GCSEs 2018 (14): the aftermath

[mmzz]

Following on from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3275972-GCSEs-2018-13-Untwisting-our-knickers-lucky-for-some

Dd will be the only one studying philosophy by & ethics. In fact it’s going to be a special arrangement for her. A combination of self study, university style mentoring & her school pairing her up with a mentor/buddy from a nearby state school is what the plan is. Will it work? Who knows but it’s what she wants to try.

We do joke that she would find a state 6th form a huge shock & her situation is slightly different in that her school selects on ability in the performing arts not academics so I understand your dilemma.

Saying all that her younger brother adapted well to moving to a much larger secondary after having been in the private system (though it’s a 13-18 school so not as large as some).

Just checked Truro College, 1117 doing A levels, progress score of +0.22.

Worth asking whether the college sets for its A levels.

Also, our local high achieving college as 5 x C grade (don't know if this is now 4s or 5s) as minimum requirement, but there were often subject specific requirements too e.g. A/7 for Maths and B/66 for Science A levels.

Does the college you are looking at have subject specific requirements? Doing Maths A level with a grade 5 t GCSE would be imo daft.

sorry if you have already said.

So. Further maths says grade 7. Maths says 5 but "however most will have obtained the grade 6 from the higher paper" History says 4 in English plus 5 in history OR grade 5 in English (no history?). Computer science says 6 in maths plus 4 in English OR 5 in maths and 4 English plus 5 in a science OR 6 in computer science. English lit (which may replace history) wants a 5 in either Lit or Lang.

....as for learning to drive that's what I think she should do to get around the grandparent lift shame. She's less impressed and has also pointed out that there's nowhere to park.

But from what you lovely MNers are saying, the school is probably not progressing it's pupils so perhaps I should encourage her to write it off (unless she spectacularly flunks her GCSEs).

Cblue if your DD is he getting a scholarship, does that imply that she's very able? If yes, then consider my DS's experience at an (outstanding) comp. They just don't have the resources (or interest) to differentiate. You get setting but the ability ranges even within sets are quite wide. That's at GCSE when there is more concentration on a smaller number of subjects. It can only get worse for sixth form when they still need the class sizes for economic viability but the students have a much wider range of subjects to choose from.
There's a good reason why universities lower their offers to students from certain demographics.

Ps - sorry I have temporarily hijacked the thread, but I have literally no one else to ask about school stuff. Thank you

Sostenueto make sure you get a good rest this weekend! I'm sure the family will rally round if anything needs doing!
CBlue Can't really help on the school/sixth form college dilemma. They are all so different and students are different. You can't generalise. I wouldn't have an issue with being the only one doing computer science, though. I'm sure it would be fine!
I'd ask SFC how many students did FM last year and what grades they got. Also look at the leavers' destinations for uni.

Is the college or current Indie the only choice?
No other state school 6th forms you could consider?

Anybody got any feedback on today's Further Maths?? DS (Maths geek) grimaced and said it was really hard. ... but I guess that's the point ....!

Ellen I was a Truro School "boy" in the days before it went co-ed. My DN went to Truro College and found it very supportive, especially in helping with the next steps. The thing is down there, that there really is little difference between the state & private sector, as there are virtually only 2 private schools to chose from, TS & the High School. There is a lot of movement between state and private at 6th form level.

cblue taster days are your DD'S friend. That should sell it one way or the other.

Further Maths- sorry, there was only Tuesday's paper for FSMQ Add Maths Kit and DD found it really hard.

Sost topping up my gin levels to celebrate you only having a day to go this week. Onward & upward.

I was successfully helping DD with FM revision last night .

FM exam today: DD said it was harder than Tues exam, and she is more certain this time about getting one question possibly entirely wrong, she just couldn't quite figure it out. That said, she thinks she'll get some marks for method on that Q (I have doubts, b/c the marking schemes are prescriptive, but still, it was only one question). DD says everyone else thought today's exam was easier than Tuesday's; I think DD was just plain tired, seeing how she struggled a bit last night in the revision.

Mostly we're all just very very happy to see back of all 2018 GCSEs.

DD went to a college induction event today. Delighted to get social media contacts of the other new joiners. She has some math sessions with VI-form in next fortnight, too, and homework to do over the summer. Next few weeks are still busy: the math sessions, leaver's bowling, prom, DoE, work experience I arranged for her, shopping for 6th form uniform. Real break comes after 20 July.

In other news I only just found out my yr5-DS has a class size of 19-20. I think I'm having a fail in the involved-parent stakes.

DS just said "fine" about German and further maths. Then later said the German translation was hard and he didn't write anything "difficult" in the writing bit, which apparently he usually does.

Further maths was ok, but harder than Tuesdays, he said, then went on about how you have to show your working which he doesn't like, and use a method that they have decided in the mark scheme. So I don't really know!

On a more superficial level Dd is attempting & failing spectacularly to put false nails on for prom tomorrow.

And this was today

My lovely friend lives in Cornwall and it's her DS who went to Truro School, then Truro College. He found the transition tricky initially because he was used to being pushed and that happens much less in college. But he soon knuckled down to the work and enjoyed the social side of things, worked hard, played hard sort of thing. He's a really outgoing young man so didn't have any problem adjusting to the much bigger cohort. It's a huge college. Hardly any (if any) of the local state schools have sixth forms so they all go to college.

Cblue if your DD is hardworking and has your parental support as she obviously does, she'll do well in either sixth form. It may be that she wants a wider circle of friends. Part of sixth form life is growing up and spreading your wings somewhat.

If you can get results data on specific subjects that might help you both to decide.

Thank you all so much.

Investigated destinations of A Level leaver destinations and 2015-2016 No RG. In 2016-2017 about 20% including 1 who went to oxford to read CS. DD school 80% to their first choice RG and rest to either 2nd choice or something vocational (music, performance or art)

Clearly a big step change for the SFC but it has focused my mind.

I guess driving lessons it is-avoid South London in September.

Once again thank you all so much!! It has really helped 'talking it through'.

All your views have been balanced and spot on (as I knew they would be )

Lovely Alexander though I see the blue face disease has progressed to black!

I didn’t think it was fair on Dd or dh to post pics of their faces without permission but I thought she looked lovely.

I have to admit I didn’t enjoy the day as much as I should have. The last two Thursday mornings is when dh had his TIA’s & today was Thursday again. I was constantly watching him for signs & had a huge panic when I couldn’t find him after going to the loo especially after his Apple Watch had warned of high heart rate.

Before the start some ofvhe year 11’s including Dd sang solos & duets whilst we had tea & coffee & in the ceremony they sang A Million Dreams from the greatest showman except two of them started to cry & it descended into a lots of tears. Some of these kids have spent the last 5 years living together & only a small handful are staying on.

Lovely photo of the dressesAlexander! Brilliant weather as well.
DS is very smug about not having to do anything - then realised he has 2 taster days next week so will have roll out of bed a lot earlier!

So, everyone finally finished today, yes?! Woohoo! We survived.

Though DD has already been 'free' for nearly two weeks. It's prom tonight so her and her friend have had a day of prep, getting hair and make up done. Then dressed here before friend's mum dropped them off. DH is on the pick up run at 11:30 tonight, bringing 4 of them back here to, hopefully, sleep!

Just saw your update Alexander - hope your DH is feeling much better and it's only natural for you to worry.

Another beauty, Aragog.

That second picture is beautiful Aragog

Thanks all.

I love your DD's dress Alexander