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Original poster

Post GCSE’s 2022 - Year 12 2022/23 General support thread

999 replies

Rollergirl11 · 02/09/2022 14:57

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2022, regardless of their educational setting.
Our DC’s may continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed)
Everyone is welcome!

OP posts:
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8
zighead · 03/09/2022 12:01

I’m so glad to have a DS who can just wear suit, shirt and tie. I sympathise with all of those with DD and business dress to sort out.

StColumbofNavron · 03/09/2022 12:41

Found you all. I totally lost my way on the results thread.

dS1 starts on Monday for induction, they took the photos on the day but there was no faffing so no idea what the photo looks like. After really not going anywhere for the last 5 years yesterday he went to work and then went shopping in Oxford St and bought another hoodie. He has always just let me buy his clothes but has taken real interest. He even watched some study tube videos to get organised.

Holiday work is almost done. History is hanging over him, but Liverpool are playing this afternoon so it’s got to wait. He is stressing that he doesn’t really know about one of the topics so feels he is going to write a rubbish essay. I’ve handed over my books on the subject.

DS2 in a foul mood today and I think as he is going into year 10 he is perhaps feeling a bit of pressure and it’s coming out in a rather unpleasant way. Equally, DS3 who is starting secondary goes through excitement and absolute tantrum over the tiniest thing.

We are thinking about going to one of the London uni open days. He doesn’t want to stay at home but like other posters it might be good to see what an open day is all about.

TwinkleToesStrikesAgain · 03/09/2022 13:25

I'm back. The place and the course was confirmed at 5pm yesterday so DS can decline the backup place on Monday.

The enrollment was completed earlier in the week and we've just had the email explaining the induction day which will be Thursday or Friday this week. There are 2-3 videos to watch and apples to download prior to induction - I'm hoping I don't have to nag him about these.

So now he's got a week to get through all the holiday work set. And also the homework for the EPQ which I don't this he's aware of.

I know I need to step back and let him make his own mistakes but isn't it hard? And it's not helped by the fact that DH doesn't follow anything, doesn't get the emails, hasn't looked at the website so doesn't know about the EPQ etc.... I was hoping to get some headspace back (DS2 has just started secondary school and deserves some support)

LouisCatorze · 03/09/2022 13:35

@TwinkleToesStrikesAgain yay, glad everything was finally sorted out for your DS.

Yes, shouldering the 'burden' of transition to sixth form is quite a lot to be contending with. It feels to me on a par with starting at secondary school but in some ways a lot more full-on (perhaps because it's been with only a week to ten days notice for those who had a big ? hanging over them - re sixth form options - until they got their results).

DD is really going to have to hoof it with her English holiday work. She's supposed to have read Hamlet, watched a film version, and done some reflective writing. And it looks as if she's going to be doing it all in a limited 'window' tomorrow.

Good luck to everyone with finishing their work, finding suitable wardrobes of clothes, and starting.

NancyJoan · 03/09/2022 13:42

Hello hello hello. We’re in Croatia until tomorrow, then college starts on Weds. I’ve just been sent a long ASOS wish list of jeans/combats etc. I don’t know if DD is intending to do much work, or just spend the next couple of weeks admiring herself.

We might go to one open day this term, to give her some focus, then leave the rest for the summer.

MumofSpud · 03/09/2022 13:42

And it's no use schools saying 'office wear'
The last office I worked in changed their dress code to no suits / black trousers etc
We HAD to wear jeans and were actually sent an email detailing how to 'jazz them up' with 'quirky jewellery' Confused

NancyJoan · 03/09/2022 13:45

@MumofSpud , Crikey, I’d rather wear a trousers suit than jeans. Esp jazzed up ones.

MrsAvocet · 03/09/2022 16:39

This is why I am glad that our school has a uniform for 6th form. I think this whole business dress thing is nonsense. I've got friends who have spent a small fortune on new clothes for sixth form and those clothes are no more appealing to their children, and no more likely to be worn outside school than my son's uniform. And agreeing on something that fits the brief seems to cause plenty of issues too. My uniform spend this year has come to the grand total of £34.20 (admittedly no new shoes yet) and there is virtually no chance of disagreement over interpretation of the rules.
I think schools should either have a uniform or genuinely let the pupils wear what they like. Business dress seems like the worst of both worlds to me, and the "getting ready for the world of work" reasoning makes little sense either. Aside from the fact that there is a relatively small and decreasing number of jobs where formal business attire is regularly worn these days, the next stage in most of these kids' lives is not work, but University. They'll probably spend the next 3 or 4 years living in ripped jeans and tshirts, not suits.

LouisCatorze · 03/09/2022 16:46

@MrsAvocet you are so right.

Fizbosshoes · 03/09/2022 16:47

MrsAvocet · 03/09/2022 16:39

This is why I am glad that our school has a uniform for 6th form. I think this whole business dress thing is nonsense. I've got friends who have spent a small fortune on new clothes for sixth form and those clothes are no more appealing to their children, and no more likely to be worn outside school than my son's uniform. And agreeing on something that fits the brief seems to cause plenty of issues too. My uniform spend this year has come to the grand total of £34.20 (admittedly no new shoes yet) and there is virtually no chance of disagreement over interpretation of the rules.
I think schools should either have a uniform or genuinely let the pupils wear what they like. Business dress seems like the worst of both worlds to me, and the "getting ready for the world of work" reasoning makes little sense either. Aside from the fact that there is a relatively small and decreasing number of jobs where formal business attire is regularly worn these days, the next stage in most of these kids' lives is not work, but University. They'll probably spend the next 3 or 4 years living in ripped jeans and tshirts, not suits.

I think the same! (Unfortunately my DC school doesnt)
Apart from anything else "business dress" or suits are entirely impractical for some subjects eg design/tech/art/food tech
I mean even if the school pretends that all office jobs require suits and business wear, anyone working in a practical or creative job will be wearing suitable clothes for that. Ie not a suit! (Unless you include a boiler suit)
I'm pretty sure most of the teachers themselves don't wear suits

LouisCatorze · 03/09/2022 16:53

It's a form of control, isn't it?

TwinkleToesStrikesAgain · 03/09/2022 16:55

I have no idea if there's a dress code ... I'm going to let DS sort that out as he buys his own clothes

MyOtherProfile · 03/09/2022 17:00

Sorry to hear about your DH @MumofSpud

No dress code here. He's bought a few new tops and a couple of pairs of jeans.

singingstones · 03/09/2022 17:37

Hello, rejoining if I may after a big gap, I have DD about to start sixth form college. She has two induction days next week and then the full timetable starts on 12th. She is enrolled and has her timetable, new clothes, railcard and season ticket all sorted and she's getting through the bridging work so she's pretty much ready. She's nervous though.

aramox1 · 03/09/2022 17:43

Hello! What a long summer. Looking forward to ds starting on Monday. Masses of transition work nearly done. No dress code except no holes, so hoping his old stuff will do or that he will finally spend his clothes allowance. No idea what or where they eat. Just gave a bunch of revision guides to Oxfam.

sheepdogdelight · 03/09/2022 18:04

Am I the only one with a DC who has not had any transition work/homework over the holidays? Getting worried now that she ought to have been doing something ...

NancyJoan · 03/09/2022 18:21

sheepdogdelight · 03/09/2022 18:04

Am I the only one with a DC who has not had any transition work/homework over the holidays? Getting worried now that she ought to have been doing something ...

No, DD hasn’t. She’s staying at her school and the Head feels they all work hard and need a summer off - this is a usual thing, not just this year.

MrsPnut · 03/09/2022 18:39

DD has to wear a suit and is doing Art A level, I don’t feel the two are compatible.

Fizbosshoes · 03/09/2022 19:25

MrsPnut · 03/09/2022 18:39

DD has to wear a suit and is doing Art A level, I don’t feel the two are compatible.

Mine too. I did art A level in the mid 90s and went to college in my boho tops, tie dye leggings or combat trousers, not a formal jacket!

AnyOldThings · 03/09/2022 20:00

Glad to have found this thread thank you.

DD can dress however she wants at her sixth form so no drama there.

Biggest issue has been deciding on a device to take. In the end settled on a keyboard case to use with her iPad and have to say I’m so impressed with it. Glad that’s sorted now.

Still needs to get stationery but aside from an induction day on Weds, she doesn’t start until the 12th so plenty of time.

House1999 · 03/09/2022 20:32

My DD enrolled at college last week and has an online induction on Wednesday. Her first day in college is on Thursday. Apparently her timetable will appear on Wednesday afternoon on her online account.

It’s very interesting reading this thread. I have no idea what bridging work is or who sets it. My DD hasn’t been asked to complete any work over the school holidays.

She is looking forward to starting. She hasn’t looked for a job yet. She would like to settle in college first and then look for part time work in January.

Holidaydreamingagain · 03/09/2022 20:40

The business dress is doing my head in. DD going to a new school and I’m sure she’ll get pulled up on the length of the skirt and the shoes. Will she listen to me? Obviously not. There’s also the small matter of piercings. I really really don’t need to get calls from the new school about piercings she has refused to remove and tried to hide.

no bridging work here, just hoping she settles in ok to the new school. Would have preferred her to stay at her old school like eldest did but she wouldn’t even consider it.

QueenMabby · 03/09/2022 21:04

Suit for ds. He had induction yesterday. Three of his friendship group are in his form which is good. No timetables yet.

Womblesaremyfavouritefood · 03/09/2022 21:16

Found you!!! DD back to 6th form on Wednesday to do 3 A levels plus EPQ. Clothes bought (is it acceptable to wear the same outfit 3 days running?) and bridging work ongoing. Psychology is apparently watching some films. Think I need to double check that one.

Womblesaremyfavouritefood · 03/09/2022 21:21

MrsPnut · 03/09/2022 18:39

DD has to wear a suit and is doing Art A level, I don’t feel the two are compatible.

Mine too. Remembering fondly the compulsory art aprons in Infants.