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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Thread 3: Continuing to GCSEs Summer 2020 - Happy New Exam Year!

999 replies

OrangeCinnamon · 07/01/2020 09:54

Continuation of previous thread
Thread 2

Thread 1 Year 10

At the end of last thread there was a bit of talk on prom dresses ( recommend Fonthill Rd in London if you can get there) by @proggymat and @crazycrofter

@TigerMum had a query regarding moving to foundation level at this stage.

Sorry peeps thread progressed without me noticing so none can reply to your queries!

OP posts:
Alsoplayspiccolo · 24/02/2020 20:00

crazy, I was cheesed off by my mum saying something similar at the weekend - I told her that DD had spent half term revising/working, and her response was, "That's what it's going to be like for the next 2.5 yesrs!"

Depressing.

PostNotInHaste · 24/02/2020 20:27

I think unfortunately it is quite a slog now until end of year 13. It kind of has a timetable if they are looking at University which has a life of its own.

For those whose DC will be looking at University and cost is an issue (me!) I’d suggest if at all possible to put a few pounds away each month starting now as the open day visits can get quite expensive and it soon comes round? I shall vanish before you all throw things at me...

PostNotInHaste · 24/02/2020 20:28

Excuse the errant question mark in there, that is my Bristolian roots showing through!

Original poster
OrangeCinnamon · 24/02/2020 20:53

Oh don't 🤫 I keep on telling Dd this is the toughest. I suppose at least exams wise it will be.

OP posts:
Original poster
OrangeCinnamon · 24/02/2020 21:07

Is there any point in going to look at some of these Unis early (talking September/October open days) or is it best to get first term underway at least @PostNotInHaste ?

OP posts:
PostNotInHaste · 24/02/2020 21:16

Sorry ! They do have till Jan 2022 to have the firm in so there is time. I think it might depend if they know what they want to do and then if any options fairly local could do one.

DS not sure what he wants to do so he'll do them later in year 12 I think.

crazycrofter · 24/02/2020 22:10

@postnotinhaste I’ve already thought about open days and how much they’ll cost! Hoping to squeeze visits to Durham and Newcastle in when we holiday in Northumberland this summer for comparison, but dd is pretty sure she wants to go to Cardiff. She’s got friends there she can stay with after/before an open day so thats nice and easy - maybe she won’t want to look anywhere else?!

Original poster
OrangeCinnamon · 24/02/2020 22:11

There a couple localish ones we could visit, DH is train driver so that helps a LOT. Only thinking of it as Dd has been making a dream board on pinterest which has pictures of pretty red brick uni's , outfits fir sixth form and nose rings on it.Hmm

OP posts:
Tigerswife · 24/02/2020 23:41

Tests today for add. Maths today followed by more tests each morning this week and next. Was meant to be 2nd set of mocks but now progress tests instead. Extra revision after school Monday to Thursday plus odd lunch times. Roll on end of June x

Tigerswife · 24/02/2020 23:42

Dd not add lol

0DimSumMum0 · 25/02/2020 01:36

I hope you don't mind me posting but I have been a keen silent reader of this thread for a while now. We are not in the UK but a country on high alert for Covid19 and all of the schools are closed and have been since the 24th January. Luckily my son sat his mocks in December but got a pretty mixed bag of results. Some he did really well in and some subjects he really needs to pick up on which is really difficult when they are not in school for another 3 weeks. 7 weeks in total they are missing and it's such a critical time. He was supposed to be joining quite a few revision sessions. Our stress levels are through the roof.

Original poster
OrangeCinnamon · 25/02/2020 06:51

Welcome @0DimSumMum0, sounds like an extra stressful time for you and ypur family. Are there any revision resources that he can get on with? What kind of quals is it GCSEs, IGCSEs something different?

@Tigerswife is a long day when you add revision sessions I keep on reminding Dd to take the time out of any planned revision /homework she has that week - takes pressure off a bit there is value in sessions targeted to her by teachers - slightly more efficient I think?

@crazycrofter Dd wants to visit Cardiff Uni ...and Barry Island she is a massive Gavin and Stacey fan !

OP posts:
0DimSumMum0 · 25/02/2020 07:10

Thank you for the welcome OrangeCinnamon We will be sitting IGCSE's here. At the moment the children are having online classes during the day and I have had to hire a few home tutors to keep us on track with a few of the subjects that he is struggling in. Through this site I also found out about Seneca too so my son is doing that for the sciences. Fingers crossed!!

PostNotInHaste · 25/02/2020 07:12

Oh 0DimSumMum0, that sounds so stressful Flowers I guess this is where all the online resources will come into their own?

Hope today goes well for her Tigerswife, roll on June will become thread motto !

Crazycrofter that’s a good plan with the holiday and one I am thinking of in much the same region. Orange, that is a very handy job your DH has ! We went on a school trip to Barry Island back in the day.

I can’t actually get DD back from Cardiff, she loves it. It occurred to me I haven’t seen her this decade. She apparently isn’t sure what she is doing for Easter yet but might come back for a weekend.

Original poster
OrangeCinnamon · 25/02/2020 07:24

@0DimSumMum0 Tassomai might be helpful too? If I have the time at the weekend i'll go through threads and pull a list of resources as a reminder for everyone and new people too.

OP posts:
0DimSumMum0 · 25/02/2020 07:38

OrangeCinnamon that will be so useful. Thank you!!! Especially as our classes have just been suspended until April 20. I think my son will not see inside of the classroom before the exams start.

ProggyMat · 25/02/2020 08:29

Another vote for roll on June being the thread motto!
I’ve thinking of squeezing one or two Uni visits in during the summer break.
Problem is, the Unis DD has picked out are in (to me) far flung places and in opposite directions to each other.
A sneaky peak at rail fares - not for the faint hearted-has got me thinking of ‘road trips’ with Travel Lodge/ Spoons stop overs.
A big thumbs up for those holidaying in Northumberland Smile.

AnneOfCleavage · 25/02/2020 09:03

seeline no study leave at her school Sad hence all these extra sessions. DD is conscientious but lots of students aren't so I guess that's why. Her cousin got study leave at her school during mocks to prepare for real thing.

Redsky not compulsory but "highly recommended" and DD wants to do them as she feels she'll be more prepared. I'm not sure how long she'll keep them up but I think she did most of them back in November for 1st round mocks.

Wheresthebeach tell me about it. It's just not sustainable imho but we are trying to keep things calm at home and we've got her favourite dinners lined up over the next two weeks and I made her pancakes for breakfast today. On the bright side the roads are emptier at 7.30 in the morning so I have a less stressful school run. Yesterday I merrily parked up at the supermarket to do a big shop after drop off and it was windy and wet and I couldn't understand why I couldn't open the double doors. I realised then it was 7.51 and it hadn't opened. Had to put the trolley back and slink back to my car as too cold and wet to wait Blush

To the PP whose dc are doing home learning at the mo, Seneca is great. We also do Quizlet and Hegarty Maths which DD is finding so helpful as she watches a maths video clip then does the tasks.

EwwSprouts · 25/02/2020 09:46

For relaxed science revision we've stumbled across One Strange Rock on Netflix which is a sort of physics based Blue Planet. Will Smith is no David Attenborough but loving the astronauts' input.

AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore · 25/02/2020 09:51

@0DimSumMum0 - that sounds really stressful for you both - as others have said, there are lots of good online tools, but I must say I don't know which work for IGCSEs - ds is using Seneca, hegarty maths, Quizlet and quite a few for languages - vocabexpress is the only one I can remember off the top of my head - I'll check with him if that's relevant and post those for you too: let me know.

I'm impressed/exhausted at all these extra classes some of the kids are attending! Ds's school run different revision classes after school each day as drop-ins, at least for most subjects, but ds has been avoiding them I'm afraid...

Alsoplayspiccolo · 25/02/2020 10:38

Huge amounts of sympathy, ODimSumMumO, that sounds like a nightmare.
We use FreeScienceLessons, Corbett Maths, Mr Bruff or Mr Sallis for English, Khan Academy, MathsandPhysicsTutor, BBC Bitesize, Seneca.

crazy and orange, we’re local to Barry Island. The bus from it, Dave’s Coaches, is used for the local school run. 😂

Seeline · 25/02/2020 11:25

@0DimSumMum0
Seneca works for Edexcel IGCSEs in science subjects as my DD uses it. I think you can pick the board?

CGP also do a revision guide and practice books for Edexcel IGSE maths if that's any use.

Wheresthebeach · 25/02/2020 11:57

@AnneOfCleavage That did make me laugh...I can imagine rattling the door in frustration myself!

I'm only just getting my head around A levels - do we really have to be booking Uni tours for Sept? Yikes!

AnneOfCleavage · 25/02/2020 12:29

Wheresthebeach it was a bit embarrassing as the car park is right by the entrance so the other cars parked all were waiting in the warm knowing it was still closed. I tried to style it out as I'd already put my coin in the trolley and loaded my bags etc but the wind and cold rain made me relent and put it back and slink back to my car. Hit the heavy traffic on my way back so was not amused.

I too am feeling jittery just thinking of uni tours. DD being a summer born is loving the idea of a gap year and so we weren't thinking of it but a A level teacher at a school tour said that you still apply but defer your place so I'm back to jittery. We aren't 100% on which 6th form yet as only had one offer as her current school haven't mentioned an interview or offered a place. There's rumours there may not even be one as no one wants to attend now this new head has taken over as they don't want to be a guinea pig to his new rules: he wants a uniform for 6th formers eek!! The offer she's had can't do the subjects she prefers (they have subjects in blocks) but her current school have never had blocks to choose from so it's a bit nerve wracking.

Not sure how many applications merit a viable 6th form. I think currently they have 100 but want to expand to 300 how is that going to happen but from what DD has said no one has applied and talking to friends whose DC attend other schools nearby no one else wants to go either Sad
She loves her teachers and wants to continue here if at all possible but I worry for the social side of things as she's such a home bird.

Seeline · 25/02/2020 12:35

Re uni visits. My DS is about to take his A levels (yes - the double whammy!). We didn't look anywhere until the end of L6, and then had to start again at beginning of U6 when his end of year exams didn't go quite as planned so required a re-think over the summer on what degree to study. It all seemed a horrible rush.

With DD, we are thinking about visiting one or two more local ones after GCSEs just so she can see what uni is about. She doesn't really know what she wants to study yet, but it might give her some ideas. I would definitely recommend trying to visit during L6 year - it seems less stressful if they can be spread out (and fingers crossed no major re-thinks are needed this time round).