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

Does anyone know if the results by school are going to be published as in previous years?

@AvacadoLover

Does anyone know if the results by school are going to be published as in previous years?

I don't think so ...kind of makes you wonder with all.the stats flying around

Great news from @ealingwestmum, @ProggyMat, @OrangeCinnamon1, @Zandathepanda, @Wheresthebeach, @Devlesko, @Northumberlandlass.

And an excellent comment from FlyingPandas - 2020 has been carefully designed to dishearten teenagers in every way.

@confusedbutheyho they can do three years at this level I think including level 2 /GCSE equivalent study.

[quote FlyingPandas]Amen to that @Nard75

This has been posted elsewhere on the secondary education board but thought I’d add the link here as was a really good and sensible compassionate read. Especially for any dc feeling that they haven’t really “earned” their grade.

debra-kidd.com/2020/08/15/what-really-went-wrong-with-exams-2020/[/quote]
It would be nice if all this mess led to some serious rethinking but I suppose that's too much to hope for while Cummings is in charge.

Dd did the same/worse than her targets/predictions/mocks - but - I expect much much better than she would have done if she would have had to sit them due to recovering from a brain infection. She was mostly asleep in May. I think the school plumped for something in between. So although now thinking ‘what could it have been’ just glad she had the time to continue recovering and rest. She’s now gone back to bed!

@Proggymat OK def not the same party, were down south! Shame.

I hadn't posted ds's full gradeds but am going to for balance I think.

Music 8
Maths 5
English Lit 5
English Lang 4
Computer Science 4
Business Studies 3
Chemistry 3
Physics 2

We knew he would fail science but no way should Business be 3.

But he is over the moon that he can do a Level 3 Music Btec with those grades.

@Zandathepanda great news! I suddenly remembered how many exams they would have had to sit. Quite frankly ridiculous let alone with health issues.

popped the new thread here

I feel utterly exhausted. I've felt very tearful twice today.
I actually think the strain on me has been very bad over the last few weeks.

Thank god I've had You lot ❤️ or it would've been even worse!

but I seriously honestly believe this has taken a very bad toll on me.

@Confusedbutheyho and @IHeartHarryStyles really sorry your DC did not get the results they were hoping for.

Confused - yes, all students can carry on until the academic year in which they are 19.

Will be impressive if your DC have the resilience to turn around and show the world they can do it next year, but as others have said, sometimes an unplanned change of plan works out to be the best thing. Hope you can all have constructive discussions and work out the best path forward for each individual.

.... oh, and another shout out to @Witchend's daughter, whole household here impressed with negotiation strategy!

@Shark2020

Daughter very happy. 1x7, 5x6 & 2x5.

Signed up for her animal mgt course.

Those of you who are taking kids for lovely sixth form outfits, I've bought wellies and bottle green lab coat!!

My ds wears shorts or tracksuit bottoms!

That won't change.

And I've tried to offer college shopping

Proggymat is the party starting at 5?

I remember you sounding low a little while ago @Oblomov20 when things weren't great with your DS.
Take it easy and I hope you can start to recover from this awful, stressful few months

Thank you Singing you sweetie!
Ds1 has just left to go to his huge party. It's not in a field with Proggy & JustYou though!!

@Justyou-the ‘pre drinks’ started at 3 and then on from there at goodness knows what time
I’m shattered and know she’ll be trying to extend pick up time tonight! 🙄😩

@HairyMaclary

Well done to everyone, whatever the grades and least we now know!

Poor DS, he ‘sat’ Further Maths early this year in Y10, they only put the able mathematicians in for it so they tend to get 7/8/9, he knew he didn’t have the proof he could get there by March so hoped for a 6 but got a 5.

He’s got an EHCP and so many other challenges and is so deflated. Lots of talking about not bothering for next year. I hope he’s just to getting it out of his system but I’m a bit worried.

My dd is sitting maths next year in year 10, she will then get a chance in year 11 to sit again, she also has a EHCP and may only every sit maths (possibly science), There’s a chance dd won’t want to sit a 2nd time if the 1st isn’t as good as she wants. Hopefully your ds will be ok once it has sunk in and he can continue next year.

[quote ProggyMat]@Justyou-the ‘pre drinks’ started at 3 and then on from there at goodness knows what time
I’m shattered and know she’ll be trying to extend pick up time tonight! 🙄😩[/quote]
Ah, we are up north and party field at 5

I’ve lost track of whose dc got what. Short of going back through each page I just wanted to say,well done to those who got the results they wanted as well as though that didn’t. It’s not over till it’s over and there are other options out there and new discoveries even if it is retakes. Tell your dc don’t give up!

I’ve been on here since DS first started showing symptoms of TS and read thread after thread of people talking about their dc always wondering what ds’s outcomes will be. This thread has been fantastic. Kind, intelligent, polite, funny, feisty and level headed people. Every time I venture off this thread to go tango on another, I end up racing back.

Someone mentioned on another thread yesterday that the secondary education threads are ‘scary’, I thought what? You’re on the wrong threads! Yes everyone here is ambitious for their dc but not the cut throat nasty & insensitive kind. It’s the inspirational, lots of intelligent & knowledgeable women cheering you on kind.

I hope it stays that way and we can continue on other threads as we all branch out. I’d love to hear what happens by next yr to some of those who were disappointed today. Good luck to everyone.

Update DD got call back from sixth form to offer her the three A levels as she was one grade down in one subject so they let her on, yay.

@Monkey2001 thanks so much to you and all, seeks 6th form had a change of heart so it’s great!

That’s great @Confusedbutheyho - what a difference a few hours make!

Great news confused!

That’s really good to hear @Confusedbutheyho