Current Year 10 2020/2021 support thread

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I can’t see a thread for upcoming new year 10s, so I thought I’d start one, as the long-running GCSE one I’ve been part of for DD has been a life-saver.

DS has opted to take history, German, drama and music, plus double science, maths, English x2, and RE.
He’s pretty bright and does well without having to break a sweat (much to my frustration!), but doesn’t really know what he wants to do in the future. He’s a music scholar at his school, so does a lot of music (DH and I are both professional musicians...or were, before Covid hit...) but loves history and English.

His school provided excellent online schooling and he was lucky to be able to go in 2 days a week for the last 3 weeks of term.

His sister has just finished year 11, so we are biting our nails, waiting for results next week. She has quite a different academic profile, having ADHD and possibly dyspraxia, and has had to work hard throughout the last few years.

I hope us parents of DCs just starting the GCSE journey can help and support each other over the next couple of years. 🙂

PE kit 8 out of 10 days here but I dropped the head of PE and apparently they're going to relax the dress code wrt hoodies and tracksuits when the weather turns - which is good as the boys wear white shorts....

DD had a good day back today. I’m quite surprised that she has hardly any double lessons in her timetable though. She has one day every two weeks where she has double Geography followed by double History followed by double English Lit. I think she’ll be getting serious hand cramp on that day!

She also feels ever so slightly duped by her Spanish teacher from Year 9. DD really liked her and her Spanish teacher really liked DD. She sang DD’s praises at the Options evening and Parents evening and put to rest the doubts that DD had about taking Spanish GCSE. The teacher pretty much intimated that she would be taking top set Spanish in Year 10 so DD assumed that she would have this teacher. But the teacher has left! However she did meet her new Spanish teacher today and she says she seems nice.

A few of her friends were upset today as they have been given combined science despite being in top set. Usually all top set automatically take triple science and then the teachers make the decision on combined or triple for 2nd set and it’s automatically combined for anything less than 2nd set. They didn’t do any end of year tests for Science so not sure how they have arrived at their decision on who takes what if it isn’t based on set.

But anyway DD is happy that the first day is done and dusted and she has the weekend to relax. Now just need to get DS back in on Monday!

School have confirmed due to covid that one of the Spanish groups cannot be accommodated, daughter is over the moon she can now do RS rather than being forced to do a language.

@Rollergirl11

DD had a good day back today. I’m quite surprised that she has hardly any double lessons in her timetable though. She has one day every two weeks where she has double Geography followed by double History followed by double English Lit. I think she’ll be getting serious hand cramp on that day!

She also feels ever so slightly duped by her Spanish teacher from Year 9. DD really liked her and her Spanish teacher really liked DD. She sang DD’s praises at the Options evening and Parents evening and put to rest the doubts that DD had about taking Spanish GCSE. The teacher pretty much intimated that she would be taking top set Spanish in Year 10 so DD assumed that she would have this teacher. But the teacher has left! However she did meet her new Spanish teacher today and she says she seems nice.

A few of her friends were upset today as they have been given combined science despite being in top set. Usually all top set automatically take triple science and then the teachers make the decision on combined or triple for 2nd set and it’s automatically combined for anything less than 2nd set. They didn’t do any end of year tests for Science so not sure how they have arrived at their decision on who takes what if it isn’t based on set.

But anyway DD is happy that the first day is done and dusted and she has the weekend to relax. Now just need to get DS back in on Monday!

How odd re Science. DD got to choose, and chose not to do 3 separate, but I think it seems very strange to force them down one route or another, esp when they didn’t even do all of Year 9.

I'm a bit late joining this thread, DS2 is doing 3xScience, 2xEnglish. Maths and his 4 options are RS, German, History and Economics. He is now uncertain about the Economics as looking on-line he think it looks boring and so he may switch to Sociology. He is very sociable and was glad to be back at school today. I'm not sure how the 200+ bubble will work! They will be able to go in/come home in their PE kit if it's at the beginning or end of the day. From what he says all his friends are back, I don't think in his school may parents are keeping their children home from school due to Covid fears

many not may!

DD had a good first day back, not much done in lessons apart from a test in Chemistry which she found easy. The teachers are moving rather than children and they're allowed into each other's forms at breaks which is new, and a good thing for DD. None of her friends are in the same form and they used to meet up in either the library or one of the music rooms which are closed so she was worried about spending free time on her own.

Dd started back Thursday, timetable looks as normal - she's pleased with most of the teachers she's been given. Had an update on music lessons, woodwind will be held in the corridor (better ventilation than the rehearsal box) with a maximum of two students from any one year bubble, although yesterday she announced she's switching back to her first instrument (violin) instead.

DS has had his timetable changed without the French but retaining spanish. He is really happy. I feel bad that I was prob part of the reason he went for double. I’ve also convinced him to come out for breakfast with me which is nice.

Breakfast will make amends Mercedes

DS not in until 9th. We are battling the Cornwall/Devon traffic on our way hone. Jobs like labelling new uniform keep popping into my mind.

Ah, that’s the sort of job that I have just ignored. I usually remember (though I am now reminded) and wander about with a sharpie.

Hopefully with not changing there will be les chance of losing stuff!

Rollergirl that's really poor re science when we're still at the start of Year 10. Why not at least give them chance to pick? At DD's school they get free choice of combined or triple science (lower ability children are discouraged from taking triple) although they do sometimes move children from triple to combined if they think they are not coping.

DD had an interesting first day. Due to an ankle injury she is allowed to use the lift but a combination of the lift and the new one way system meant she lost her class several times (they spent a lot of time walking round school explaining the new one way system, areas that were now year group specific, new procedures etc) and got thoroughly fed up explaining how she'd hurt her leg to everyone that saw her. On the plus side she has now got to know the new head of year 10 very well (previous head of year left in the summer) as said Head spent a lot of time showing her to places and re-finding her group for her!!! She's also been able to relocate her locker (normally impossible) as the one way system makes her old one a palaver to get to and, at the speed DD walks it takes her all her time to walk back and forth. So really pleased that the school is being accommodating. The school principal even stopped to check she was ok, although was apparently under the impression that DD is called Connie (DD's name is nothing like "Connie").

She likes everyone in her new tutor group (also her group for maths, English and science) which due to DD taking combined science but being good at maths is quite small (seems that most higher maths set students are taking triple science!). Also liked the 2 new (to her) teachers she met yesterday. So pretty positive all round.

It’s great that they have put things in place and are supporting her. How long will she have mobility problems for?

DS said his new Spanish class has 15 people and 15 who are diligent. Breakfast was lovely, I had to do all the work but he was open and sharing.

His new blazer arrived and I had a real lump when he tried it on. My PFB is in year 10 and doing GCSEs, how, how did this happen?!

DS is home for the weekend. Boarding seems to be going OK. Just off to the uniform shop to buy the stuff that he swore 2 weeks ago still fitted him, but which didn’t actually fit top up.

@RedskyAtnight, glad the school were so accommodating to your dd.

Just got the packed lunch stuff in and tore ds away from gaming to check his pencil case and get his blazer ready.

Slightly anxious about the public buses on Monday - apparently every other bus will be a designated school bus. We'll have to leave a bit earlier and see how it goes.

DD has just had an email re her singing lessons starting this week, and has an audition for choir on Friday. I thought they weren’t allowed to sing, but I’m glad that they are.

We had our first day on Friday as well - but no classes, just being shown around the new system. The school have now apparently abandoned lockers completely Everything is to be kept at home and brought in for the day. They are requiring chromebooks for all years 7-10 (they had a deal on, on the price, and you could pay in one go or in instalments, and if you get free school meals, the school pays, but they made you commit in the last week of term with just a week's notice, which was a bit annoying, and it may be a good price for what it is, but £185 is still not that cheap). Apparently the idea is that they will carry the chromebooks and not much else - except that the chromebooks are not showing up until October. And I am sceptical that they will really be able to manage without paper and textbooks.

Naem Not quite the same thing, but DC's school brought in a "no books" policy last year (i.e. before Covid). They were intending to do similar to your school and move everyone over to iPads this year, but looks like they've shelved that idea (I suspect because of a large number of families that would struggle with cost). Anyway. The old policy was that they had paper books they wrote in during lessons but they couldn't take them out of school except to revise before exams. Text books were online and homework either had to be done online or on paper and scanned in. They had a lot of issues with families not having any/good enough tech, so I guess at least insisting everyone buys a Chromebook sorts that (though not the connectivity issue for those who don't have unlimited broadband - think DC's school was going to provide dongles).

HelloDulling Great news about singing/choir! There is not much happening here in terms of extra curricular activities at all.

Mercedes unfortunately don't know how long DD will have mobility problems. Possible she'll have to have surgery.

Our school have extended their BYOD policy down to years 10 & 11 after having it previously only in the 6th form. I suspect that teachers found pupils’ work much better (and easier to mark!) when types rather than handwritten! We’ve ordered one for ds through school which should arrive “sometime in September”. We’ll see.

I do wonder how/if the increased move to devices (and remote learning) will influence exam requirements. DS struggles to write at any length (i.e. as required for any exams with high writing content such as English) as he is so unused to doing it as he types whenever he has the choice. Apparently this is becoming a really common problem.

My son went back today - it is really strange without him here!

His school seem to have taken a relatively relaxed stance. Timetable is the same, clubs and music lessons will be as normal and they will still have to change after games (they have it in the mornings and have always been allowed to come to school in their kit). No assembles, but there will be year group briefings. No parents evenings, open days or concerts. Masks are optional for staff and students.

They have a two bubbles: Y10 & Y11 and Y7, Y8 & Y9. They are going to have separate entrances and different zones in the school. Where they will have to share the same space, it will be cleaned in between.

They are gong to be tested in all subjects this half term to assess those that will need extra support.

All sounds reasonable - it will be interesting to hear how it actually went.

DS2 went back for his first full day today- his timetable has just been uploaded and it looks like his half day is a Thursday so he finishes at lunch time. Double science today with a new science teacher - he loved his last one ans she really got him - she retired. I hope he gets on ok!

Rather than brave the packed school bus he decided to try the normal bus service, which hopefully will be quieter.

DD faffing about trying to decide how to get to school until she left the building this morning.

A shock to the system waking up at the crack of dawn this morning.

DD excited to be going back to school. Let's hope it lasts!

allNewModelArmyMayhem18

DS2 was not impressed by the early rise either! Up at 6.45