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. 🙂

Thanks Aramox

Hope last exam went well StColumbo and glad they are over.

We got a second y9 covid case and I thought oh no here we go again and I said to DS and he said no. So I explained again and then he said no they read out the list of who has to go home at school today and I wasn't on it so he's escaped and I got a whole sentence out of him. Yay!

DD did after school stats today and she said she found out the further maths after school is just gcse further maths so lower than the level 3 add maths she did before but they said last year they entered one person for add maths though not sure if level 2 or level 3. But still will give her FM. Still seems very happy but comes home shattered and starving. 11 days to go here.

Physics teacher messaged me to say DD had done different things to what they had done which we knew but was kind of him to message and go through with her.

Our primary bubble has just burst with a positive case. Argh!!!

Oh no StColumbo We've had two y9 cases in a week so not sure how long DS will survive. They'll probably wait until my second vaccine and then send him home.

Sorry to hear about some of your ds results @aramox. Is he motivated to try and catch up on revision in the holidays, especially if he's a hard worker? Not ideal, but could be very worth it. Ds has said he's going to get his revision cards in order, catch up on the missing topics etc. I'm not going to nag him as we just end up arguing unfortunately.

My DS is still in school - finishes tomorrow. Dd had to be picked up earlier - a positive case in her year. The whole year goes home while they contact trace. We know who has had the positive result and it’s not someone she has contact with so 🤞🏻 She can go in for the last day tomorrow. It’s been a stressful last week - think we’ll all hibernate over the weekend!

Oh no sorry to hear about all these bubbles bursting and cases :( Hope everyone stays well.

Feel like we are really flagging (not helped by noisy people last night after the football) but two weeks of term to go. Still waiting on the results of all the assessments and end of year reports. Though we did hear that DS got a 2 in French, no surprise there as he hasn't done any work in French for more than a year. We've asked the school to let him drop it but they haven't agreed yet - perhaps they will now!

Our school insists on languages which was one of the reasons I liked it because I think they are important. However, now DS2 is refusing to engage (in spite of being quite good if he puts his mind to it) I can see it’s not for everyone. Only about 25-30% of the boys at their school don’t have to do a language. I think you have pretty good grounds for withdrawal, it isn’t worth any bodies time is it.

DS1 got two results today: 9 in business studies and 8 in Spanish.

Hey all, sorry to hear about peeps having to isolate. There have been quite a few people sent home in DD’s year but thankfully DD has escaped it so far.

DD has had most of her results back and she’s done remarkably well considering how bad she thought she’d done and how anxious she was taking them. Just waiting for the school to send out the grade collections.

She has her 6th form taster day tomorrow. She had to choose 4 subjects to get taster sessions in so she went for English Literature, History, Psychology and Sociology. I think she’s looking forward to it although a little nervous too.

DS has the last of his exams tomorrow which is French. He doesn’t care about it as he is dropping it in Year 9 and will just continue with Spanish. I think he can’t wait for school to be finished. Keeps saying how dead it is. Although the whole year have a trip to Thorpe Park next Friday so hopefully he’ll find that fun at least!

Ds feeling a bit better now as turns out even his low grades are passes so he's come out with a bunch of 5-6s and a couple of 7s. He's certainly motivated to keep working and teachers are pleased with his efforts, but he struggles so much to remember stuff, especially in sciences! Even the teachers think the syllabus is ridiculously heavy. I feel like next year is going to go by in a flash, and probably without much fun. I'm starting to think about 6th form options but a bit stuck on how, the admissions seem even more unclear than secondary were. So sorry to hear about bubbles bursting, we've been lucky so far here.

Glad to hear results were better than expected Aramox

Glad your DD did well and hope taster day goes well Rollergirl

Happy holidays QueenMabby 2 weeks to go here.

Hope you can get rid of French Ithink

Congrats on results StColombo

Dd said today was good but then fell asleep. Ds got a 7 in his y9 maths exams, didn't do English, not sure what happened with science.

End of term for DD-and me-today. DS finishes tomorrow. So looking forward to a break from the alarm.

Have a lovely holiday HelloDulling Do you go back earlier as well then. I think we finish 22nd here and back on 4th.

@Silkiecats Nope, back on the 6th!

We finish on 21 I think because we have parent tutor meetings in 22 and 23 and normally the DC aren’t in for that.

DS3 just found out his year 6 teacher for next year (two form entry) and he has the same teacher his two brothers had. She is ace so that’s exciting too.

DD’s came home with her grade collection today. I am beyond proud, she has done so amazingly well considering how shit she’s had it since the end of April.

She got 9 in Chemistry, English Lang, English Lit, Geography, History and RE. 8 in Spanish, Maths and Physics and 7 in Biology.

Two weeks left of Year 10 and Year 8. Our house is counting down the days now that’s for sure!!

That's amazing Rollergirl especially considering what she has been through and she thought they hadn't gone well. My DD says things like that and then gets results like that.

First week done and DD seems happy there - not mentioned any other kids but studying seems to be going well. Am hoping move won't affect the grades too much but she seems OK with things and will catch up over the summer.

Happy holidays for those starting the holidays. I've still got to get set up on new school's parent scheme and lunch card set up. But very relieved first week went well and she is happier there.

Well done everyone on these amazing results, especially @Rollergirl11's DD - I'm not surprised you are proud she has done brilliantly!

Glad to hear your DD is enjoying the new school @Silkiecats hope that things continue to go well.

We finish on the 22nd which will be a half day. Results expected around the 15th, I'm not very good at waiting patiently but hey ho. For some reason DS didn't have his mentoring session today (he thinks the TA was absent - perhaps Covid isolating like quite a lot of the school.) I'd really like someone to go through his English papers with him 1-2-1 as I'm sure there will be room for improvement, perhaps there will be a chance next Friday afternoon.

We got maths back today. He knew it was a weaker subject for him so got a 6 but was one mark off a 7, but that’s great because a bit more work will pull that up. He got the paper back and knows where he lost marks, largely on questions they hadn’t yet covered properly.

Just been told of 2 more year 9 covid cases so playing the is my child going to need to isolate game though at least those two have been off since Wednesday.

DD has gone to London for the day. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

And another 2 cases today and DS has to self isolate until 20th, argh.

@Silkiecats Oh no what a nightmare!

Ds has managed to avoid any bubbles bursting this term still time though

Oh no sorry to hear he has to isolate again @Silkiecats - what a pain!

There is a new thread about the adjustments to exams next summer www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/4294791-Y10-and-12-parents-Exams-2022-covid-adjustments-consultation

Thanks Its and Ghost. DS was a complete pitn today and refused to do any work or speak all day and also found out he didn't do his y9 science exams so they have now graded him down from 7/6 to 2/1 current grade. This probably means he won't be allowed to do triple and may get put in bottom or middle set though am trying to find out. So he only did maths. Sent a desperate email to school and la as this does not bode well for gcses plus he is mute with no friends and even mute at home now. la finally replied and said he has 20 hours funding of a TA in ehcp awarded to current school. The 20 hours is good but not sure if a needs a more specialist school, have emailed one. La said they can consider that but costs more. Moving him will upset him for 6 months but specialist school goes to 18, current to 16.

Dd thinks she may get told to isolate soon but at least had another good day and we can now get on parent system. Still no lunchcard but she eats before and after and otherwise been set up brilliantly. No grades entered.

8 days to go here.

@Silkiescats it seems never ending for you at the moment. I know it’s easy to say from behind my screen, but gently, please take some time to look after yourself too. Even just a little.