Page 2 | Corona Cohort’s Year 12 adventures

FoolsAssassin · 2020-10-13T19:36:41+00:00

We’ve made it into year 12 and rapidly approaching the end of the first half term . Lots of challenges we could never imagined as we started the year but we’re all keeping on keeping on and this thread is for anyone who would like to jump on board to share the rather unusual journey this is turning out to be. [[https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3372754-Year-10-GCSE-Support-Thread/First Thread]] [[https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/4014318-GCSE-Summer-2020-Thread-11-Carry-on-Corona-Cohort-Starting-New-Terms-and-Settings/ Previous Thread]]

Seeline · 14/10/2020 09:25

Found you!

DD breaks up on Friday for 2 weeks - can't wait. It's been a long half term, she has missed a few days whilst waiting for covid test results, but no long periods of isolation. She managed to get a septic toe last week, so that complicated things as she couldn't wear proper shoes etc, but has got her out of games today Had to drop her brother off to uni on Monday to start life as a fresher. So all in all we are ready for half term!

She had her first progress report this morning - all really good (we don't get [predicted grades, just how they are working at the moment), and her effort grades were good too - I think those are almost more important at this stage.

We had been planning a few trips over half term to explore some uni towns/cities. At the moment her favourites are both in south Wales so that's out. Not sure whether London will be locked down in the days to come, so not sure if we'll get anywhere.

AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore · 14/10/2020 09:54

Hey all < paddles alongside in socially distanced way> Good to hear all the updates - although SO frustrating on the Spanish @Piggywaspushed! And how long have you been waiting for results now @ealingwestmum? It feels like AGES but I know my perceptions of time are a bit off at the mo!

Our (state) school luckily started having 2 week half terms in the autumn term last year as an experiment which they decided to continue (reasons given were to prevent high levels of sickness in autumn term, even in 'normal' times; and as a draw to attract the best teaching staff) so we are off for a half term break in Devon next week: isolated location, and I'm mentally imagining lots of lovely walks (to delight the heart of my hill-allergic 14 yo! ;-), and cosy fireside board game nights .... but trying not to get my hopes up too much in case everything changes...

Still no cases that I'm aware of at our school: we're a relatively safe area, but even so it's a big school and I'm slightly surprised we've escaped so far

icanbewhatiwant · 14/10/2020 09:56

2 more weeks to go (after this week) before half term here.

I think parents eve was around March time when my oldest was year 12. So I'm assuming it'll be the same, I don't suppose we will be back to normal by then.

There are a few teachers at school that have a floor to ceiling screen round them and they don't come out. Ds3 (year 7) was finding some of the maths hard....the teacher couldn't come out from her screen to explain it to him. So he was getting a bit worried. He also has to photograph his work once home and email it to her. I don't blame her wanting to be behind a screen but it makes it difficult for students too. The history teacher also has a screen, ds2 has him for A level history (Ds3 has him too) but they aren't bothered about him being behind a screen. It's a bit easier with history...no need to look at work and explain something as you would for maths.

TheySeeHerRowling · 14/10/2020 10:36

Dd1 (the 6th former) has another week of school after this one, but her sister (y11 at a different school) has 2 weeks, starting Friday

No INSET days in common at all, which would normally have annoyed me, as I used to like the way we could have a 10 day holiday at half term sometimes - but since that won't be happening this year, it makes no odds

We had been thinking of some kind of half term minibreak, since I have eighty quid's worth of Travelodge vouchers to use, but will all depend on what tiers everyone's in, so will be a v last minute booking if it happens

Devon should be lovely at this time of year Andwhenyougetthere We're in a neighbouring county, off for a ride on the Seaton tramway this weekend - late birthday treat for dd

ealingwestmum · 14/10/2020 10:39

You’re perception is bang on Andyour. Over 72 hours now, which makes the whole T&T process seem a little farcical if she does come back positive. There is really no point in increasing testing capacity if they can’t turn around results quickly.

ealingwestmum · 14/10/2020 10:42

your! I swear that was my autocorrect correcting as usual, wrongly 😳

crazycrofter · 14/10/2020 12:28

Oh dear, that’s a long wait @ealingwestmum, how frustrating! I waited 39 hours for mine.

Another week after this one until half term. Amazed neither of mine has missed any school because of covid cases yet, as both schools have sent different year groups home. There’s still time before half term! It hadn’t occurred to me that if either of them gets sent home within the next week they’ll be confined to the house for the whole of half term! Not that they’d mind - they barely ventured out even for a walk back in April, they love hibernating in their rooms!

icanbewhatiwant · 14/10/2020 12:51

I don't seem to know where we are in October. Just next week then a week off. No idea why I thought 2 more weeks 🙈

2nd nov is PD day. So no school. It's been a long time since I have had all dc's off for PD day at the same. As they are so spread out in age (oldest 2nd year university now)

ealingwestmum · 14/10/2020 13:04

At last. Negative, she’s never moved so fast to get into school

It’s a proper mind f* though. So many of my friends DC at uni testing positive with no symptoms, and poor schools dealing with the cross over of winter born viruses on top. There’s no choice but to err on side of caution each time with even one of the main symptoms...

estherfrewen · 14/10/2020 14:06

Good news @ealingwestmum! Looong wait though...

ealingwestmum · 14/10/2020 14:18

Thanks Esther. I can imagine like yours, they hate missing school! Does your son feel like he’s developed some anti body immunity now even if he still has follow T&T rules as and when required?

Hope everyone’s countdown to their half terms go smoothly. It’s been a long start but on balance, here at least, better than expected.

estherfrewen · 14/10/2020 15:11

It would be interesting to see re antibodies @ealingwestmum. He did have an email from NHS re donating plasma which he wanted to do but he had to be 17 so not old enough yet

Monkey2001 · 14/10/2020 15:13

Heifer no tier restrictions can stop this thread! We have friends in Wirral with a dog with issues - maybe there is something in the air!

Let's hope that this moves from the current log flume experience to a gentle potter on the water as the year progresses. I think most of us can at least count ourselves lucky that our DC will not be doing any exams this year, has there been any news on what will happen in Wales for AS levels?

Monkey2001 · 14/10/2020 15:25

There was a whole page of posts I had not seen, this thread is on fire today!

Great news @ealingwestmum. Isn't if funny how all DCs are desperate to be in school now. One local school had to send Y12 home to SI and they would all rather be in school even though the school is not giving them much work as they have not geared up for remote teaching.

ealingwestmum · 14/10/2020 16:05

I’m sure he did Esther. The invites to donating blood and participating in trials are coming in thick and fast. I’ve just had to remove myself from a year long one that involved minimum 10 throat swabs in the early months. I can take needles, pain etc, but can’t swallow tablets or endure swabbing frequently due to a severe gag reflex (hold on the adult jokes pls!). Disappointed but didn’t want to give the clinical team added issues. My childhood dentist has a lot to answer for...

Heifer · 14/10/2020 16:07

How can a school still not be geared up for remote teaching?
Live online lessons seem to be working really well for DD. They are using Google Classroom. Quite basic I think but works.
Alough DD would much rather be in school.

@Monkey2001 your friends don't live "in Wirral" but "on the Wirral" - No idea why but that's how it is here. Been here 13 years now and I've still got a lot to learn :-)

Get news re negative test.

crazycrofter · 14/10/2020 16:28

@heifer I was born 'on the Wirral'! I lived there until I was 9. Lovely part of the world, although not the best place to be at the moment!

Ds (year 10) is desperate for a period of self-isolation now! He finds school (and his long journey) so so tiring. When they first suggested back in the spring that they might do part-time school/part time online I thought it would just be perfect for him. Even dd is feeling tired now and she's always coped much better with school. She's got a teacher training day on Monday which she's pleased about.

estherfrewen · 14/10/2020 16:43

@ealingwestmum- am right with you re the throat swab. Am definitely a gagger!!

Oblomov20 · 14/10/2020 17:34

Thank you Fools.
Marking place for Year 12 shenanigans. Of which I fear there may be plenty.

Oblomov20 · 14/10/2020 17:47

Ds1 gets his reports/results on Friday. From this he'll make his decision which to drop.

He's just announced this week that he was thinking of dropping English language, (because his favourite part of the syllabus he's already covered, and he doesn't much like the remaining bit! FFS. God give me stength. and taking up English literature. (Which he's obviously missed the first 6 weeks, which seems like a lot to me)

So I insisted he talked to both language and literature teacher this week.

Now tonight he announces he's thinking of dropping English altogether. And sticking with Business, Sociology, Pyschology.

I'm a bit worried.

ScrapThatThen · 14/10/2020 18:12

I can see why you are worried, I would think teachers would encourage him to keep English? What might he want to do next? I hope he thinks strategically about it.

Wheresthebeach · 14/10/2020 18:17

@ealingwestmum

At last. Negative, she’s never moved so fast to get into school

It’s a proper mind f* though. So many of my friends DC at uni testing positive with no symptoms, and poor schools dealing with the cross over of winter born viruses on top. There’s no choice but to err on side of caution each time with even one of the main symptoms...

That good news...funny how Covid will have created a generation that loves school😅

crazycrofter · 14/10/2020 18:38

@Oblomov20 are you worried about those subjects in particular? I only ask because I can imagine ds doing a similar combination. I know there’s no facilitating subjects but they’ve been ditched anyway?

Dd got an E in her first timed history assessment - oh dear! She didn’t get anywhere near finishing. She got a 9 for GCSE and it was always her best subject.

Oblomov20 · 14/10/2020 18:43

Please advise. Should I contact HoY?

English is ...... classic, isn't it?
Like ScrapThat, I assumed it made him .... stronger to keep English.

Does it really matter? I don't know, I just don't know?

Oblomov20 · 14/10/2020 18:51

This is the child who has NO idea what he wants to do. So pointless looking up any Uni's / specific courses, to see what their subject criteria is.

Does it matter? You do 3 subjects you like and get good grades in them?