Thread 14? Corona Cohort Yr 12 2021 - 'Vaccinations and Eliminations'

[orangecinnamon]

Just place marking for the New Thread!

Thanks all. I will give them a call.
Silly question but when will they need the certificates? I’ve never had to use mine but then I didn’t go to uni.
I’ve done a few training courses over the years and always just put my grades on the forms and never been questioned

I got asked for actual certificates at job interviews. I think the only time I needed GCSE ones was for teaching. They wanted to see English and Maths. I remember the panic of trying to find them at my parents’ house. It’s mostly just degree certificates and teaching qualification certificate.

No certificates here either, not even a mention of them.
Had DS1 parents evening last night, 5min zoom call for each subject, One teacher had the worst WiFi I’ve seen in this entire year and was inaudible for 4 out of those 5 minutes, two turned up at least 30 seconds late and got cut off mid sentence at the end of the timer, we barely got to speak. I do not like this format at all.
Got the same for DS2 next week, only allowed to see 6 teachers. He hasn’t had a parents evening since joining the school in Sept 2019.

DS1 needed all his certificates for 2 of his interviews and sending copies was a condition of the offer he accepted. They require proof of everything they have used in the admissions process and for medicine they often have GCSE thresholds or score them.

It is a good idea to keep a scan of all of them as some don't need originals and if you do lose them, getting a replacement will be easier if you have a scan with all the details.

I once had to provide all mine for a job interview - I was in my mid-20s and it took a while to track them all down.

You definitely need to keep the real certificates...

DS1 needed original certificates for job interviews. As I had lost the magic certificate file and couldn't find them it cost me roughly £120 to replace them (£40 x 3 exam boards).

Which is why I'm happy to wait to collect DS2s rather than risk them getting lost in the post.

DH also needed his original degree certificate when applying for a Masters, which again was easier said than done as he went to UMIST which no longer exists.

Finally, many years ago when I turned up for my graduate job with a large accountancy firm we all had to take original certificates with us on the first day. A couple of people were sacked there and then for lying about GCSE results . Completely right but it was a real scandal at the time!

For the first time ever I struggle to remember which subjects got which grades at GCSE. They were so important at the time I thought they would be etched in my head forever.
My disastrous A Level results will though .

One tip for certificates (too late now for GCSE but relevant for A levels etc) is to get your DC to enroll for their exams with the name that matches their birth certificate (so John Adam Smith, not John Smith). I changed firms about 2 years ago and discovered that lots of reference checking is outsourced to third parties by many companies. So even if the discrepancy can be easily explained it is more difficult to resolve than it should be. The drama was unbelievable. If you end up in a regulated job (eg solicitor, accountant) it can also be an issue when you first apply for practising certificates. Invariably you can sort it out but it does save time and effort to have everything in exact same name.

@Horace123 do you think they usually put the "known as" name on or full name? For example if the dc was known as Alfie at school but was really an Alfred. I wonder what goes on the certificate.

@icanbewhatiwant At my DS's school for GCSE they got the DC to fill out what name should appear. I made sure my DS put full name but others did what they are known as, just first name and surname. I don't think it's legal thing - just making it easier going forwards. Especially as proving identity these days is much more a thing than when we were younger.

@icanbewhatiwant - with DS1, the full name went on the certificates.

@Horace123 @20Newnames thanks. Something to think about with dc3 (year7) He's the only one with a name that is shortened. None of mine have middle names. I wish I'd known in advance I would have 3 boys as dh has 2 middle names. So the 3 boys could have had one of his 3 names each as a middle name.

Ds2 has been to school this afternoon for his covid test. I wanted him to drive the car. He said no it's boring and tried to get in my car. But I took his car. I drove there, there are lots of new roadworks by the school. So I drove out from those on the way home, then pulled into a lay-by and told ds to drive home. He did, reluctantly. I think he quite enjoys it really. But says it's boring and he'd rather look on his phone.

Slightly concerned now about what name is on DD’s certificates. I let her fill in the secondary school application form 6 years ago and she asked (with a smile) if she could put Jedi in for religion!

@Zandathepanda

Slightly concerned now about what name is on DD’s certificates. I let her fill in the secondary school application form 6 years ago and she asked (with a smile) if she could put Jedi in for religion!

Took DS for LFT today, all clear. He's not that bothered about going back on Monday but did cheer up when he saw the tennis nets had been put on.

DD also got the 'all clear' with her LFT today. And we've had a very positive parents evening.

Some hints from some teachers on provisional predicted grades and they were very encouraging. Her school issue 'provisional predicteds' in the spring before reviewing to 'predicteds' after the end of year exams.

Sounds like a very good day SandyB. Well done your DD.

If any of you dc need to wear a suit for school get them to try it on now - Ds had just discovered that his no longer fits after 2 months of inactivity- have had to order another one

I've just taken DDs to the dry cleaners - never thought to try them on! I think she may have actually lost weight this time though. Still need to find her school shoes...

I had forgotten we (the rest of the household) also had a part to play on the twice weekly LFT testing strategy. 2 boxes dutifully picked up this evening.

I made ds's try on school clothes last week to check they still fitted.

Received my pack of covid testing this morning. Year 12 actually have tests in school this Monday and Thursday.
But I have Ds1, so when received the email yesterday clicked on, willing to go and pick up, but the choices were really poor, so I chose to get them delivered. Is that cheeky? I felt guilty for asking for them to be delivered. But to go 15 miles north, or 15 miles south to 2 places that are a pain to get to? Every week for the next ..... how many weeks will this go on for?

DD drove to school yesterday for her test - we decided it was an essential journey so she could use it for practice!

Picking up a suit from the dry cleaners today, I put it in two weeks ago and completely forgot!

DS having his first test on Monday and another week to wait until they are both back in school. I'm very jealous of those who are back in on Monday.

DS2 (yr10) has been into school twice this week for testing and will go again on Monday before starting back full time on Tuesday however DS1 at college, goes back on Monday full time and has his first test Monday afternoon so has lessons beforehand?! I’m very surprised at this.
I don’t know if it’s because they only have half the cohort in college one week and the other half the next week (they have done this since September) so they are able to be sat one per desk in the classrooms but it sounds a bit risky to me that most of them will be attending lessons before they’ve been tested!

@Fiddlersgreen All schools here are allowing them back only after a negative test. Ds had his on Thursday, will go back on Monday

That's against guidelines fiddlers, definitely, for schools but it might eb different for colleges.

DS's school is not having them back until all of them have taken their three tests.