Thread 55 - Covid GCSE Cohort - Autumn 25 - Yr 4 Uni and Graduates

[Oblomov25]

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.
Previous thread 54:
Thread 54

I've done it twice about 8 years apart too, but was put straight on cases both times, no waiting about. First case was a murder which took the full two weeks (and a bit), second was an assault which took three days and we were released after that. I have to say the first one was one of the most interesting experiences of my life, despite the nature of what happened. I wouldn't want to do it again though, twice is enough.

Yes, there will be other houses, DD says there is a lot of concern about the renters rights act that is coming in making landlords either pull out of the market or put their rent up to compensate for better rights for renters, or switching to licensing arrangements to get round it.

@EndlessDistraction sorry to hear about your week. V stressful for you

@EndlessDistraction I hope your DF continues to improve. Always worrying when they are admitted.

@sansou Well done your DD!

So 5 days of sitting around. No jury duty this week. What a waste of a week. There has got to be a better way than this.

Oh, that is annoying @Aslockton

DD got her deposit back from the dodgy landlord and is coming home for reading week tonight. Dad is stable in hospital and hopefully going to be OK.

Dd has been offered a job as a TA at an independent special school for children with trauma/mental health issues/attachment issues. It will be great experience for her as it’s very therapy-led and psychology based. It’s also near Nottingham which is good as she’s got a boyfriend there now and lots of friends who’ll be staying on. It also seems to be better paid than state school TA roles so she should be able to manage financially.

That's really fantastic news for your dd@crazycrofter. Really well done to her.

Well done to her

@crazycrofter great news for your dd. Job sounds perfect

Thank you! The school looks amazing - it’s independent (but places are funded I believe) and they have alpacas, ponies, pigs and a soft play centre! It’s all age across two sites but she’ll be with the juniors. Really hope it works out for her.

I'd take the job just for the alpacas!

That's great news @crazycrofter Well done to your DD.

That's brilliant news @crazycrofter . I'd say my only note of caution is that this government are coming for the sector and there are going to be difficult times ahead (I'm a governor of an ISS).

Do you mean special schools generally? Good point, although that’s depressing ; she really only needs this job for a year or so as she’d be looking to get an assistant psychologist job then if possible.

Crazy congrats on DD's job.

Congrats on your DD's new job @crazycrofter.

@crazycrofter Great news on the DD job offer!

That is fantastic news @crazycrofter . My DH has been head of one of these provisions. They are very special places with therapy-led education.

They are pushing for most SEND students to be in mainstream but being Labour they are particularly going after the independent sector. However the sector has been hijacked somewhat by private groups cashing in by setting up SEN schools and holding local authorities to ransom with eye-watering fees and that's not good either. Sorry, I didn't mean to put a downer on your DD's achievements, that was inconsiderate of me, it's just that it's something I am feeling very exercised about at the moment with the SEND white paper die out on Monday. I am sure she is going to find it hugely rewarding and it will be great for her career. None of what is being proposed will happen overnight either. I know many of the staff at my school love it with all their hearts, it is an amazing field to work in, so rewarding.

Thanks @EndlessDistraction and no worries about your comments - it’s useful to know what’s going on! And it must be frustrating for you when you know what a difference these schools can make.

DS works with several SEND young people in mainstream as history TA who have such widespread difficulties it has really opened his eyes as to the struggles they and their parents have with the system in mainstream. He also says the difference in ability and behaviour across the board seems poorer than when he was there he feels it is like this for kids who were in primary during covid.

Unfortunately the govt is determined to get as many SEND students as possible into mainstream and think they can do this by lobbing a few million at it but a day or two of training here or there for the teachers just won't cut it, the mainstream environment is too big, noisy and overwhelming for many SEND students, class sizes too big, honestly don't get me started! I do think this generation of secondary school students were damaged emotionally by the pandemic, then there's the damage of phones, SM etc.

Following all the SEND reform news with interest. There was a time i thought DS might have to go to a special school, but in the end God heard our prayers and he managed throughout in mainstream, but it was tough.

Gosh! Been listening to all the furore around the ma with TS and the BAFtas. DS1 absolutely silent. DS2 called to complain about it.

I didn't see it myself, but the BBC were supposed to be running a delay so they could cut anything offensive and they absolutely should have cut that.