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

Londonmummy

I don’t think this is going to work out, might need to activate plan B. I think the contrast of nothing through lockdown then the intensity of the experience coupled with being away from home is just too much.

Fools It's a shame when it's been anticipated as a fabulous opportunity but he's tried it and you know him best. Times are strange and boarding is not for everyone. At least you have a plan B!

Thanks, still some talking to do and under no illusions that a change to another local school would be easy. Such a shame we are closer as I do think he would thrive there but just don’t think the boarding is right for him.

@FoolsAssassin - that sounds tough, well done for being on the case and open minded.

@FoolsAssassin only you can know what's right for him, it's never to late to change your mind.

I just don’t know and neither does he. I keep going round in circles, just not easy.

@FoolsAssassin that’s a shame. It’s hard to pull out of something and admit it was the wrong decision but there’s no shame in doing so. Better to do it now before it’s too late to change. I think a lot of 16 year olds would struggle with boarding, especially in these current restrictions. If he’s happy at home, he’ll achieve in his A Levels.

Oh @FoolsAssassin sorry to hear that still not as best you'd like.
Is it worth reflecting on what DS wants to achieve over the next two years ..not just academically. May help with clarity of decision making.

@FoolsAssassin We had exactly this problem 5 years ago when DD was in Year 7. She hung in there for a year and it did get a bit better, but in the end we moved her to Day for Year 8.

The problem is it's easy to say 'Keep trying until half term', but that's just too long if he could end up doing a completely different syllabus for his A levels at an alternative school.

Could someone get to him on a Wednesday and take him out for supper? Would splitting the week make it more bearable? Can he come back on Friday eve, or is Sat school/Sat sport compulsory?

Much sympathy - I remember those silent drives back down on a Sunday ...

We always knew it would be hard and nearly didn’t look because of the boarding. Obviously when he decided to apply we had no idea there would be a sodding pandemic !

If we had known about Covid I don’t think he would have applied. What isn’t helping is none of us are feeling well and we’re now under pressure to make a quick decision because of funding.

DS’s current timetable is rammed as a lot extra. Could someone whose DC is doing 4 say how many free periods they have a week please?

Didn’t see you there Kingscote. He is back on a Friday. I have suggested a Wednesday but he just shrugged. The role thing for funding is Friday apparently.

@FoolsAssassin what is the main issue? Does he just not like being away from home/struggling to make friends/something else? I think given all the uncertainties at the moment it would make sense to move him closer now. Can he go where his friends have gone?

His local friend gone quite a trek away . He is finding it hard to put it into words. I think he is making friends, just a huge effort after a full on day to have to interact with others and not have that feeling of a safe space. The contrast of 6 months of nothing to being so full on and having to contend with the Covid stuff.

We definitely aren't particularly well today which isn't helping .

with 4 here @FoolsAssassin, DS has 5 in week A and 5 in week B.

DS doing 4 but one is Further Maths, which only adds 50% to normal maths. For anybody doing 4 without FM at DS's school, 4 A levels would be 36 lessons over 2 weeks, plus they have 1 core and 1 tutor lesson, so 38 lessons/2 weeks or 3.8 hours/day.

@FoolsAssassin DS also doing 4 A levels and an EPQ and has 6 study periods per week.

Hope the next few days brings clarity in which way to go Fools.

Thank you all very much. I think we are going to try to relax tonight and resume to tomorrow,. I feel pretty rubbish and no position to make big decisions until have slept.

DS is doing 4 incl further maths. He has 3.5 hours per week for private study in the school day (not boarding). Stays behind for sport practice two evenings and an AS which is not taught at all in the school day another.

@FoolsAssassin Sorry to hear it's a struggle. Hope you find a solution soon.

Sorry to hear it’s not going well @FoolsAssassin Ds is doing 4 subjects (4th is FM). They have 30 periods per week, 6 per subject, so 6 free

DS is doing 4 A Levels and has 5 free study periods in Week A and 7 free study periods in Week B which averages out to 4.5 hrs per week.

Thanks. I have asked current school to ring me. He’s doing online lessons today as still not hugely well which is not helping. But at least he is doing something whilst we try and work out the way forward.

DD has 4x35mins frees a week (although 2 are supervised study periods rather than 'free'), one double of study skills/PSHE type stuff and one double of PE. She gets 8 x 35mins per subject each week. THe EPQ is covered in the study skills session at the beginning, but the vast majority is done in their own time and finished over the summer. She is also expected to do about 4 hours per week per subject HW/self study!!