Thread 56 – Covid GCSE Cohort – Spring 26 – Yr 4 Uni and Graduates

[crazycrofter]

The old thread has filled up and no one noticed - I think we're missing @oblomov26 sharp eyes!

I've tried to tag in everyone I can think of, but apologies to anyone I've missed!
@shimy @endlessdistraction @justherewithmypopcorn @mummyinbeds @aslockton @oubliettebravo @craggyrat @anothernewname460 @ealingwestmum @ewwsprouts @seeline @piggywaspushed @nctdn @icanbewhatiwant @comefromaway @heifer @kingscotestaff @delphigirl @zebracat @cantonet @socks1107 @blinkbonny @anneofcleavage

That's fantastic news for your dd@crazycrofter.
Surely the Masters will help with employability & her long-term career plan? Even better that she's enjoyed the process.

Congratulations to @mummyinbeds getting two over the finishing line!

Well done to @crazycrofter DD on the masters degree. She must have worked her socks off.

Congrats to @mummyinbeds and well done to @crazycrofter 's DD. @cantonet Hope DS2 gets his treatment soon. @coffeeandbiscuittime Well done on your DD successfully completing year 3, that is a very hard yr so i'm told. Re: Spicy food is the best!

I think we need another up-dated list soon of what all our young people are doing and who has finished etc.

@Piggywaspushed have you got the old list saved anywhere?

I love hearing all the news and how each one of our young people's paths have been different (and often the scenic route rather than direct to destination- I say that as a mum who had both children have a forced gap year and one had to re-take a year of university due to not coping with the death of his best friend). However, things work out and often the scenic route leads to more personal growth- although at the time it was awful to see/experience.

Afraid I haven't - just posted it on an old thread!

News on DS front.

He was told he had failed part of a module for not handing it in on the correct portal. His tutor was very supportive of him, though, but he might have had to have accepted this and ended up with a lower Master's classification.

Anyway, he was encouraged to appeal because the tutor pointed out the portals weren't labelled correctly and they have accepted this so now he doesn't have to redo it. Phew! For someone who has never ever handed anything in late in his life this would have been a bitter pill to swallow!

He was accepted on the the graduate tutor programme and is actually placed at his alma mater so that saves LOADS of petrol money!

He also eventually heard from the local football club and starts doing voluntary press work for them on Saturday. This should improve his CV loads.

He will still apply for journalism jobs, though.

@Piggywaspushed What a relief! Well done to him for being so resilient and not losing it. Its great to hear about the graduate programme and the football volunteering role. I agree, his on the right track its just a matter of time.

@Cantonetmy dd has only been home two weeks (& back in between for her graduation) but already missing Bristol. She would absolutely love to stay there but house prices and rental prices there mean she just can’t afford it without a really good wage. Still job hunting all around that area though.

Simply Cook and Hello Fresh are a godsend when I’m in work as dh will cook those as long as he follows it to the letter!

Can’t remember who said about the MIL but my dad should have had a pacemaker fitted yesterday but they cancelled at the last minute. Now waiting to see when it’s rescheduled for.

Phew @Piggywaspushed that sounds stressful - from someone whose dc are always doing that sort of thing! Glad it worked out. What's the graduate tutor programme? Tutoring in a secondary school? Great news that he's got the voluntary role at the football club too!

Ds had an interview for an internship next semester which he really likes the sound of - data analysis relating to supporting under-privileged children in Derby. He did the interview from Kyrgyzstan and said they were impressed by that; they said he'd obviously done a deep dive into their organisation, so that sounds positive. He's even managed to deal with emails from the uni accommodation services whilst there too, in between galloping in the mountains and dealing with the police after a car crash (thankfully his friend was driving not him!).

An updated list would be great, as I lose track of where everyone is/what they're doing now! I think everyone must have graduated/finished apart from the medics?

How is ds1's new job @Piggywaspushed ?

That does sound stressful @Piggywaspushed . Glad it had a successful outcome and the football club voluntary job came off.

I have found the list from this time last year.

Graduands / graduated 2025
craggyratjr Cambridge history - now working and saving for master's
cariadmbythjr Royal Holloway history , going on to Marketing master's at Cardiff
aslocktonjr Reading meteorology and climate science - has a grad role as a meteorologist
ewwsproutslet - Durham, biology - grad role in food science
handmademitlovejr- York, maths
alwaysplayspiccolopiccolo- Birmingham , English and film
piglet - Birmingham , history - off to Sheffield for a journalism master's
justherewithmybabypopcorn - Nottingham, law - now has grad position with funded SQE
oublietteletbravo - Exeter, business with law, now working as a PA
extensivelydecoratingjr - Cirencester , countryside management
socks1107 - graduated , and now working?
Working now
273NewNamesJr - working in engineering
Still studying!
delphigirlJr - Plymouth - ocean exploration and surveying
sonofmummyinbeds - Nottingham , law and French law
oblomovJr - Nottingham , financial stuff , all very high powered degree apprenticeship
ealingwestmumsbaby - Trinity College Dublin - Middle Eastern and European languages
zebrakitten - off for a year in Denmark
crazycroftette - Nottingham, Psychology
seelinecub - UEA , archaeology, anthropology and art history
shimyJr - Warwick, management
minianneofcleavage - primary education , Chichester
NCTDNJR - Liberal Arts, Bristol
IcanbewhatiwantsDCcabnewhathewantstoo- history, Sussex

@Shimy we're having to go private for ds's cyst removal. The NHS just open it up to drain & dont clear it out properly. Ds has had over a year of pain/infection now.
He's booked in at the end of this month & hopefully will be healed by the uni return date.
@NCTDN Dd1 showed me an article the other day saying that Bristol is now the most unaffordable place in the UK because of the lack of southern weighting there. And the wages are nowhere near as high as London.
@Aslockton i've had enough of the scenic route now!
I just want to get off ....

@Cantonet I know what you mean. I am sure it was easier having 2 toddlers rather than 2 adult children!

So bittersweet update from ds.

He has not passed his degree. He knew that he would not pass earlier in the year when he made the decision to not hand in several pieces of work. He will get a diploma of higher education for haing passed the first two years.

He says he discussed this decision with his tutors and with people in the industry and has been much happier for it.

@Comefromaway♥️🙏🏼

I am sorry to hear this @Comefromaway .

A similar thing happened to 2 of DS's school friends. One of them resat the two Econ modules and failed one of the Econ modules again (History and Econ degree)and was given a diploma in HE. His mum got in touch with open university and was told he could bank the credits and take another module within the next 10 years with them to upgrade the diploma to a degree with OU.

I'm sorry to hear that @comefromaway - although I know it's what you were expecting. In his case, it sounds like his music career is going well and it won't make much difference?

@Aslockton - are you offering to update the list?! Dd is working for Mind on a new mental health outreach project.

@cantonet - not the same sort of cyst/location, but I've had one on my back which has needed to be drained on three occasions over a 20 plus year period. The last time was pre-covid I think so I'm expecting it to flare up again at some point. Maybe it's a different type and all they can do in my case is drain it, but if you can avoid it happening again, that would be good.

That was so lovely reading that list again @Aslocktonand remembering what everyone’s DC studied etc.
If you do update the list DD now has her first teaching job starting in Sept where she’ll get her ECT after 2 years and if she likes it will stay on as it’s a permanent position.

Eek to cysts and all the best with the removal @CantonetI’m sure it will be worth it.
Re Bristol, that was one of DD’s uni choices so kind of glad she didn't choose to go there after you said that.

Sorry to hear your news @ComefromawayAssume retaking 3rd year is not an option he wants to do if he has a blossoming music career or would that be an option further down the line perhaps.

Sorry to hear this @Comefromawaybut at least he has something to show for it. A friends son decided he couldn’t continue after two years. He’s got a huge student debt but no recognition in any way of his time at uni.

He’s got no intention of retaking anything & is just entirely focused on whatever the next job is.

I'm now really pissed off .
I've just checked with ds1 about whether he's sorted out his half repeat year. He logged on to find out 2 weeks ago they offered him a summer extension as he'd already handed in many of his dissertation modules. They didn't mention this was a possibility earlier & said he had way too much work to complete it on time.. This is what ds asked for originally. But he now hasn't done any work for the last few weeks and now it's too late.😤😢

That is a good attitude to have- onwards and upwards!

My friend's DS did not pursue taking anymore modules (but the option is there for another 8 years), he got an entry level job in social policy and loves it.

Updated 2026 Graduands / graduated 2025
Happy to update, or copy and edit your DC's update to the list.

craggyratjr Cambridge history - now working and saving for master's
cariadmbythjr Royal Holloway history , going on to Marketing master's at Cardiff
aslocktonjr DC1 LSE Geography with German- Royal Navy officer
DC2 Reading Meteorology and Climate Science - has a grad role as a meteorologist
ewwsproutslet - Durham, biology - grad role in food science
handmademitlovejr- York, maths
alwaysplayspiccolopiccolo- Birmingham , English and film
piglet - Birmingham , history - off to Sheffield for a journalism master's
justherewithmybabypopcorn - Nottingham, law - now has grad position with funded SQE
oublietteletbravo - Exeter, business with law, now working as a PA
extensivelydecoratingjr - Cirencester , countryside management
socks1107 - graduated , and now working?
Working now
273NewNamesJr - working in engineering
Still studying!
delphigirlJr - Plymouth - ocean exploration and surveying
sonofmummyinbeds - Nottingham , law and French law
oblomovJr - Nottingham , financial stuff , all very high powered degree apprenticeship
ealingwestmumsbaby - Trinity College Dublin - Middle Eastern and European languages
zebrakitten - off for a year in Denmark
crazycroftette - Nottingham, Psychology- working for Mind on a new mental health outreach project.
seelinecub - UEA , archaeology, anthropology and art history
shimyJr - Warwick, management
minianneofcleavage - primary education , Chichester- Starting first teaching post in Sept 2026
NCTDNJR - Liberal Arts, Bristol
IcanbewhatiwantsDCcabnewhathewantstoo- history, Sussex