Another Path - part IV

[321zyx]

Apologies if I've done this wrong! I seemed to have filled up the last thread, hopefully the abbreviated title is ok!

DS2 was very lucky, GP called him for vaccine two weeks ago. He was also lucky enough to pass his driving test last September. His friends are lucky DS doesn't like alcohol, and is able to borrow my car ....

School are trying to rearrange the Y13 dinner for September so fingers crossed. I work in Post 16 in a special school and I think we are going to do something in the school hall.

@raspberryrippleicecream your DS is indeed lucky. The earliest DS got the theory date was end of Sept last year. However had I known that you can get a cancellation booking I would have gone for that. He started learning last July and only just passed his test.........

@MidLifeCrisis007 you assume that in a state school they actually provide us with CAT scores. Do they hell. Westminster is an entrance exam kind of school so those applying and gaining entry no doubt are the academically high achievers anyway. It is a bit like the entrance test grammar school relatively near us that boast their results, well considering you only took the absolute top achievers anyway how is that an achievement? There is no resilience needed, the low achievers are not in your mixed ability lessons (History) and your teachers are not spending their time trying to help the children on a grade 3 get up to a grade 4.

Also if your child is applying for Westminster or any entrance exam school the parents have usually prepared for this well in advance with either tutoring (as is the case with the free grammar school above) or you are in a fee paying prep school before hand who will no doubt guide you as it also looks good for them. I am seriously having flashbacks to the start of Dead Poets Society, with the Ivy League boast.

As I have said before Ds1's "flight path" saw his grades restricted within the computer system as it will not allow for more than 1 grade higher than what they predict off KS2 SATS. Ds2 got a 4 for English and a 5 for maths. That meant his prediction was a 6 for maths at GCSE, even when getting 9s on tests they could only increase it to a 7. His maths teacher was SLT and told us his hands were tied. Ds got a 9 in maths and an 8 for English. Judging a child based on where they are at 11 is not a great system. His predicted A levels grades are 3 x A and an A/A for physics, he has more A*s than As but he is right on the cusp based on previous assessments. A snapshot at 11 would see him as average.

Fee paying schools and maybe some non-fee paying but selective schools do get extra tutoring, I have read online the extra TMUA/STEPs prep that other schools provide. Even on this thread those students at one school (I apologise for not remembering which one) is only allowing those with Oxbridge/medicine etc offers to sit an extra test to show their ability which reads we need you to get a higher grade so we can fudge through your grades to get you into Oxbridge.

The dice are sure as hell weighted.

@chopc I suppose there is an upside to being disabled and not able to work as I am here at home with Ds, so Lost is our lunchtime tv

Things DD and I watch together at the moment:

Sewing Bee although now, alas, finished
Loki and before that Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and before that WandaVision
Sex Education (for the second time, but it is very funny, sometimes sad, and often very rude)
Brothers and Sisters (old series, which I watched with DH first time round. Their family is so like ours, it makes me laugh and cry)

Recent films we re-watched, Steel Magnolias, and Testament of Youth. Bloody hell, took us several hours to get over both. Note to self, to watch something a bit lighter next time.

On a personal note, I am all alone today, for the first time in over a year. DH has gone to see his DM, who is having an operation next week. DD2 gone to stay with DD1.

What to do...... it's weird. It's very quiet, and the weather is horrendous. Torrential, monsoon rain. Hills obscured by rain and mist.

Think a friend may come for tea and cake this afternoon if she can finish work early. That will be nice :-)

Some good suggestions there @BigWoollyJumpers . As a family we enjoyed watching Kobra Kai and Ackley Bridge although we gave up on the recent series

It certainly must feel strange being alone ..... do you enjoy your own company?

It certainly must feel strange being alone ..... do you enjoy your own company?

I do, but just strange after so long. DH mostly worked away all our lives, so very used to being just me, or me and the babies! I was looking forward to it, but after a full on year with everyone at home 24/7, and I still feel a bit resistant to going out, it is a very odd feeling.

I can't get DD booked for a vaccine. Nothing local to us at all, not even anywhere I would be willing to drive to. Heathrow, Twickenham or London are all free, but DD would not be happy to go there.

Will have to keep trying, or hopefully she will be contacted by the GP service, which is doing vax next to her school .

bigwoollyjumepers, dc managed to book yesterday via the local hospital website, not the national website

Dd has booked jab.
I can’t remember when I was last alone in the house. Dh still working from home ( as am I for 3/5 days)
Dd working a lot of shifts in her summer retail job.. she’s looking forward to first wage!
I heard that Wales students have been given their provisional A level grades now .. do we have anyone on this thread in Wales ?

That must have been tough @BigWoollyJumpers being separated from DH for so long. 9 months in that case was bad enough and even then he used to come back most weekends (from the Middle East)

@BigWoollyJumpers yes Testament of Youth has been described as an incredibly accurate description of the conditions of WWI, I watched it years ago and it broke me too.

Ds and I have watched Gilmore Girls (great to highlight unhealthy aspects in friendships and relationships) Veronica Mars, Sex Education and Outlander and then a lot of films. Over the 10 weeks he had off after GCSEs we watched one a day plus we watch at least one as a family every week. Some are old like Ransom, Fried Green Tomatoes, Uncle Buck, Ferris Bueller and some are thought provoking like Hidden Figures, On the Basis of Sex and The Help. This weeks family film is The Mauritanian on Prime. I must watch Brothers and Sisters, I heard good things about it.

I was alone for the first time in the house last Saturday when Dh took the boys to the barbers. It felt really strange. I had finally learned to not talk to myself as someone always thinks I am talking to them.

OnTheBenchOfDoom The Help is one of our favourite films, and books. Just so good. Another of those heart-wrenching, but feel-good movies. Hidden Numbers also great. Octavia Spencer is brilliant in both.

I've just had four nights on my own, I think it's over 23 years since I was on my own. DD is now back home and we have several girls nights before DS2 and DH return from visiting his parents

On the upside, I just did a load of ironing, as nothing else to do!!!!

The toppling/teetering ironing basket of doom is empty, a very infrequent occurrence. I even did all the bedlinen in one hit. Proud .

@raspberryrippleicecream

I've just had four nights on my own, I think it's over 23 years since I was on my own. DD is now back home and we have several girls nights before DS2 and DH return from visiting his parents

Oooh - Love a girls night in.

I seem to be monopolising the discussions.... sorry !

Update to DD vaccinations, she got a text from her GP on Sat and booking in a couple of weeks time. So that's done, hoorah.

Having cancelled leaves and moved it to Sept, the school are now throwing the girls a "missed 18th's and leavers" party on-site with bbq and prosecco. I am so pleased they have thought to do this, I hope it mark the end properly for them.

In addition, the Prize Giving is now virtual for parents and the rest of the school, so just the 6th Form attending on school premises.

At least there is that leavers' party. It is very difficult and in many ways unfair times for lots of people for all kinds of different reasons.

There seem to be lots of vaccinations possibilities my Bristol son said (he twin had his first jab easily near here (well 20 minutes drive) in London). He is probably going to wait until he is home in mid July when university ends and get it in London as nearest to Bristol seems to be Bath and Weston S.

My living at home (post grad) son was back last night after nearly a week away. I like being on my own but it will probably be another 4 years before I am fully so even though the youngest are students (I am only on this thread out of interest in everyone's children as mine are older) Good to everyone in this awful and unfair exam season.

No issues about dominating the thread @BigWoollyJumpers ! Nice to hear the update.

DS had his first jab - he normally faints when having injections but this time he did not. He has also passed his driving test at long last. In retrospect we could have gone on one of the cancellation apps to get his theory brought forward which would have been a game changer but we didn't know you could do that!

@Xenia Na ...... don't think you will be free of your brood. Life is too good for them ........ (Hope I have my kids at home for as long as possible - independent living etc will happen eventually and no turning back once married and have their own families ). Can't help thinking that the best years of our lives are flying by .........

Brilliant news chopc congratulations to your DS! Sad news about the leavers though, for all who've had that cancelled- another rite of passage lost, as many of you said upthread.

Just caught up with all the goings on here! Took DS to his driving theory test this morning which he passed, then tried to book a practical - nothing, nada, zilch, for any month in any location seemingly. His instructor says that's par for the course and keep trying. I'd be happy to use one of these paid for apps that does it all for you but you have to have a test booked before you can ask it to look for an earlier date! Grrr!! If anyone has any top tips on this do let me know!

We went straight from the theory test to our local vaccination hub to get DS's first jab. His second appointment is mid August so he'll be fully vaccinated before uni, hurray. I do hope that all of that means they are able to have a more 'normal' freshers experience, feel desperately sorry for those who missed out on so much this year.

Completely OT but am also looking at best way to get DS insured on our family car if/when I'm brave enough to take him out. Admiral multi car looks good value, it's £100 cheaper than we're paying now for two cars with the same company WITHOUT DS listed. Mad really, our existing insurer wouldn't offer him cover at any price which is why I'm now shopping around and they'll probably lose two policies. Anyway, was just wondering- will this very reasonable quote leap up in price if/when he passes his test and can drive alone as opposed to with a supervising driver? Anyone any experience?

@Pumpkintopf - I found it really useful to go to a comparison website as the prices vary massively between insurers - it seems some have zero appetite for learner drivers - and even less so for newly passed ones!

I was surprised how inexpensive it was to insure our Mini for DS to learn to drive on.... and then it was just an extra £25 to add DD too when she turned 17 earlier this year. We're insuring with GoGirl. I investigated how the cost will change when either of them passes - it will obviously go up a bit, but only by £200 odd with the cheapest reputable insurer. But the quotes varied massively..... so SHOP around!!!

DS (19) hasn't even bothered doing his Theory test yet. DD(17) passed her theory a couple of months ago and has a test slot in September although we're hoping for a July cancellation using an App. She is desperate to pass and go off on a camping trip with the boyf!!!

Neither of my kids have had lessons with instructors. We're cheapskates - so DH and I are doing the dirty work! It's saving us a fortune!

That's is very impressive @MidLifeCrisis007 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
DS has probably had the most amount of lessons any learner has has ..... ever! It took him ages to get the manoevres right. No way would I have been confident doing that without him having learnt first.

Good tip about the insurance. Will shop around

Hi everyone. Good to hear all your news. By the sound of it, DS must be the only one U.K. have had no driving lessons yet . He’s not massively bothered and says there’s nowhere to park or the parking costs more than public transport anyway. I will keep trying to get him interested...,

I read the other day that in Wales, they’ve basically all had their A-level results! They are “provisional” results, but not expected to change. So many inconsistencies this year - between departments in the same schools; between schools; between examining boards and between countries. Also in Wales, the guidelines for assessment were different apparently in that an element of coursework has to be factored in. Seems crazy that they will all come out with “A-levels” but all assessed in different ways

Also, in Wales they have the next two weeks to appeal the TAGs before they are sent off

Have any of your DC been given “raw scores” from their exams? Apparently some have, but in DS’ school they are none the wiser.

They have a Leavers Ball in July and it’s still happening at this point. He probably needs a new suit as he’s 6 ft 5 now and also no shoes ever fit him in shops. Where has the time gone???