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

Along with ds lack of homework we now have general torpor, headaches fatigue. I cant tell if it is something or related to his stress at a new school/not talking to anyone etc.

Shurely 16-17 year olds would be more likely to exhibit adult Covid symptoms anyway?

First day back today - it is a massive sixth form so I think classes will be quite large but no news as yet. Orientation day today so will find out more later...

So DD managed to miss her first sports studies lesson today due to the cock up with the time table. Great start!

@ChristopherTracy

My DD is exhausted too, and complaining of aches. I don't think she is ill - I can usually tell. I think it is the shock of going back to school last Wednesday after such a long time. She hasn't been up this early for months, has had to do no thinking, and hasn't really exercised much. She is walking a lot, carrying a really heavy bag, and has been inundated with new experiences, people, places and routine.

Hopefully your DS is just struggling in the same way.

Yes @Seeline DS can show stress through headaches and fatigue. They must be absolutely knackered. Plus actually eating and drinking much less throughout the day so blood sugar must be very different.

I agree that class sizes fluctuate significantly over the autumn term. At our school most start with 4 and drop to 3, so on average class sizes will go down by 25%. Complex juggling for school!

@Shimy no medication. He attended hospital once a year to measure height, weight etc. from around age 4. Ds's 1 and 3 have always been fairly average height. But ds2 being a fair bit smaller than his brothers was cause for concern. At around age 13 they said he may have to have hormones. But by 14 his voice was deep and other obvious changes so they signed him off. It was quite funny because his voice was deep and his eyebrows were quite black and bushy, but he was still shorter than me (I'm 5'2") so at first look to strangers he looked 12 or so. Then he'd speak 😂 Boys seem so tall these days. All his friends are 6' or so.
A neighbour asked how ds3 was getting on in year 7 and said they watch him walk up to the bus stop with his big brother. But that is ds2 walking for the 6th form bus with his friend who is over 6'
Ds3 gets a different bus.

Aw, @icanbewhatiwant I really feel for your son, does he mind? My ds, who’s 14, is constantly measuring himself and he’s growing fast - about 5 foot 10 now. It seems to be an important thing to boys so it must be hard to be small.

@Shimy Is it AQA Politics? DS found that very dry, put persevered and is now about to start a Politics course at Uni. If it is AQA, his message to anyone doing it is to really learn the ideologies really well as soon as possible - they are a sure fire way to relatively pain-free marks!

@crazycrofter he used to love being small. I think he was often teachers favourite being so small and cheeky with it. But as he's got older and had so many shocked comments when people have asked his age, he's been a bit fed up with it. The football was tough too...so many lads in the team were 6' tall by age 14 he was tiny and did get fairly knocked about. So was dropped from the team.
I think it's a bit more obvious now that he's almost 17 once people speak to him. So it's not so bad. I don't think he's going to grow much more though. He's finally taller than me..messing about the other week he said he was going to beat me up and tried pushing me backwards with his hands on my shoulders, but I just leant my weight against him and pushed him all the way through the kitchen and dining room. He asked how I did that when he's taller. But his 6 stone against my 9.5 stone means I'm still much stronger 🤣 I think he might need to hit the gym!

@icanbewhatiwant DS is enormous, (6'3 and almost 14 stone) but his BF is half Thai and a lot smaller than him. Both of them are obsessed with exercising and the BF has managed to get to 7 stone and is pretty muscular, looked great on the beach when they went away with friends post GCSE!

BF = best friend, not boy friend (just for clarity, not because we would mind!)

@Monkey2001 my ds would like to be that height. It's never going to happen though!

So DD’s school has made a unilateral decision to put her in A-Level business studies. This was one of the subjects she originally wanted to do but she did not get the required grades at GCSE. Business studies was one of the grades we were really surprised at GCSE as she received a 4 despite working consistently at a 6 and teachers being encouraging that she could get a 7 or beyond in the exam.

Anyway she asked the teacher today why she had been timetabled for A level and not applied business BTEC and she was told ‘well you’re more than capable of A-Level’. Is it just me or is that pretty much a tacit admission that her GCSE grade was lower than they actually thought she was capable of? And if so am I right to be a bit pissed off at that. DD doesn’t want a fuss, she just wants to continue doing the A-Level and keep her head down and prove them right.

@Decorhate

One class is 19 - there are two other classes for same subject that have 20 ish in each.

Another subject 25 (just the one group) and one subject 4.

At moment they are half these class sizes as they’ve split the year into two groups and switching them in/wfh every other week.

iHeart I think there is a lot of that in some schools. DS's school certainly went big on they must have actual evidence that you were working at x level, they wouldn't allow any option for a child improving or even give the higher grade if the student had produced some but insufficient evidence at that level. DS is also very annoyed with a couple of his lower than expected results (and has also been allowed to do an A Level with lower than official entry criteria).

I think in your position I would let it go and tell her to get a stellar grade at A Level :)

@IheartHarryStyles I wonder if their BTEC class was too big and they had to move someone across? Sounds a bit convenient to suddenly let her do it now! But good news if she’s happy!

@icanbewhatiwant That’s really hard. I hope he comes to a place where he just happy in himself and his abilities and just accepts his height.
DS starting hitting the gym when he was 14 and the impact has been amazing. He’s really bulked up and had lots of nice compliments from family (aunts & uncles). He feels really happy about his looks although still hates when his height is mentioned.
So your DS needs to get down to the gym, that’s were the Golden Fleece lies! . The world’s big enough for all heights.

@KingscoteStaff I don’t know which exam board he’s with but thanks for that tip.

@RedskyAtnight @crazycrofter you’re probably right. Just so frustrating.

We think you’re capable of this, you were working at that but we graded you at this other completely random number because 🤷🏼‍♀️ Algorithms.

DS says classes about 15 (very large school sixth form so am surprised numbers are that low - he says there are several classes for each subject). They aren't allowed out in free periods but I just find it bizarre that both Fridays he has no lessons after lunch but has to be in school - in normal circumstances fine, but at the moment I can't believe school don't want to send them off the premises! Even more annoying when we live 2 minutes walk away ....! He seems happy enough though and enjoyed his day.

DS back form school today having had his 'Spanish' lesson which was with the MFL assistant. I am amazed they have any at the mo!

After a line of questioning, it transpired the teacher is either 'waiting to come from America' or is possibly quarantined having arrived.

It's not just me that thinks this all sounds really unpromising is it??

@estherfrewen I love the inconsistancy as DS isnt allowed to stay at school for end of the day frees so they leave after lunch!

@ChristopherTracy - you couldn’t make it up.... oh wait! Turns out you can!

@Piggywaspushed hope they are just quarantining....

DD is really pleased that another person has joined her drama class so that makes 2 of them. Also another person in music too so that’s 4. Psychology is 13 and photography 19. But there may be some changes to come as everyone starts with 4 courses for at least a month.

DD also has to stay in sixth form even if no lessons which is good as she travels on a dedicated bus so couldn’t get home anyway.

Is anyone else’s DC having baseline year 12 tests done? DD has a test later this week as all year 12 are being tested a bit like in year 7 From what DD is saying.