for her and BF to go to an A level results ‘do’ at a club and is adamant that:
She ain’t putting her life on hold and is going come what may!
That’ll do for me! 😊

Hi everyone-I forgot about this thread! I hope all the DC are doing ok.

DD needs AAB for first choice of Birmingham but a couple of the exams didn’t go nearly as well as expected which is now causing a bit of angst. She has been looking at the insurance offer accommodation all afternoon. How does that even work-is there any accommodation left??