Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Corona Cohort’s Year 12 adventures

999 replies

FoolsAssassin · 13/10/2020 20:36

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.

Thread

Previous Thread

OP posts:
FoolsAssassin · 21/11/2020 19:30

Tell her that less is more Proggy and they aren’t any old certificates, they are 2020 certificates 😀
Photocopying very sensible. I was dog walking recently with someone, her DD called her. Could hear her asking where her A level certificates and could hear strong note of panic in friend’s voice for a moment until she remembered where they had put them!
No sign of DS’s certificates but his old school was shut a couple of days this week so a bit behind at the moment I think .

OP posts:
ProggyMat · 21/11/2020 19:47

Grin I’ll run that one past her @FoolsAssassin Grin

ealingwestmum · 21/11/2020 22:06

Thanks Andwhen; I’m sure she’ll come out the other end.

Well done to all the maths whizzy DC. I dare not ask what DD ended up with. There is no love lost on that challenge 🙄

AlpineSnow · 21/11/2020 22:40

Well done to the (non cheating) Maths challenge kids who did well. Depressing to read that some cheated which would have made it harder for those who didn't cheat

icanbewhatiwant · 22/11/2020 08:28

I have a folder in our study marked "certificates" with GCSEs/A levels etc for ds1 I'll add ds2's when we get them. Am I too organised? I've learnt from losing stuff in the past, like when ds1 needed his NI number. I never did find the piece of paper with it on (what happened to the cards?) I had to get them to send another. I don't think ds2 has been given certificates yet, but he'd leave them scrunched up in his bag without a thought.

Heifer · 22/11/2020 09:24

DD doesn't know anything about certificates, parents evening, or mock/end of year exams (assumes nothing until end of year)...

She is having lots of end of topic tests along with all they've learnt so far tests too. She is finding it hard to revise, do homework and the writing up she wanted to do each night, but she is doing really on the tests.

She has definitely learnt her lesson that every test is important. I do think she is putting too much pressure on herself as not only does she want to get As in every test, but also be very near the top of the class. This is because her school doesn't have great results in the past 3 years, and she knows that she lost out on some higher grades in her GCSE as the SLT sent predicted grades back to the teachers to redo to keep more inline with the past 2 years. If this should happen again she wants to be given the grade she deserves so feels she needs to keep being in the top 3!

I do wonder how much work she will keep doing once she can start socialising again - that will be a real test! :-)

Got to admit I am amazed at her Pychology results. She is getting As or 16/16 in every test. She and another girl, the rest of the class are getting Cs so I know they haven't got a generous teach (they have ""have 2 teachers so she must be doing something right. She seems to just knows how to answers the 16 point questions just right. She doesn't love the subject but enough to do well, and obviously it is helping that she is doing so well :-) Another girl in the class (also an A) did slightly better, so the teacher told DD that the other girl had done some additional reading around the subject so suggested she speak to the other girl to find out what she had read, which I thought was helpful

She is working really hard so it's nice that she is doing well as she can see the results of her hard work. She was never near the very top of the class before (except in PE), so this is a nice new experience for her.

She is currently annoyed at some of her friendship group as they are meeting up to go for a walk today and then a picnic. The problem is that her friends now go to 3 different school, and they all have contact with others too, so as she said, her bubble will be mixing with lots of other bubbles. I asked if she told them she was annoyed but she said no as she will be playing hockey herself once it starts again and that is with people from another school and adults so doesn't feel she has a leg to stand on. She just said that she had said in September that she didn't want to mix with the girls that left to go to other schools for a while as it would make her bubble too big (their schools are massive compared to hers and don't have to wear masks in class and even in common room). One of those was a really good friend, so is missing her but she has been facetiming etc.

I am sorry that some on here are finding things so hard. I really hope you get the support you and your child needs. I appreciate we have it easy in a lot of respects, although trust me DD has her moments. She does seem to have really grown up over the Summer but the disaproving looks to me certainly haven't disappeared!

Well done to all those that have done the Maths challenge.

Almost forgot to say - her provisional arrived yesterday :-) Although she isn't desperate to pass her test it seems, she hasn't even started learning her theory - but tbh there is no rush is there. She needs to feel she has time and isn't rushed. I think she wants DH to take her out first for a while (once she is 17, 20th Dec) before she has lessons. But I'm guessing there is a waiting list anyway so starting to look into that now.

This half term seems to have flied by - 3 weeks gone with 3 to go. We finish on 16th Dec this year so nice and early - although probably no benefit.. She is hoping some restrictions are lifted in time for her bday but only wants to do something with her friendship group of 10 and then hockey group of 7 anyway). I suspect she will be disappointed as can't see her being able to meet up with more than 6 (as before).

MirandaWest · 22/11/2020 11:51

DSs birthday today - he and DH have gone out in the car!

ealingwestmum · 22/11/2020 12:09

Happy birthday to your boy Miranda! Hope he enjoys his first (legal at least, I may guilty only of this), whizz around in the car! Smile

Monkey2001 · 22/11/2020 13:28

Happy Birthday Miranda DS!

Try to get your DC to give you their certificates - DS1 needed the originals for universities, so I was glad I had them in the "Important drawer" with passports, red books and NI numbers! Also a good idea to take photos or scans just in case.

DS also still waiting for SMC result as he has not had a lesson with the teacher who organises it since the results came out, but I know they have them as his GF is daughter of one of the other maths teachers and she told her daughter that she might be a bit disappointed with her result. Hmm

FoolsAssassin · 22/11/2020 13:36

Happy Birthday to your DS Miranda
I have two files with important stuff for mine which works as long as they don’t run off with the things in them.

OP posts:
Monkey2001 · 22/11/2020 13:44

Did anybody do the Edinburgh on line open day yesterday? DS really keen to apply for Applied Sports Science. In the first year you only have 1/3 timetable in the department and can choose anything else for the other 2/3. It just happens that Engineering has a 2/3 timetable with 1/3 for anything else, so that is just perfect! It means you can then switch to and Engineering degree if you choose to after trying the first year of both. We also really liked that Applied Sports Science has 50-60 places, as opposed to the very high number for Engineering. Universities seem to be 4 times the size they were when I went, which is a bit oppressive and one of the reasons we loved St Andrews for DS1.

If anybody else is interested in Edinburgh, they have another open day on Friday, but all the talks remain available any time, the only difference in the open day bit is that it schedules you a bit and academics are available to chat. The Scottish system is great for indecisive people who want a broad first year before they have to decide.

KingscoteStaff · 22/11/2020 14:03

DD signed up for Edinburgh on Fri. Currently basing her love for the city on her stays with glamorous (and v. generous) godmother - student life may be a little different...

EwwSprouts · 22/11/2020 14:14

Grin You guys have triggered Edinburgh open day advertising on this page.

Didn't know about it but DS has it on his long list so will look for clips later.

In random reasons to take against a university this week's entry from DS is Oxford as the students have voted against beef & lamb on canteen menus. Not that he had it on his list!

Piggywaspushed · 22/11/2020 14:34

I don't think DS could do any open days atm as he has no real idea what he wants to study. I have done more research than him! Libreal Arts looks appealing.

I think the next big decision is which A Level to ditch : awaiting all the results from recent tests as a guideline. He is beginning to see that his 'Spanish teacher' is dumbing things down a lot and that the jump from GCSE is huge, even with an excellent , permanent teacher. it'll be a massive shame but this will probably be the one that goes, or history which he likes but finds the topics dry and the standards high. His history class is dropping like flies : only 7 in there now.His DF tried to talk down sociology but DS likes that one a lot and is doing really well.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 22/11/2020 17:11

Happy birthday to Miranda DS!

We have just received emails that Yr 12 are off for two weeks due to 2 confirmed cases on Friday and Saturday ☹️.

Good news is he has now got his provisional licence which he is most pleased about.

sansou · 22/11/2020 18:44

DS received his GCSE certificates last week too. No fanfare - envelopes handed out by form teacher. Formal assessments after HT didn't go too well hard marking or not. B/C/E/E. Obviously, not impressed with the E's Apparently,very few A's were doshed out and there were quite a few U's as well! No idea when "parents' evening" will be when we might have the chance to verify that.

Driving lessons now postponed for another fortnight due to lockdwon. I can't even buy insurance for DS to drive my car as a named driver (Ford Focus 1.6l) well - not amongst the "normal" mainstream insurers and I'm not willing to exchange my car for an old banger - just to give DS driving practice!

KingscoteStaff · 22/11/2020 19:04

Exciting trip to Watford to buy RED (!) Fiat 500 for DD and brother to learn on and then share. I drove it back and it is so much nicer for a short arse like me to drive than our big Kia. I can see the kerb!
Hopefully neither of them will take it to university and it can be mine in term time!!

MirandaWest · 22/11/2020 19:15

We’re using payg insurance for DS to use my car - you can insure them for different amounts of time from 2 hours onwards. Not sure how much difference there is between different type of cars - mine is a 1.2l polo

MirandaWest · 22/11/2020 19:23

Have looked again and if DS used DHs car (Saab estate) then it would cost rather more.

Zandathepanda · 22/11/2020 19:31

Marmalade insurance was really good for an add on for my car with our eldest Dd. Worth a look. They specialise in learners.

icanbewhatiwant · 22/11/2020 20:20

@MirandaWest I hope they got on ok, a week on from ds's birthday I persuaded him to drive the car. He found the clutch really difficult and we bunny hopped up and down our drive several times. He found riding a bicycle really hard when he was small. But in sports he has always learnt quickly and been good. So I don't know why he found bicycles difficult. Driving might be the same. He didn't want to drive on the road...but he did in the end. We live on a quiet and straight country lane, so we only went a short distance. Whether I'll get him out again, I don't know. Apparently I'm useless at teaching him.

icanbewhatiwant · 22/11/2020 20:27

We use marmalade for the first year for both ds's. They are/were main named driver, it covers them while learning but also when they've passed for the first year. Also they build up no claims from day one. It is £750 for the year for ds2 though 😳 Ds1 was more 3 years ago but it went down by almost half second year.

Another good thing is the marmalade app. It should tell me where he's been. Whether he has been speeding, whether he's used his phone while driving etc. I know it's a bit "big brother is watching you" but it is a good idea for youngsters.

KingscoteStaff · 22/11/2020 20:28

icanbe it’s our family’s experience that boys with large thigh muscles (rugby/rowing) struggle with the small clutch movements. The non sportsmad boys found it much easier.

MirandaWest · 22/11/2020 20:28

@icanbewhatiwant DH took him out and it seemed to go pretty well. I’ve said I’ll take him to a quiet road on Tuesday (he finishes early that day and I have a gap in the middle of the day). Think DH probably better than me but will see how it goes!

icanbewhatiwant · 22/11/2020 20:29

I forgot to say insurance is for 1.2 Corsa. I couldn't insure him on mine it would cost a fortune I think 2L bmw.

Swipe left for the next trending thread