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

Alsoplayspiccolo what rotten timing, hope she is ok.

DD still has not been given a timetable yet - hopefully will be emailed today. We know that her year will be split into either A or B with alternate weeks in college - no idea which one she is!

She is doing her prep work this morning - under protest!

Just heard that year 8s at a local grammar have been told to isolate for two weeks due to a covid case. There’s lots of overlap between the grammars here - lots of families have kids at two or three different ones, due to some being harder to get into. My two are at two of the other grammars in the city so I’m wondering how long before there’s cases in their schools!

Hope ds has a good week @FoolsAssassin. How did he feel about going back?

@crazycrofter arrgh! DS2 is year 8 and not even back to school until tomorrow! I've been jokingly saying that with all these other schools going back weeks ago I bet the schools will close before he does!

Just rolling back for a minute to GCSEs, does anyone have a clue when we might hear about appeals?

We appealed on the technicality, had a short phone call with the deputy head and then nowt since so I guess thats that.

He seemed ok thanks Crazycrofter. Got a bit lost coming out of station but arrived at College in plenty of time. He has to cook tonight which I feel is a bit soon really but apparently will be more of apprentice than main chef and it gets it over and done with for a bit,

Are any of your DC taking an exam in Oct/Nov? My DS decided he wanted to as he felt he was given a cr*p grade for one of his A level subjects-he is allowed to study it-but may cause issues when he goes to Uni.

I am just interested as his school were quite keen that no-one sat any exams-which we thought was a bit unfair when there were a few rogue marks given.

GP just called and spoke to DD and DH.
Absolutely nothing to indicate Covid, but could be gastritis or the start of appendicitis. Watch and wait - if it worsens, straight to A&T, or it’s still the same in a few days, try Gaviscon.
In the meantime, she can go back to school, thankfully 🙏

That’s great follow up from the GP Piccolo, really hope she’s back in good form soon.

DD’s time table just arrived. One of the subjects completely missed off 😐

That’s good news Piccolo, hope she is better very soon.

Similar has happened to a few at DS’s old school Harrystyles.

@IheartHarryStyles

DD’s time table just arrived. One of the subjects completely missed off 😐

Hopefully that will get sorted quickly as not a good start! My DS seems to have a very full timetable, he is going to be exhausted :-)

Piccolo finges crossed her health settles down.

Still no timetable online here. DS has opted for packed lunches this week as trying to sort the dining room in year bubbles/slots is bound to lead to longer queues.

It’s first proper day back tomorrow so hope they sort it by then...

@Alsoplayspiccolo glad to hear your DD can go to school. Hope it just turns out to be down to nerves and nothing more serious.

Eek! Just looked at the homework DS has been set today (on the VLE). They are clearly not believing in breaking them in gently - both of the pieces he has will involve considerable effort and need doing for Wednesday/Thursday. Guess this will force DS to start up some sensible evening study patterns from day 1 (he was very much as last minute merchant previously).

DD says that both Biology and Maths seem to be starting all guns blazing and a huge amount of homework - she thinks that they're trying to 'flush out' anyone who won't cope. Chemistry, on the other hand, (which she was most worried about) has been quite laid back in their first 3 lessons.

Ds started at college today. All good so far except he's angling for a very expensive macbook that can take some specialist music software he wants to use . He has the software at home on the family music mac but he wants to be able to use it in college. (because he's obsessed with using it).

DS now has a timetable :)

School is changing tutor time to first thing in the morning for year 7-11 but looks like he has a whole hour of form period once a week and so presumably doesn't have to go in at 8:55 when he doesn't have a lesson then.

Has some directed Study periods and one enrichment period a week.

They have a 2 week timetable and one of the Mondays he has Maths at 10:15 for an hour and then Maths at 2:20 for an hour and that's it!

Other days have a bit more in them.

Ds started college today.

Dropped him off at 8.30 for 9am start.

He's not finishing until 4.30!!

Then he has swim training later. Straight back in at the deep end

First day today and a mixed bag of reactions. DD is in a very small super selective 6th form it seems as less than 20 students in year 12 so all in one form. The criteria for getting in was quite steep so probably put off a lot. DD is in 2 classes with just one other and one class with 2 others

Her day consisted of seminars and guest speakers which for the most part was good apart from her bum went to sleep as they ran two talks back to back and she was so uncomfy. The talk ironically was to take breaks after studying / sitting for 30-45 mins and then very contradictory with the lady saying "some students like to listen to music whilst studying" and then said "don't ever listen to music whilst studying as very distracting"
They provided lunch just for today but it was inedible apparently so DD has come home starving and grumpy. Not a great start but she's gone to her dance lesson so hopefully will come back smiling.

I think teachers have no choice but to throw students full pace work from the start. Not just because of the 6 months out of normal studies, but they know that 2020 cohort will have the naysayers ready to point the toldyouso fingers at them post 2022 summer exams (whether that's A; IB; BTEC etc). DD's already seeing a protective yet assertive approach from her teachers, and is fearful for the odd one or two of her friends that are already asking for hand in extensions. Purely through old habits dying hard not lack of ability.

@AnneOfCleavage wow that's a small year 12, are they all girls or mixed? Hope there's enough friendship options for her!

Dd's first proper day seemed to go ok. She spent quite a bit of time with the girl from her old school, which is understandable, and they're getting the train together, but she spoke to lots of new people today so that's good. RS and Psychology teachers seem nice - and no homework yet!

@Comefromaway dd has been angling for a macbook for a while but I thought we'd persuaded her down to something less pricey! But the in laws have said they'll help and dh mentioned a macbook again earlier, so who knows! They're just sooo expensive! But it sounds like she'll definitely need something, especially if/when they're next studying remotely. Her ancient chromebook is so slow.

Hope the first days went well. At one point today I was alone in the house for the first time in many months.

DD will be alternating weeks being on site and on line - same lessons but with half the class participating via Teams.

So that's two early commutes a fortnight, great result as it's a time consuming journey by bus/walking.

DS2, in Y13 school 6th form, has a four day week, so he's delighted too!

PS if I didn't say thanks already, thank you to those who suggested DD go with the subject not the setting. She seems happy with her choice so far.

First day in almost 6 months that dh and I were alone at home with no dc's. I don't return to work for 2 weeks and he's retired. It was very quiet. Also after 15 and a half years I've stopped needing to do the primary school run. That's strange too.