Thread 45 GCSE Covid Cohort - Bunnies bouncing into Spring

[OrangeCinnamonLatte]

This is a support thread for our young adults post GCSEs 2020, regardless of their educational setting, and their results ( or life updates for those who went into work or have had results earlier). It is respectfully requested that all are supportive and helpful to each other. If you want to start a debate, e.g state vs private, uni vs employment please don't within this thread.

Some of us have been here since first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. Everyone is welcome. It is hoped this will continue. We were previously on the secondary board and then further education, now we shall be here in 'Parents of Adult Children' gulp

Our DS/DD may continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed). Be warned there might be lots of 'Uni Freshers' chat this time of year. My experience is that everyone is welcomed wherever, whatever their child is doing we have some in work, gap years , apprenticeships etc too. Lots of contributors with different experiences and always sympathy and advice to be had

previous thread

Were any of the Nottingham DC caught out by the April Fool? DS's GF was completely taken in! https://thetab.com/uk/nottingham/2023/03/31/university-of-nottingham-and-nottingham-trent-university-to-merge-from-september-2023-66178#:~:text=University%20of%20Nottingham%20and%20Nottingham%20Trent%20University%20to%20merge%20from%20September%202023

I'd have believed that!

DS firmly believed the article in the Durham Tab (yes, I know…) that due to their COVID-affected undergraduate experience, all graduates this year would be presented with a gold signet ring carved with their college crest. With the option to pay for ‘the added gemstone of your choice’.

😂
The St Andrews one was that Will and Kate had announced a ballot for all students, with the winners to watch the St Andrews episodes of The Crown with them! 😁

Oh dear, I'm clearly gullible because I would've believed all of those. 😳

Those are great April's Fools!

DD has now finished her bookbinding project and now only has a few more loose ends to wrap up over the rest of this week (including making some puppets...?) So, to celebrate, she went and sat in the graveyard at the end of her road, and did a quick sketch. It must be an art-school thing.

Fabulous April’s Fools- I note a thread was started on HE board about Notts @Monkey2001 🤣
Nowt much of note from DD - apart from a headline stating that all kebab vans would be shut after 10pm in Oxford, which caused quite a stir.
This effort from last year, though, was a pure belter:
https://www.new.ox.ac.uk/news/new-college-build-swimming-pool-garden-quad

I wouldn't have fallen for the Notts April Fool because I fell for the same line with Leeds and Leeds Beckett last year. The others though are quite original and amusing.

Haha I just showed DS the Notts one and he was horrified for a minute until he realised! 😂

Hope you lovely lot can help. I've posted in further ed but had no replies. I'm guessing none of this group had end of y11 proms but dd has one this year and can't decide on suits.
If you don't mind, would you please give me your view? Thanks

Opinions please! Suit A www.suitdirect.co.uk/api/product/getzoomimages/19965#1 probably has a better fit than suit B www.suitdirect.co.uk/p-ted-baker-blue-twill-slim-suit-jacket-18948
Both look lovely.

They both look the same to me! Both very nice . I can't see the price of the first one? Would just go for cheapest!

DS needs black tie now for Brum history ball. Bit annoyed as he can't reuse his lovely prom suit!

I do prefer the more flecked blue but younguns do seem to like this brighter blue at the moment.

I myself wouldn't wear B (too colourful)..... so that is probably the one to go for!

DS in Y11 doesn't have a Prom (as they mostly carry on to the Sixth Form) but will need a suit for the next two years. Was just planning on taking him to M&S (poor lad).

I didn’t look at the prices, I’d say B!

While we are talking suites ... best (aka cheapest!) place to source black dinner suit? Hire or buy...

I’d say B for a young person

It’s a vote for A from me and DD agrees- so two votes for A!

B looks like the one DS2 chose. I agree that you should think about cost, particularly if your DS is a gym bunny - DS2 has gone up 2 sizes in the last 3 years! Luckily he has been able to pass the suit (worn about 3 times) to DS1, but DS1 is also spending a lot of time in the gym now. Would have been better for us to hire. We also now have two DJs which don't fit either of them.

I would go for the suit that fits the best. Neither will probably fit by next year so whatever you get will have a very short life span.
B looks more like the ones boys were wearing at Year 11 proms for the last few years. Just had a wobble realising Dd1 had her prom in 2017!!!

Great replies- thank you! They're both identical in price and are the same as an M&S suit due to being so highly discounted. I prefer A and think DS does, but DD says B so that's influencing his decision. His school blazer is quite a similar colour to B which might sway him. He's very lucky because any slim fit suit looks good!

Bless him, I’m sure he’ll look dapper in either :)

Hmmm he'd be happier in at short and trackies!!!

Definitely B as the more ‘trendy’ choice!

@Monkey2001 i bought ds an England team M&S suit in September for sixth form and he’s already grown out of it due to his gym exploits! He’s starting to get too big I think and I’m not really keen on him getting bigger and bigger indefinitely! But he has no plans to give up… None of the clothes he’s bought himself fit him now either unfortunately.

Oh another thing to consider - it can be so hot at proms so go for the coolest.