Thread 46 - GCSE Covid Cohort , Searching for Summer Solstice

[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

@crazycrofter DS's Nottingham results are 11th July for Law. I don't know if all departments are the same. His French modules on Moodle say October!!
He had his DSA assessment today and wow, what a positive experience. The assessor was great and really got him to open up about his struggles. I was expecting some mentoring, which he's recommended, but he's also listed a whole load of software and a new laptop to run it on. DS actually seemed quite excited by it all. Shame it's not so easy to get help for the struggling year 12's.
Dd has also applied for a warehouse job so fingers crossed 🤞 He has an overdraft to pay off 🤦

@mummyinbeds @crazycrofter It looks like all Nottingham results are 11th July and then Bluecastle progression decision announced on 18th July. Although there are also comments regarding how the strike could affect the results. DD has been emailed and told that one of her module mid term tests in Feb/March has been marked but the lecturers won't release the results until the strike is resolved. From what I can gather if that's the case then marks will be given on how the other tests in that module have gone. If you fail a module you can do a retake but if you pass and don't accept their grade (if actually grade missing) then you can appeal in Sept - that's more for Yr2 & Yr3 though I guess, DD will not care 1 bit what actual grade she gets in yr1 it's all about passing each module and being able to move onto yr 2.

Basically I don't think DD will know much on 11th but will find out if she needs to take any retakes on 18th July.

@mummyinbeds that's great about DSA, it has been a very positive experience for DS too. I am worried about it for DD, she has a dyslexia diagnosis done in primary school but nothing else, I am pretty sure ASD/ADHD are in the mix but at 17.5 she's too old for paediatric assessment (even private places have long waits) and too young for adult so we are a bit stuck.

@mummyinbeds great that the DSA assessment experience was positive. Was this organised through Nottingham Uni or separately? My DS had his assessment done just before sixth form (and refreshed by the school during sixth form) so he uploaded the documentation to the Nottingham online system and got the extra time for essays which he has used gratefully. But he didn't get recommendations for equipment etc - possibly he didn't say he needed support there. I want to make sure he has all support he can get going into year 2 as it's going to get more serious in workload.

Also, has your DS shared a Moodle login with you? Is it helpful to be able to see what's on there? I haven't asked my DS if I can look on there but I worry he will miss things.

That sounds really positive mummy and well done him for doing it. Onwards and upwards to Y2 💪

@blinkbonny the DSA assessment was through SFE but will be shared with Nottingham and run alongside the Support Plan. Our evidence was the Nottingham form completed by the Cripps health centre.

And yes, I have DS's Moodle login. He finds that platform totally overwhelming. When his MH has been really bad, I've gone through each module and sent him a list of what he needs to do each week. I have access to his timetable too. He would have missed several assessments if I hadn't. I'm hoping his mentor will help him with this next year.

@singingstones my Dad's restart of Y1 also includes archaeology (along with anthropology and art history). She hasn't done history since before GCSE! But the UEA course relates more the the actual objects etc and how they relate to the relevant culture, how they were made etc. I don't think it even involves digging. At the moment given the financial state of UEA she is just keeping everything crossed that the course will still exist in September - lots of redundancies announced with the cast majority in arts/Humanities 🙁

We've just got back from a short break in Florence. DD manages to get a few days leave at the same time as DH so we could spend some time together. First time abroad for 4 years. It was very hot for a city break, but we got to see many if the sites. Made me realise that I really need a proper holiday - just lazing by a pool for a week. Again, 4 years since I last did that. Maybe after we hopefully get DD back to uni 🤞.

DS has managed to cause complete chaos since returning from Bristol 3 weeks ago. Camping at the IoW festival for 5 days and a 1 day turn around to get off interrailing for 2.5 weeks (with hand luggage only....). Interrailing seems to involve several flights but still.

Ah looking forward to comparing archaeology notes Seeline! The situation at UEA sounds dreadful and I wouldn't be surprised if other unis are also struggling.

On the subject of packing DS went off to Sweden for a week with just his old school rucksack, it wasn't even full 🤯

@mummyinbeds who did ds approach at Nottingham to get that process underway? Dd had rest breaks and a separate room for A Levels, but nothing else as she had no diagnosis. Given it will probably take a few years for her to get one, I'm wondering what Nottingham can offer her? At least if she had the same exam arrangements as she had in sixth form, that would be a good start.

An hour before dd's flight left yesterday her phone froze and she couldn't use it at all. Obviously I didn't know about this at the time, but she had a very stressful journey as my brother was supposed to be meeting her at the airport in Split and she didn't know how to contact him or where they would meet. Somehow they managed to locate each other as he sent me a WhatsApp to confirm - and to explain about the phone! She messaged me in the middle of the night to say her phone was finally working again! I just hope it holds out, as she's going to be on her own (cat-sitting) for three days until her friends arrive on Saturday.

@singingstones dd is in Croatia for 11 days and she's only taken hand luggage too, to save money!

@crazycrofter

I was having a look at all this yesterday - on this page under 'pursuing evidence' it says that Nottingham can make adjustments even while students are waiting for assessment:

www.nottingham.ac.uk/studentservices/servicedetails/disability-support-services/submitting-your-evidence.aspx

@crazycrofter the information is all on the Nottingham uni website but it's so hard to navigate! It's under Student Services but I don't think I've got to the right place in the same way twice. I thinks that's why we gave up trying in November when DS needed help the most. Try via the Hub log in and the Support tab. In the end after I called security to check on him, they sent him an Essential Information Form to complete and submit via the hub, together with a completed evidence form from the Dr.
Your DD could also set up a meeting with a Support and Wellbeing Officer, again via the Hub and Support tab. I believe they are available through the holidays on-line. They will talk her through the process.

Re packing. DD leaves for Ghana on Saturday. She most definitely will not be traveling hand luggage only 🤣🤣 I think she has a suitcase just for mosquito repellent.

Wish I'd had decent mozzie repellent - come back from Florence covered in big red itchy lumps! Mine obviously wasn't strong enough.

@Seeline DD also wishes she had a decent mozzi repellent. She was covered in bites last year in Ghana and came back with suspected malaria. It hasn't put her off going back though. She starts the (ridiculously expensive but definitely needed) anti malaria tablets tomorrow.

Good luck to dd in Ghana @mummyinbeds and thanks to you and @singingstones for the info about Nottingham support services. Dd is due to be at home for three weeks in July so I will try to talk to her then.

Also, dd's tenancy in Nottingham starts in a couple of weeks. Does anyone know the process involved in terms of getting their names on the utility bills and confirming student status for council tax? Should she contact the landlord to ask for the suppliers?

Council tax - there is usually a form on their uni portal somewhere that confirms their registration and term dates. They can download it and then attach it to the Exemption application form on the relevant Council website.

Ds phoned yesterday. He found his driving licence he lost during Freshers. He had to come hone on a night out because he couldn't get in somewhere without it.

It was in his drawer in an envelope full of welcome information!

@seeline Loving Interrailing by plane.

DS is having a day at the Wimbledon qualifiers watching a mate who started at the same club and still shows up when back home (at uni in USA). Ten of them have gone down to support him which is lovely.

@crazycrofter all I found on Nottinjham Uni website about council tax was that student should contact the council. So looked on council website and found this
A person may be disregarded as a student in several ways

• If they are enrolled with an education establishment within the European Union to take a course which: lasts for at least one academic year and the course requires at least 24 weeks of study, tuition or work experience per year and at least 21 hours of study, tuition or work experience per week
• If the student is attending The University of Nottingham or Nottingham Trent University please contact the Council Tax office to apply for a disregard. These Universities supply a list of their students which can be used to quickly confirm student status
• If the student is attending another University or College they need to provide a copy of a student certificate that would be supplied by their University or College. Students at Nottingham University or Nottingham Trent University may also need to provide a certificate if their details are not on the lists provided by these universities

Note: If a property is only occupied by students a full exemption can be given. To get such an exemption contact the Council Tax office giving details of all the students if they attend The University of Nottingham or Nottingham Trent University or provide copies of their certificates if they attend a different university or college. Hope this helps. It's something I will need to remind DD about nearer the time (1st August is her start date)

@Comefromaway i always say that things are very rarely permanently lost! I found DD’s certificates that got lost in the move a couple of weeks ago. In the course of moving I also found three copies of DD’s birth certificate and two of ds’ and mine 🤣

Thanks @heifer 👍

I know he’s supposed to cut it up but would it be very wrong if he used the found licence to take out to get into places and kept his new one safe at home (only to be produced for actual driving things) ?

I would definitely do that @Comefromaway

Still a good and valid form of ID. Consider it a spare!

@Comefromaway that's what my DD has done. She reported her first one as lost so DVLA weren't expecting it back.

DD had an email from her uni's Deputy Dean (Education) praising her internship work on illustrating the new "Welcome to ARU" module; he will be showing it to the uni Leadership Team as an example of great student work!! Apparently praise has also been sent to the Art School head. She is pleased as punch as they're good connections to have made, and she'll get a glowing reference when she tries to find a sandwich work-placement. It's a real boost after her somewhat fraught end of term. Taking a few days off and then considering how to spend the rest of the summer.😀

@Heifer,@mummyinbeds,@crazycrofter, re Nottingham Yr 1 results, ds1 hopes he's passes, because he practically can't get back from camp America for re-sits anyway!