October A levels anyone?

[Skerryberry]

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!!

He emailed his Economics teachers at school three weeks ago to ask for any resources or advice on revision and they’ve not even bothered to respond. I realise they must be really busy but this is a selective grammar school with only 100 boys in each year group. My son was there since year 7 so...

@rbsk12 that is really shocking. I think schools are so busy with health and safety at the moment that the education/pastoral side seems to have been forgotten.

For anyone whose DCs are feeling isolated in this, I've found a big discussion thread on the Student Room they might like to join. It's called something like A level autumn resits megathread or similar ... just so they don't feel alone. It's quite active.

Thanks @kitnkaboodle, I will get him to check it out.

Sorry to hear about the wobbles. DS is still hanging in there. He now has his exam timetable, knows the room he will be sitting the exams in and knows he does not have to wear school uniform... phew.

The exam room is very small. If students have to be 2m apart, there will not be more than 6 sitting which suits DS just fine.

He has not had any response from the physic teacher he has emailed twice. No support offered from school and the only contact has been with the exams officer.

@Skerryberry

Sorry to hear about the wobbles. DS is still hanging in there. He now has his exam timetable, knows the room he will be sitting the exams in and knows he does not have to wear school uniform... phew.

The exam room is very small. If students have to be 2m apart, there will not be more than 6 sitting which suits DS just fine.

He has not had any response from the physic teacher he has emailed twice. No support offered from school and the only contact has been with the exams officer.

It’s dreadful isn’t it! The only contact my son has had is with the exam officer too. Tbh, I think it’s too late now to get them involved as by the time they were able to feedback on any essays/papers, the exams would be upon us.

It’s dreadful isn’t it! The only contact my son has had is with the exam officer too. Tbh, I think it’s too late now to get them involved as by the time they were able to feedback on any essays/papers, the exams would be upon us.

We're the same. DD emailed her subject teacher to see if she could have some help but was told that she was too busy. Cue massive anxiety attack which coincided with me workng away. Now i'm back I've managed to calm DD down and she can look at the situation more clearly.

By the time i've this A Level is over (i'm so glad she's only doing one) it'll be GCSE mocks for DS!

@WhatHaveIFound we are in the same boat. Gcse mocks looming too early next year.

Thank you all - as much as I don't want any other DC struggling all your messages have been reassuring.

Today was a better day and another day down. Yes most of our emails have been with exams office too. We haven't even asked teachers for help as didnt think they would be able give any. Physics teacher made it clear when the results came out that they would have no capacity. I hope unis realise what unbelievable odds these DC are facing.

My DS is doing the resits and starting his UCAS at the same time. I don't think it would go amiss on his personal statement to mention (in a way that didn't sound like he was badmouthing his school) how motivated he has been in registering and preparing HIMSELF for these A levels ... I definitely think unis need to be subtly made aware of how much our kids have had to do all the preparation without any help. If DS's results still turn out to be less than stellar by Christmas, then I think it wouldn't even go amiss to be emailing his chosen unis to specifically mention the difficulties of this period. It's almost a type of 'mitigating circumstances'

Little help from anyone other than the posters on this board - has been our experience! We managed to get into a local college to study one of the 2 A levels that needs to be redone (different Board to what she did with her own school but not such an issue for Maths). We have really lucked in with this and I am really really thankful to them for allowing this as it is a fantastic place. But it leaves the other A level - has anyone used these online A level providers and can talk from personal experience of the quality of the course (A level OCR Chemistry or Maths)?

Is it a series of prerecorded videos (ala Youtube) or is there access to some personal attention whereby if my dd were stuck on a topic, she could contact someone to get some face to face tuition to unblock her lack of understanding? Are they designed to get simply a pass in the subject? Dd needs to improve on a B grade for a Uni course. Someone has mentioned interhigh elsewhere in this forum but are there other better and cheaper ones - she is now aiming for the Summer exams and not the Oct ones.

@NadiSel that's great that a college has taken her. Well done to them. As far as online tuition goes, a friend also speaks highly of interhigh- her DS did GCSEs with them and it went well. But I think it's kind of full time with log-in for lessons. Definitely real teachers and real feedback. For just top ups, did you look at physicsandmathstutors or physicsandmathscourses ? @Skerryberry and my DS both did a weekend maths course with the latter and it was very good.

Anyone now wondering if these sodding exams will actually still take place, given the current climate?? Fingers crossed they get delayed (but not, God forbid, cancelled ...)

These were today's missives on the subject:

www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsibility-for-autumn-gcse-as-and-a-level-exam-series/centre-responsibility-for-autumn-gcse-as-and-a-level-exam-series-guidance

www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsibility-for-autumn-gcse-as-and-a-level-exam-series/public-health-arrangements-for-autumn-exams

www.gov.uk/government/publications/responsibility-for-autumn-gcse-as-and-a-level-exam-series/dfe-exam-support-service-autumn-exam-fees-sites-and-invigilators

Thanks @MarchingFrogs. There doesn't seem to be anything new in there ... is there? I was wondering what might happen if a DC was ill during these exams or, more likely and especially during the current test shortage, was having to isolate because a family member was waiting for a test with symptoms. The whole world and his dog seems to have a cough or a fever round our local schools and my A-level-sitting DS has a younger brother at school. Any ideas what would happen in those circumstances??

Haha, I did hope that someone else would find something relevant that I'd missed before the point my eyes and brain glazed over completely, but on second pass, I can't see anything on the subject, either.

How is everyone doing? DD was under the weather last couple of days and couldn't get much done. Thankfully looks like a seasonal bug of the non Covid type. With all this talk of lockdown I do hope that these exams go ahead. Looks they will be sat during the next peak. Exhaustion is setting in here.

We hit a bit of a low point too last weekend. DS caught a bug from his younger brother (still at school). Felt grotty over the weekend and got in quite a panic about the lost days etc. Then developed a cough which although 99% sure not covid, we had him tested today. So we're all isolating until results come through. He's cheered up considerably! Been getting up at a reasonable time in the morning for a change, so I think he'll be able to catch up this week. I did ask the school what the procedure would be if DS ill or isolating during the exams (or schools closed) but no reply yet.

Hi guys. DS is sitting two exams next month. I'm surprised to hear through this thread that the school shouldn't have charged him. He's paid £180 for the two he's sitting. Is it just guidance for the schools to not charge or mandatory?

We're in the same boat of the school basically not wanting to know. He had to give back his graphical calculator and text books back in August. They even shut down his school email. His request for access to a set of past papers that only schools can access got ignored. He's on his own

I can’t see anything new in the announcements.

@AKissAndASmile I’m surprised you were charged as the announcement clearly states this is one area where schools will get funding from the Govt. And yes we lost access to the school email as well where she had any notes and correspondence with teachers about references etc

I can imagine next the schools asking for parental contributions for ‘other costs’ though - additional cleaners for example for the exam rooms!

@kitnkaboodle best wishes to your DS. Lots of sniffles around and an unnervy time for all. Mine has exam next Wed. Was supposed to be online (she would have had to have speaker and camera on to make sure noone else was in the room with her!!) but that got cancelled last week because the online system had issues. She switched to doing it in a Centre but just now watching and waiting in case anything changes.

@AKissAndASmile that is so shocking. I do think it's worth us logging all these difficulties and lack of support in case we need it as some sort of 'evidence' later. Be prepared! I defo read government advice (ruling??) that schools would pay exam costs. We didn't pay but would have to pay back £90 for every subject if DS withdrew from them which seems fair (and almost happened at the weekend ) DS covid test came back negative this morning so that's one less thing. If he's still coughing in 2 weeks time then I wonder how they'll handle it though ...

Good news about the negative test. I too definitely read that there should not be a charge for the autumn exams and yes same thing though if you withdraw.

We are such a small group going through this but I hope we can all support each other as our DC go through this. We have had a lot of the same challenges - doing it all on her own, no help from school or access to any locked papers etc.

DS is still plodding through revision and doing OK. My DD's maths teacher is tutoring him so hopefully will be able to get access to any papers he might need. He is feeling positive about maths but not physics.

He has had his desk number for maths: A2. As he is usually last in the exam hall due to his surname, it looks like only 2 students are sitting maths. He is B3 for physics (but Economics and Eng Lit are on the same day).

Glad the covid test was negative, Kitnkaboodle.

Glad he's getting some tuition, @Skerryberry. DS has forged ahead without, even though we offered to pay for online tutor. He's putting in lots of hours now, but we are all tiptoeing around on eggshells as he had such a wobble at the weekend. The whole house and its schedule is revolving around him! And by half term it will all be over and nothing to do but wait and wonder how to fill the rest of the academic year! Does anyone know how many kids nationally are doing these October A levels?? They are definitely the forgotten few 😧

Reading all the threads on how grim university is with all the restrictions, one positive is that our October takers may have dodged a bullet and be better off in hindsight going to uni next year with their grades and an extra year of maturity.

They will certainly have resilience.

@Skerryberry

Reading all the threads on how grim university is with all the restrictions, one positive is that our October takers may have dodged a bullet and be better off in hindsight going to uni next year with their grades and an extra year of maturity.

They will certainly have resilience.

Yes this is definitely the one positive that we keep reminding our DS about. Our elder DS took a gap year and has just started uni this week and it’s certainly grim. He’s making the most of it but I do feel bad for this year’s freshers.

10 days to go until the first exam!

How is everyone doing?