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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

October A levels anyone?

356 replies

Skerryberry · 13/08/2020 20:44

With so many getting results they were disappointed with, are any DS/DD's choosing to take the October A levels ?

Are they taking all their A levels or just one or two?

How are they planning to motivate themselves with exams only 50 days away? DC has not opened a book since March... eek!

I may need some hand holding!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Skerryberry · 14/08/2020 23:19

Yes, this ended up being 4 hours of maths today and a bit of geography. But lots of sorting out, printing things off, filling in forms etc also done. We did have a planned family dinner booked for DS's 18th birthday (2 weeks ago) so nothing done this evening. We all needed to press pause.

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loveyouradvice · 15/08/2020 00:24

Skerry this is IMPRESSIVE ... we are still in shock and sadness mode..... Hoping by Monday things are beginning to roll.

Lots of sorting, some geography and 4 hours of Maths - that sounds like a good 7 hours.... So long as he can keep up the momentum that's great.

Decorhate · 15/08/2020 12:07

Re textbooks. Around here, schools do not provide textbooks for 6th formers unless they receive the 16-19 Bursary. I’m assuming where schools do provide them, it’s on a loan basis and they need them back for the new cohort?

notquiteruralbliss · 15/08/2020 13:06

The courses DD is doing are run by A small specialist provider physicsandmathscourses.com

They are inexpensive compared to other revision classes my older DCs have used but only do maths and physics. DD did maths at Easter and thought it was good. I would think that other revision specialists like Justin Craig will also be doing online courses but would expect them to be more expensive.

Original poster
Skerryberry · 15/08/2020 14:54

Just had a great bit of advice:

For anyone sitting October exams and would still like to go to their Firm choice next year, get DS/DD to email the department and see if they will defer their place. This will save another UCAS application post results.

We presumed DS would have to reapply and do a new PS. However, some universities are offering a deferred place with the original offer standing.

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kitnkaboodle · 15/08/2020 17:23

Two days of serious revision just happened in this house ... probably more work than for the entire mocks 🙄. He's having an initial flurry to try to test himself and decide which subject, if any, to drop. Was doing four, but Further Maths pretty much a disaster among his cohort. That or Chemistry will (I hope) get ditched.

Original poster
Skerryberry · 15/08/2020 18:39

I am glad your DS has got his head down with revision. My DS has been planning most of the day. He did get a couple hours of physics done this morning and enjoyed watching some F1 qualifying this afternoon.

What is your DS hoping to go on to study?

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notquiteruralbliss · 15/08/2020 20:00

I can’t see mine doing more than 10h per week revision split across 2 subjects. TBF results haven’t impacted plans for the coming academic year and DD will be starting a course in September. For her it was more a feeling that she wants to actually sit the exams. There’s no risk in doing so as she can use whichever result she prefers.

Schmedz · 16/08/2020 13:14

DD wanting to sit one of her subjects as staff in that department have consistently got grade predictions wrong for previous cohorts, so she feels her CAG was too low (a friend in 2019 was predicted a D and came out with an A - most extreme case, but representative of the trend). She expected this to be the case so can't wait to prove them wrong!
She'd love to have her non-downgraded CAG mark for another subject but it's higher than her mock, so she can't appeal.

kitnkaboodle · 16/08/2020 14:16

Schmedz - keep an eye on the news - it's changing by the hour Confused

Schmedz · 16/08/2020 19:19

@kitnkaboodle

Schmedz - keep an eye on the news - it's changing by the hour Confused
Sadly with DD2's GCSE results coming out on Thursday, I'm doing little else atm Sad
Original poster
Skerryberry · 18/08/2020 10:28

Anyone still taking these? Or have CAGs changed things?

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Schmedz · 18/08/2020 10:40

@Skerryberry

Anyone still taking these? Or have CAGs changed things?
No news on this yet. There might be some who wish to prove they could do better than their CAG, particularly if they now have to defer their university choice...
Original poster
Skerryberry · 18/08/2020 10:50

DS is still hoping to sit one in October, possibly 2.

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Coffeeandbeans · 18/08/2020 11:25

Yes my son is still hoping to resit one in October. His CAGs were low so he needs to improve his results.

medicineappstress · 18/08/2020 11:56

It would be really unfair to cancel the October exams. Some students didn't get good enough CAGs from their schools to continue with their chosen route. They have to have the opportunity to prove themselves otherwise it's just not a fair situation.

Original poster
Skerryberry · 18/08/2020 12:01

If they wait until June 2021, they will have had nearly 16 months out of school.

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kitnkaboodle · 18/08/2020 19:43

We're still in! DS had disruptions to his sixth form (both years) and low grades either way, so is very keen to sit exams in October. Also, he hasn't yet done UCAS, so was hoping to do that AND sit the exams this autumn - getting ahead of the curve and ahead of the Y12s who will have to wait until the summer (sorry, Y12s!). With all the egg that the govt have on their faces at the moment, they surely can't now cancel the exams Shock. If they do, then I think that's my DS's chances of uni. down the pan. There's no way he will be motivated enough to study all the way through to next May. And who with, anyway??

kitnkaboodle · 18/08/2020 19:49

Don't forget there are also home educated students who won't have any CAGs ... but maybe there are so few of them that it won't be a factor?? My DS is carrying on studying regardless. I don't think it's occurred to him that there won't be any October exams ... because that would be CRAZY, right ...? Hmm

clary · 18/08/2020 21:38

kitnkaboodle home ed students can still get CAGs or equivalent; I am a private tutor and I did some assessing for A levels and GCSE.

loveyouradvice · 20/08/2020 14:27

They have to do the October exams I would have thought? Otherwise shafting the group of kids who for whatever reason where "behind" in March.....

How is it going for all of you? We are still in sadness's/disbelief but hoping that work starts soon ... challenging balance!

Interesting comment from one teacher recently is that they think it will be easier to get high grades in the autumn for well prepared students ... anyone any thoughts about this?

kitnkaboodle · 20/08/2020 17:21

My thoughts are that my brain is too frazzled trying to think about grade boundaries, cohorts, CAGs, etc! I am actually trying to avoid the media atm but keep getting sucked in! All that matters is that DS1 works hard now and does his best for October. So far so good, though we had a day out yesterday. DS2 got very good GCSE 'results' today, so we have to tread a bit sensitively today Blush

Original poster
Skerryberry · 21/08/2020 16:49

DS has been really down for the last couple of days. The emotional highs and lows of algorithms, October exams, CAGs, university admissions and loss of a university place for this year has taken its toll. He has physics and maths to revise for, yet today all he has done is lay on his bed saying, I know I need to do some work.

It is so hard as a parent to watch a young person slip into a depression and feel so let down.

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Linus33 · 24/08/2020 15:53

@*Skerryberry completely with you. It's so hard for them (and us). I'm trying to be supportive without being perceived as 'nagging' which seems to have a detrimental effect on progress. DS has a study plan but he says he's really struggling to focus and can spend many hours looking at a leaf on a tree!

He knows if he can't nail these retakes, it's going to be so hard for him to secure uni.

We have good days and bad days. Funnily enough the good days seem to be ones where he has work which focuses his mind.

Original poster
Skerryberry · 24/08/2020 18:32

It is good to hear I am not alone.

@Linus33, what subject(s) is your DS doing? What grade does he need?

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