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

@crazycrofter X post

Yours feeling a bit stunned too?!

Phew seeline!

Glad the test was negative @seeline! Dd isn’t stunned exactly as her previous school worked them ridiculously hard but she’s definitely noticed the step up in the standard required. And yes, the amount of content they’ve got through in a few weeks is crazy! I wonder if they’re speeding through it extra-fast in case of closures?

Great news, seeline - phew!

No assessments for DD, other than for psychology (crazy, the whole class got Ds, but the teacher said that’s where she’d expect them to be). I think her school are going easy until half term, to help build the students’ confidence.
DD has a meeting scheduled with the SENCO today, to check she’s up to date with everything and discuss any issues, but DD forgot to turn up, so now she has a meeting tomorrow to discuss how to remember to turn up for their weekly meeting. 😫😂

DH and I tried to chat to DD tonight about what would be reasonable expectations at home, but she told us in no uncertain terms that we are too involved with her life, and all her (new) friends are allowed to do exactly what they want, when they want...yadda , yadda...
Apparently, it’s weird for your parents to show any interest in your life.

I don't know whether yours are going extra fast @crazycrofter, but honestly the amount of work my DS had for his A levels was astounding. I'm sure we didn't cover anywhere near as much stuff when I did mine back in the Dark Ages.

Good news Seeline

@Alsoplayspiccolo we used to have to take DDs phone off her just to stop the distraction but since starting back at sixth form I’ve realised I need to leave her to it more as I’m not gong to be there with her at uni etc. It’s also good that DD is taking subjects that I can’t help her with anymore so she needs to take ownership but I’m still there with encouragement and prompts of reminders about things not to forget. Although she often leaves something at home/Sixth form but that’s to be expected with ADHD. Good luck with the friend who’s a boy.

DD came home with her ALIS predicted grades today and was disappointed that they were lower than she’d hoped. I did remind her that the tests were based on all the things she has learning difficulties with. We dug out her GCSE predictions from year 10 and had a good laugh about how inaccurate they were (up to 3 grades below what she achieved) and that she just needed to carry on with working hard and there was no reason that they wouldn’t be what she wanted.

CrazyCrofter: "In Psychology, most of the class got Ds and Es in their first assessment!"

Same here. That's not good is it?

Bit miffed that so many of you have had parents evenings or feedback already. We don't have parents evening till mid March.

I am worried. DS is not doing anywhere near the 5 hours that all your children are doing, is hardly doing anything at all! he's got assessments this week. when am I going to get the marks from that? when am I going to know how he's doing? how am I going to get any feedback here?

ALIS predicted grades ?

half term grade reports. ?

Why am I getting neither of these?

DD had a psychology assessment the other day but we haven’t had any feedback from the school at all. I think the first thing we will get is a report in November.

What is ALIS predicted grades?

My ds mentioned that the teachers were assessing their predictions and we would get notification soon. Not sure how they will be assessed as there have been no tests. Perhaps it will be based on submitted work so far.. His school has always been excellent at sending termly prediction reports up to gcse so I assume that will continue in similar fashion showing current working level and prediction.

He has found the work easy to keep up with so far using his free periods to work through assignments. He is lucky as his friendship group are all fairly academic and they do a lot of work together if they have a subject in common. I feel lucky he is loving sixth form so much.

@Oblomov20: ds isn't doing anything like that amount after school either - in fact he seems to be getting most of his work done in his frees at school: I can see two of his subjects (maths, comp sci) won't have much additional work at the mo, so I'm trying to hold my nerve ;-)
Ds has psych assessments this week too: apparently yesterday's was easy.... We've not heard anything on ALIS grades either - I might chase that one (not all schools use the system, it's a follow on from MIDYAS in Y7 iirc) I need to check when parents evenings happen too: I am not on the ball yet this year!

Oblomov, DD's teacher said it was expected. If you think about it, it's a new subject, they're only a month or so in, and it's A level, so your hardly expect them to be getting As and Bs. That's my thinking, anyway.

Paddington, I take your point about uni looming and the need for independence/self-monitoring, but DD shows no sign right now of being able to manage distractions. As she told us last night, she has "loads" more friends now and they all want to message her throughout the evening. Even when she's watching something she really wants to on tv, she's constantly snap chatting at the same time, so school work doesn't stand a chance.
She's not doing subjects we can help her in, so she has to get on with it on her own, at least.
In all honesty, I think she'll be taking a gap year before uni, precisely because she won't be ready to live independently.

My DDs school doesn't reveal the outcome from ALIS tests. The only predicted grades we get are for the UCAS application this time next year. Based on what DS was predicted, I'm fairly sure that at this school, they are not necessarily predictions for actual A level results 😆 We only get 'working at' grades in reports.

Good news re the negative result seeline - DD wouldn't be thrilled with pe either. She's putting in her enrichment choices and running/ cycling is an option so she's hoping she doesn't get that. There is a limited choice now on enrichment choice as she can't do first aid any more as the teacher is in a different bubble to hers and DofE also can't be done or BSL apparently. She's gone for Italian which is hilarious as she hated French and learning a new language but it's the best of all the options she reckons. Not sure when she'll have time to do it as they have taken away lots of her free periods where she did her homework so that the year 12s can go into year 13 classes and do their work too - what a joke since the syllabus hasn't even been covered. She's said she will wear headphones and do her own work in year 13 classes otherwise she'll fall behind as she volunteers twice a week and does two dance classes after school so is quite busy.

Anyone else's DC been asked to secure a work experience placement yet? DD has to find a suitable place by early December for next July but no one knows what will be in place then so she's hitting a blank wall. The dates are 19-23rd July which seems like the first week of Summer holiday so any schools will either be closed or near to closing which is where she'd like to do w/e as she wants to work in an education capacity.

@Alsoplayspiccolo this could just be the novelty factor of having lots of new friends. Hopefully those new friends will start knuckling down to work at some point? I understand your concerns as ds has ADHD and I do also think they’re more likely to be affected by peer pressure? So at the moment she’s needing to keep in with the crowd, with the socialising, but hopefully she’ll follow them when/if they start working hard?!

@Oblomov20 apparently the teacher expected Ds and Es at this stage - and dd was thrilled as she was the only one to get a C.

I’d have thought it’s too early for predicted grades? I mean, I know there’s a system that gives predicted/target grades based on GCSEs but that’s a bit generic? DD’s school calculate their UCAS predicted grades at the end of year 12 using final year exams (70%) combined with a number of assessed pieces from half term 2 onwards. It’s still early days and it sounds like they need to learn new techniques, particularly in essay subjects.

Snap Alsoplayspiccolo a gap year is very likely here too for same reasons. It's infuriating isn't it when you are watching a series that they want to watch but they are giggling and snapping away and not concentrating. Also always having to have music on in background to studying but you know they are distracted by it but it's A levels so they have to learn the hard way. I've stepped right back now as she won't have me chivvying her along at uni so she has to self motivate herself now.

Also, no idea when parents evening is but it feels too soon for that. I think the feedback will go to the kids at this stage. Whether they tell you how they’re doing is another matter! However, if they really weren’t keeping up with the work I think we’d find out?

No mention of work experience yet, although I know they’re supposed to do it in the summer.

@Oblomov20 my DS also has very little homework, no parents evening until Feb and no grades/predictions feedback until then.

Year 12 parents' evening here is not until June.
I have told DS he needs to flag up asap if he is struggling. At GCSE he flew under the radar until it was pretty much too late. June next year will definitely be too late to know if there is problems.

On the plus side he was assessed yesterday for writing and processing speed. At GCSE he was accused of underachieving because of laziness/coasting. However his level of work/effort did not match up to the results he was getting but it didn't come out as a real issue until he only completed half of his GCSE mock papers in some subjects and consequently ended up with a bunch of 2s and 3s (predicted mostly 6s) - by which point the SENCO said it was too late for extra consideration at GCSE so she wasn't interested (she said it more nicely than that, but that was the gist).

That’s good @RedskyAtnight although not great that it wasn’t picked up before. I’m hoping ds can get extra time for GCSE - you’ve reminded me I need to mention it at his SENCo review in Nov.

We've got a parents evening in November - already told it will be virtual, so wondering how that will work. We have a second in June I think.

I'm another one who isn't on an online system - I don't know if there isn't one or if I just don't have access as we're new to the school.

I know that ds did ok in a computer science assessment last week but not any predicted grades or anything.

I also dont know about parents evenings

Good news re negative test, @Seeline. DS went back last Thursday after his positive test isolation was up - he seems fine now and is back swimming as well since yesterday - @ealingwestmum - straight into a time trial! @Oblomov20 - DS isn't doing anything like that amount of work either. He does about 1 to 2 hours after school Monday to Thursday and then perhaps a couple of hours on a weekend but still hasn't got his head round anything other than homework. I'm sat on my hands biting my tongue most of the time. Saying that, when I did A Levels 30+ years ago I don't remember anything about extra reading etc etc - we just did the work that was set. Times have changed ....

He is enjoying his subjects from the snippets I get. French - lots and lots of vocab learning - ridiculous amounts! AS maths - surprisingly well but going through the curriculum like a speeding train. Eng Lit and history. He also wants me to back off from seeing what he is doing workwise, checking what he has done - I was a bit of a helicopter parent I can't deny, but I do find it really difficult as I know if he doesn't live up to his potential he will be absolutely gutted but I just don't think he has the right mindset yet. Hey ho. Deep breath....

Our pastoral parents evening has been cancelled and we just got a loooong letter instead. No grade predictions until Jan I don't think. He has only had vocab tests/maths tests - no real assessing.

I’m not sure about the extra reading by the way - dd is working hard, seemingly doing well but get time is spent on homework and making revision notes. She may (possibly!) have looked at another source when writing revision notes. But I’m sure they don’t need to do that much extra reading - especially for Maths/computer science etc! I do think you should take the time guidelines with a pinch of salt, especially for Maths/Sciences. I mean if they’re bright and pick things up quickly they may not need to do hours of work?

Nothing like being thrown in the deep end Esther, hehe, couldn’t resist a cheesy pun . Your DS has almost the same mix as mine too, swapping French for Spanish.

Our parents’ evening next week will be online. It is much earlier than past years; but I guess a sense check given what’s happened won’t hurt. She really needs to feedback to the Maths AS teacher her feelings as it stresses her more than her A levels; confidence taking a hit if no support on corrective actions needed vs plain wrong, work it out yourself approach. I tend to leave dialogue to teacher/her past few years, we’re just observers to the 5 mins meet.