GCSEs 2018 (15) The Reckoning

[mmzz]

thread 14
The next step of the all new GCSE journey.

Our local NCS scheme had waiting lists with around 5000 applications for 2000 slots apparently this year. DD says that there has been a very strong hierarchy of group leaders. My only gripe has been the lack of information about where they care actually staying. For example, this week they are staying in halls at a local university, but I would like to know which halls, rather than relying on DD to tell me in vague terms when she gets there. I have no idea what I would actually gain from this information, as I won't be visiting or sending her a postcard or emergency food parcel, but it would still be reassuring to know.

Its good that places have been in demand in your area Stickrrocks but I am so surprised that they could not offer the DC's places given the findings of the National Audit Office. The report was 2017 and I know there was a change of emphasis on how it was marketed in 2017 so perhaps the providers were not geared up or there was not enough providers.

www.nao.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/National-Citizen-Service-Summary.pdf

Well DS1 is home from Spain and says it was fun! He met lots of interesting people but sadly no one invited him to stay in their country manor He says he might consider doing it again next year if he could get a couple of mates to go too. I consider that a success!

Off on holiday tomorrow but will be popping in here to rant about my mother I expect, we're going for 10 days and my patience usually runs out after three.... Thank goodness for her neighbour who has become a good friend and is partial to a bit of gin in the summer house

It's interesting to hear the varied experiences in NCS. I think they were short of participants round here because DD1 keeps being chased to see if she's still interested (she's not). I'm still a bit unclear what is supposed to offer that isn't already available via other organisations like Scouts/Guides and DofE. It is it simply that it is more universally accessible? Very young mentors with uncooperative participants sounds like exactly the sort of scenario DD wanted to avoid.

It would be interesting in due course to hear what those who had a positive experience feel they got out of it (although I realise that will require them to actually start communicating - feeling your pain on that front oddsocks).

Thethird I was just watching GoT and it suddenly clicked where you got your username from! I'm a bit slow sometimes.

I do like a nice audit report! I think the organisation responsible for the program in our part of the county works very closely with local schools and they were already running a lot of other community programmes, so they knew what they were doing. They also have the advantage of not being responsible for the 2 major cities in the county which both run their own programmes. They have run one programme each week for the last 5 weeks with something else running in the autumn. Each intake is sent to one of 3 outdoor activity centres, so that's the limiting factor. There are only so many activity centres on the South Coast/South West willing to take teenagers in June & July at peak holiday time. I doubt if the government pays as much per head as tourists would and they are effectively only there for 3 days of activities, whereas tourists are there for 7.

I think the attraction is that you are staying away from home with complete strangers in a mixed group and it's seen as a rite of passage after GCSEs amongst teenagers here. We had never even considered Rainbows. Brownies or Guides for her when she was little, but she had been on every activity break her school could supply. This is the same without the teachers.

sticker that's the reputation that NCS has in Cambridge too - it's a desired thing, well run with decent teenagers. except my teen dislikes all those decent teens so didn't fancy it at all, plus he hates the camping outdoors thing What a shame it has been spoiled in other areas by poor organisation and grotty kids who haven't been brought up to behave decently with others. I feel so guilty about living in this bubble sometimes. Wish I could be a secret millionaire and round up all the kids in the country with aspirations and give them a month doing something amazing that isn't usually available due to shit schools or backward-looking local authorities.

Sorry, rant over. Anyway and for all your DC who encountered idiots and poor management on their NCS.

I do like a nice audit report! Sorry should take my work hat off!

The correspondence on DD's course has been very good but DD doesnt start for another week.

Sixth form uniform should arrive this week, then need to take jacket to tailor to get two back darts.

Terfterf one of my friends DD's has just finished Cambridge NCS course and it seems to have gone well - although I think parents seem to have contributed most of the charity donations...but it was for an extremely good cause.

I am surprised that NCS dont look to use the FSC properties - some of them are huge and in amazing locations and not overly used during the summer.

As I think I started the NCS stuff on the thread I will say what I think DD has gained from it as she completes Week 3 today to answer AChickenCalledKorma question.
She has made some friends that are very different to her usual type - she has been thrown together with 'types' that she never knew existed. It has broadened her mind - she is still shocked by some of the behaviour but not scared of them the way she was in week 1.
She goes to a naice state school in a good area which is full of very confident girls who push themselves forward at every opportunity- so the easy option is to let someone else be the one giving the speech, volunteer the answer, take a group presentation in the direction of their views because she feels that they are more capable than her. But, in the last few weeks, she has now realised that she is more than capable and often the most able in some group situations - she is pushing herself more than she normally would - sometimes a long way out of her comfort zone.
She has found an inner strength to deal with some really uncomfortable situations and from what she says feels she can survive 'anything' now. She has also realised she is physically stronger and fitter than many as the majority of the group struggled with a 10K walk, rock climbing, kayaking etc. and these are all things that 95% at her school would do easily.
She has broadened her vocabulary(ahem!) - though when she will next say 'allow it man, allow it' 'mandeme' or 'clap in' I am not sure....
Has it been great - No. Is she glad she went back for a second week - Yes. Was it what she thought it would be - No. Has she got benefits out of it - Yes. Will I send DD2 - absolutely.
Thank you all so much for your support on my day of crisis - Mumsnet rocks!

mmzz
I was TheFirst... until Jeffrey, then TheSecond... until a former colleague identified me.

Teen I'm now putting together tiny pieces of a jigsaw puzzle about you & I'm slightly concerned that you could feasibly have a role that I used to have (or very closely associated with it). In fact, I think your role may actually involve putting pieces of a jigsaw together.

I hope nobody is putting together a jigsaw of me, or I'll have to change to TheFourthOfHerName...

I'm coming due for a name change too. I was thinking to wait until after results day.

@Stickerrocks I work in audit/compliance...which unfortunately means I'm boring and everything gets evaluated....

@juggling - I totally understand your post... I am so glad that your DD seems to have achieved all the benefits of the scheme because I think that is what it was set up for - confidence and overcoming various forms of adversity.

I’m probably due a name change too. Pretty much most of my usernames have been musical theatre references though. Years ago I was Elphaba

Oh, don't change until after results! I want to know how all your DC have done!

Me too. I'm way too invested in how the Mumsnet class of 2018 is going to do on the 23rd!

Thanks for your very thoughtful post Juggling. DD1 goes to a very socially mixed comprehensive and rubs up alongside people from all sorts of backgrounds irl. But even so I can see how the challenges of working alongside a totally unfamiliar group could be character building in unexpected ways. And not necessarily in the ways that are advertised!

When I do change, I'll send the posters who are regulars on these threads a PM. AH, that's a nice theme to have. Mine tend to be inspired by letters on my desk or the back of a box of PC hardware. I've no imagination- one day it will be UKMail or Amazon.de!

DS has finally put me out of my misery and decided to take the place up at the selective sixth form. It's taken him long enough - we've been talking about since this time last year!
Now, I can focus all my worrying on whether he gets the requisite 7 for Physics! Only another 4 weeks to wait.

I forgot about the GCSEs for a while but my nieces and nephews are due to get their results up in Scotland next week (tues 7th), so it's all hovering back into view...

theThird do you think your name changes are sufficent to throw people off the scent?

Juggling glad your DD clearly got so much from NCS, even if it wasn't all what she would of liked......DS goes to a diverse school and in a recent conversation he said its one of the reasons he likes it!

mmzz if you do name change I think you will be outed by your spreadsheets, I'm sure they will make an appearance at A level.......good news about the school.

mmzz I'm so pleased to hear that and I'm sure he will get the results he needs.
My username is a Bagpuss reference. If I ever change it I would definitely continue with a Postgate/Firman reference but I'm not going to change it before results are out! If it all goes to pot I know you lovely people will be kind!
Bluebelle my DS feels the same way about his school. It's been very positive.

I knew it teen. That explains the travelling. Did you visit somewhere with a fetching multi-coloured cone last time you crossed the sea for work? Many years ago I was the audit manager there, if you can work out what I'm talking about.

My username is based on two places of enormous significance to me. I rarely change it.

Phew mmzz I'm pleased he's finally decided. That grade 7 is easily within reach.

Stickerrocks...I work more in a financial/commercial environment hence my travel.

Mmzz - I am so so glad that your DS has opted for the 6th form place he has been offered ....I somehow know he will thrive there :-)

That would gave been quite uncanny!

Nooo name changes as the tagging notification thingy still doesn’t work for me

Back from Mamma Mia 2, enjoyed the film although DD stomped off after the film. Not sure why, I refrained from singing like the people sat behind us