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Secondary education

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Original poster

Poor year 11’s seem to have been just forgotten about

64 replies

lovelylegs2019 · 11/05/2020 18:53

Hi all just looking at all these changes and updates from Gov and lots of school ages mentioned but having one DS who was due to being sitting GCSES now, it’s just like they are a forgotten school year. He’s looked at the news and is quite angry and sad that it’s just all done and dusted for them. He’s going to college so has no relevant set work I can get him to do! He is busy with various projects & has p/t time in a supermarket. School have been vague on a prom, leavers book or the hoodie. I just feel so bad he’s not going to have any of the normal experiences / rites of passage his older peers have done previously & even not sitting an exam that has a consequence. How are you all dealing with this?

OP posts:
TeenPlusTwenties · 11/05/2020 19:51

I think it is a shame that y11s have missed out on some stuff, but their education isn't really being disrupted, the system for awarding grades looks as fair as it can be, and they at least missed the stress of exams.

I wish my y10 was in in y11. Sad

Myownwendyhouse · 11/05/2020 19:58

I do feel sad. But my son has massively benefited from this happening due to illness etc. The college has now drop all the need for grades so he gets to do the course he wanted.
He also was not keen on doing prom. He hated school so for him this has been a positive thing.

I on the other hand think it’s sad he will not be able to do the normal things that all teenagers do for their GCSEs. He missed out on his last day at school. Didn’t get to say goodbye to his friends and is now stuck in the house till September.
It’s just awful all round.

CodenameVillanelle · 11/05/2020 19:58

It's a huge shame but of course they are the bottom of the pile. Their school year is completely finished.

PerspicaciaTick · 11/05/2020 20:02

DDs school has promised Y11s that there will be a leaving event and prom, but probably next year. They have bridging work and are mentoring younger children who need extra support. The school is keeping them busy and I can't see how the school can do more.

Foxes157 · 11/05/2020 20:46

It's sad for year 11 that they miss out on the fun stuff but honestly I'd swap having a year 10 for a year 11. At least they completed their courses.

Mentally I'm preparing for a horrendous year next year with her trying to catch up. I'm expecting resits and possibly not getting the grades needed for a level. A return in September will be devastating for all year 10s.

They are also too young to work, missing social interaction and she is generally feeling low.

Magic2020 · 11/05/2020 22:26

I feel really sad for mine too OP - he was pulled out with barely any time to say goodbye to his class, he's had his opportunity to do a bit better pulled away, and there probably won't be any of that coming of age Prom, or shirt or yearbook signing stuff.

For those saying they'd finished - no, they hadn't! There was still some of the curriculum outstanding, and they would have spent the last 7 weeks or so going over topics they didn't understand and revising topics they'd done way back.

They've been given some work by the school, but not much, and in my household have had to deal with both parents coming down with Covid-19.

Magic2020 · 11/05/2020 22:31

We also have the issue that we've been saying for years that he has to prepare for the GCSEs as they're the first round of really important exams, and now suddenly they're so unimportant that their grades can basically be guessed at.

He's got ASD and ADHD so trying to get him motivated enough to do A levels is going to be great Hmm

Fiddlersgreen · 11/05/2020 22:32

Yeah... my DS hadn’t finished all the courses either. They still had topics to cover.
Now it’s just unfinished education.

I feel like some allowances must be made for year 10s exams next year, surely they will change something as the whole nation of years 10s have missed so much school.

Year 11s now have two years of more intense study before they get their first real attempt at proper exams with proper exam pressure and very real results

Chocolatecake12 · 11/05/2020 22:33

And the year 13’s. For them it’s all over, the school they’ve been at for the last 7 years finished. It’s a very sad time for them and for the years 11’s.
It’s a scary time too - moving on to new courses, universities without the last few months at school to prepare them.

It’s also sad for the yr 10’s and 12’s who will have so much catching up to do.

And for the year 5’s due to sit the 11+ in September - nothings been mentioned about them at all.

I think every year group has its own sadness to bear.

Shimy · 11/05/2020 22:37

The previous 2 major announcements both mentioned yr 11 and 13. Then key information was released detailing how grades will be calculated, appeals & re sits. There were threads on here where we all discussed it it within inches of its life. Nothing was said about the other year groups. Now all that is done and dusted.

I actually think yr11 got off lightly, they have completed the curriculum and finished the year! What more do you want him to say about them?

There are children fretting about upcoming exams next yr, kids who haven't completed the curriculum for this year but you want them to talk about missed proms???

Punxsutawney · 11/05/2020 22:42

Magic I also have an autistic year 11. With six months out of school I fear he won't go back at all. Zero motivation with him too.

He was told that his year 11 had finished on Thurs 19th March at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. They told them that they were not welcome back in school on the Friday. There was not even a leaving assembly. Ds has had the most awful year 11(due to unsupportive school) so it's not a huge loss to him but we had plans to move him to a different sixth form. He won't be able to cope with he transition though without a visit and induction day beforehand.

Original poster
lovelylegs2019 · 11/05/2020 23:12

Shimy you haven’t got a clue about what I meant just pass on please

OP posts:
Original poster
lovelylegs2019 · 11/05/2020 23:14

You’re right Chocolate I’m just focusing on my own ds I suppose and what he’s going through x

OP posts:
blue25 · 11/05/2020 23:18

My niece is in Year 11 and her school have started teaching their A-Levels early. Seems like a good idea to me.

OhMsBeliever · 11/05/2020 23:39

My twins are year 11 and their school has been setting them preparation work for A Level. Even though my two might not be staying on there for A Levels (they've been offered places elsewhere) they're still doing the work just in case.

The prom has been cancelled, though my two weren't keen on going anyway. Leavers Hoodies should be arriving soon, and the year book should be completed soon too.

I'm sad they didn't get to say goodbye to their friends, especially if they do move on next year. They had plans for things when exams were over, I hope they will still get to do stuff during the summer.

Waiting for the exam results is hard! They didn't revise for their mocks because "they don't count" Hmm so although predicted 7s and 8s their mock results were lower in quite a few subjects. I'm hoping their teachers realise this (I did mention it at parents evening before all this happened!)

I will still do a last day of school photo on what would have been their last day as their school closed suddenly before the lockdown when a member of staff tested positive. I'm sure they'll love me doing that. GrinGrin

Shimy · 12/05/2020 00:04

OP I think I have a very good idea what you meant and I also have a yr 11dc. You and him need to get some perspective and see that whilst it’s sad school has suddenly ended unceremoniously, it could be a lot worse. At least they can move on to the next stage of their lives. He has college sorted out, in your own words he has a part time job and various projects. That’s fantastic!. That’s a lot more than many dc have.

Everyone has lost something as a result of the pandemic, so you both need to look at it in the context of that. Getting angry and sad because yr 11 weren’t mentioned in the latest updates is silly and you should be the voice of reason.

Greenmarmalade · 12/05/2020 00:10

@Punxsutawney

Have you contacted the colllege to request this? Worth doing early and getting in touch with the relevant people (pastoral, etc.)

Punxsutawney · 12/05/2020 08:21

Thanks Green. It's a sixth form attached to a school so i will try and contact them closer to the time. I'm very aware though that the school will be dealing with their own pupils and all the new year 7s who will not have a proper transition. I don't think Ds will be a priority as they will expect new sixth formers to be able to cope better. His autism diagnosis is only recent so things are difficult at the moment. I'm also wondering if year 12s will even be returning in September.

RedskyAtnight · 12/05/2020 09:16

It's not just about missing prom. It's about finishing and moving on from secondary school.
Broadly the same reasons as it's deemed important to get Y6 into school before the summer.

Alsoplayspiccolo · 12/05/2020 10:14

Got off lightly, Shimy??
A bit of empathy wouldn’t go amiss, especially since you’re telling the OP to have some.
You make it sound like not being able to sit exams was a get out of jail free card. Many, many year 11s wanted to sit the exams; they’ve spent years gearing up for them, only to be stopped in sight of the finish line. They wanted to be able to celebrate the end of exams, the end of school, results day, and they won’t get that now.

Yes, there are people dying but empathy isn’t a competitive sport. Hmm

Original poster
lovelylegs2019 · 12/05/2020 10:27

Shimy I have been the voice of reason to my ds as has his df and older ds - I was just putting my feeling out on here for some support as it’s sad for him to see what his missing and just seeing how others cope with their dc. Thanks alsoplay x

OP posts:
Bigearringsbigsmile · 12/05/2020 10:33

It is so sad for all of them.

I have a year 12. He is missing , what 4 months of teaching? There are no university open days so he in October he will have to submit a ucas form choosing universities purely on the basis of online information.

Come September he will have to somehow make up for all the lost learning plus all the additional new learning needed to get the high grades needed by the unis.

He has missed out on a residential course that he worked his bollocks off to be selected for, a summer school he earnt through sheet hard work, etc
I am heartbroken for him.

practicallyperfectwithprosecco · 12/05/2020 10:40

Can't feel sorry for our year 11 and 13 children but endless threads about how poor year 6 need to be back in school to say goodbye properly, rites of passage etc.
Some year 11s will need transition too. But as you say they seem to have been forgotten about.

Tearful shouty 16 year old in this house that should have started GCSES yesterday, she hasn't seen anyone of her age for weeks and all their summer plans have gone.

Daffodil101 · 12/05/2020 10:44

Mine is Y10, I’m so sorry for our Y11s for different reasons - all the reasons given.

I hope something can be done fir them in the autumn?

Kazzyhoward · 12/05/2020 10:48

I feel like some allowances must be made for year 10s exams next year, surely they will change something as the whole nation of years 10s have missed so much school.

It will be via the usual "standardisation" process where grade boundaries are adjusted to get the right number of pupils in each grade. So, if, say, last year you needed 90% for the top 5% to get a grade 9 and next year you need 75% for the top 5% to get a grade 9, the grade boundary will be lowered accordingly. What certainly won't happen is that no one gets a grade 9 and loads more people get lower grades.

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