Page 2 | Year 13 A-levels 2021 - general support thread?

CeaseAndDesist · 2020-09-02T15:24:00+00:00

I can't find a general support thread for parents of brand-new year 13s who will be taking A-levels next year - is there one? If not, would anyone like to join this one? [grin]

Movinghouse2015 · 07/09/2020 22:30

@Baaaahhhhh your DD's school does seem to be really proactive.

Baaaahhhhh · 08/09/2020 08:34

We are lucky. Yes, we are an independent, so we pay for it, but some state schools have been very good too.

I think our main strength was that we were early adopters of iPads and app supported learning in classrooms. So, crucially, all IT systems already set up for remote learning, DC's already knowledgeable on IT, and of course already had all the kit. So, very easy transition from class based tech to home based.

nancypineapple · 08/09/2020 09:46

So had an email this morning to say first covid positive case in DS school. Luckily not in yr 13 but one younger year form group and 2 teachers sent home yesterday to isolate for 14 days.....and so it starts

pointythings · 08/09/2020 10:10

DD2 has been set a pile of work too - this is at an ordinary state 6th form. They were good through lockdown as well, to the point where the current Yr 13 are not behind where they should be in terms of completing the syllabus (if they've done the work, which not all of them have).

yoikes · 08/09/2020 11:06

Ds1 has had nothing work wise (y13)
Ds2 (y7) was sent home ill from school yesterday.
And so it begins....

Baaaahhhhh · 08/09/2020 11:08

(if they've done the work, which not all of them have)

And that's certainly no different whether you are in state or private. Several girls had HUGE meltdowns yesterday, when they "realised" they hadn't done any of the work set.

cptartapp · 08/09/2020 16:15

DS1 17 sent home to self isolate with a hundred others from college today after one week. First case of a positive test in his class.
Wonderful.

Revengeofthepangolins · 08/09/2020 21:27

@cptartapp. Oh lord. One week. This is my concern. My year 10 ha stone back this week and unpacking from my year 13 who boards. Each year is to arrive on a different day - his is day 2. All boys re to be tested on arrival, results back in a few hours. I have a gear that 5 of year 9 who arrive on weds will test positive and the rest won’t even get to school. Eheu.

Meanwhile my day bog is agitating to go to school on the tube like most of his friends.

FaithLoveofGod · 09/09/2020 13:45

Hello I would like to join as well. My DS is now into final year A level and is going back tomorrow. They had been told earlier that they can retake the mocks in Sept (as his predicted grades were low BCD maths, physics and Computing). So hoping he will do well this time. He has been working a bit but not hard enough though and lacking motivation.

yoikes · 09/09/2020 15:54

ds1 back for an afternoon tomorrow for "induction"
No actual teaching until 15th September

SpikeStoker · 09/09/2020 16:24

DC1 started back doing Geography, Politics and Business. No idea where school is going to get predicted grades from for UCAS application. Nothing has been mentioned. Basically in a world of idk. Almost tempted to say don't apply this year, see what happens in the summer, take a year out and decide when they know their actual grades. But will they be able to do anything useful with a year out. I can't cope with a year of flollopping around. DC1 was not in a good place before lockdown, so we just want to get through this year. Somehow.
Also got DC2 in year 11. Lot's of fun.
I know I'm being negative, and I know we've got things good compared to many, but it's all the not knowing that winds me up.

bizzey · 09/09/2020 17:49

Another one joining in if I may !
Ds doing A level Sociology and BTEC Applied science.
Have got a bad feeling about this year , so would be nice to have some " friends" who understand !

Grades all over the place .
Pre lockdown sociology was CBBA in the 1/2 term report cards...then nothing till end of year ( open book ) exam at home ....U
Retook it and got a D .
Dont know science grades at all.
Like PP i have already told him CAG will be used ( disclaimer: I dont really know )
and he had better keep up with things and every peice of work has to be the best .

Anyhow ..sorry for my long introduction..

bizzey · 09/09/2020 17:51

Like a PP he has really struggled during lockdown and motivation just did not exist.
He jas alot of work to catch up on .

yoikes · 09/09/2020 17:57

Ds1 had a politics exam a week ago yesterday...
9 in the class, 7 took the exam.
Surely they should have a result by now??
Ds is very worried about geography- thinks he's failed.

Zoflorabore · 09/09/2020 18:12

Oh my I’m so glad to have spotted this thread!

My ds is 17 and has just started back at his huge 6th form college ( over 2000 kids ) in year 13 doing his A levels.
His college is rated outstanding and has been amazing during lockdown but ds’s already fragile MH has taken a nosedive and he has severe anxiety, also diagnosed aged 8 with Aspergers.

His college are a week in and a week off. During the week off it’s remote learning so not exactly off but it means he doesn’t have to travel there ( it’s in the next county slightly ) and he’s behind with some work.

He’s doing A level photography, drama and theatre and media studies. He dropped art earlier in the year as fell out of love with it and is predicted ABB currently. His strongest subjects at GCSE were photography and drama and he got grade 9’s but has found the transition to A level so hard.

I feel extremely sorry for this cohort. He said yesterday that half of his drama group he will probably never see again as they’re on the alternate week and that they have 16 actual weeks in college of face to face teaching before exams.

I hope to god that some special dispensation is given for this year group. I overheard one of the girls in his drama teams group chat saying that one of her A levels is English Lit and they had 2 classes in total during lockdown which is terrible.

I’m glad that the year 11’s and 13’s were helped this year but what about our cohort?

Apologies for stupidly long post

DeRigueurMortis · 09/09/2020 18:30

So DS is back at school.

Day one was Covid training.

Today was (more or less) normal lessons.

He said it's been ok - the canteen is closed and they have to have packed lunches (to my detriment!) but he is fine with that.

The other change is that where possible the teachers are moving between classrooms rather than the children to keep corridors clear and maintain bubbles as best as possible.

Only other news is they'll be doing mocks in the next month (!) so that's a bit daunting .

bizzey · 09/09/2020 20:37

Does any one know when their UCAS predicted grades come out ? Or is it school dependent ?
Surely med /vet and dentistry know thetes to get in for the 15th Oct deadline .( we are definitely NOT in that group !!)
According to school calender..which i dont think has been updated ..Mocks are the week after 1/2 term (1st week of Nov)

For us that is cutting it s bit fine to mske decisions for end of term UCAS stuff.
I know the date is 15th Jan ..but would be nice , to have an idea of things before Christmas.

bizzey · 09/09/2020 20:44

I have already been through this with ds1 2 years ago ..bit my goodness ds2 is a completly different kettle of fish ! ( plus diff circs obvs)
Re further 18 studies , ds had no idea.
I have casually/ gently thrown ideas at him to think about ,
but I also want him to think about a degree with a foundation year, ( as I dont think he will get the grades)

DeRigueurMortis · 09/09/2020 22:37

Not sure @bizzey

DS has been told in his (state) school they are doing exams next months to collate UCAS predicted grades but the "urgency" is related to Oxbridge who require earlier applications.

boys3 · 09/09/2020 23:02

@bizzey

Does any one know when their UCAS predicted grades come out ? Or is it school dependent ? Surely med /vet and dentistry know thetes to get in for the 15th Oct deadline .( we are definitely NOT in that group !!) According to school calender..which i dont think has been updated ..Mocks are the week after 1/2 term (1st week of Nov)

For us that is cutting it s bit fine to mske decisions for end of term UCAS stuff.
I know the date is 15th Jan ..but would be nice , to have an idea of things before Christmas.

@bizzey down to each school.

Can I join? DS3 started year 13 last week - History, Geography (anyone got any ideas what's happening with field trip dependent course work?), and EP. All good so far, full teaching timetable delivered in school. Mock type exams before end of month which presumably will inform most UCAS grade predictions, and be in time for Oxbridge / Med etc, not that DS3 is in the second group.

He has had drummed into him since March that no guarantee that next year's exam season will actually happen, so put the work in to be covered if (fingers 100% crossed) they do, or if it CAGs again. Wouldn't say 100% effective but he has knuckled down and got on with stuff.

Joint sixth form with other secondaries so the bubble is four digits. We have been a very, very low covid cases area..........but frankly anything could happen.

jamimmi · 10/09/2020 00:12

Can I join too. Yr 13 DS. Back last week history geography and buisness a level. Local 6th form good on line lesson setting during lock down and now in getting slightly more face to face teaching per subject. One subject 4 hours plus per day per week in 4 days as one subject 1/2 days he's not too impressed with that. Mock pre lock down disastrous but we now think he had Covid. Hes been told not to worry. No mention of exams yet. Ucas grades possible done from continual assessment . Hes not a high flier so no issues with the October deadlines. Hes working hard so far but worried re exams or not and about DH whose not well. Just been having a chat with him about college support if life gets a bit too much

Baaaahhhhh · 10/09/2020 10:35

DD in tears last night. Version 8 (!) of her PS returned by her tutor with "not good enough" on it. Tutor has been a nightmare, doesn't really like DD and DH and I got the distinct impression she didn't think DD should be applying to Oxbridge. It's awful. She's just so negative. Every time she makes comments, and DD changes it, and then she comments on something else, and something else. It just shouldn't be this hard. She is making it so "non-personal" it's breaking DD's heart. I have to keep reciting my mantra "Don't get involved, don't get involved" but I would really like to speak to her and tell her she is not supporting, but defeating, DD completely.

nancypineapple · 10/09/2020 12:16

Sorry to hear this @Baaaahhhhh. Hope you can get her some help- my friends daughter told me that for Oxford her statement had to be purely academic which was not really good for her other choices of uni's( st Andrew's, durham)However she is now going to Exeter and really excited-her mum said when they visited they both knew it was the right place for her) I didn't even know my son had written a personal statement until I found his teams messages coming through onto my phone-I've read his and it is terribly written! I'm not sure what we do now in visiting universities-does anyone know? Although ds has now said he doesn't know what he wants to do or study or even if he wants to go to uni! When I try and ask him anything he tells me I am a nag and to go away!

boys3 · 10/09/2020 12:24

@Baaaahhhhh feel for your DD. I think the key, as you allude to, is personal statement, it's your DD quite rightly wanting to sell herself to Cambridge / Oxford about her seriousness / passion for the degree subject, rather than submitting some sort of school identikit version. I fear some schools for whatever reason can get over-invested in these. DS1 went to Cambridge, from a school with a pretty good Oxbridge track record, and his view was it's my personal statement and I'll stand or fall on it, so one draft and that was it. It may have helped that his head of sixth form was also a Cambridge grad, and the teaching style really emphasised independent thought.

No easy answer but I do feel for your DD

boys3 · 10/09/2020 12:42

@nancypineapple tbh your DS does not sound that different to my DS2. Although he knew he did want to go to Uni, the where and what were..........lacking in clarity............ is the most diplomatic description.

He decided in the end to apply post A levels, and making a better and informed set of choices. This has worked out really well for him, starts Y2 at his Uni in a couple of weeks.

Another big challenge for our current Y13s, aside all the other C19 issues they have faced, is that Open Days have simply not been there. Unis may do their best with virtual open days but its not the same as getting an initial feel for somewhere. Whilst I'm not in the open days are the be all and end all camp, for those DS who are less clear they can give some focus, even if its just ruling out a subject, place, or type of uni (eg campus / city based). And for those who have a very clear subject and short list of likely Unis they can really confirm these and act a motivator to work hard and get the grades needed.

In many ways my DS3 is lucky in that at least he's had two DBs go through the process, has visited them at Uni and seen some of the differences between them.