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

Sorry to change the subject but despite a phone call (from me), an email and person to person convo between dd and head of A levels, she has still not had any maths tuition . When she spoke to them on Friday they said she would be 'put on a list' for maths gcse (despite them apparently knowing about her before) and would receive an email either Friday or today with details on how to link to the zoom session between 4-6pm tonight.

But nothing.

This college is absolutely shit with their organisation and it's winding me up more and more. Online maths gcse tuition for someone who doesn't 'get' maths is bad enough but NO online learning is even worse. Grrrrr

To all your dc though, I'm glad the majority are liking their courses 😊. Dd likes hers but has had hardly any homework and not much put on the online learning links so is constantly emailing her teachers to check she's not missing any as she's very borderline with her grades and paranoid she's going to get chucked off.

Good to hear feedback from DCs on how courses are going.

DDs reflections:

Music - loving everything about it, in a group of 4, all enthusiasts , all different instruments and great teachers. Have started a sixth form band at lunchtimes with other sixth formers as year 12 & 13 in the same bubble.

Drama - going well. Luckily another student joined her so getting lots of teacher time with 2 in the group. Enjoying the syllabus.

Photography - loves it. Lots of homework from every lesson but DD coping. Not sure about the teacher yet but good in providing clear instructions which DD needs.

Psychology- had 3 teachers, interesting subject but DD overwhelmed and dropped it last week.

Form tutor great and had a phone call (parents evening) from her and was very complementary about DD settling in well.

Assessments this week and next then first progress report in 2 weeks.

It must be so frustrating for your DD Pasanda on the lack of maths support with clock ticking to next sitting.

It is ealing.

I want to call the 'helpline' (which is an 0800 number that covers about 7 colleges and has proved worse than useless so far) but dd is adamant she wants to sort it herself. But she is reluctant to draw attention to the fact she is doing A levels plus the need for retaking maths in case they tell her she can't do them at all (as has been the case twice already causing a huge amount of stress) despite having enrolled, got a timetable and college ID.
Honestly you couldn't make it up

Oh dear @pasanda what a mess! I suppose there is always a resit option in the summer if Oct/Nov is too soon for the maths?

DS's views

Geography - good
Physics - good
Computer Science (AS) - really good
Maths - I still hate this

(He's only taking maths because of potential future interest in Physics or Comp Sci, both of which will expect him to have maths. He was really ambivalent about taking it - especially knowing it would be a huge learning curve to come in after 6 months off. My job currently is to persuade him that when a teacher says "do some examples for homework" - that doesn't mean he does the easiest 2 and then give up).

Your poor DD Pasanda, they haven’t made it easy for her one bit.

DS said this morning that teaching for physics is ‘solid’
Maths and FM are good as far as I can tell and not struggling too much with computer science which is good as new subject.

How is your ds @FoolsAssassin? Is he staying at the current school?

@pasanda the best thing for maths is to plough through a workbook as it will help her work out which areas she needs to focus on. She can do that with your help and then let the teacher know her weak areas when she knows what they are - something like www.amazon.co.uk/GCSE-Maths-Edexcel-Practice-Workbook/dp/1782943994/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&crid=VQXUGKJ14O7G&keywords=edexcel+foundation+maths+9-1&sprefix=edexcel+fun%2Caps%2C176&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1601377540&sr=8-6

Do you know which board? And foundation or higher?

@pasanda there are also excellent youtube and BBC bite size resources. If there is any area she is stuck on, I am sure we can signpost her to good resources - there seem to be a few maths graduates on here. I know that is not the structured strategy you want to have in place, but it should work.

He is Crazycrofter. I think he is feeling well again which makes a huge difference. Have noticed a slight but perceptible shift in him, think he is starting to feel like he belongs and actually felt he missed out a bit by being off last week.

Early days but drop off this week was a lot better. We’ve also noticed he is more sociable when home and comes to find us more so very pleased about that, taking my victories where I can get them , one day at a time 🙂

That is lovely to read Fools

I'm new to this thread. DS sitting GCSE (hopefully) at the end of this academic year.

Can someone catch me up on any changes to assessments that have been announced? Also, have there been any dates advised?

I know they were thinking about having them later than scheduled

DS school has not passed on anything as yet.

@SoTiredNeedHoliday

You're very welcome here, but your questions might be better asked on the current Year 11 thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3653238-Starting-Year-11-GCSE2021-title-edited-by-MNHQ

(This thread is more aimed at parents of the DC who took (or rather didn't take) GCSEs in summer 2020).

RedskyAtnight thanks!

Thank you monkey. I will take a look. She does have a maths tutor and today she asked if she could see her twice a week from after Xmas. This coming from one who hates maths, I nearly fainted 😁😁. It does show, however, how much she wants to pass it and never have to do it again!

Fools, so pleased to read your ds is a bit happier. Dd has been seeking me out more too. It's nice isn't it (altho she also has her evil moments too!)

we are tentatively getting on ok here as well with the relationship between me and ds improving. I will probably have jinxed it now.

I honestly think its his job that has done that. It seems to have given him a bit of perspective tbh.

That's great news about your ds @FoolsAssassin; I guess it takes quite a bit longer to settle when you're boarding.

@pasanda glad to hear she's committed to it and wanting to get it under her belt.

@ChristopherTracy that's good news too! I'm sure a taste of the real world is very grounding and they have to grow up a bit when they're given real responsibility. Dd is keen to get a job and has applied for Starbucks/McDonald's etc but nothing yet. I'm a bit worried how she'd cope though, as she's a very slow worker when it comes to her studies. She spent all weekend working on Psychology revision notes which needed to be handed in - 29 pages! But maybe having to fit study round a job would help her to prioritise!

This is completely off topic....but has anyone sent off for a provisional licence where you've had to send a photo in? We posted off beginning of sept. but I've just read the licenses are taking ages. We couldn't use the passport photo as ds was 12 in it. Ds's birthday isn't until November. Lessons been booked, but I didn't think about licence taking ages.

Yes, we sent ours off two weeks ago - haven't heard anything though. I thought you had to send a photo in - the passport number thing is just for verification? Anyway as you say there is no way ds would countenance using his (ridiculous) last passport photo.

I was in the process of sorting a provisional licence for DD as a surprise. Thankfully as I tried more than 3 months before her birthday (Dec) it didn't work - option was for moped licence... I had clicked on the "use passport" photo - but so pleased it was too early as apparently DD HATES her passport photo I'm sure would have ruined the surprise..
Now it won't be a surprise but at least will be with approved photo :-)

Ah I've just realised - it's ok to get it earlier than 3 months and although it says it's for a provisional for moped etc - it will be ok for when she is 17 and use it for driving a car! doh. I thought I had to wait until 3 months before she is 17.

Yes we put passport number in too. But didn't click on use passport photo. The form I needed to stick photo on came in 2 days. But think the next part may take a while. I hope it comes by mid November.

A friend of a friend said their ds clicked on the use passport photo option knowing he was 13 in the photo but thought it would be ok. But the driving licence place put the previous photo on his provisional...he was about 7 years old. Luckily the driving instructor still accepted it 🤣

It was one of the most organised moments of mine. Knew they’d need proof of age for Reading and was not going to trust DD with her passport. The rest is history....