Applying for Uni 2019 entry Part 3, UCAS & offers

[NewModelArmyMayhem18]

Wow that last thread filled up quickly. Well done to your DS, Piggy!

Yeah, a number of boys at my school had to sleep at a teacher's when there was a three way clash... That will mean lots of writing for him .

Hope his scholarship exam went well.

I am assuming there are too many safeguarding issues these days with overnight stays and is perhaps even more open to malpractice ( although as a teacher myself I will have to also avoid hearing about the exam is as will DH) I do recall it used to happen. We have to sign a scary declaration. It would KILL him to stay overnight with a teacher!

Wow Piggy that’s full on but I think my DS said that happened to some of his friends last year, you wonder how that can happen?

Fingers crossed for your DS and the scholarship exam, Piggy. So sorry that he has three exams clashing (are the timetables now firmed - DS's still show as provisional on their school website?). What a total PITA? Presumably you and your DH are regarded as entirely trustworthy to follow procedure for keeping DS effectively in tech/contact 'isolation' because you are teachers and know the ropes?

justasking111 good for your DS. In a way I wish DS would now consider firming his preferred choice. However, I think he wants to see if his coursework is theoretically 'on track' with the grades he needs.

Phew for your DS, Pasanda.

DitheringDan - frustrating. Presumably your DS could phone up to check the offer grades to see whether his combo would work for them?

"Anyone still waiting to hear from Manchester? Dd put both Manchester and Manchester met on her application but hasn't heard from either yet."

DD never heard from Manchester other than an acknowledgement. She already has her A levels at the required grade. Since she has already decided where she wants to go she withdrew her application and firmed her offer from elsewhere. I don't understand why they never made a decision though.

LOL OP , I don't think it's because we are trustworthy teachers! The space I have to sign says teacher/parent/guardian/ exams officer and something else I think, possibly relative.

The JCQ rules allow for overnight supervision by either staff or parents, whichever is in the best interests of the candidate.

www.jcq.org.uk/exams-office/key-dates-and-timetables/jcq-common-timetable-june-2019-comments-and-outcomes is quite interesting (well, I thought so) on the issue of the various clashes that just had to be accepted, for the upcoming session at least.

Ds still waiting to hear from Manchester too. His last one he got an offer from Nottingham yesterday as well as Loughborough

I don't think he's got his exam timetable yet. Very hard on those with clashes.

It sounds as if Manchester is potentially missing out on some first class potential students by being so slow to make offers/decisions. Their loss...

Thanks for the link to that article, MarchingFrogs. I too thought it interesting I need to get out more .

The exam dates are on the exam board websites so you can look them up.

Is it really bad that I can't even remember what exam boards my DS is doing for his subjects ? I know they changed the Politics one at the end of Year 12....

DS has a 3 way clash. He has been offered the opportunity to do all three exams on one day or two exams on one day and one the following day.

If he takes the 2 day option, we ( DH and me) have to go to school meet with the head of exams and the head teacher ( be surprised if that bit it true, he never appears) sign paperwork that we will ban DS from the internet and guarantee to drive him to school and back on the two exam days. DS has to leave his phone in the school safe.
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DS prefers the 2 day option although he thinks if he did all 3 in one day he may get 2 or 3% added to one of his papers? That bit is a bit vague.

Not good for your DS glitterbiscuits and Piggy. Are they doing an unusual combination of A Levels or is it the combination of exam boards that's the issue?

I'm just putting it out there that there is no way my dcs would avoid twitter if they were in this situation. It seems wholly unfair!

My Dd is annoyed she’s got English Literature and Politics on the same day. At least there’s not a 3 way clash - that’s awful.

It will be the combination of boards issue.

There are no 3 way clashes dor an individual board. Although you may get an am and pm exam on the same day for 2 different subjects.

It's 3 different boards in this case. Not an especially odd mix of subjects.
I'd be so tempted to look to see what had come up but DS said he won't.

I wanted him to get an unconditional offer but he's please he didn't as he will have. More motivation to work.
I'm all about the shortcuts!

The boards shouldn't really clash either as they tend to agree to have exams on the same day : eg the A level English Lit I think all exam boards are the same day (but haven't checked)

The other thing I had noticed, which is mentioend in the JCQ document is how early one of his exams is : 24 May!

Oh, and not unsual : business , politics and Spanish. The Spanish has been moved. At least I can force him to do proper non internet revision the night before!

I cna't see my own school being very pleased about the me dropping him off bit when I ask for cover!

He's phoned them already, NewModel, and that's when they told him he needed to create and log into a student portal. I suspect he might just shrug and give up on them at this point.

So surprised at DS he is now working his socks off, staying on at school going in on Saturdays working long hours. He came home from school at 5pm last night. Sat on sofa and fell asleep. When he woke up he went on computer and did two hours of physics tutorials. We thought once he had the unconditional offer he would try to slacken off. But he says it has really motivated him.

So perhaps there is a lesson in that for some students.

I think that when schools use different boards it can be a minefield. But some boards do some subjects differently which teachers prefer for their students. It is certainly different to my day when we had just the one board.

dd's first exam is 19th of May - a week before study leave starts!

I took O levels in 1981 and there was already more than one board then. Maybe your school chose to just use one board justasking111