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. 🙂

News in from our Welsh schools. Year 10 DD back full time from the 15th, Year 7 DS will get two days a week until Easter.

Another Welshie here.

Year 8 dc will be in for 2 days before Easter and year 10 for 5 days,

I’m not sure it’s worth it for the year 8’s. Mixing 240 kids from across the whole county. I’d rather have another month to get figures really, really low.

Dulling ahhh that’s good to hear that DD at least is back in on 15th.

I was very impressed by our schools testing operation. It was very slick and DC’s were in and out within 5 minutes. They have another test this week and another the following. I have to admit I’m not sure what happens after that. I’m assuming that we will still have students out SI from close contacts like the September term. They did away with the lft tests to replace close contacts didn’t they?

Glad you get your y10 back in a week Dulling

Close contacts still exists as before, there was a proposal to scrap it for those doing tests but that got overruled. After the first three tests in school its two tests a week at home for those that consented and if a child gets a positive at home they need a different test to confirm. Not sure which test close contacts is based on but hoping its not the lft as there's about a 0.1 to 0.3 false positive rate on lft. At least the first test there will have been no contacts before, so its tests 2 and 3 that could lead to isolations then at home ones.

DD had the Harvard Maths thing which was good experience but very difficult and only 5 out of 8 on the team where present. DD is back on Tuesday and DS on Friday.

Finally got DS to try his school trousers on and they are too short (even though they are extra long length ones) but thankfully as they are M&S they can be taken down easily as someone mentioned further up the thread. Have got a stationary order coming Monday and then think he’s all set to go. Roll on Tuesday and fingers crossed he doesn’t get a positive or false positive on his LFT!

I keep losing this thread - it's not showing in my active or watching lists.
Ds went for his LFT test on Friday, he had been invited in a few days before so he could see where and how it was being done. He was nervous on Friday as he felt like it was very busy and he's not used to it but was fine when he found his friends.

He seems to be looking forward to going back but is going to miss the numerous cups of tea and wearing his onsie for lessons

@GhostTypeEevee oh yes wearing their onesie/pj’s will be sorely missed in this household too! DD had actually got in to the habit of doing her one weekly PSHE/tutor lesson first thing on a Thursday morning from bed. 😂

Everyone bar DH (who is still working from home) will be up by 7am in the morning. We haven’t got up at that time since mid December so will be a shock to the system that’s for sure!

DS returned to school today and said that wearing a mask all day "wasn't too bad" so I'm relieved about that as I thought it might be an issue for him. Sadly the weather for the rest of this week looks like it's going to be pretty rubbish which makes it harder to be outside :(

Also just saw this in the Guardian
www.theguardian.com/world/2021/mar/09/assessment-of-england-pupils-sitting-exams-in-2022-likely-to-be-adapted

DS first day back too today. I was glad when it got to 10am as figured his first ever COVID test was negative (anxious about false positives). DS also reported wearing masks all day wasn’t too bad and his glasses didn’t steam up too much. He’s glad to be back with his friends and apparently the lessons were ok too!

@IThinkIMadeItWorse thanks for the link. I wish Gavin W would let us know ASAP but no doubt the actual details will be like they were for this years year 11 - all a bit too late.

It was DDs first day back and she was glad to be back and caught up with her group of friends and looked after a new girl. No mention of any lessons

DS was here with me so I was doing all his lessons - he's back on Friday and have options evening for him on Thursday. For some reason the system comes up DS has no teachers - DS was very happy about this - so I contacted school and they just gave me 1 with the senco and nothing with subject teachers. Seems a bit odd but know about the subjects from DD so can work round it.

Solicitor called with the stamp duty to give us back as we bought this before sold the other. Lots of onesies here too - DS is Pudsey and DD is a bunny.

We aren’t back until tomorrow and it turns out DH is also going into work rather than WFH. That means that my house will be totally silent, I will be able to use the laptop or the PC at any desk I like for almost 6 FULL hours.

@Rollergirl11 my son did that for his weekly tutor time too

@StColumbofNavron hoping you’re enjoying your day of peace and quiet! I bet you end up just doing chores. I wish DH would go back in to the office for a few days. It’s extra weird him
still being here and the kids being back at school.

I’ve caught DD having a little cat-nap just before dinner both nights this week. The early mornings are clearly taking their toll. DS is very sparky and seems really happy to be back. In his words “schools actually pretty decent, not gonna lie”. It’s unheard of for DS to be optimistic about school so it shows how much he was ready to go back. Hope it continues. 🤞

He didn’t go into work!!! But apparently is going on Friday. Luckily domestic goddess I am not and I’ve got loads of work on so I’ve avoided everything.

Have to say DS1 and 2 were quite happy to be going back, you could just tell from the way they got everything ready etc.

Hello wonderful ladies!

I think I originally posted in this chat ages ago ...

I wondered if you would all be willing to offer me your thoughts?
As you know, year 9's and 10's have missed so much of their education this year (and last!) and I wondered how worried you all are for the next year of their education? With that said, if you also have a year 11 teenager, how are they feeling?

I'm thinking of putting on a free master class during the Easter holidays for year 11's for Language papers ... my question is do you as mothers think is something you'd want your beloveds to sign up for?!

Sarah xx

We had online parents evening last night for year 10 ds.

They’ve not covered quite a much higher level maths and obviously no practical science, DT or building and construction as they should have done but otherwise they’re all pretty much up to date and ds has been keeping up very well.

He will only have had 5 days in school before Easter and there’s no way that I’d be signing him up to online lessons during his holidays at the moment.

I’m afraid my DC would be very reluctant to use any free time for more learning/school work. I’m also not that worried for DS in year 10 right now, he is on top of it and we have parents’ evening next week. He knows things could go a number of ways for assessment and is ready for all of them.

@Muchtoomuchtodo and @StColumbofNavron
Thank you so much for your feedback x

I'd really appreciate the offer on an online class though obviously mine are in y9 and y10 - I would imagine the kids would say no though DD might say yes if she was y11.

DD went back on Tuesday and DS on Friday and both glad to be back though DD having issues with tutor group so been trying to sort a solution. DS has his options so trying to get him to choose. Glad to be able to stop his online classes on Friday so I don't need to do those as long as school stays open.

Finally got DH's cancer result back and its benign so that's a big relief. DD has stayed on track during lockdown, I suspect DS fell behind this one as he was always in the bathroom or with a duvet over his head whilst I tried to read it out to him but will see. The other two he stayed on track / improved in science but he was like the grumpy part of Muttley the dog permanently with school this lockdown, growling and muttering about everything. He said he was hibernating and he was very cross schoolwork interrupted that.

Got stamp duty back from house sale as overlapped and HMRC even paid interest Just about finished all the admin from that, now just have this house to sort. Still nothing else to do atm.

So pleased to hear about your DH result Silkies, must be a massive relief for you all. Hope you manage to get the house stuff sorted.

I think DS would be reluctant to give up any free time for optional extra classes, much as I might like him to. He found focusing in online lessons very hard and had really had enough by the end! So glad they are back in school now, Hope the return for those in Wales goes really well.

@Silkies that is such good news.

Thanks both yes a huge relief. Hope everyone is having a good Mother's Day. I've just seen punting opens here from 29th March, said to DH and he said oh we can book a romantic trip for 2 of us and I'll book it on your birthday and take day off then DD announces that she is coming and to book the type she wants and says that after 3 hours she will start being horrible to me even though its a trip for my birthday but she says she can be nice for 3 hours. So DH said to go for 1.5 hours with all of us. Just hoping they stay in school until then, ends on 26th here. Not sure what weather will be like but at least its first day out since the summer really, we were doing house stuff then finally booked days out when it briefly reopened and they all had to be cancelled as DS became close contact twice and school only had 4 cases so far.

@Silkies that's wonderful news about you dh. What a weight off your minds

I wonder if and when they will announce any changes to the exams next year? I'm hoping sooner than later

Excellent news for your DH Silkie, you must be so relieved! Punting sounds amazing. Here’s hoping we get some warmer weather soon.

DD is hoping for better weather as it’s her birthday on Good Friday. Luckily for her the rule of 6 in gardens comes in to play on 29th March so it means she can have some friends over to celebrate. She also is busy trying to plan a trip with mates to Westfield in the Easter hols once non-essential shops open back up again on the 12th. Fingers crossed it all goes ahead.

DD did her 1st Covid test at home last night. DS is having his 3rd and final test at school today then he will be tested at home too. We have to do them Sunday and Wednesday evenings.

I don’t think the government will make any firm plans for our cohorts exams anytime soon. I think it’s too early to know and I guess it depends on if there is any further disruption to them in the Autumn/Spring term of Year 11.