Starting Yr11 Gcses 2020 Support Thread [Edited at OP's request]

[OrangeCinnamon]

A continuation of a Year 10 support thread
previous thread

Last thread was great and supportive as some of us tried to navigate year 10 and some very helpful peeps steered us through.

Amazingly not yet! Dd has been thinking about and planning prom for about 4 years so I think she may just be bored of the subject!

No, no badgering about Prom dresses from DS . My friend who has a DD has got hers sorted already, so you're not alone.

DD doesn't want to go to the prom. She doesn't like dressing up, wearing make-up, having her photo taken, loud music or socialising in a group larger than 3 or 4 people.

She feels a bit of cultural expectation that she ought to go, but would be very glad of an excuse not to.

I don't think mine (y9) will want to go either, she has very little interest in clothes and make-up and doesn't like big parties. It could all change though.

ExpletiveDelighted lol
I've told DD I ain't darkening any prom dress shop doorsteps until February half term at the earliest!
crazycrofter lucky you, I've had an intense couple of weeks- hope boredom kicks in soon

Just had a chat with DD and it seems that we may have important family commitments that evening which she can't miss. She thinks she will get over the disappointment.

Silverhill your dd sounds just like me! Whereas my dd is nothing like me. I struggle to understand her need to be constantly socialising and getting excited about clothes and make up 😂

Feeling the stress here - homework plus 1 hr after school ( compulsory) and then 1 hour a day revision.

School reference applications have to be in by end of October

We have booked a holiday for when prom is on 😀

estherfrewen well played!
No such luck for me as it's on contingency day...

Oh that’s unlucky! Yup two days after contingency day we will be poolside !

DS won’t go. He did his year 8 one and that was enough for him. Inset day today ,doesn’t sound like he is working though !

We had current school’s 6th form and A levels meeting last night. Put in early to pre-empt entrance tests elsewhere. The potential Medics talk was (I think deliberately) terrifying, with much emphasising of the amount of volunteering, work shadowing and super-curricular stuff needed. DD thinks they were trying to flush out the ones who think Grey’s Anatomy and Casualty looks glamorous!

KingscoteStaff
Although that seems early, the open days are underway in some parts of the country.

DD's first choice is to continue where she is. They have asked for provisional A-level choices before Christmas, in order to build the option blocks to accommodate the preferences of as many pupils as possible. DD is certain about one subject, fairly sure about another, and has no idea about the third.

On the subject of A level choices and career talks, has any one's DC done the Morrisby test and if so how did the results 'fit' with their current career aspirations?

Yes, I think that’s what dd did recently - she came home with a whole booklet? The results fitted exactly with what she was already thinking!

crazycrofter DD has not as yet brought home a booklet but said the online results suggested civil service, politics or law which fitted with the A level, potential degree she is considering- does that chime with you?

The results were pretty damn spot on for DD here too.

DS school offered some career oriented test which DH opted him out of - he (with a Harvard MBA) believes that these tests are a load of bunk and outdated.

Not doing any sixth form evenings as DS will stay on at this school, but I have started discussions about A level options.

DS also has started to attend US uni evenings which have been better at getting him more serious about GCSEs as the schools he is looking at will expect all 8s and 9s for him to be a serious candidate as competitions is so fierce for places there. Thank goodness that these evening seem to be once a week so he is getting a constant reminder that he needs to do well on these tests as they will the the only meaningful number they can judge him with.

DS got his booklet last week. It is quite useful as te has no idea what careers are out there. It correctly summed up his academic leanings & interests & gave him some career interests to look at. The clear message was this isn't supposed to tell you what career to take, it's to help you choose A levels that will keep the doors open to degree/training in you areas of highest interest & ability match. I thought one the helpful aspects was highlighted where DS has an interest but had not matched with what it actually entailed eg DS good at maths but not great interest in IT or report writing so think long before considering actuary.

Nothing from the school yet as to 6th form but we are have first open day in a couple of weeks time. It’s a state school but has weekly boarding for those who are more than an hour away so I am a bit apprehensive that he might actually like it which will put the cat among the pigeons . It was my idea as well so no one to blame but myself ! It would be hard to get into as well as the boarding so we are going to have a good look locally,

Ds did a different career questionnaire, it couldn't have been more wrong, but he hasn't got very firm ideas himself so he was giving a lot of "not really" answers. My jaw actually dropped it was so far off the mark.

I did similar psychometric profiling at secondary school (another company, not Morrisby) and the results just repeated the careers I had expressed an interest in.

No tests done here. I will ask Ds1.

Went to his school sixth form open day this week. They do 4 subjects for the first 6 weeks then drop down to 3. He can't decide between the 6 he likes!