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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (14): the aftermath

997 replies

mmzz · 17/06/2018 10:45

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

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Thread gallery
37
PeggySchuylar · 08/07/2018 17:06

Hope you get some well deserved rest in your lovely garden Sost

Andro sometimes they have to be faced with the real option before they can make a decision so not wasted time even though you could see it coming. Us oldies have superpowers when it comes to imagining how things might be Grin

I think my DD has become our youngest child to get and then lose a job. She did a trial shift and then a real one last Saturday where she was left to deal with taking orders and serving. She is dyslexic and found it hard and hasn’t heard anything since. Now she is worried she won’t manage work as an adult with add Sad

Original poster
mmzz · 08/07/2018 17:12

I'm sorry things have been tough for you, Sostenueto. Hopefully, you'll begin to feel better from here on in. Is this part of the treatment finished now?

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Original poster
mmzz · 08/07/2018 17:17

Androbbob I think I'd be banking that episode as something to recall next time your DD wants to do something that makes no sense!

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TheThirdOfHerName · 08/07/2018 20:30

DS2 has to go into school tomorrow for an orchestra rehearsal (he's going on tour with them in ten days and has already missed several rehearsals during the exam period). He has another rehearsal next week and then a pre-tour concert.

He thinks it would look a bit presumptuous to wear the sixth form dress code (a suit) before he has even got his GCSE results, so is going to wear his old school uniform.

Oratory1 · 08/07/2018 21:48

Ha ha DS was going to after school rehearsals in shorts and tee shirt but then went to a whole school rehearsal in day time and forgot everyone else would be in uniform 😀

Oratory1 · 08/07/2018 21:49

Of to residential trip today and I must admit it’s nice to have had the last couple of weeks and not be going with the usual end of term exhaustion

Oratory1 · 08/07/2018 21:51

Hope you get some rest sost and those off on hols have a great time and well deserved break

LooseAtTheSeams · 09/07/2018 10:08

Sostenueto glad to hear you're home now but the treatment sounds gruelling. Hope you are resting. Glad to see the family are looking after the garden for you.Thanks
DS2 has gone on a school French trip, a small compensation for his big brother having so much holiday!

slinkyme · 09/07/2018 10:20

Hello all - popping over for a brief catch up as I too have been off the radar for last couple of weeks. Good to hear about the proms and the open days.

Hope sost you get rest and recuperation at home. The garden looks very calming.

Had a quick question for you lovely people - DD has work experience coming up in a pharmaceutical company. They are going to do a mix of office Work and lab work - what is appropriate to wear given it's not a strict sit down at desk work experience and the heat.

Original poster
mmzz · 09/07/2018 10:43

A skirt and light blouse?

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ReservoirDogs · 09/07/2018 10:54

DS has gone off to his work experience today (one of the Big 4) looking very smart in chinos and shirt (requested attire).

Told him they sometimes offer Degree Level apprenticeships so he says he going to "flex" which I assume is a good thing Grin

PeggySchuylar · 09/07/2018 11:08

slinky school trousers and a shirt/blouse/ not too revealing top.

I work in healthcare. Lots of students come in wearing skimpy tops with underwear showing (bra straps). They may have to lean over to look at stuff showing more cleavage than they mean to. Also skirts need to not be too short so that you can sit on armchairs without the shirt riding up too far.

Blummin eck. I sound old!

slinkyme · 09/07/2018 11:32

Thank you that's all good advice. Will need to sort some shoes for DD too - she lives in trainers as finds all other shoes uncomfortable (as she has to wear orthotics) who would think buying a set of ballet pumps would be that difficult. Think I will get DD some light trousers (ladies chino esque) and a few short sleeve tops. All her stuff is either really casual Or really formal.

Sostenueto · 09/07/2018 15:47

Still a lot to do in garden as you can see. Turf can't be laid till we have some rain or it will die. Hope everyone OK I just woke up! Being looked after well and will know soon if treatment worked. Promise that in a few days I'll be back properly! All my thoughts and best wishes to you all.Flowers

GCSEs 2018 (14): the aftermath
LooseAtTheSeams · 10/07/2018 08:31

Sostenueto that's a lot of progress on the garden and definitely no good laying turf. All the grass round here is brown!
Quite odd moment yesterday - turns out DS school was having induction days but he wasn't invited. I only knew because I got an email about the dress code - they insist on suit or v-neck jumper with shirt and tie in this weather!
It turns out DS put it as second choice so he wasn't asked to induction day. It's now dropped to 3rd choice - the other 2 have the options he wants, no suits and didn't ask him to rank them.

TheThirdOfHerName · 10/07/2018 10:08

Looseattheseams how did the school know that they were his 2nd choice? Are they allowed to ask that?

DS2 has applied for three sixth forms (including the one at the school he's currently at).

Nobody at School 1 or School 3 has asked him about order of preference. The head of sixth form at School 2 asked DS2 a question on their induction day and DS2 admitted his preference order, but he could have chosen not to say anything.

Original poster
mmzz · 10/07/2018 10:08

There's a little voice in my head asking what-if all the details I've put on these 14 threads have resulted in someone recognising me or DS? He'd be mortified as I've put in black and white some of the things he'd be most concerned to not even say out loud (eg acknowledging his friendship issues).
I got an email from the school yesterday saying that DS has been given an award for his maths ability (nb not effort, just attainment). They do the same every year for each year in KS3 and KS4 but they've passed over DS for years in favour of other students who were getting much lower scores in tests etc.
TBH, I'd written the maths dept off in ever recognising DS's achievements. His (ex! yay!) teacher, who is also the HoM, has consistently refused to acknowledge anything to do with DS's ability. The teacher kept with that going right up until the last GCSE paper. he even stopped DS and another boy in the corridor after one of the exams and only asked the other boy how he got on.
So, I'm very surprised that he's finally recognised DS and, I'm genuinely flummoxed as to why now?

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TheThirdOfHerName · 10/07/2018 10:18

mmzz perhaps they finally realised that his Maths deserved some recognition?

DS2 often comes top of the year in Physics and sometimes in Chemistry, Biology or French (getting higher marks than fluent French speakers). He is usually in the top ten for Maths (the school has several students who are highly able at maths e.g. Olympiad medal winners).

Every year, the school awards prizes for academic achievement in individual subjects and in each form. DS2 has never received one.

Last year he did receive a prize for 'Contribution to the form' which he found amusing seeing as he is rarely in form time (rehearsals for two orchestras and choir).

Cblue · 10/07/2018 10:26

@mmzz - that fear often crosses my mind but I guess that our user names don't give much away, if you were doing a google search you would need to know what to look for, most of out DC wouldn't go through MN looking for this thread (bunch of over invested mothers according to DD) we don't use their names and we haven't said anything so unique that they are the only DCs in the country that meets the descriptions.
Oh- and they would have to read lots and lots and lots of posts on multiple threads to piece it all together- don't know about your DC and their friends/ friends families but mine def wouldn't bother!!!

Glad your DS got a prize for Maths. My guess is that school always knew he was brilliant but we're trying to use a bit of psychology to spur him on

Prize day here too - Computer science and physics prizes apparently (I suspect the physics will be related to the Olympiad that they made her do with hardly any notice, got a bronze and everyone ignored hahahaha)

Also have a call with the school who are refusing to give a reference until we have spoken - roughly translated as until they have had an opportunity to put me off her leaving even though they know the other school is a backup.
Fun fun fun

Original poster
mmzz · 10/07/2018 10:33

TheThird yes, the awards system isn't very well-judged!

I doubt they finally realised that DS is the overall highest achiever. His teacher is numerate enough to be able to notice that when he looks at a list of class test results, DS always has the highest score. He will know that marking DS's maths tests, is just tick, tick, tick etc. The teacher never, ever has to assist DS in class. So, he has known for a long time.

As to the timing, its strange to do it now when DS really doesn't care. 14 months ago, it was a different story. Back then, I could see that DS was ready to give up on maths altogether because he was finding lessons so boring. I emailed the teacher acknowledging that he couldn't change the lessons but asking him please just find some way to encourage DS in maths so that he doesn't give up completely e.g. a word of praise. The teacher emailed me back to say of course he would do that, and then failed to follow through (until now). The attainment award at the end of year 10 would have been any easy solution.
I solved the problem of DS's disengagement from maths without the school's help.

Anyway, DS will go and collect the award, but, its a shame it couldn't have come at a time when he was struggling.

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Original poster
mmzz · 10/07/2018 10:39

Cblue I keep telling myself that too!

Well done on the prizes, but its a bit weird about the conversation before the reference. Don't they know what to write?! Or do they want to warn you about something before they write it?! Most likely, you are right, and they just want to make a pitch for their own sixth form.

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Cblue · 10/07/2018 10:42

@LooseAtTheSeams - how did school know? DDs school didn't ask.
Her backup didn't ask either and told me to accept the unconditional offer regardless of whether it was her first choice or not (his statement was 'what are we going to do about it if she decides not to come - nothing') I read the T&Cs on the offer and it seems he was right.
Really surprised that DSs school took the stance that unless they were first choice you weren't invited- is it massively oversubscribed?

Cblue · 10/07/2018 10:48

@mmzz - ooooerrrrr. I didn't consider that they wanted to warn me of something!!!
They only awarded her the 6th form academic scholarship in May. Surely she hasn't done anything so wrong since then Confused

.....now I am nervous about the call!!!

Although to be honest I am always a bit scared when I have to talk to the headmistress- it was never a good thing when I was at school (but then I was a bit of a g*t in those days ).....and she's scary!!!!!!!

Oratory1 · 10/07/2018 11:03

When we applied for DD s a few schools asked on the application form if we were applying to any other schools - but none asked for details or for rank
I assumed it was to gage likely final numbers

Original poster
mmzz · 10/07/2018 11:55

cblue I forgot about the sixth form scholarship. They probably want to get your DD to choose so that they can offer the scholarship to someone else if your DD isn't going to take it up.

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