GCSEs 2018 (16) - The Final Countdown

[mmzz]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3304925-gcses-2018-15-the-reckoning?

Eagle sorry to hear of your dd's struggle with mental health - I hope that she is making positive strides

Reservoir - I think charm goes a long way in the world beyond exams. Emotional intelligence and the ability to form positive relationships with others at least as important as academic qualifications.

Dd just got back from her interview at the Golf club next door for clubhouse staff. Apparently there were 30 CVs submitted and hers was the best (that would be the CV I pretty much wrote for her then , must start getting her to do more for herself). She has a shift next Monday 5.30 - 8.30pm. We have to go into town now to buy her a black top and some 'sensible' shoes

Eagle , also sorry to here about your dd, we have travelled this route as well and it can feel very lonely. Hopefully she is turning the corner but sending a virtual hug anyway

I'm not saying this to downplay any of the wonderful achievements we heard about yesterday, but your traditional bog standard comp rarely offers iGCSEs, so presumably the brilliant grades are less extraordinary in the English schools where iGCSEs are sat.

Those of us looking on enviously at these results are more likely to have DC who achieve the norm for the majority of non-selective state schools, so I totally echo what TheThird said earlier about not being afraid to post.

Back to A level results, I probably didn't achieve my potential many years ago, because I took advantage of an unconditional offer. My brother got a place through clearing to study law with something like CDE at a Poly and he is now a specialist in a crucial, but underpaid area of family law. There are lots of ways to get to where you want to be, even if you are disappointed tomorrow.

Mixed bag here too.

DS1 not an all rounder but by working hard had mostly As (some pleasant surprises English! ) and a few As at GCSE plus a B and a C. He worked his socks off at A level in his strong subjects and got 3x A which was also bit of a surprise. He's on course for a 1st at Warwick.

DS2 has ASD, a statement of SEN, then EHCP with 25 hours support. He managed one A, a couple of Bs and a whole raft of relieved Cs at GCSE. He struggles a lot with work ethic, doesn't understand the point of work unless it's researching his 'specialised subject!' He managed a MMP in his level 3 BTEC, equivalent to CDD at A level. He's going to to an HNC in Sept.

DS3 is like a cross between the other two. Bright but lazy. They all do best at maths, struggle with essays and English. Hoping for a mix of 6s, 7s and 8s. Probably won't do as well as DS1 due to lack of effort but he did knuckle down eventually and did more than the bare minimum, so hoping he gets his 1st choice sixth form offer. Not the selective sixth form that DS1 went to, though.

I'm lurking and occasionally posting on the Y13 thread in further ed as DS2 did GCSEs with them but he's not got a lot in common with those waiting A level results and going to university. His results came in the form of a certificate in the post end of July. It does bring back memories of DS1 two years ago, though!

Well done eaglefly's DD. I know her mental health puts it into perspective but it's nice that her results have been a positive.

Thank you al for your really kind messages. This is something we really can't talk about with many people. So means a lot to say it. Onwards and upwards.

It's so lovely to hear all the stories of how different DCs with different routes have forged a happy and successful path for themselves - and especially not in a traditional way. Is inspiring actually. I am also a big believer in the how and not the what. It's how you apply yourself in your life and not what you have. The journey is even more important than the destination. Right - I will stop with all the cliches.

Thank you all for your warm virtual hugs flowers and wishes x

hmc Well done to your DD. Mine is cleaning windows, rearranging shelves and hoping that nobody asks for alcohol in the tennis club café today, waiting for the sun to shine so the pool and park will get busy. Comfy shoes are definitely the way forward.

Eagle to you and dd. I hope you're both getting all the support you need.

Thanks Sticker - I hope your dd is enjoying her foray into the world of work

What @Stickerrocks said Is so very true.
The majority of igcses are taken at private schools where the DC benefit from very small class sizes and considerable support.
The majority of independents are selective in my area too. Then combine that with parents who have the type jobs that enable them to pay for the education (and are probably fairly well educated themselves - majority of DDs friends parents are Dr lawyers etc) and you can see why the results between state and private are often different.

...,.not suggesting in anyway that this is fair though. You could probably say that a DC gaining a 6 from a state school is probably the equivalent of a privileged private school DC getting an 8. I think people have finally begun to see this hence the contextual offers given by Universities.

I am not going to comment any further on this subject after this one post butI had rather hoped that this was the one thread that was going to not end up bashing the private school kids because actually they too have to work hard to get their grades - it is not just a case of how big the cheque we write out is dictates what will be on that results slip next week. There are enough of those type of threads on Mumsnet already.

Please Reservoir don't take it what I said in that way, because that was not what I intended at all. I feel dreadful now. Approximately 50% of the students in my DD's school will not get 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above and that is from an OFSTED outstanding school in a jolly super area. The iGCSE results are always going to be spectacular by comparison.

I would hate for anyone joining us at this late stage to read and run, because their DC's results next week are not going to be as high, but are still going to be a great achievement for them.

Reservoir I agree up to a point but I count myself so fortunate that we have been able to afford private fees for DS and also we have a local school option that, while it may not be selective or academic (and teaching quality is actually quite patchy), has helped him in so many other ways that will make his path through life so much easier. That it is on our doorstep and available to us is down to pure luck I suppose. In the same way that dc that have a good comp close by or inspiring teachers are affected by chance. There are so many factors going in to these results especially when they are judged as eaglefly says so much on how much what they write matches the mark scheme and not just their knowledge.

Stickerrocks no it wasn't your post but the suggestion in a different post that : "You could probably say that a DC gaining a 6 from a state school is probably the equivalent of a privileged private school DC getting an 8." This minimises the amount of work and many hours that some privately educated children put in to achieve their high grades and suggests they wouldn't have gotten them if their parents hadn't written out a cheque which is simply not true.

Contextual offers are generally available to schools that perform below the national average for 5 A*-C not just state schools per se.

Agh I said I wasn't going to do this!!!!

I’m sure you meant no offence sticker and none taken - and we do have to recognise that even reservoirs ds1 results are well above average for the country as a whole.

Huge hugs and best wishes eaglyfly - you and your Dd sound very sensible and self aware which bodes well for the future

Oratory1 I assume you mean DS3 rather than DS1

Gosh the thread has moved on loads!!
Congrats eagle
And to the DD who has the job in the golf club.
And everyone else who's got some results. Echoing all PPs in saying that your value to society is not measured in exam results!

DS finally passed the last bit of his lifeguarding qualification this morning. YAY!! I was awake half the night worrying about it and sat with coffee near the swimming centre waiting for him and worrying again. Feeling like a failure at 16 is shit

I don’t want to prolong the argument as you are right reservoir they work incredibly hard indeed for the results and deserve huge credit but they are also given the guidance and environment in which that hard work is encouraged that they might not get elsewhere. So I think there is merit in both arguments.

And you are also right about contextual offers - DS school woul probably qualify in spite if it’s extortianate fees 😂😂😂

My DS has a specific learning difficulty so may not get the stellar grades other posters’ dc will achieve but I will be very proud of him nonetheless.

I will add that I feel very invested in the results of our entire batch of DC, from mzzz's DS's determination to get the grade 8 he needs, Sost's DGD's epic struggle in the face of no resources, Alex's DD facing health questions in the xam room as her DF was in hospital and those with DC who managed to get across the threshold of the exam room. I was so chuffed to read yesterday's results because it goes to show that this year's guinea pigs aren't facing a results day Armageddon despite our worst fears.

Sorry reservoir I didn’t read back as didn’t want to cross post - the only point I was trying to make that even those of us with less than stellar results in the context of this thread are probably not in line with national averages

But as I’ve saud before what u have lived about this thread is the mix of dc in terms of schools/ability/interests/SN and our support of them all xx hope my comments haven’t offended

Yes indeed Oratory - one of the reasons we stump up our hard earned cash is for the environment for him to be able to succeed if he choses to do so and we appreciate that he is generally surrounded by like minded kids (with the odd exception) and we haven't had to deal with him perhaps being led astray like his older brother!

Aaagh phone typos !! Hope that made sense and I agree sticker

That lifeguard qualification is hard to get. Well done Terf DS.

I feel safe to crawl out from underneath my stone now.

Orataory - Cross posting again. No not at all - it was the one comment that irked as mentioned. I thought for a moment I was going to have to name change (again!) to be able to come back on here!