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Original poster

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.

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OP posts:
MirandaWest · 15/10/2020 19:29

DS also has philosophy and ethics in - I’ve also been learning quite a bit too. Plato and Socrates recently Smile

icanbewhatiwant · 15/10/2020 19:31

@Shimy I didn't realise you'd applied already. Missed that post out. We only had a form to stick a photo to and to sign. I posted it back end of august. So it's taken a while.

icanbewhatiwant · 15/10/2020 19:33

@MirandaWest same then. Ds keeps coming up with things like..."how do I know you're my mum. Where's the proof?" 🤷‍♀️

Zandathepanda · 15/10/2020 19:48

One more teacher down with COVID (makes 5) and a Year 13. Apparently it’s not even the whole year or even the whole class that goes into isolation. Just the people sitting round them in the class. But not the teacher.

Shimy · 15/10/2020 20:28

@icanbewhatiwant Same here, can’t believe how much DS has changed from when he was twelve. That’s probably why they sent the paper form for another photo. It went off about 2-3weeks about though.

Re: Qualification, do they offer this certificate in other subjects too? Like you said, as long as universities accept it, that’s what matters.

ProggyMat · 15/10/2020 20:34

@icanbewhatiwant next time your DS asks about proof that you’re his mum respond with with ‘ the only truth is there is no truth’Wink
Anyone else finding that their DCs are absolutely shattered and are counting down the days to half term?
That’s not to mention the thought of extra time in bed for us !Grin

icanbewhatiwant · 15/10/2020 20:35

@Shimy you've got a few more weeks to wait I should think.

I don't know if they do that qualification in other subjects. Ds1 did biology, film, geography, then the business. Ds2 is film, PRE, history and business. The others are all A level.

icanbewhatiwant · 15/10/2020 20:37

@ProggyMat 🤣 everyone says ds2 looks like me. But that's not proof enough 🤣 I did suggest perhaps he was switched at birth.

Shimy · 15/10/2020 20:52

@icanbewhatiwant He can’t use till next yr anyway, so long as it hasn’t got lost n the post Smile.
DS in a bit of panic this evening that he didn’t understand the questions in a recent Geography test and might get a D AND this might go into his predicteds! This damn pandemic and it’s effect on young people studying with all the disruption and chaos, just as well it’s now half term.

FlyingPandas · 15/10/2020 22:00

Jumping on board very late, couldn't find you at first but thank you for the new thread! Hello to all. I too can't believe we're actually at the half term point! Hope everyone is doing well.

Two week half term here, though DS has 'an absolute ton' of work to get through during the break. Part of me would almost rather he had normal college next week and then a proper week off if I'm honest. But then again we go into tier 2 lockdown from midnight tomorrow though so frankly he might as well crack on with it and at least he gets a few lie ins.

I can't really work out how he's actually doing. He seems happy enough although not as motivated as I thought he'd be given he's only studying the three subjects he actually wanted to study! I know he scored OK on a recent psychology assessment but no idea how it translates grade wise. We get progress reports early next half term so it's a bit of a waiting game.

Monkey2001 · 15/10/2020 22:09

Interested to hear that @Zandathepanda only send a small group to SI if somebody tests positive. At both DS's current school and old school the whole year is sent home if there is a case in the year. Y11 are off at new school, Y9 and Y12 at old school.

What is happening at other schools? Whole year SI or just close contacts?

icanbewhatiwant · 15/10/2020 22:21

@Monkey2001 thankfully no cases at school. But when I spoke to my year 7's form teacher on the phone she said for year 7's it would be the whole year but may not be the whole year for 6th form. But she did say siblings would need to be off too. So if my year 7's year has to isolate that would mean my year 12 would too and vice versa.

crazycrofter · 15/10/2020 23:22

I think they started off sending whole years home round here but there’s been so many off they’re trying to reduce it to close contacts. The latest case was in DD’s year but only 15 were sent home. There are still 10,000 children off school here in Birmingham!

ealingwestmum · 16/10/2020 05:03

Just close contacts I believe Monkey at DD’s school. Couple of + cases only so far in other year groups.

estherfrewen · 16/10/2020 05:24

Morning @ealingwestmum - are you also outside a swimming pool.....? Out school is close contacts only also.

EerilyDeleted · 16/10/2020 06:42

Close contacts only here too, only one case in either of my DCs schools so far. Wednesday is my early swimming day but luckily its at our local pool and I can go home (pre-lockdown it was at one 10 mikes away).

EerilyDeleted · 16/10/2020 06:45

DS is on half term for two weeks after today and working at home today. He is worried that he's not making the best of his free periods, he's still finding it a bit of a struggle adapting to them after the full timetable of previous years (Aspie, likes structure).

estherfrewen · 16/10/2020 06:51

Morning @EerilyDeleted. We only have am swims at the moment - 5 of them so getting up 5am. . DS simply can't do that and A levels so decided this week to move from top squad to club squad which is only 3 early mornings. It simply isnt worth it with the amount of school work he needs to do

EerilyDeleted · 16/10/2020 07:10

We only have one am swim for DD's squad (she's not in the top one) plus 4 x evening. I am on chaperone duty at one of the distant pools tonight so won't be home till 9.30 which is a bit of a drag on a Friday evening but at least I get to sit on a warm poolside not in the car. I like that pool as the spectator area is right on poolside so you can chat with the coaches a bit and hear what they are saying to the swimmers (they use radio mics now so they can keep their voices down). That's a shame for DS, but yes, sometimes something has to give.

ealingwestmum · 16/10/2020 07:44

Morning my fellow swim parents! I was just finishing my coffee Esther before dropping off at 05.10. She does that 5x mornings. I come home via the gym. It allows DH and dog to get a few more hours, as he puts it, to sleep after a cold night in a freezer.

I do threaten him to just try living in my body. Just for one day...Grin

I completely get the change of squad. DD has a consult this week to get some imaging for her shoulder...I’m dreading the outcome. She will feel a tremendous loss if she has to give up.

estherfrewen · 16/10/2020 07:58

Ah we have subverted the thread to swimming! I really hope your DDs scan goes well @ealingwestmum.

ealingwestmum · 16/10/2020 08:01

Just a short term blip of diversion Esther, and thanks. Apologies everyone...as you were Smile

EwwSprouts · 16/10/2020 08:30

Monkey2001 It's been whole sixth form here for just one student positive based on consultation with PHE. DS has gone back now but the whole of yr10 is currently home.

I wonder if it depends on the county public health people as know of whole years at a number of local schools. We're a medium tier county.

Heifer · 16/10/2020 08:57

It's just close contact here - There wouldn't be anyone in school otherwise (Tier 3)...

DD seems overloaded with work atm. Thank goodness it's half term after tomorrow so hopefully she can feel on top of it.
She has definitely got used to online lessons but as she is at home she isn't making such good use of the free time that she would if she was at school.

I've just bought some A level Biology revisions cards etc so I can actually find some questions to ask when she says "test me". She passed me her notes and just says test me - I haven't got a clue what to ask (in any subject) when she does that.

Also bought some more white board magnets and labels which I think she will find useful (I will have them in the office if not). She does love her whiteboard :-)

I hope your DD/DS all have a good half term and get to have some fun. As we are in tier 3 there isn't much that DD can do but we will go out for a meal. DH has taken some A/L so we can go out for the day somewhere. DD wanted to climb a mountain but we cant go into Wales so will have to find some hilly nearby.

DD's hockey matches have been postponed by our club as we can't get a definite answer from England Hockey as to whether we should be travelling outside of Liverpool City region or not.
DH still gets to play tomorrow as he is playing a local team. DD has training instead so at least it's something. Her hockey friends are the only people she is seeing at the moment.

We've just completed DDs online provisional licence - and as she didn't want to use her passport photo - am sure she will join the delayed queue... The reason she didn't want to use her passport photo - well apparently "everyone" lets the younger girls use it for ID (once she is actually 18) so it has to be a decent photo or how embarrassing would that be...

Seeline · 16/10/2020 09:11

Last day before 2 week half term. DDs social plans have been thrown into disarray with the arrival of tier 2 restrictions at midnight Sad

She has landmark tests the week after the first week back (mini exam week I think) so will be doing lots of revision so no real break.

Anyone with experience of A level psychology? Any recommendations for revision methods. She is very keen on flashcards as a method, but her psyc teachers have said they are no good for this subject as they just don't cover enough detail. She hates mind maps (and has said they would end up massive to get all the info on), and just regurgitating notes in a more condensed for doesn't really work for her. Any suggestions for methods and/or resources gratefully received!