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

Finally had an email from the school, all going ahead with all years in school full time with slightly staggered start and finish to the day and using two entrances and exits. DD starts 20 minutes earlier than usual, which will irritate her no end.

This caught my eye - makes sense, but it's going to be fun for Y7-9 when it's raining!

At each lesson changeover, Years 7, 8 and 9 pupils will exit their classrooms 5 minutes prior to the bell and go to a designated outside area to line up in forms. Teachers should remain in their rooms and await the next class. Years 10, 11, 12 and 13 students will move to their next classrooms on the bell and, once this movement has been completed, Years 7, 8 and 9 pupils will be sent in from their designated outdoor area to their next classroom.

And this - I guess they are planning on setting mostly online homework so that exercise books can remain in circulation and they are not having to store hard copies of work for 2 x 48hrs each time.

Submission of exercise books and pupil work (hard copies) to be left 48 hours before handling and held for an additional 48 hours before returning to pupils.

@Horace123

Hope it is ok to gatecrash this thread but I wondered if anyone else has a DC doing IB as opposed to A levels in two years?

My DS is starting sixth form and has chosen to do IB (his school offers a choice of A levels or IB). My understanding is that the IB students this year got a grade which has not subsequently been adjusted in line with teacher assessments (so are possibly at a disadvantage) - although things moved so quickly and I was so worried about GCSE results I might not be fully up to date on how this all worked out. I wondered if anyone had any thoughts about how this will play out in future? The thing I've always liked about the IB is that it is independent of any politician / government involvement and has maintained it's integrity over the years (eg no grade inflation, independently set syllabus). Do you think universities will take this into account in future when making offers (ie it is a well respected qualification so doesn't matter is students with A levels have higher marks)? Or do you think it is better to be doing a qualification that the majority are doing in case there is disruption in the next year or so?

Hope that makes sense.

Universities are quite used to looking at a variety of entry quals so think from that respect ok @sandybayley Dd doing IB too.

@Oblomov20

I think that's the key thing: is this the grade that you think he would have achieved exams had gone ahead?

If not - why is it his CAG?

If it is - why have you told him previously that he would get an 8?

Exactly Singing

@Horace123 - the IB students did get upgrades eventually and from what I understand from DS1 (he did A Levels but many of his friends did IB) most pupils at his school were fine and got to where they wanted.

DD is about to start IB in a school which offers both IB and A Levels (same school at DS1). I'm very confident that IB is well understood by UK universities. If you look at grade requirements for courses you'll find the IB tariff and for courses like medicine (which is DD's aspiration) there are clear HL specifications.

So I really wouldn't worry. I'm really excited about IB for DD as it allows her to keep a language going to standard level whilst still studying Chemistry, Biology and Maths at higher level.

@OrangeCinnamon1 and @sandybayley - thanks so much for your replies. I may stay on this thread if that is ok. After the stress of the GCSE exam fiasco I think I may need company during the next two years.

You are probably right - universities are no doubt used to dealing with all sorts of qualifications. From what I gather the IB results at my DS's school were broadly in line with previous years (they get excellent results usually) with one or two surprises. I was just concerned that they wouldn't be as high as the A levels - I must have missed the bit about reviews.

I'm also excited about the IB - DS isn't sure if he wants to do maths or classics at uni. He is doing maths, chemistry and Latin at HL. At SL he is doing English, biology and economics. He struggled to get down to six subjects (he didn't like the idea of A levels because doing maths and further maths would have only left two subjects to choose) so I think he will be suited to IB. @Sandybayley - great that your DS can keep up her language. I do think its a shame that STEM subjects always seem to take such a priority over languages and the humanities.

Do stay @horace123 everyone is doing different quals and following different paths which is why we are staying here in secondary.

@Horace123 my DD wants to read Classics at Uni too!
She’s doing A levels, rather than IB. In Latin, Classical Greek and Ancient History.
That said, she’s been pondering about swapping Ancient History for Maths as she thinks it will make her appear ‘more rounded’
I’m staying out of it but it’s fab to have another potential classicist on this thread!

DD has ordered a load of stuff off Shein, basically Primark online. I've managed to stop myself ranting about the environment. I've still been muttering about 'naice jumpers' and 'thick opaque tights' though there is no dress code at the college thankfully

Kudos to the librarian who arranged the shelves behind Boris Johnson at today's photo shoot.

It features such books as The Twits, Resistance, The Subtle Knife, Betrayed....

twitter.com/Samfr/status/1298597374043066369

Hi, At last my DS has an offer from another Sixth Form. The head of the Sixth form said that normally they require a grade 6 in English but Ds English results seem out of line with his other subject grades so she is making an exception specially taking in account Ds situation. Ds will be enrolling tomorrow. He is so relieved, initially when I told him the news he kept saying “ really mum”. Thank you to everyone for your support.

That's fantastic news @User120673, well done to both of you. Wishing him every success in the new school. What a relief!

Great news @user120673!

Yesssss! @User120673
Well done for fighting so hard for your DS. You will have taught him a lot and I bet he has learned some things about himself too - good things.

Hope he loves his new college, makes loads of friends and smashes the English resit.

Fantastic User!!! Well done to you and your DS for staying positive and hoping he really enjoys his new sixth form.

So pleased to hear that User !!

@User120673 That is fantastic news I am so pleased for you and DS 🍾🍾

Great news @User120673.

Once they have their A levels, the GCSEs will be totally forgotten about. Sixth form are the best school years. He'll have a great time.

Fantastic news user!

Lovely news @User120673 - and great that he gets to enrol straightaway. That Head deserves a commendation. I know they're just doing the right thing but at the moment so many schools seem to be finding it difficult to go that.

Thank you everyone for your good wishes. This thread has been so helpful and given me so much courage.

Fabulous update @User120673. So pleased for you and your DS. The relief must be enormous.

That’s great news @User120673. I’m so pleased for you and your DS. Well done that headteacher!

@User120673 that is wonderful news. I’m so thrilled for you both. Onwards and upwards 💐

DD is to board for 6th form. Just been told she won't get her own room due to year group bubbling so she is having a hissy fit. Also normally have a uniform but due to covid to be in civvies.

Told to buy a tuck box so I did now been told it should be the size of a shoe box - three times that but the amount of snacks she gets through (very active sporty girl) a shoe box wouldn't last a week.

Now have to go and buy some more clothes....