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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It's comforting to know there will be a vaccine and these lot won't have to be told yet again, that all their studying isn't going to totally count.

@icanbewhatiwant I will ask ds about this Zoo business. How ridiculous! no wonder it's so boring. Easy but boring were exactly DS's words.

DD’s school are incredibly still allowing pupils to change until tomorrow. One girl is changing two to English Lit and History from sciences. That is so much content to catch up on! I think they had a 3 week deadline in my eldest’s year, 3 years ago. There does seem to be odd subject combinations going on.

@Zanda, some universities actually prefer a more eclectic mix of subjects as it shows the student as more diverse in their abilities, usually for courses that don't require any specific subjects.

Thanks @ealingwestmum. I’m not too worried but dd is quite slow so she really needs to work on getting more on paper in the allotted time...

She’s finding all her subjects really interesting (RS, History, Psychology) but thinks History is the hardest and Psychology is a lot of content to learn.

I’d have thought it’s a bit late to switch subjects now. DD’s History folder is already bulging!

@Shimy is yours actually taking A level business. As I said this isn't A level but equivalent and accepted at university.

Yes, he’s doing Business A’Level.

I'm here! Apologies for not posting much but a bit pre-occupied worrying about DS1 who is a fresher and seems very flat. DD isn't getting a huge amount of my attention at the moment.

We should get her half term grades today. I'm fairly sure they will be good but you never know.

She's been in school everyday without interruptions and finishes for HT tomorrow. It's a two week HT and I think she will be mostly sleeping.

Hi, sandybayley, don't blame you for focusing on your fresher dc - I feel so much for all those kids who've had these rites of passage ripped away from them, just awful Hope things get better for your ds

Chatted in the car with dd about changing subjects - she's decided to stick with Film Studies and try to get accepted to do an EPQ on a historical topic Seems like a good compromise, hope it's possible

Sorry to hear about your ds @sandybayley. Hope things improve for him soon, it must be such a worry.

That sounds really sensible @TheySeeHerRowling. I wouldn’t advise trying to catch up on history now, there’s just so much content but she could do a really interesting EPQ. That’s actually given me a potential option for my ds in two years time! He likes history but it’s so hard and so much work, I’m not sure I’d recommend it to him, being quite lazy! I’m currently looking for ‘easy’ A Levels for him so Business sounds good

@Shimy I just looked on ds1's certificate as he did the same course. It's called level 3 extended certificate in applied business. It's accepted at university the same as A level. I don't know why they don't do it in A level instead. I might be a better course or perhaps they are similar.

Piggy or other posters, do you happen to know what A Level Drama & Theatre Studies is like in comparison with A Level English Literature? Are the essays similar in structure? Asking just out of interest.

I remember being so bored by my Business Studies A level I took it early and walked away with a C I suspect I was ill advised, that was a long time ago though!
(Not helpful)

crazycrofter I'm no expert on Business Studies and relative easiness or otherwise thereof, but a friend's dd took it this year (no exam obvs) and found it much easier than her other 2 subjects (Maths and Biology)

She was outraged when the dreaded algorithm gave her an A instead of the predicted A - apparently she couldn't have an A because nobody else in the school had ever achieved one

They only started offering it as an option the year before

Luckily the decision was reversed and she got her A* in the end

Not sure if that's any use to your ds but thought I'd throw it into the decision-making pot

Thanks @TheySeeHerRowling - good to know! Ds is doing the GCSE anyway, so it will depend on whether he enjoys that. I’m just struggling to imagine him doing most subjects - Sciences, English, Maths!

Yes ds1 although he moaned business was boring he said it was easy. He actually got 100% in the exam. He had coursework as well as the exam. Final grade distinction star. Ds2 did gcse business, he had an 8 for that (obviously no exam for him) so hopefully he'll be ok for A level.

Oh...meant to say the provisional licence turned up at last. I think it has taken about 7 weeks. I was getting worried that I'd booked lessons and would have no licence. Phew. 4 weeks to go. So maybe I need not have panicked.

Brilliant news ican. That’s one less worry off your plate

Just found this thread - I still find it weird that DS is in year 12 and only a week until half term

He’s enjoying 6th form. Think his favourite subject is Religious Studies followed by Geography and then Maths but they’re all fine. He’s always been Mr last minute but had an essay due in yesterday and had it all done by Monday. Definite (good) change.

Sent off for his provisional driving licence last week and it came in about 3 days. Do need to sort lessons though (birthday is late November) although who can tell whether you’ll be allowed in a car for lessons then especially as we’re going into Tier 2 on Friday night.

And there’s also the issue of his girlfriend who’s at a different school - not sure he’ll want to not meet her as I don’t think outdoor meetings are quite the same. But he needs driving to get there so at least we have control

Lol at all these stories about Business studies especially the DD in @crazycrofter

@icanbewhatiwant I’m assuming you’re talking about the Btec qualification, I would have expected the Btec to be far more interesting and rigorous, that’s the sort of thing they specialise in.

@MirandaWest Fs applied for his prov. ages ago and hasn’t received anything other than the form asking him to confirm his identity inspite of filling it all out online, including entering his passport number. That alone was at least 3 weeks ago! I’m beginning to get a bit worried now.

Miranda; driving lessons still ok in Tier 2 regions! For now...

@Shimy it the applied business I said about above. It's not a btech.

@MirandaWest I expect you used his passport photo? They don't seem to be delayed. It's the ones adding a photo that are taking ages. My ds is enjoying religious studies too, but his is combined with philosophy and ethics.

Religious Studies is dd's favourite, mainly because there are only 3 of them in the class - she's been dreaming of tiny teaching groups since she was 4 She really likes the subject too - I've learned a lot about Thomas Aquinas lately

@icanbewhatiwant Sorry, I’ve never heard of the applied qualification, I just thought it must be the Btec.
Re: passport did your dc receive a form on top of the online application, asking them to submit another passport photo?

@Shimy no I'd never heard of extended certificate applied in business either. As long as it's recognised by universities. I'll ask if we ever get a parents eve as to why they do that rather than A level.

For the driving license you get the choice to use passport photo but ds was 12 on his passport. A very young looking 12 too. There is no option to add your own photo like there is for a passport. So I filled out and paid online. Then another form arrives in the post a few days later where you stick the small passport style photo.