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

Morning all!

Still tired and drained this morning after another rubbish night’s sleep - it was blowing a gale here which didn’t help!

On to practical matters: do those of you who teach A-Level, or have the experience of older DC, think that DD1 will need her own laptop for A-Levels? She currently shares our (fairly elderly) laptop with her younger sister - neither of them used it much until lockdown happened, although they both seemed to use their iPads more for school work. DD1 is taking two MFL and history for A-Level, if that makes a difference?

I’m happy to invest if need be - I anticipate that she will need one for uni, but not sure if she needs one now. School haven’t advised either way.

@KingscoteStaff - I think you're wise to think about keeping up some maths if possible. It really helps if they carry on with science. DS1 is about to start Chemistry at university and a strong maths foundation is going to be really important.

Oh, @Comefromaway that is so cruel! Poor DS

@Janie74 - if you can I would suggest getting a laptop. I think it's a good thing to have just in case schools need to shut again or have reduced hours in school. DD's school have asked parents to get one if they can and will provide one if they can't.

DS is back on Fri 4th Sept to pick up timetable, security pass & have ‘assembly’.
Then starts on Mon 7th - PE, Biology & Chemistry!

I realised how tense I was when last night I needed deep heat on my shoulders - think as I relaxed the muscles didn't want to join me!

Slept like a log but did have to get up at 5am to take ds morning training.

The joys of being a swim mum

@KingscoteStaff

I am also trying to persuade DD to do at least one year of Core Maths to go with Chemistry, Biology and English. She's also doing an EPQ and a lot of volunteering, plus 2 quite major sports commitments, so is resisting the extra course. I am going to ask her head of 6th form what they think .

At our school Core Maths is done in Yr12 and EPQ starts June Yr 12 to be completed December Y13.

I've told DD she doesnt need to get a job (some of her friends are being made to) her job is to concentrate on 6th form, but during the holidays etc she should be doing stuff that will help her in the future, ie online courses, or coaching courses (lifeguarding, hockey) so she can get paid word after 6th form.

DD is going to be busy with 3 A levels, AS maths, EPQ, hockey at weekends, socialising (a lot) DoE and any of the vast opportunities her school gives her but I think she will love it all tbh.

@Comefromaway

He wouldn’t mind but we had all 7 in my parents huge garden the week Prom should have been. Ds said no one was to be left out, even the girl he no longer gets on with.

So sorry for you son @Comefromaway ..stuff like this happens to Dd sometimes..it tends to be because they dont think about her she is friends with all but no special bond with one/two. I make the point of telling her she is special to try and be kind and friendly with all. Inside I rage !

Thank you @sandybayley - I suspected as much. I’d better start researching - hopefully there will be some good deals as parents prepare their DC for uni.

@DrunkenUnicorn @Hopeful201 I think the guidance mentioned about taking last two years into account might have impacted quite a few who were really getting their act together since mocks but I guess unfortunately teachers might not have evidence of this. DD was certainly one of these. In DDs case she was consistently higher in mocks and predicted for one of her subjects so I have queried but really not holding my breath for any kind of resolution.

All of us have a day off work including MIL so we are going to our local outlet on the harbour. Shopping and food! I've missed it so much and have not been since March. Shame the weather rubbish today as it can feel like a holiday if you are there with the sun shining.

I'm realising how much I've missed esting out only at this moment ! Please feel free to tell me your foodie post GCSE experiences.

How was the Ivy @ealingwestmum

@OrangeCinnamon1

All of us have a day off work including MIL so we are going to our local outlet on the harbour. Shopping and food! I've missed it so much and have not been since March. Shame the weather rubbish today as it can feel like a holiday if you are there with the sun shining.

I'm realising how much I've missed esting out only at this moment ! Please feel free to tell me your foodie post GCSE experiences.

How was the Ivy @ealingwestmum

Eating not Esting ..

@Hopeful201 @BackInTime

Yes, I think you’re right and that for many of them it will have meant they are much worse off than they would have been with exams. And it’s not fair because obviously none of them thought anything counted bar the exam, how could they have known?

Equally baffling is how this rule has not been applied consistently (thank god!!). His science results for eg, 7,6,6. If you were basing it on two years worth of work would be 6, 5, 4. And if we’re honest I think the 6 he’s been given in chemistry was generous. I can’t hand on heart say he would have done that well in an exam, I think a 5 would have been more likely.

Then other subjects where he was borderline they’ve gone for the lower mark, eg maths 6/7 was awarded a 6. I get that, it’s fair enough if they’re not solid at the higher level to award the lower, frustrating if you think you could have done better in the exam, but completely understandable and logical.

We are STILL waiting to hear from the 6th form team to be able to discuss his options/find out if he has a place. I’m even more angry that he’s been left hanging. It’s unacceptable. The only way to contact them is by email, as phone lines are apparently down and WFH.

Regarding laptops - our older two did not get one until they started uni. However we got ds2 one at the start of lockdown to make it easier for him to keep up with the online work. And his 6th form are just starting a “bring your own device” scheme. Not really sure what that entails but sounds like he would need one now in any case.

@Comefromaway

The rest of ds’s Friendship group went out for a meal last night to celebrate. He’d previously been told nothing was planned. Pictures were all over social media. They said only 6 were allowed & he was the 7th.

Oh that's crappy

@Decorhate

Regarding laptops - our older two did not get one until they started uni. However we got ds2 one at the start of lockdown to make it easier for him to keep up with the online work. And his 6th form are just starting a “bring your own device” scheme. Not really sure what that entails but sounds like he would need one now in any case.

Dd has a little cloudbook that does the job. Apparently it's not great for online calls though. We have a bigger family laptop for stuff like that ..just had to replace the battery but both are HP and good value for money.

@OrangeCinnamon1

All of us have a day off work including MIL so we are going to our local outlet on the harbour. Shopping and food! I've missed it so much and have not been since March. Shame the weather rubbish today as it can feel like a holiday if you are there with the sun shining.

I'm realising how much I've missed esting out only at this moment ! Please feel free to tell me your foodie post GCSE experiences.

How was the Ivy @ealingwestmum

I wish it had have been the Ivy Orange! We drove to DD’s favourite dim sum restaurant to find it was closed. Their website was lying. So went and ate in another Chinese local and sat there like Billy no mates AND the food was awful.

Worse problems to have though

Orangecinnamon - we had a pre results meal out on Tuesday at a Turkish restaurant which has an unlimited meze night. DS struggles to decide what to have in restaurants at the best of times so this was a winner, lots of tasty food, served up quickly, no decisions needed. Yesterday he went to Nandos with a couple of friends and the mums lurked on another table and bought them a beer each via the app.

@Comefromaway

The rest of ds’s Friendship group went out for a meal last night to celebrate. He’d previously been told nothing was planned. Pictures were all over social media. They said only 6 were allowed & he was the 7th.

Children can be so thoughtless! I can't remember whether he was moving for sixth form - sounds like it might be good to meet more people. His feelings about last night may have an impact on how he feels about returning to school/college, hope you can help him to stay positive.

Comefromaway - that is really sad, I know these things have always happened but social media makes it much worse. Hopefully things improve going forward.

When the GCSEs were cancelled, DS said he thought he should do AS levels to get some external exam experience before A levels. Not sure he will still feel that as the potential exams get closer, but I thought it was very sensible. Has anybody else had similar thoughts and concerns about A levels being the first external exams they do?

Comefromaway My DD had similar - about 40 of her year met up in a local park and no one mentioned it my DD (only 60 in her year). She found out via SM. Just glad her results mean she got into the 6th form of her choice where hopefully she will actually be able to make some good friends. This is definitely not the first time this has happened ☹️

Sorry @ealingwestmum someone was going to The Ivy! I love Dim Sum - sorry about the bad experience good chinese us great, bad chinese food is awful.
@easilydelighted that sounds heavenly to me ! Was there unlimited desert too

Zebracat So pleased to hear your update. I hope she soars in sixth form.

I’m hoping Monkey that given the year they’ve had and how they will be more scrutinised when it comes to sitting higher level exams; A levels/BTecs etc, that this will be an area colleges and schools identity and mitigate. Not that I want them to revert to being tested to death, but they will need to do something to ensure their confidence is restored and put the inflated grades brigade back in their box.