University 2020 :10: Empty nests warm vests and covid tests: uni parents 2020

[sammyjoanne]

Carry on from MilicentMartha's University 9 thead
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/higher_education/a4025020-University-2020-9-And-theyre-off-making-hay-while-the-sun-shines?msgid=101075411#101075411

@Nettleskeins we've just watched it as well. A real family favourite, but then DD is studying economics!

Today ds2 much brighter, rose early (10am) and is motivated by thought of online lectures and work set. He thinks it may work out to stay here till Feb. Although he was very fed up last week.

Dropped dd back to london on Saturday, covid pcr test yesterday (negative) and term starts today. Four of the six in her flat are back - all medics, the non-medical students are staying at home. They’re worried about a friend who’s in a flat share with all non-medics as she’s on her own. They invited her to move in with them temporarily but her landlord has a residence requirement and won’t budge on it.

Thats such a shame HostessTrolley that one person is not allowed. Surely they can form a support bubble for now maybe?

Glad to see your son is much brighter Nettleskeins :) DD messaged me this morning. New lecturer seems to be very good and the group has started a group chat under his name and according to them, he is a legend. shes happy to be learning again. with not much going on round campus they cant do much. They cant even go for a walk as a flat now. security is really tight there and wont allow large groups, even in the same household. Which I think is shit tbh. Surely if they had their ID people can do random spot checks to make sure they are not households mixing in large groups. They really wanted their after party walk on Saturday night too as thats what they like to do.

@sammyjoanne it’s terrible - if there isn’t someone at the other flat they are in breach in contract. My d is inviting the other girl to go out for a walk with her each day - they’re on campus 1-2 half days a week and their GP placements are currently half a day per fortnight but sometimes online. It’s mainly the weekends that are concerning as they’re really busy during the week. Because covid tests are freely available I think they’re going to invite her over for movie/pizza night at the weekend so that should help.

It’s terrible that uni security seem to be making up their own rules outside of the government guidelines. They don’t have the legal authority to do this, surely?

@HostessTrolley My thoughts exactly, but its really annoying. They now plan to go to williamson park together which is a local park in Lancaster. Ive told them to take they student ID so if any one questions it, they can check with the college they are all from the same flat.

Oh dear, Sammy, that is what I feared would happen with the social "scene", being able to hang out in a group outside in a household practically last fun thing you CAN do. I suspect it is because it isn't exercise as they define it, still why couldn't it be exercise - ie if you were a family group? Perhaps it is too difficult to police, hence blanket ban.

I'll tell ds, not in best of moods because the SPAG on his essay (well, whole essay) got low marks, still that will help with evidence for dyslexia advisor tmw. I'm hoping they will give him some support with this, finally.

Yeah I hope that will help with the dyslexia advisor. He should not get penalised with low marks on something he cant be helped.

No, I think it IS a valid reason to give someone low marks...it is more that it is important for him to use new strategies, and so far he hadn't taken advantage of any or followed the "signposts".

My DH has dyslexia and gave up school at 14. He always struggles when writing an email or filling out a form. He struggles with their and there, and spells things like waffels or sosige when doing shopping lists. He spells it as its said and I have tried to teach him little ways to remember, but it doesnt sink in. When he does cooking, he has to write it down because reading multiple packets of food gets too confusing for him, so he has to put it down like a time line otherwise he gets it all mixed up.
I hope that essay does help your DS @Nettleskeins and hope he gets the help he needs :)

Did your DS have any help when he was at school/college @Nettleskeins? :)

Bless you Sammy, that is very kind of you...I know it is hard for ds2 but he is lucky (probably like your DH) to have lots of other gifts..AND (this is just my ds2)to have the opportunity to get help from the Lancaster disability service if he will only Access it!!!!

Yes, lots of help at school from year 9, he was so lucky, they had very good dyslexia teaching/ exam support.

And he uses Dragon which is voice to text, to write essays.
Anyway it will be fine

There is hope Nettleskeins my DS1 is very badly dyslexic and we have known since year 2 and worked with schools on it ever since. DS1 is in final year and out looking a 1st / 2.1 but gets a lot of support from his uni.

Have you looked into a DSA with student finance as that’s how we got into the system for support at Uni.

Yes, but he has to get formally assessed for SpLD (school evidence doesn't count, you need up-to-date ed pysch report)first by uni and that has been the bottleneck...exacerbated by lack of RL prodding or being able to visit the "service", and ds2 own natural reluctance to admit difficulties.
Its all fine...just musing really...this thread isn't really for solutions is it, but just to share our thoughts as parents.

They know his diagnosis of ASD already from August, but the difficulties were the SpLD ones, and to get DSA he needs an assessment, which had been booked/referred but nothing had happened, until now, when I forced him to make a further appt.

They have already sent him loads of links and resources but he needs RL, real time prodding to use them. But Dragon (which we set up in summer) is a very useful program and he uses that all the time.

Covid Update:

My daughter has decided not to go back to Cambridge for now, possibly not at all this term. Her Faculty is talking about book allowances for some books to be bought online and delivered directly to us at home. No idea about other essential books.

It's a Dissertation and Thesis based Masters, with minimal teaching as such. The Tutors can't do anything if there is insufficient library work to begin with. The Faculty is really struggling to support its 50 MPhil candidates.

JBX2013 oh I really hope Cambridge provides the resources needed for her. its so unfair what Covids done

Update on the youngest:
Youngest daughter got her mock GCSEs back today
We just had that feeling exams were going to be cancelled back in November, so I advised her to really give mocks a good go, so it can help with the teacher assessed grades.
We spent hours revising together for 3 weeks every night, especially on Biology and maths because she fell behind (teachers wasnt that great on remote learning in lockdown 1)

She got an 8 on biology and 7 in Maths
(4xgrade 8, 3xgrade7, 1 grade 6, and 1 grade 5)

Hopefully this should stay as it should (she will revise for other tests coming up) and that will see her through to take on Biology Geography and Psychology Alevel

Hi all

@Sammyjoanne, great news on the GCSEs

@nettleskeins, dyslexia is so tough, I hope your DS starts to get his support sorted this term - great that he's sorting his accommodation for next year

@BCBG I hope your DD gets a place sorted. It may be that new properties come into the rental market that her group can snag.

DS agrees campus security getting fierce about groups, but says its because some of the townhouses were still having parties with lots of guests from other properties and the porters had to keep involving the police as the students in question keep refusing to act in line with the regs. There are 9 of them in his flat now and they are going out for walks and have not had anyone give them a hard time about the size of the group.

Very interested to see the news from Exeter about rent refunds.

I hope many more manage to get some money back - although I think some of the issues are related to areas covered by rent, others more related to value for money in the fees.

This term is going to be a grind for all of them. (As our working lives are too unfortunately).

Hope you all get some sunshine this week - we need cheering up!

@sammyjoanne yes great gcse mock results!

@WellWoman @specialted thanks :) shes got an interview with the head teacher on Thursday for 6th form, so have no idea how thats going to go lol.