Oxbridge 2020 (thread number 9)

[DadDadDad]

What a year! Just as we've all become experts (at least in our own minds ) about how to write Personal Statements, Oxford admission tests and Cambridge STEP, the complicated dance of the interview process, and how to simultaneously boost our DSs' and DDs' confidence while preparing them for the possibility of disappointment, we have a new topic to learn: statistical modelling of expected grades.

Of course, like all those previous topics, we're not in control of teacher projection and OfQual rejection, but we have this thread to support each other through the coming months.

All welcome. For the record, I have a DS with an Oxford offer for a humanities subject.

@goodbyestranger never mind us disagreeing - we are both giving good advice so hopefully helpful 😊.

Well you're on the Oxbridge thread currently mumsneedwine and, anecdotally, my DD's Oxford college has specifically asked for offerees' schools to submit mitigating circumstances rather than the young people themselves. As a general rule, that's the correct way to do things and the one which will carry most sway.

I don't have anything to add to the conversation about mitigating circumstances but I love the idea of all Y13s (those who are not being given schoolwork) getting valuable life experience by working and volunteering.

I mean the ones who are well off enough to own cars to get about in might be SnapSnap but those in our village who aren't loaded and don't have a car and usually rely on the now non operational couple of buses a day aren't so fortunate (so have to go to the beach :)).

Paddle boarding at the beach on this weather does sound rather idyllic!

Can walk or cycle to lots of jobs here. No cars required. But beach sounds good. We have the paddling pool out for the dog.

mumsneedwine you live nearish London I thought you said - different world! No chance of walking or cycling to any meaningful job/ volunteering opp here. But your kids drive anyway I think?

But yes SnapSnap, in a sense idyllic!

Well actually tbf, just idyllic!

Mine do drive. Part time jobs from 16 bought and run their cars - thank you Waitrose. Youngest still working there every week. Not going to lie, I hate it.
Lots of our students are sewing scrubs - I've even done 25 and I'm rubbish. And knitting ear protectors. And some working at local hospital as porters, cleaners and admin. Eldest is part of the med school student scheme to support NHS and does babysitting for doctors kids a few hours a week until exams are over. Her Oxford language friend is tutoring NHS children on line for free. I am so so proud of this wonderful generation.

Oh my goodness it's gone all competitive again mumsneedwine. Sorry not to join in with the virtue signalling here, don't feel any need whatsoever.

I think it's often the case that less is more, and that applies to what's said/ left unsaid on MN as well!

Not quite sure how this has anything whatsoever to do with Oxbridge 2020....

My own DC have to get properly measured for their scrubs - not sure how home made scrubs fit in?

Our local hospital seems happy enough with the scrubs made by volunteers in the community. A local dressmaker is organising a team but there are individuals making them as well. Patterns and the spec for material are available through the 'We love scrrubs' Facebook page set up.by a nurse in Lincolnshire and on the websites of individual hospitals. So not made to.measure, but not just random offerings, either.

MarchingFrogs I suspect that any scrubs I fashioned together might imperil any medics' life without any further dangers from their work environment, so I'm steering clear! Also, my concern is for proper PPE tbh.

You do read things that aren't there @goodbyestranger. How can anyone compete with someone who has had 7/8 kids go through Oxbridge and who are now all successful doctors and lawyers ! I just know many many kids who are doing their bit, which is wonderful. Young people get moaned about sometimes for being lazy and they are not.
And I haven't sewn anything since school and I can make scrubs from a pattern so I'm sure you could try. Or knit some ear defenders. Or just make scrubs bags. It's not being competitive, it's being compassionate. My last lot of scrubs went to a top London hospital - I know this because they sent our little group a lovely note to say thank you. I'd love for correct PPE to be available but as I'm sure your medic children will tell you - it is not. So people are trying to fill the gaps.

My kids are a bit more diverse than that mumsneedwine!

But in my defence - no chance of my sewing anything whatever. Being kicked out of my needlework class in Y7 by a Miss Southern dealt such a blow to my needlework confidence that I've never picked up a needle again :) Any poor medic receiving a set of my scrubs would most definitely not consider it an act of compassion.

I have to say - and my DC agree with me here - that this compassion thing has indeed become competitive. What's required after this is over - or sooner - is a significant pay rise for the lower paid rungs of the NHS and decent working conditions for all. Hopefully every single one of those clapping like mad every Thursday, and knitting and sewing away, will also vote to pay extra tax to fund the same. Compassion comes in many shapes, some more useful than others!

Disappointed by the news that autumn resits are not going to be possible after all, or not necessarily in many subjects. This goes against what candidates were promised, surely. Does anyone feel that this will make a big difference?

I can definitely see why some HTs are unhappy.about re-sitting GCSEs in Y12, which is where the main area of discord seems to be.

I hadn’t seen this news Fly. Is it relating to GCSEs or A-levels? What are the reasons?

www.theguardian.com/education/2020/apr/22/schools-and-exam-boards-undermine-promise-to-pupils-of-september-tests

It will possibly relate to a small number of minority subjects and I suspect at gcse level only.

@goodbyestranger and on that we totally agree. The key workers all deserve pay rises, but especially the NHS. V v long overdue.

@Tooma I think Dan Townsend is actually Head of History at The Charter School North Dulwich as opposed to Dulwich College

@whodoyouthinksheis my mistake; sorry. He’s put together a really good list of resources for would-be historians in Years 11 and 13. Apologies if my incorrect attribution made it harder for anyone to find it. He’s on Twitter @WW1teacher.

Checking in to see how everyone is doing.

DS was feeling a bit down about the prospects of starting at Oxford this Autumn but seems to have perked up a bit. He has sorted out his student finance and is focussed on preparing for online assessments at school. Interestingly the assessments are only a hour each and are open book. They are entirely optional but DS felt it was a good use of his time.

His school are organising some enrichment courses as well. He's looking forward to those as it will give him some structure to his days. He's also doing some fitness work with his siblings.

Life has settled into a strange rhythm in our house. A bit dull but strangely content.