GCSE Summer 2020 - Thread 11 Carry on Corona Cohort - Starting New Terms and Settings

[OrangeCinnamon1]

Welcome all to the 11th Thread for this year's GCSE cohort - The Corona Cohort!

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs regardless of the institute they attend 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 don't within this thread.

Similarly it should be recognised that the grades our children need/deserve/want will vary across the board. One same grade outcome can simultaneously cause Joy and Despair for different posters. Please be sensitive when responding to threads about grades.

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 any new threads should have 'GCSE Summer 2020 Thread # : Carry on Corona Cohort' in title just to make it easier to find. Not fussy about who starts those !

From now on our DS/DD may go down various paths such as employment, apprenticeships, higher ed, so we decided not to be exclusionary and stay right here in Secondary - at least until Mumsnet HQ chuck us out .

At this precise moment in time we have had GCSE results . It has been decided that the higher of Centre Assesd Grades and Calculated Grades will be awarded - the algorithim seems to have been applied a schol level to the detriment of some students. Lots of our young people have already started on the next stage of their journey with some still to start.

We are all STILL trying to protect our young people's mental health, which the government claimed was their priority...when they talk about wanting students back in schools/college in September...now we have their physical health to consider too as the mingling at various settings starts up again. Hopefully a positive experience this term!

First Thread

previous thread

So sorry to hear that Piccolo, last thing she needs right now.

Passanda hopefully there has been a break down in communication somewhere in the school. That must have been horrible getting that email.

Piccolo. Your poor dd. I think my stomach is going the same way! The anxiety some of these poor kids have had/are having is horrendous. I hope she feels better soon 🤞

I'm waiting for dd to wake up and check her emails to see if the art teacher has responded.
Honestly the organisation from this college has been absolutely shocking. I wish I had kept a timeline and names and dates of people we've spoken to and demanded written confirmation every step of the way. But hindsight is a wonderful thing and tbh you never expect they can cock things up the way they have
Can you tell I'm furious!

It’s not surprising Pasanda. Injustice after injustice is very difficult to keep stomaching. I hope she gets to remain in her A level class and someone sees sense and makes good of her being messed around.

@pasanda I’m not surprised you’re furious, I would be too! It’s not fair for them to mess your DD around like this! Hindsight is a wonderful thing but you weren’t to know this would happen. I’ll keep my fingers crossed for your DD to be able to do the A level courses.

@Alsoplayspiccolo so sorry your DD is still unwell. Bad timing at the start of term and if it is caused by stress then I just hope it doesn’t cause more stress for her missing out on lessons.

So she's received an email back from the art teacher saying thanks for letting me know (that we've spoken to head of A levels etc) - we will assess how you're going after a couple of weeks and if you're struggling at that point, look at different options.

Fair enough. I just don't think they realise the stress they have put her under tho.

But I'm relieved for her. She's now just got to prove herself.

I will also say I totally appreciate she doesn't have the grades and am secretly worrying she will not be able to manage the A levels at all . But for someone who hated secondary school and isn't particularly academic, to see her excited about any form of academia/course is a breath of fresh air and I'm not going to quash that in any way. I've just got to hope she proves them all wrong.

Good luck to her Pasanda, I think they just need to know what is happening so they can settle properly. Months of confusion and worry have not helped any of this years cohort.

Just read back a bit and see people mention Alis, what are these exactly? Do all schools do them? I have never heard of them, although to be fair, I didn't know that DS had sat CATs in yr 7 until the end of year 10!

Fingers crossed Pasanda . Some people do come into their own at A level. Sensible to monitor her then if does struggle can look st other things before has missed too much.

ALis are part of the Durham CEM series of tests , INCAS for primary, MIDYIS for years 7-9, YELLIS for GCSE age and ALIS for A level age. They are similar to CATS, they are more commonly used in private schools and 6th form colleges.

DS has his first day of lessons today. It was really hard to wake him up, he needs to move from his nocturnal rhythm! I expect it is not an uncommon problem, this year more than ever.

@Monkey2001 ds has slept through till at least 3pm for almost 6 months. It must be a big shock to his system. Some days he didn't come downstairs until I called up that evening meal was ready around 6pm. Then about 10pm he'd be back for cheese and biscuits or similar. Then somewhere round midnight/1am he'd eat a bowl of shreddies 🤷‍♀️.

He's now back to a normal routine.

Slightly off topic but how bloody hard is it to find an Alevel tutor thats local, under £40 an hour and doesnt set off various warning bells (nothing dodgy just disorganised, random requests etc).

Ugh.

I was very worried about DS and getting up. Obviously i’m Only a part of that on a Monday , but so far so good.

Well DS is back from day1 (same school) and has managed to not have a single academic lesson. Assembly, form time and PE so the rude awakening is put off another day. He's pleased to have a good mate in his form, they do muddled up yr12 & 13 groups.

@pasanda Good luck to your DD with her A’levels, ‘where there’s a will, there’s a way.’

Going back to books for a minute, we've picked up some on eBay in excellent condition at about half the new price.

Sorry to hear about passandra dd being Mucked about. What twats. So unnecessary.

And piccolo dd being still unwell.

Ds1 is on fire! Up at 7am, showered and in his suit, looking dapper. He makes himself a sandwich and a pot of grapes the night before. And makes the same for Ds2!

Clearly one of you has stolen my normal 'Kevin and Perry' grunter, and replaced him with this wierd alien, because I recognise him not!

I genuinely don't think DS has ever had a lie in. I remember once going into his room to check he wasn't dead (genuinely!) because he wasn't awake at 8.30...

Thanks to all those who gave info in the year 12 baseline test. DD has hers tomorrow and from a bit of googling looks like she will find it hard with her learning difficulties. I’m just hoping they don’t use these as part of A level predictions as with her GCSEs she was stuck with her under predicted grades.

DDs parent/tutor evening tomorrow has now been moved from face to face to a phone call but not really a surprise.

piccolo hope your DD is ok

Hi to everyone and thank you for the thread @OrangeCinnamon1. My girl made a good start last Thursday, although her anxiety is really high, and she’s not been able to eat properly. Tonight we got a letter to say someone has tested positive and they must self isolate fo4 2 weeks. I guess this is just how it will be. I was daring to hope for some normality, looking at U.K. holiday bookings for half term and now that seems pointless. They are at least set up for online learning so there won’t be the awful vacuum of lockdown when the schools first closed, but I am gutted for her. She really needs the interaction.

@Zebracat that is unlucky.

@Piggywaspushed really? I thought it must be a boy thing. Ds1 (age 19) will sleep till lunchtime if he can. Ds3 age 11 until about 10am. But ds2 will sleep all day. I don't think I've ever slept in all morning let alone afternoon too.

No, not a boy thing. Just we are routine obsessed! Even DS1 (19) goes to bed at 10.30.

I have never had phones, games consoles or laptops in rooms either so that does make a difference. bed is for sleeping and reading under the covers

I missed the books question. We have had to buy two for maths and one for Computer Science and folders and dividers and a new calculator.