Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Higher education

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

Flip

1 2 ··· 8 9 10 ··· 39 40

Original poster

Durham University

999 replies

KingscoteStaff · 19/02/2021 11:03

A continuation thread for those with DC at Durham, or applying for Durham or alumni or staff! Share your thoughts and questions on colleges, courses, etc.

Assemble! @Baytreemum @WelshDaff @WinterRobin @janinlondon @MarchingFrogs @ChildOfFriday @tava63 @Terfterfterf @TonTonMacoute @Suki2 @Quair @Greyhair59 @bpisok @Jan069 @999caz @nipersvest @mum2eim @witchend @chopc @alterego2

Who have I missed??

OP posts:

Ingles2 · 28/03/2021 14:10

@janinlondon totally believe you... not only is ds state but I'm a lower income family too, and Durham have given plenty of financial awards / bursaries to make sure Ds is ok..they are trying very hard to give opportunities for everyone in our experience
BUT.... there are plenty of Hoorays and Oxford rejects too..
or in Ds' case.. Cambridge reject!

janinlondon · 28/03/2021 14:13

@Ingles2 we are also very grateful for the Durham scholarship scheme - these three years would have been much harder for us financially without it. (Shameless plug for Durham there!)

Ingles2 · 28/03/2021 14:56

@janinlondon absolutely! and why not!
I think a lot of families are put off Durham when they see its £7k+ a year all inclusive not realising they could get a bursary of £2k+

alterego2 · 28/03/2021 21:15

Wait, what? Sorry, someone up-thread mentioned college tutors. I can't find the post now but is this actually a thing? 2 terms in, DD has mentioned nothing about this. I know she is very unhappy with her Principal (as are many first years) but should she have someone else to approach about this?

alterego2 · 28/03/2021 21:16

To clarify - many 1st years in her college - not in general

GoTrevs · 29/03/2021 09:12

@alterego2 I mentioned college tutors. We certainly had them at Trevs when I was there - members of the SCR, normally academic staff, but not always. I think my initial tutor was the wife of a professor who had a long term link with the college.

I couldn't say if they still exist or if all colleges had them, but there will be other people your DC can turn to. There's probably a fellow older student who is the JCR Welfare Officer and likely to be a student support admin member of staff, who even if they can't help directly, can point people in the correct direction.

Longtimenewsee · 29/03/2021 09:21

@janinlondon
Thank you ! What a lovely post. - really pleased your daughter has found a new happy place . Sounds utterly idyllic!

janinlondon · 29/03/2021 10:19

Certainly Castle had college tutors for each subject area when DD started in 2018.

alterego2 · 29/03/2021 13:09

@GoTrevs and @janinlondon - thank you both. I'll mention it to DD before she goes back. I think she has found it really hard disliking the Principal so much and I think it has given her a jaded view of her college. I'd like her to find someone she could could - I don't know - respect more? Hopefully, that would give her a stronger bond with the college even when she moves out.

I read all the comments from the Durham alumni and those from parents whose DC love their colleges and it makes me so sad that DD just does not feel like that. Hopefully things will improve over the summer term when they can socialise more broadly etc

chopc · 01/04/2021 07:22

What are Durham's plans for the summer term?

Does anyone know what they plan to do in the next academic year starting in Sept 2021?

janinlondon · 01/04/2021 08:13

@chopc Announcement expected from Govt "early April" regarding what will be allowed. University leadership across the country generally saying that if the government allow hairdressers and nail bars to open but continue to say face to face teaching at tertiary level is not allowed it will be a travesty...but plans are difficult to draw up without the official guideline...

chopc · 01/04/2021 08:37

Thanks @janinlondon . Wish mumsnet would have an edit function

Original poster

KingscoteStaff · 06/04/2021 07:35

News of Welsh students’ opportunity of some f2f teaching in the summer has made me a tiny bit optimistic!

DS’s college has told them that they can stay in their accommodation a week longer than usual - that takes them over the potential June 24th opening up, plus overlaps with the July 1st start of their 2nd year house rental.

He’s currently planning to head up on the 20th in the hope of getting some ad hoc cricket nets. They aren’t allowed to organise any formal pre-season as that would be ‘actively encouraging students to return’...

OP posts:

TerfTerf · 06/04/2021 13:44

DS is going back on the 15th to prepare for exams the first week of term. His term's been extended to 3rd July, which as you say if great for moving into their second year house. He's so looking forward to seeing his flat mates again! And sim looking forward to being home alone again most of the week, but will miss his cups of tea and someone to play cards with

chopc · 06/04/2021 22:27

@KingscoteStaff yet elsewhere outdoor organised sports practices legally allowed to happen

What were the colleges like in Durham before Easter? Were students able to have some kind of life and meet others / make friends?

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 07/04/2021 08:52

Late to the party but reassuring to read about non-sporty shy types thriving at Durham. Ds is introvert and likes small groups but very willing to try new stuff. In fact we visited Durham for a day trip on Saturday and I believe we saw other prospective students touring round too with a parent or two, Ds led us on a tour round the town having watched several walking tours of Durham.

His college is South College which is the new one. We parked up at the park and ride at JoBo and had a walk through the centre of South and walked up past Grey College to whatever that site is as Ds is doing Computer Science.

He loved it which is good as he chose it as his firm choice before we went! I think he will do amazingly well in the collegiate system with a Mum and Dad. He has a Yorkshire accent he is proud of and comes from a state school.

@FoolsAssassin love your name if it is in reference to RH books.

janinlondon · 07/04/2021 09:33

Re face to face teaching in English universities, this email to staff from one of the London University principals yesterday:

"Although there was no public announcement yesterday about in-person education for students on non-practical courses, we have heard from the Minister for Universities, via Universities UK, that we are not allowed to resume in-person teaching for these students on 12 April. We do not as yet have a date when in-person teaching for students on non-practical courses can resume.

This is very disappointing news, which seems to de-prioritise the education and welfare of university students across England, and is at odds with the Government’s stated commitment to prioritise education in the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions. I, along with other Vice-Chancellors, have argued very strongly for Covid secure in-person on-campus education for all students to resume at the same time as secondary schools and further education, and at the very latest on 12 April alongside the opening of non-essential shops, hairdressers, nail bars, tattoo parlours, gyms and outdoor hospitality. We will continue to strongly make the case directly to Government and through other avenues available to us that higher education and university student welfare should always be the number one priority, in-line with the rest of the education sector, in these key government policy decisions. "

FoolsAssassin · 07/04/2021 10:49

OnTheBenchOfDoom indeed it is !

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 07/04/2021 21:07

@FoolsAssassin, I have been reading and re-reading those books for the last 20 years. They are amongst my favourite. Always lovely to find a fellow fan.

Original poster

KingscoteStaff · 10/04/2021 10:20

DS heading back up on Monday for pre-season cricket. Beside himself with joy!

He phoned the porters' lodge to check he would be ok to get back into his room and had a very enjoyable 15 min chat about their respective football teams and news that he had 2 parcels waiting for him!

OP posts:

chopc · 17/04/2021 14:01

If anyone knows of Durham's plans for the next academic year with regards to students living on site and campus life as well as lectures - please could you update on here?

I would understand if lectures to large numbers of students need to be online as long as the small group tutorials are face to face. However I would love Uni life and societies etc take place with some resemblance to normal .

And after having such a shitty sixth form experience it would break my heart if DS can expect more of the same at Uni

Longtimenewsee · 17/04/2021 14:55

Have you seen this @chopc?
www.dur.ac.uk/coronavirus/applicants/

chopc · 17/04/2021 15:05

No I haven't @Longtimenewsee ! Thank you for this!

WentworthMillerMad · 01/05/2021 13:51

Hello, have really enjoyed reading this thread - my son has an offer to study Maths and has a place at south college. We left for Durham at 7 am today from glasgow, train via edinburgh. Got to edinburgh to find signal failure with an option of a bus to Newcastle with a 2 hour wait or a 3 hour wait for train that may not go! Have come home and we may drive tomorrow. Does anyone know the parking situation on a Sunday? We have been looking forward to this trip for weeks, first since 2019. Typical!

Flip

1 2 ··· 8 9 10 ··· 39 40