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Secondary education

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Original poster

Corona Cohort - Year 12 - 2021 - NO 'Self isolating' please.

999 replies

Oblomov20 · 07/12/2020 09:42

We just want our kids in school. Please. If at all possible.

And driving lessons. And good Mental Health. And happiness.

In-and-amongst all this Covid nightmare and lockdown debacle.

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ealingwestmum · 08/12/2020 11:57

Hehe Orange, she is definitely capable of not being motivated at times Smile One of her UG options includes study in Ireland, hence the points requirement. Which 3 A levels alone won’t make the total. It’s been disappointing on the Maths. She’s doing ok, just, but cannot cope with the fact that the teacher treats it like A level proper (even with it being over 2 years) and it’s taking more resource than any of her A level subjects which she really resents. It was supposed to be the more vocational option, to keep her hand in etc for non UK tests like the SAT, but is turning into all her nightmares rolled into one.

We’ll see, I’m not convinced by the French option either from a pressure POV but, I think she can do it, if that’s what’s agreed for her to try.

Crazy, I know I shouldn’t say your poor boy, but in normal times, that is such a typical student prank without malice, that would have got no more than a severe word from school. But these are not normal times. I hope the consequences aren’t too damaging for him longer term; I feel that his generation has suffered already. ducking for admitting her love of throwing balloon water bombs from car parks at random shoppers when his age

ealingwestmum · 08/12/2020 12:00

In my defence, it was the late 70’s 😱

crazycrofter · 08/12/2020 12:04

Grin I know, @ealingwestmum, it seems like these poor kids can’t get away with anything these days! Although it was of course stupid and antisocial!

AnneOfCleavage · 08/12/2020 12:11

Found you!

Sorry to hear there's more SI going on but hopefully means a Covid Free Christmas. Can't believe we've avoided SI and Covid here so far at DD school although I've had to do 2 weeks of it as the app apparently flagged me up as being near someone who had it. No idea who as I hadn't been anywhere except the supermarket and I wasn't near anyone for 5 mins let alone 15 but nothing came of it unless asymptomatic.

Glad your DD has found an enrichment she'll enjoy Rowling Smile

orangecinnamon · 08/12/2020 16:41

Suspensions a bit harsh @crazycrofter what do I know about teenage boy antics..except they did the same to me from the top of the 418 27 years ago ! I suppose covid is a worry though.

AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore · 08/12/2020 16:51

Just checking in

Our school has finally had it's first covid case that requires some of the children to self isolate: but luckily neither of mine impacted. I'm utterly amazed it's taken so long to be honest!

What are all the Y12s getting for Christmas?? DS is getting a record player as his main present & dh has been looking out all his old vinyl for him: I've pointed out ds probably isn't going to prioritise very, very bad soul & funk from the 1980s on his playlist ;-)

ChristopherTracy · 08/12/2020 16:57

money, pants, socks, chocs, new gaming headset, smellies

That's not a very inspiring list is it. DS also optimistically asked for some booze

Zebracat · 08/12/2020 17:24

Headphones, quite scary to buy as a technophobe. I’m also buying her a watch, for timed tests. She cannot track time without her phone!

TheySeeHerRowling · 08/12/2020 17:26

Given her terrible timekeeping this term, I've bought dd an old-fashioned clanging bell alarm clock Hmm

(I have got her some other stuff too Grin)

FoolsAssassin · 08/12/2020 17:27

Thank you Oblomov

Money, couple of board games, keyring, notebook, travel mug, selection box, book and Rubik cube. Also not very inspiring, I don’t feel inspired at all.

MirandaWest · 08/12/2020 18:15

DSs birthday was only a couple of weeks ago and he was a pain to buy for then so I am uninspired. DD is great - she creates lists with many nice but relatively inexpensive items but DS just says he really doesn’t need anything. Which is true.....but annoying!

icanbewhatiwant · 08/12/2020 18:40

I couldn't find the new thread. I put the same title in and nothing. Finally this eve I put the title in again and it popped up.

Ds wants a ps5 for Christmas. He's offered to pay half. But they are impossible to get. So he didn't get the promised driving lessons last month for his birthday and he won't be getting a ps5 either as I can't get one.

As for driving...ds keeps asking to learn automatic. But we have a manual Corsa that he can drive once he's passed (which will be a long time if we can't get lessons started!) Dh and I both have automatic, he's asking to drive mine. But I think he should learn manual as they will be around a few years yet.

ProggyMat · 08/12/2020 22:08

Pokes head above parapet to say ‘ no email of doom, as yet, and thanks for new thread @Oblomov20

ExpensivelyDecorated · 08/12/2020 22:37

I'm finding my year 12 hard to buy for too. So far he has got a pull up bar to go in a doorframe, a spicery curry kit subscription, a cheese making kit (he really likes cooking)_, a teeshirt from his football club (he tends to buy a shirt with his Christmas money). Also a Match of the Day annual which is a long running tradition.

ChristopherTracy · 09/12/2020 09:51

Yes, mine loves his pull up bar - make sure you get some wrapping to protect hands for it as well. I think dh buys tennis grip type stuff but fluffier

KingscoteStaff · 09/12/2020 10:14

Aaaaand... DD’s entire school is now learning from home til the end of term.

She is mostly worried about the half drunk bottle of Yazoo she left in her locker - that’s not going to end well, is it?

sandybayley · 09/12/2020 10:35

Sorry to hear that @KingscoteStaff - I think a lot of the London schools are at that stage now. DD finishes tomorrow so here's hoping we're in a better place in January.

The Head's end of term letter said they were looking at introducing lapis tests for the return to school. I suspect the entire 6th form has had it though.

I'm sure the yazoo will fester nicely over the holidays. As long as it doesn't explode 😂

ealingwestmum · 09/12/2020 11:08

We are also in the home school world Kingscote, way too many cases/those self isolating to warrant staying on school premises.

Laughing at the yazoo. I dread, daily what lurks in DD’s room. The dog only ever tries to regularly break into one room in our house. Cue emergency vet visit last week to induce vomit her from finding an old packet of Bombay mix. Gorged on 100g of the stuff (yep, included raisins). Irrespective of £300 later, I’ll still be repeating the mantra don’t leave crap lying about in your room... for ever...

FoolsAssassin · 09/12/2020 11:42

They leave home eventually apparently Ealingwestmum!

Sympathies on the isolating. I’ve gone back to being twitchy when I look at email. DS’s college is effectively an annexe of a big one, they are going online next week and did that after half term too. One of our local ones has spent the whole term doing 3 days in and 2 days at home which seems to have worked well for them.

TheySeeHerRowling · 09/12/2020 12:30

Has anyone else's school still had zero cases

I'm beginning to think dd's is either an outlier or a liar!

pasanda · 09/12/2020 12:36

It's been a while since I posted but thanks for the new thread.

Crazy - that is exactly the sort of thing my ds (now 19) would do. On the night before he went to Uni in September, we got out his 'folder' where I keep all school reports, letters from school etc. The demerit list was the best! Searching up 'boobies' during an assessment, eating copper sulphate during science and climbing out of the window for a 'short cut' are just some examples. Even in Uni he has been in trouble and had to pay a fine. I despair really. He's actually a really nice guy but also does not see the consequences of his actions!

Since dd's period of SI and mental health woes, she now seems in a much better place Smile

She has decided to drop Art A level and concentrate on doing two - media studies and sociology plus an EPQ. I am so relieved tbh as she is not the most academic and also has maths GCSE to resit. She may also do an AS level next year to up her UCAS points, she's mentioned business studies, but we'll see how she's going.

She has talked of going to Uni but now wants to work for a couple of years after A levels and see how she feels. She thinking fun things like travel rep, cocktail waitress or chalet girl! Grin Living in a big city (we currently live on a farm in the middle of nowhere) and no essays to write.

I honestly feel like a weight has been lifted off her shoulders (and mine!). College were fine about it all and have been really positive. I hope it will mean less stress and grumpiness from her and it will give her time to really focus on the two she's taking.

Sorry to hear about all the positive cases and self isolation going on. DS has had it at Uni but the rest of us have remained clear so far..... I am amazed my Year 8 dt's haven't had to SI yet tbh

pasanda · 09/12/2020 12:52

Oh and she got an A in a recent media question. The only one in her class to do so Smile

Admittedly it was a 15 mark question that should take 15 mins in an exam, and she took 2.5hrs to do it at home, but it was an A nonetheless and she is very proud!

pasanda · 09/12/2020 12:53

Rowling - there have been cases at dt's school but no whole year group isolations thank goodness. They seem to have got off very lightly indeed.

AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore · 09/12/2020 13:15

@pasanda: so glad to hear your dd is doing well: and that sounds like an excellent life plan for the next few years to me! Congrats to her on her A too! For 15 mark questions my sense is that there is a lot of new skills in terms of structuring the answer, so it's great that she's clearly totally nailed that! @TheySeeHerRowling: only 2 cases at our school (London/Surrey borders), and only that one that meant any SI impact. Cases are still falling locally, but it still feels too good to be true. Anticipating them being at home a lot in Jan I must say...

LOL at the yazoo! That is going to smell a-maz-ing come January ;-)

TheySeeHerRowling · 09/12/2020 13:17

Great to hear that your dd is feeling better pasanda - making that decision about dropping an A level will relieve a lot of pressure, I'm sure

And good luck for her maths resit!