GCSE Summer 2020 Thread 10: Carry on Corona Cohort ‘The Next Step''

[OrangeCinnamon1]

Welcome all to the 10th Thread for this year's GCSE cohort - the Corona Cohort!

This is a thread for supporting all young people ( and their parents) who were examined for GCSEs 2020 regardless of the institute they attended or the grades they needed. 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 needed/deserved/wanted 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 grin ) 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 it us 'results day ' most have GCSE results and some awaiting BTEC results .

We are all ALWAYS 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 popping this here.

previous thread

I have everything crossed for you @User120673. Your DS has been let down so badly. No one should have to write such a heartbreaking email

Hi All,
Thank you for all your kind messages. His social worker is also doing his best to get him another sixth form. He said Ds can’t return to present school. Have knocked on so many doors, part of the problem is a lot people unreachable due to Covid working conditions or summer holidays. Council safeguarding team are also trying. Just the waiting to hear is hard. Hopefully hear something soon.

@User120673 and @Oblomov20 sending you strength and and it is so upsetting to read about the crappy civid impact

@FoolsAssassin trying to get hold of someone in authority at the sixth forms we applied t e.g head of sixth form or head teacher. It’s hard as no one really comes in at a set time.

@ProggyMat current school have said they will inquire into what happened with the English grade. But at the same time told me it will take time as most teachers not available now due to school holidays.

I think with Social Worker and Council behind you doors will open, be a waiting game which is tough

Oh User. FFS why are these people making it so much harder than it needs to be?

2-4pm for getting through to the council? That's ridiculous! Surely they'll just be constantly engaged? Isn't there another way in? Can't you get in via a different route?

Keep phoning and emailing all the other places. Constantly. All today!!

Thanks for asking everybody, about how I am. But my situation is not as bad as other people's! Fools, popcorn and cinnamon asked how I was, and others asking how I am !

Bless you! I am actually ok. don't worry about me, because I'm fine.

No response to my email. To HoY. But at least my Ds1 in enrolled. Happy with 3 of his subjects. That's the main thing.

He's actually upstairs cracking on with the bridging work for psychology, don't worry about us, he's okay!

First one to topple:

schoolsweek.co.uk/sally-collier-to-be-replaced-by-dame-glenys-stacey-as-ofqual-chief-regulator/

Also :

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-53888524

Where Scotland and Wales go...

@User120673: great that you've got the social worker on board, hopefully that will open some doors for you. Is your MP worth enlisting or is he on holiday in a Scottish tent or similar?! Honestly, it seems so ridiculous that someone who has experienced what your son has doesn't get bumped to the top of the queue, and that the system feels so stacked against giving your son the opportunities he needs and deserves (on the other hand, he writes a great letter: who wouldn't respond to that?!)

In other news, I can't remember if any of the others on here took Add Maths? DS heard today that his Add Maths grade has gone from a D (algorithm) to a B (CAG) - it's the only instance where we know what the grade differential between algorithm and CAG and makes me very grateful for CAG (he hit a 9 on his math GCSE, so D did seem somewhat out of kilter - but his year are an especially strong maths year, so I'm guessing the algorithm couldn't quite get it's little head round that ;-)

@User120673 your DS has picked up some excellent skills on his rocky journey, what an excellent bit of persuasive writing - and he has not passed English?!! He really deserves a break, but it sounds to me like it should be at a different school where he can make a fresh start without living in fear.

@Piggywaspushed

Also :

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-53888524

Where Scotland and Wales go...

Ooo ooo I know this

The answer is ....England say it is absolutely not necessary to do the same as we are English and therefore by definition, world beating and they absolutely will not do the same and will not U Turn. Then at the last moment they U turn having created immense amount of stress for students, teachers and parents which they seemingly are oblivious to and the extra strain it will all put on CAHMs which is pretty much non functional anymore anyway.

I think that is probably spot on!

We finally got the news we’d been waiting for from DD’s preferred sixth form college today. Her place is confirmed (her average was 0.3 below her offer). She’s doing A-levels in economics and maths and a BTec in business studies. I’m so relieved that I finally know where she’s going next week!

@AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore If you are buying I'd go for slim fit jeans/track pants and plain tops. Ds2 is very different to ds1 and ds3 Ds1 just wore skinny jeans and plan tops. He still does. Ds2 is into tracksuit bottoms and designer names I have not heard of. It's funny how they both dress so differently.

@Piggywaspushed

Also :

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-53888524

Where Scotland and Wales go...

Does anyone think this is a good idea?! I suppose schools can be much more serious about how they do mocks and students can be told how much mocks matter, but unmoderated CAGs was never a good idea until we ran out of time for anything else.

I think a lot of the DCs would prefer exams unless there is a really clear, well thought out and fair alternative, which does not seem likely.

I think for 2021 there has been a huge disparity of what happened March to July in various schools and potentially there may be local lockdowns so more to come. I think there definitely needs to be discussion about how to move forward.

Agree that unmoderated CAGs only were a good idea at the last moment to rescue the situation from the clusterfuck it had become but we are seeing on here the fallout still happening. Vital that lessons are learned and a sensible way forward found and that discussion needs to start immediately .

Don’t forget that until Gove got his hands on things it didn’t all hinge so much on a final exam.

Great news @oubliettebravo!

I think it's a good idea but, then, I have always been anti exam.

Really pleased to hear that OublietteBravo

Dd enrolled today, they are enrolling in allocated slots. Upon arrival given a rather nicely designed , large impressive map with Covid guidelines just for that session. She knew where to go/how/ what to do. She has lucked out with her allocated tutor who is her music teacher too. Has got her ID card and lots of other bumpth with promise of timetable next week. Relief to know no mini bussing to other site to use music facilities there...at least for the next year.
She had her tutor interview both with masks on , said it was tricky. Hoped to spot someone she recognised from primary school which was in same town , apparently really difficult because ...masks. I do worry how they are all going to make friends/bond/socialise.

But the most important thing I can say is that is well organised. She loved rolling out of bed, having a bit of brekkie then a leisurely 15 min walk. Her secondary school was 12 miles north of us and required a train journey and early start.

Easilydelighted
Thank you. We spoke to deputy head today he called to say that they had investigated and the mock was a tiny percentage of the info assessed. I said the mock was.invalid data and we were clearly lulled into a false sense of security at parents evening.

He was marked as a 3+ from September 19 to March 20 plus a 4 in the last piece of work in march before lockdown. We told them the reader pen was hopeless too fast. Don't think they're going to budge but I'm going to fire off another email. He is staying on for sixth form. His asd makes it so difficult for him to move on he's constantly ranting! It's going to be a painful process to pass English!