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. 🙂

Only year 7 have ever had lockers at our school so they’ve always carried stuff around. Same is true for at least 2 other local schools. Now they don’t have to carry PE kit because they are wearing it I feel less sorry for them (though I also had to carry stuff around at school).

We had Inset day today where the weekend has very much been embraced.

There are also a small number of clubs running after school and a couple of sports clubs in the morning. Not sure how/why given guidelines etc but we are grateful for them.

DD is back and said 20 were sent home from y10 today, apparently they just remembered the boy with covid takes the school bus so all the kids on that are now off. Mine only have to walk 5-10 mins luckily so avoid the buses.

No school clubs or air cadets here but understandable. DDs singing teacher offered her lessons but DD said no. All classes appear to have seating plans being uploaded frantically now - the art teacher messaged y9 DS (ASD)'s class asking who sits by them, in front and behind. DS didn't know any of their names then asked about what about people to the side. I said what are their names. Oh more nameless people he replies.

One of my year 10s has clubs at his schook, but he's been unable to access them due to being sent home.

He's due back Mon but given that there are a few cases and years off, we are seeing what happens and not expecting a long run!

His brother isn't into clubs fortunately, though they are both missing their Saturday sports class.

Always find it fascinating on these threads how different schools do things.

DD's school has a "no bags in corridors" policy (always, not just in times of Covid) so they have to leave bags in lockers (as well as PE kits- they are still changing for PE).

They are also not allowed to take exercise books out of classrooms (always, not just in times of Covid, though there was a previous exception for revising for tests which I suspect is now no longer allowed).

Their text books are online or stay in classrooms (always, not just in times of Covid).

And they have to submit homework online only and don't physically bring anything in (this is the only one that has changed because of Covid).

all of which means the only things that they do have to carry about are pencil cases and diaries (though I find it bizarre that they still have diaries!) which most fit in their blazer pockets.

Last year the school trialled pocket sized planners but for whatever reason they didn’t really work so have reverted back to A5.

Survived another week!
Lots of people off with symptoms - but no confirmed positive cases as far as I know (is that because they can't get a test??)
They seem to be getting through the curriculum- end of topic tests in computing, physics and Chemistry this week so hopefully some revision will be done this weekend!

DD mentioned some tests and was muttering about the maths test being the easiest maths test in the history of the universe, she's most unimpressed with new Head of Maths.

DD has survived her two weeks and can't wait to go back on Monday, she's an only (most of the time, DSS's are both in Scotland much of the time) so being at home with just us is tough for her.
I've been really impressed with the work set, a good few lessons with teachers "narrating" and seems to be more content than in lockdown - DD has been complaining about the amount so that's probably about the right amount .
We're in local lockdown in an area very near the top of the govt's "league table" for cases so not sure how long it will last......hoping we might manage more than a week this time!
Off to wake up her ladyship for footie training then glasses collection later - we know how to rock and roll.
Hope everyone has a good weekend

I haven’t heard of any confirmed cases at DS’s school, but he said yesterday that someone in his maths class was off (self-isolating? Waiting for test results?) so the lesson was live streamed, ie the rest of the class were in the lesson as normal, with a live stream to the pupil at home.

DS resumes DoE training after school today; they have said expeditions will run in the summer, but no overnight camping, and they can do one expedition to cover bronze and silver awards.

The school drama production was due to be Sister Act last term - they had started rehearsals - but they’re now rehearsal has for a play that will be streamed for parents to watch.
Some music ensembles have started again, and sports drills are back on, with matches at weekends.

DD has been moved back to set 1 English which is great, now top set for them all.

DD says almost all the children and a couple of teachers are coughing - so far only one positive test and around 100 kids out but few more are getting tested. Both mine have been ill but no covid symptoms though DS's issues may come from eating industrial quantities of fruit. DD had first meet up with friend since lockdown which was nice.

@KoalaRabbit that is good news. I know DS works really hard at maths (which he dislikes) because he wants to stay in the top top set. They seem to have a set that is top and moves at speed and then a top set that moves a bit slower.

DS has not really made any connections at school and has no desire to socialise outside but I've noticed he is liaising with two other boys and going to two sports clubs before school which is nice to see. As an extrovert and very social myself I have really struggled not to push him with socialising but he seems to be finding his own way now.

We’ve had an email to say the Year 10 ski trip scheduled for the Feb half term has been cancelled. DD is absolutely gutted as it’s supposed to be legendary. Such a shame. The only good thing is that we’ll get £1200 refunded by October half term which will be nice in time for Christmas!

I think the extra curriculars are what we will miss most. DS has been so looking forward to Malaga for Spanish which includes a trip to Granada which he is dying to do but it seems likely it might not happen, though it is usually scheduled for April so I am still hoping.

@Rollergirl11 it’s good that your school has done that sooner rather than later. DS is supposed to be going on the school ski trip half term but there’s is apparently still going ahead. DS now says he doesn’t want to go as his friend who was going has dropped out. I’ve still got half left to pay and won’t get a refund from what I have already paid by cancelling his place. Fingers crossed theirs gets cancelled I get a refund. I really can’t see how it can go ahead within the current guidelines and they would need to miss 2 weeks of school on return to quarantine.

So, week and a half back in school and DD is starting to get set some homework, mainly test revision for now for various subjects but I'm expecting it to start to ramp up.
Her main issue at the moment is that she's finding a some of the lessons unenjoyable, there's very little interaction with teachers/other people in the class and there is a lot of "traditional" learning rather than the fun stuff, plus out of school clubs aren't running and they can't use the library which she's devastated about! In her head she knows that it's the trade-off needed to actually be in school rather than at home but she's definitely not as enthused as when they first went back.
DD is supposed to be going to the US in July with school, at first we were fairly optimistic but as we go on I'm not feeling as confident that it will be able to happen. They were due to see the Lion King in January which has been cancelled so we'll just have to wait and see on everything else.
In other news, she's narrowed her A Level choices down to 6 possibles - Biology, Physics, German, Geography, English Lit & English Lang!!!! Glad she's a bit more switched on than I was at her age

Does seem that school has become more regimented and less fun. We obviously all understand why, but it's not ideal really.

No extra-curricular activities at DD's school, but she reports that in PE they are now allowed to use equipment (for the first few weeks they had to just do fitness) and are now playing hockey (DD doesn't do PE so has to stand outside while everyone else does, and has not yet worked out that she needs to take extra layers on PE days).

There school have adopted a pseudo class bubble approach so they do most things in tutor groups (as far as possible). That means she's able to be in a group for drama with others from her tutor group which is great - drama teacher wasn't sure if they would be able to do group work. Her school only ever set for maths (no other subjects) and they've had to abandon even that due to the tutor group bubble thing, though they are roughly setting as higher/middle/foundation. At least it eliminates set moving up/down worries!

Impressed with TheOnlyMrsW's DD knowing what she wants to do for A Level (at least short list). My DD hasn't a clue (although DS is actually currently taking an A Level that he would certainly not have chosen at the start of Year 10, so it can all change!).

@PaddingtonPaddington is yours the Feb half-term too? I would continue paying and then get a refund.

Another Mum told me yesterday that apparently there will be no school residential trips until 2022. Not sure where she got her information from though.

DD has also been thinking about A Level choices. At the moment she thinks she definitely wants to do English Lit and History and is then interested in either Philosophy, Psychology or English Lang.

We have definite History A Level. He has mentioned English. I’m quietly hopeful for Spanish but we’ll see.

We've not heard about any school trips this year other than there'll be none for year 9 apart from days out for week in June where there's normally a residential. My guess is nothing will be running this year and I'ld be wary of booking after having battles for Italy school trip refund this year (got it all back) and our cancelled Thailand / Borneo summer holiday which we about £1.5k on (have credit vouchers for £1.1k of that but not sure are useable) though could have been a lot worse.

Think DD is planning on Maths / Further Maths / History and Politics for A levels though some time yet. She keeps telling me she's studying Maths and politics already though think its better if she does the GCSEs first. She is doing Additional Maths though which is Level 3 so studying the maths makes sense.

Quite a lot of friendship group drama which I didn't miss in lockdown. It's all over a boy, his girlfriend banned him from seeing DD - she sent him a text saying he was banned from seeing DD 'as she is prettier and nicer than me' and then any time DD tried to meet up with others this girl would get the others to cancel. DD met up with the boy at the weekend and on Monday the girlfriend and boy had split up and now they are all arguing.

@KoalaRabbit we are having friendship drama at the moment too! One of the girls in their group of 5 has become very boy obsessed and doesn’t shut up about all the boys she is talking to on Snapchat and seems to want to one up them all the time. Yesterday she told one of the other girls in the group that likes a particular boy that the boy in question is her “No 1 friend” on Snapchat (I don’t really understand it but apparently it means that’s who she’s talking to the most) and he told her that she’s really fit. DD says she said it just to spite the other friend as she knows she likes him. It all kicked off last night and they are all having a chat about it today.

No doubt I’ll here all about it in the next hour. But suffice to say I didn’t miss all this drama either. 🤦‍♀️

DD is still not remotely interested in boys. She divides them into "annoying", "really annoying" and "I suppose they are ok" categories (the third category has the smallest number). I've suggested she would perhaps find slightly older boys more mature, and she pointed out that DS and his friends are older boys and still fit predominantly into her first 2 categories.

She has, however, a job as agony aunt for everyone else's boyfriend woes! No end of friendship drama here too!

We’ve only just entered the realm of possibly being friends with anyone (his choice) so I think girls are not on his radar.

Y8 DS however ... a whole different ball game.

Yes @Rollergirl11 Feb half term trip.

DS is unsure of A level choices but enjoys most subjects so has plenty of options at the moment.

That all sounds very familiar Rollergirl There's a new boy at school who has come from an international school abroad and there's a group of girls obsessed with him. DD claims she's not obsessed but his name comes up in every sentence and she has told the other girls she wants him as her number 1 friend and he seems to give her more attention than all the other girls including one who supposidly was the girlfriend. DD says he was forced into becoming the boyfriend But there's so much drama and stirring going on it drives me nuts. I said DD you are keeping out of it aren't you and she said yes I'm not involved, I'm just making bitchy behind the scenes comments. The boy is telling them all what each of them say about each other behind their backs which is enlightening but causing more drama.

Sometimes I'm grateful DS doesn't want friends and he's much more sensible, going for the bright, nerdy kids who are well behaved and drama free.