Corona Cohort’s Year 12 adventures

[FoolsAssassin]

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.

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@ProggyMat sounds like your school is similar to ours in the format. This wasn’t his Eng Lit, it was history otherwise I would agree that it could be the reason. All of the history stuff has been early if anything and all received very well. I’m not going to overly worry at this point but I would like to understand.

Happy birthday orange! Hope you have a great day

@JustHereWithMyPopcorn we had a virtual 5 minutes with DDs form tutor in September to discuss settling in and any concerns. Perhaps there will be an opportunity to ask when parents eve is during yours?
It’s early days but if the next report follows the same pattern I too would want to understand why.

@ProggyMat yes that’s a good idea, I will ask about parents evening, hopefully he’ll have an idea. We have mocks at beginning of Jan so I imagine it will be after that for next set of grades, I’ve had ‘words’ with DS about making sure he is revising properly over Christmas so we don’t have a repeat of last year.... 😱

DD has mocks at the beginning of Feb which seems really strange timing. She'll obviously have to start revision over the Christmas break, but have to remember that whilst still learning new stuff/having homework for another month before exams.

DS had assessments in October, there are more in February and in June. We have parents evening next week and March then student/teacher feedback start of July. I don’t know for sure but think it’s the June exams that form basis of UCAS predictions.

DD has regular end of module tests, but no big exams until 1st week in May.

DD has mocks last week of term. She's already had so many timed assessments in class. Looks like they are preparing ...

DD is very similar to kingscote's. Regular tests but no 'formal' exams until the summer term. These will be used to predict grades and the school are very clear that they won't inflate grades. Anyone wanting better grades is allowed to sit another exam at the start of the autumn term before UCAS forms are submitted.

It's so much better having been through it already with DS1 and knowing what to expect.

We get a report tomorrow, parents eve a week tomorrow. I'm anxious as had an email on Friday saying a teacher has requested to see me at parents eve so I get first dibs on apps from tomorrow morning . I don't even know which subject has an issue!

Ds has his first big assessment this week that counts towards his Btec grade.

No idea re mock exams or similar but DD seems to be tested pretty often. Has another 3 smaller ones this week.

Thanks for birthday wishes..very quiet here as DH not well at mo. Three episodes of The Crown consumed as well as Chinese.

Good luck to your DS @Comefromaway!

Unfortunately its the Ensemble Performance module and whilst ds is very confident and is practising his parst lots it's his groups learning from home week this week, apart from going in for the actual assessment, so they can''t practice as a group.

@Comefromaway

Unfortunately its the Ensemble Performance module and whilst ds is very confident and is practising his parst lots it's his groups learning from home week this week, apart from going in for the actual assessment, so they can''t practice as a group.

Sounds unnerving to say the least! You'd think there would be some flex with these assessment points given the current situation.

Dd not getting much performance activity in at all atm but has been enjoying an online youth choir.

They were in all last week rehearsing. It's just unfortunate its fallen on their groups week off. The college have split them in half and they are in alternate weeks so they can have space to socially distance.

Hope the performance goes ok @Comefromaway. Blended learning must be difficult for more practical courses.

Dd has tests in all her subjects this week, including a 'UCAS test' in RS. Their UCAS predicted grades will be based 70% on the May exams and 30% on a few 'UCAS tests' spread through the rest of the year. I suppose it takes the pressure off the end of year exams a bit, but I don't feel she's really up to speed with A Levels yet. Although that's based on her own perception, as we've not had any feedback yet...

Fingers crossed Comefromaway and I hope the tests go well Crazycrofter

I am finding knowing things in advance about things like tests and reports very comforting and unusual as didn’t really know much in advance at his old school. DS second one through but DD so different it hasn’t helped much for DS, however helping my friend’s DCs through has a fair bit.

@Comefromaway how they manage to do a unified performance, and that the school understand the difficulties they faced when they come to marking!

@crazycrofter our school have called the mocks a UCAS mock and UCAS exams in May/June. It frightened the life out of me as I thought it was some special exam that I hadn't heard of but it seems that it just means it will be what they are using for predicted grades for the UCAS forms.

From what I gather they are performing:

a 12 bar blues
Seargant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
With a Little Help from My Friends
You Can't Do That
Mr Blue Sky
& a 1950's one I can't remember.
Sultans of Swing

DD has no mocks planned - just end of topic tests as normal. Then end of year exams. Although I wonder if that will change!

Interesting so many are doing 'mocks' this year for A levels.

Hope your DH feels better Orange.

Comefromaway, that sounds like loads! You've got me humming all those tunes as I read

Dd2 is doing GCSE Music and they have cut the group performance element completely, so she just has to choose one solo

Ds is very happy that his vocoder is being used in Mr Blue Sky!

@TheySeeHerRowling

Comefromaway, that sounds like loads! You've got me humming all those tunes as I read

Dd2 is doing GCSE Music and they have cut the group performance element completely, so she just has to choose one solo

I can understand that in schools.

What the btec course has done is to put the students into fixed teams (bands) so ds rehearses and performs in the same group of 4 and because its a college they have their own allocated practice studio (far bigger than your average school practice room) that only they use on their week in.