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

Ds has his crazy 2h 40 m hour lessons so he has 2 free slots a week basically (plus another one as they are not doing form time)

It's not a great deal but he seems fine.

Strange how timetables vary. DS doing 4, but had at least 1 free every day. Seems unusual for FM to not get a full timetable allocation, and it is a big class (24). Bit worried about how they will get enough work done!

DS's lessons are all about an hour (vary due to rejigging of timetable to allow for staggered breaks etc). He has 4 lessons per week per subject and 9 study periods a week (but can come in late/go home early if they are first/last thing). His lesson are very unevenly distributed though, and luckily for DS, he happens not to have any on Friday afternoons so can come home early.

I think the 4-5 hours per week self study per subject is about "normal"?

He had a fire drill during maths, so missed most of the lesson, so the teacher has put the work online for them to do independently. DS has taken one look and requested my personal tutoring services (which is a worry that he's struggling so soon, especially as he normally hates me trying to teach him stuff). Should say I'm a maths graduate but not studied this stuff in anger for over 20 years!! Might have to look for an actual real tutor ...

Not been around much lately, so apologies for being late with for you, Fools.
Such a hard situation to deal with, given the circumstances. I hope you find a solution soon and as painlessly as possible.

DD is loving her new school, which is more than we could have hoped for. She said tonight that she’s had to turn from a social caterpillar into a social butterfly, talking to lots of different people. It’s lovely to see her so upbeat and more confident; I think changing schools has meant she’s been able to be herself, rather than have to compete with her more confident friendship group in her old school (they are all lovely, but DD was happy to be thought of as the shy, slightly off-the-wall ADHD girl, against her more mature, sophisticated, worldly friends).

One thing we’re slightly concerned about is the lack of homework DD appears to be getting. Definitely no stress here, and she doesn’t seem to have been pointed in the direction of independent work either.

Well that didn’t take long. DS positive test today. Off yesterday and today since symptoms started but thought it was a cold....

Oh Esther, so sorry to hear that.

Oh esther, hope he's OK! What are the school doing?

Oh no @estherfrewen, what are his symptoms? Hope he doesn’t suffer too badly

He started with sore throat and headache sunday night. Nothing else. We got tested yesterday so could prove he didn't have it! Boy were we wrong! He says like a bad cold really. Would have been at school tomorrow without the test...

Oh wow, so he doesn’t have the cough/fever/loss of taste? Ds had achiness, headache, slight sore throat last week and had a day off school. I just assumed it was a cold or other bug. I didn’t think you could get a test without one of the 3 main symptoms?

My colleague has it. Completely asymptomatic at time of testing.

The Zoe App said to get one and someone else at school was positive. The highest temp reading was 37 5 but he often runs high - always has. He actually sounds like a cold now - bit snotty!

Oh no Esther - my DD had the same last week but couldn't get a test because of not having the right symptoms, also we really thought it was just a cold. What a nightmare this all is.

@estherfrewen hope he gets through it quickly and does not pass it on to the rest of the family. I imagine you feel like a rabbit in headlights working out how you will feed the family when none of your household can go out now! Thanks for sharing.

@Monkey2001- tomorrow's Sainsbury's order is twice as big as it was originally!

Haha @estherfrewen, great timing on the order - at least something has gone right this week!

@FoolsAssassin so sorry to hear your DS is struggling, it’s such a change for all of them but even more so for him moving out of home.
My DS’s friend is boarding and also finding it tough.

@estherfrewen sorry about the positive result! It’s bound to happen to us all.
I had a nasty cold last week but no fever or coughing but now wondering if I should have tried to get tested but the symptoms didn’t match 111

Oh @estherfrewen hope all keep ok in the household.

@estherfrewen: oh no :-( Is your ds OK to keep on top of work and well enough to manage? Are you guys home working anyway?

Dd (Y10) has cold symptoms at the moment and I keep wondering if we ought to get her tested: resisting so far as the snot says no covid!

I guess it's entirely possible to have a cold and Covid at the same time. I hope the rest of you don't get it Esther and the self isolation is manageable. Your DS swims doesn't he? Had his club started back up?

Positive test in Year 9 at DD’s school. The whole year were at home today while they identified the girl’s close contacts and deep cleaned their area. Close contacts are now isolating for 14 days, while the others are back in. Teachers will be live streaming lessons to the class in front of them and the girls at home. Not easy!

Sorry to hear that Estherfrewen and hopes he makes a speedy recovery.

We’re now in isolation as I have significantly reduced smell and taste I realised last night. DS has been having live streamed lessons and going ok so far.

Hope you are OK fools. Take care of yourselves all who are a bit under the weather. My friend who was asymptomatic does now feel quite unwell.

@EasilyDeleted - yes he has been back to swimming on a much reduced programme. Swum Saturday morning. We told club straightaway yesterday - was the first job - but no email has come out about it which is a bit concerning. I’ve emailed the parents I’m in touch with but am surprised club hasn’t issued something.

Oh gosh @estherfrewen sorry to hear about the positive test. I know a young man who had a test when he came back from holiday as it was required. He had a mild sore throat that he put down to drinking too much...test came back positive. He says he didn't feel sick enough to be off with it at any time it was so mild. Hope your DS has it mildly as well.