GCSE Summer 2020 Thread 9 : Carry on Corona Cohort ‘Let’s Ofqual the whole thing off'

[OrangeCinnamon1]

Welcome all to the 9th Thread for this year's GCSE cohort - the Corona Cohort!

This is a thread for supporting all young people ( and their parents) taking GCSEs regardless of the institute they attend or the grades they need. It is respectfully requested that we are all supportive and helpful to each other.

If you want to start a debate e.g state vs private - please do not within this thread.

Similarly it should be recognised that the grades our children need/deserve/want will vary across the board- we wish to celebrate and comiserate with all. One same grade outcome can simultaneously cause joy and despair for different posters and their families. Please be sensitive when responding to threads about grade outcomes.

Some of us have been here since I started first thread back in yr10, some will be new. Everyone has been friendly and helpful in the past. It is hoped this will continue. Going forward we intend to stay on the Secondary Education Board (at least until Mumsnet HQ chuck us out ) as from now on our DS/DD may go down various paths such employment, apprenticeships, higher ed etc so we decided not to be exclusionary.

Any new threads should have 'GCSE Summer 2020 Thread # : Carry on Corona Cohort' in title just to make it easier to find. There is no preciousness about who starts new threads!

At this precise moment in time we are still awaiting GCSE results . At first these were to be that seem to have been produced by an algorithm that also takes very little account of Teacher Centre Assessed Grades. There is an appeal process but it was changed to include mock results and coursework, then taken down again for review. Now it has been decided that the higher of Centre Assessed Grades and Calculated Grades will be awarded in two parts??!?!

We are all STILL trying to protect our young people's mental health, which the government claims is their priority...when they talk about wanting students back in schools/college in September...

First Thread

Previous thread

The GAVs are being buried, shredded, set alight, blasted into space.

Unless they are higher, of course, so that we all thank that nice Mr Williamson.

Will the schools know what the GAVs could have been or are they only told the final results (as adjusted for any higher GAVs)? I don’t think I would really want to know, tbh. But I’m wondering if DD’s teachers will.

Hello, joining this thread as DS2 awaits his results tomorrow.

Up to now, I've been preoccupied with DS1 who got his A-level results last week - with the whole grade debacle as well as the stress of university places, understandably that's been more of a concern. GCSE results feel a bit less worrying, but we'll see tomorrow what his teachers assessed for him!

Best wishes to everyone waiting on results.

Bonus for me: tomorrow's my 50th birthday!

@Piggywaspushed I love the idea of going out for breakfast but her school will be phoning her sometime between 8.30 and 11.30 for a chat re results and 6th form etc so we can't really go out. I am impressed with the effort they are making though.

Janie, I have asked this. No one knows!!

They must be getting around GDPR somehow at the exam boards as the results belong to students, but presumably only once they have been released to schools.

Welcome DadDadDad and Happy Birthday You were the same school year as me !

Am busy focusing angst into getting DD’s medical form for visa application as her surgery giving her the run around. Some poor medical secretary back from lunch shortly and doesn’t know what us about to come at her if repeats the ‘it can take up t8 6 weeks’ line again.

A personal welcome from me DadDadDad, and huge congratulations to your DS1. Is it too early for me to admit to stalking admiring your dedication to the HE threads in my own preparation for any possibility DD may have aspirations to aim to such unis?

@whoamitojudge We used to do that with the DC when they were little - if it was rainy and we had run out of ideas and were desperate, we'd go and park up by the perimeter fence of our local airport and watch planes. Remember those days with under 5s when you were just trying to get through to bedtime

@Piggywaspushed He sounds lovely - my DS is also a hugger, whereas DD will tolerate hugs but doesn't often come looking for them.

@Monkey2001 Those Bakewell modifications sound delicious but I'm never going to get either of them past my client
I'm going to mention it and see what he says but I'm expecting an outraged expression. I am not a fan of almonds so don't even like Bakewell myself. Apple and blackberry crumble though.. right up my street.

I am very curious to know the GAVs so might try a SAR if I can be bothered..

Oblomov I suspect a potential match; but that it may just be one sided. Your DS sounds like a huge fun though, in-spite of giving you challenges at times!

DD’s male friends describe her as scary - not sure what that means and am really careful not to ask...

Still radio silence from DD’s school all week. Only sent a reminder re entry requirements - sent twice! Yikes.

Welcome @DadDadDad! What a day for a birthday I hope it’s a double celebration!

Thank you @Piggywaspushed - I have been wondering how they could get round the GDPR point. I expect they’ll fudge it somehow.

Lots of exciting plans for tomorrow - ours seem very low key in comparison. DD is planning a Zoom get together with her friends in addition to our quiet family celebration. I suggested a garden get-together/bbq for them all (with faithful promises from DH and I to leave them to it once the food was served) but it seems they are all happy enough with their online plans.

Welcome DadDadDad.

Ealing Mum, you are on! Are we the next Cilla Black? Not naked attraction though! 🤮

Thanks for all the welcomes and birthday wishes! I've probably outed myself with the amount of personal info in my above post, but I feel like you're a friendly bunch here that I can trust...

Hello - we’ve been out with a moody DS (it’s his usual style) for lunch & ice cream.

He’s now said that he’s not going to open the email when he gets it at 0915
He said he’ll wait until he gets his envelope at 1140
i’m not convinced he’ll be able to ignore it !!!

@Northumberlandlass that’s a very specific tone to wait till. Any reason?

Just had a letter from DS’s school running over the arrangements again and advising about the delay until 25th for the Cambridge Nationals.

Made progress with DD’s surgery from ‘I don’t know , I have nothing I can tell you at this point ‘ to ‘I will speak to the GP and will ring your DD later this afternoon ‘

He has a time slot at 1140 to collect them in person.

Originally the plan was for all the students to collect in person in time slots & they would email the results in the afternoon. Then after the fiasco they said they would email at 0915, but students could still go in.

So now he says he’s going to ignore the email & is going to get them in person

MirandaWest, I’ve started a new year 10 support thread, for those of us about to get back on the GCSE train again!

Welcome, DadDadDad and happy birthday for tomorrow!
I’m another one who was in the same school year as you - I celebrated my half century at the beginning of the year.
Hope your nerves aren’t too shredded from going through the grades debacle twice!

@Alsoplayspiccolo

MirandaWest, I’ve started a new year 10 support thread, for those of us about to get back on the GCSE train again!

That shows some stamina! Here's to a normal Y10/11 experience!

I love the fact that a thread full of GCSE GAV related angst has now blossomed into a teenage dating service My DS has no interest in girls as yet. Faaaar too much of a geek. No interest in booze either as yet. I am sure both will change in time

I can’t settle to anything today, feel so antsy about tomorrow. DS gets results sent to him electronically but seems laid back about it all (don’t even know whether he’ll even bother waking up early to access them!) whereas I can’t think about anything else and will probably be awake from 4am. Anyone else feel like this?

Doesn’t help that DS is now having a frantic last minute panic about getting A level bridging work finished (aka he hasn’t done it, despite almost daily reminders from me) and is having a last minute wobble about A level subjects ....other than that we’re under control in the Pandas household!

Totally agree on the 🤮 Oblomov, I do my best to encourage body confidence but that type of “progression” is many steps too far!

Just a dim sum lunch for us. We’ve been asked to wait in car, she’ll open with us and then go back to say hi to teachers and those around. Leaving her to it to hang out with friends after.

Welcome DadDadDad, another here in the same school year! what a bunch of oldies we are although you would have been the baby of the year.

Happy Birthday for tomorrow @DadDadDad

Sorry been a bit awol today...pesky FT job in a Uni ..nuff said!

I am loving the matchmaking they all sound lovely and gorgeous and thinking of creating a database