Gcses 2019 support thread 5

[Iambuffy]

Hi :)
Hope this is ok as we are at 1000 posts on thread 4!

catontherun it transpired from the familiarisation day yesterday that the dreaded sixth form have apparently sent out similar lists to those already in their Year 11. They said they would be sending them out to those hopefully coming for sixth form (grades depending) from outside. Can't tell you exactly what is on such list until we actually get it, but there does appear to be a similar expectation. At existing school, the maths teacher (who is fabulous) sent around an email suggesting that those going on to A level maths drop in and pick up the maths textbooks for next year and that they would also get some pointers of what to do to keep their maths refreshed. Jokesy low key about it. Given the school, I don't think they could make it compulsory, but the maths teacher is determined they will fly high, whether they are ambitious or not, Of course DS is hoping not to be there (although the maths teacher is one reason that gives him pause)

At the end of their second maths GCSE there was an announcement that anyone doing maths/FM at A level or AS should go to a specific room after the exam. They were then all issued with school printed booklets of maths problems/exercises to do over the summer! DS was not best pleased on the day but he's calmed down now!
They have orientation day on Friday so I am expecting a list of books/articles/web links to be forthcoming for him to be looking at over the long summer break. In some ways it'll be helpful. He only finished a week ago and I'm fed up with him being on the PS4 already!!

Lots and lots of reading for DD.

Her four English teachers have come up with 10 books each, as "supplemental" reading, we have about 10 of the 40, so she can read those . She also has to read Handmaids Tale and Frankenstein, as two of her set books.

For Class Civ, she is currently reading Song of Achilles, a nice intro, but then she has to read Virgil's Aeneid, and Homers Odyssey, as well as another load of suggested supplementals.

Nothing yet from History.....

In their final assembly they were also encouraged to read round their subjects, start thinking about and researching university and courses, and do things to supplement their personal statements.

She thought she would be bored this summer, apparently not .

Personally, I would just like her to relax. We are of the mind that you only get a couple of really laid back summers in your adult lives, and this is one of them. We are encouraging her to kick back and enjoy, lay around in the sun, and soak up some vitamin D (with a book in hand if at all possible).

I've been gently encouraging DS to get reading.
No joy so far.
Hoping his 2 induction days next week will prod him into it...

glee - she looks beautiful!
ours is tonight, ds has promised I can take a pic. (then I will be out so may have to upload tomorrow)

prom is miles away.
after party is miles away but closer, but no way of getting from prom ot after party (at someone's house in a field)

ds struggling ot get friends organised as to who is doing lift with whom to where, so I have promised to come to prom, put up him and how ever many friends he wants in car and drop them at the party, then sleep/read in car for 2 hours, then go and pick him up!

I reckon there is a whole summer of retuyrn favours from that one

@steppemum Oh Yes ! Your ds will owe you big time for such a personalised chauffeur service.

Good luck steppemum! I quite like the pick ups as they are always in high spirits ( or spirits) and the stories in the car are often v funny!

Long list of economic books here as well as having to start reading the economist.
But haven’t had anything for any other subjects. Worried the maths will go by the wayside over summer so plan to try and keep that up!

my mum lives near after party, she's on holiday, so just texted her and got the ok to go and sit and cuddle her cat and watch her tv while ds at after party.

I feel sorry for him, as his close friendship group seems ot be breaking up and they are all being flaky about where and when. Not sure what is behind it, but don't want him to miss out. One close friend is also a footballer, so going with his football crowd, and that has thrown the balance out I think
Might end up with just him, or a few in the car!

steppemum hope he has a great time. My experience of ds and lifts yesterday is that they are all dishonest and in the end the 30 or so of them just randomly got into cars and everyone ended up with a nice group for the journey.

10 days till prom here! DD1 has her 6th form ball Froday - thank goodness it isn't going to be incredibly hot because her dress is velvet. We do have a backup dress, but this one is the favourite. Will post a pic of DD2 when the time comes.

No required reading for 6th form here, no clothing issues either as the school is non-uniform. They 'suggest' business dress, but in practice you only need to wear that if you aspire to be a prefect or head boy/girl. DD2 isn't interested, has server her prefect time in Yr 11 and is now ready for blue hair and wearing what the hell she wants.

Funnily enough she is also planning a book cull. We brought back a lot of books from my mum's house. Some are valuable and will be sold as they need a proper owner who will treasure them and climate control them. Others however are collections of poetry - Tennyson, Keats, Byron, Coleridge - and the works of Oscar Wilde, and DD2 wants these. She reads Jane Austen for fun so will definitely read them. She's not doing English Lit A level.

We did also find a decent edition of Tess of the D'Urbervilles and teased DD1 mercilessly as it was her least favourite A level set book...

Well she’s there with her friends and they were all happy as they went in! The rally car was ready so she was in her element to arrive in that!
Hope the picture loads - complete with her Victory Rolls!

Oh that's marvellous fos she must fell a million dollars!

Oh Fos - she looks fabulous!

I love it Fos! She looks amazing!! I hope she has a fabulous time!

Wow Fos - what a great outfit! Must have taken ages to coordinate it all. Fantastic she went all the way with the hair too!
Pleased it all worked out with the car!

Thanks everyone! She stayed over at a friend’s last night with a group of them (I have flowers for the mum - I can imagine how noisy they must have been!).
We struck lucky with the bag and shoes - after getting the dress a few weeks later I bumped into a really stylish lady wearing ‘50’s gear with lilac hair. It turns out she has a shop (and this now is very outing!) so I followed her on Facebook, and the first post featured the shoes and bag that had just come in - an absolute perfect match!

Sorry posted too soon!
She rang when she got home and they’d all had a great time. Pick up is 11 - let’s see how much sleep they got!
We now have a potential mix up for next weeks NCS - a friend’s mum was rung with a different pick up time to the email which makes more sense, but no one else has had the call! 🤦🏻‍♀️

well, ds had a brillinat time.
Not so sold on theactual prom - after we had eaten, all there was to do was dance? So we danced all evening (yes dear that's called a party

dropped him at the field for after party, with change of clothes, bag with smoe cider cans and a sleeping bag, one of his friends has said he can share a tent. Went home to bed (with phone switched on)

Got a phone call at 6 am (I get up at 6, so not unreasonable) can I pick him up, he hasn't been to bed.

Picked him up, they all had a ball, turns out all other after parties were cancelled in favour of this field behind someone's house, everyone tere, all veyr social and frinedly, good time had by all, most had just stayed up all night.

Really pleased for him, this is actually only his 2nd party ever, and since GCSE their friendships seem to be up in the air, so wasn't sure how it would go.

He is now alseep.
Sorry, photo will be later, not on my phone.
He said - everyone looked so nice, it was actually really nice to dress up.

Aw so glad it went well and he had a good time - despite the dancing!!!! Looking forward to the picture

Steppemum - sounds like a perfect party ! Imagine it was great fun!

Stepp sounds like a perfect night all round!

Steppemum, sounds good they seem to grow up so quickly

DD didn't do Prom. But is now in college for her induction day- a bit scarey. I expect her to come out with tons of summer homework and most people to have done little before enrolment.

I love all the prom pictures , dd had hers last week and deleted all the photos I took of her :(

The school have finally heard back re accidental phone on her in exam and self reported. Not good news - she's been disqualified from that paper. She should still pass , the other 2 papers went well but she can kiss goodbye to a 7 or 8 . The school are going to appeal but don't hold out much hope.

I've not yet told her , think I'll leave it till nearer results day.