Thread 48- Covid GCSE Cohort - Summer before Year 2 Uni

[Oblomov23]

Summer ending. Year 2 for many at Uni about to start.

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). 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.
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@OrangeCinnamonLatte yes good thanks. Radiotherapy starts end October. Seemingly used to be for 15 days but now they do 5 days at higher dose for same effect. Better for me as we have to go to Leeds - we are in Harrogate. Once that is done finger's crossed I will be done!

Really pleased to hear of all passers and settling-in'ers.

Glad to hear good news! (and sorry about car woes)

All is well with DD. First day back in the studios, and she's found that she now lives just around the corner from a classmate she gets along with (so they can walk/bus in together and chat). She's also explicitly been invited into another friendship group after last year's disaster. And she met a new first year artist, a friend of a friend, who is the only person she knows to have even heard of the classic British TV she loves. (Jeeves & Wooster, Blake's 7, I Claudius, Poirot, Yes Minister, the original All Creatures...)

Also she's going to Seville at the weekend to draw for a week. That's all pretty good.

That's amazing, fingers firmly crossed!

Haha that sounds like my ds @Alsoplayspiccolo - why waste energy when you don’t need to? Do conservatoires have an Oct deadline too?

Ds has definitely grown out of school, although he’s never been a fan of form time! I discovered in about year 9 that he was repeatedly late for school and was getting break time detentions every day. He was quite happy with the situation, as he said he’d much rather get a bit more sleep than have his break times! I did try to explain that the detentions were supposed to be a deterrent not a trade off! 🤣

so you dh has to make another journey tomorrow @Piggywaspushed ?! I assume he’s not working? I’d definitely want to just get it over and done with!

Well done to all that have successfully negotiated resits! ⭐️
As previously mentioned by a pp, first year - in my opinion - is very much a ‘learning curve’ and often that means resits or a complete change of course and/or university.
@craggyrat sending positive vibes, as always!
@PhotoDad Nowt like I Claudius - DD is hoping for a binge fest of said series this weekend as her BF is coming up for a few days before they both go back to Oxford.
She was given the box set DVD by her DGF many years ago and really enjoyed the fact it was shown in Ancient History during A-level!
Its wonderful to hear your DD has found a a friend with similar tastes for the ‘classic stuff’ 😉

well done to the successful resitters - onwards and upwards!

We haven’t actually seen DD’s house, as she drove herself back (it’s 300 miles away, so I’m actually quite pleased about this). She’s managed to pick up some bar work at some of the freshers events on the back of having experience from one of her summer jobs.

Meanwhile DS did enough work over the summer to successfully challenge his predicted grade in DT. He’s now predicted AAB and is pretty pleased with himself. I’m trying not to worry about the fact that he says he wants to study the subject he’s predicted a B in at university. Especially as I’m pretty sure he doesn’t love it, and I know how difficult a degree in it will be, as it’s what I studied. However I’m taking a leaf out of @Zebracat’s book and engaging my maternal mute button. For now.

Congratulations on the successful resits to all!

@craggyrat That is a super update. You can count down the sleeps!

DH goes again tomorrow, yes crazy. He is part time. Bit he is currently stewing in his juices worrying about the car.

Well done to all the re-sitters and sorry to hear about the car @Piggywaspushed let’s hope DH doesn’t have a repeat tomorrow!

This evening I suddenly thought about content’s insurance and tv licences!
DS took his tv but he only uses it for Xbox. I don’t know if anyone else took a tv, I’ll ask him tomorrow.

Would they get content insurance as a household or will they need individual insurance?

I’m wondering about the same 2 things, Fiddlersgreen.
From what I’ve read, you don’t need a tv licence as long as you don’t watch live tv or iplayer; you can watch other catch up tv but only in a device that is not plugged in to a power source, ie it has to have a battery and not be charging while you’re watching.

You can submit an exemption declaration, and the licensing people might check, or otherwise you’ll probably get threatening letters and possibly a knock at the door. Either way, you don’t have to let them in…and they can’t see through walls, so…

@Alsoplayspiccolo the device not plugged in is to avoid a licence if watching iPlayer/live TV (including eg sport on Prime).

You can stream eg Netflix on a real TV without a licence.

Also what do they do about council tax? Do they pay that as students?

For Notts folk, I have just found this... https://store.nottingham.ac.uk/product-catalogue/official-documents-and-letters/council-tax-exemptionvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Most unis have something you can download for Council Tax. My DS has a certificate on his portal page that he can download and attach to the online form the Council require him to fill in. Has to be done each year for each new address when not in halls.

Thanks @JustHereWithMyPopcorn Now I need to check what address DD provided when she registered...

Ah, thanks for clarifying, Seeline.
It all seems a bit bonkers, really - how do the licensing people ever manage to fine anyone?

Boring question about car insurance -

Any suggestions for insurance for DS(17), to be named driver on my car, with me as main driver?
He’s passed his test.

So far, Marmalade PAYG appears the cheapest; he can “buy” 500 miles to start, which is fine given he’s away at school.

I have no issues with a black box but a lot of the quotes we’ve had seen to require all drivers to download an app and have all driving data analysed; DH often drives back from performances overnight, so would that cause penalties?
Also, you have to remember to have your phone with you and charged on ever single journey, and if the car doesn’t make a journey for 14 days and you haven’t told them, they can cancel the insurance.

It all sounds very complicated to me and a lot of hassle.
What has anyone else done?

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn and Notts people - I read somewhere that Nottingham uni automatically notify the council for Council Tax exemption, if they live within Nottingham City Council area and have updated their term time address on the hub.

I moved DS into his house last night. It's grim. The area is a bit scruffy, overflowing wheelie bins everywhere, a builders sack of rubbish outside the back door, broken laminate flooring, filthy floors..... He's got the smallest room in the house, on the ground floor. I'm sure it will feel better when more students are around and his housemates join him. He did find some friends round the corner after I'd left. I've called him this morning and he seemed okay and said his bed was comfortable. He's never had a double so was happy about that - I'm glad I got him a mattress protector 🤢 He's now waiting for the Virgin box to be delivered (so he can play Xbox)

@Alsoplayspiccolo we added DS to our insurance when he was 17 and then added DD a year later, so one 17 and one 18. It added about £200 to the policy price with both of them, no black box and no restrictions. With LV.

@Alsoplayspiccolo we add DSs onto the insurance of our cars when they need to drive. We are with Direct Line and last time I added DS2 for 2 weeks it cost £13.

DS has put his address into the hub info but then I don't understand why they have this form for exemption? This looks like the bit you must have seen before https://student-enquiries.nottingham.ac.uk/faqs/article/FAQs-2228/en-us

DH got there - and back! Hoorah.

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn if you follow the link to the FAQs it is clearer. You need the letter if you live outside of the seven local authority areas listed.