Corona Cohort Y12 into Y13, braving the storm of the third wave

[Monkey2001]

Supportive thread for parents of Y12 students going into Y13.

Previous thread - www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/4240252-Thread-16-Corona-Cohort-Year-12-2021-Zooming-through-Summer-Term

@Monkey2001
Thanks for the new thread.

As for English and reading....Ds1 has always loved reading. He always has a book on the go. He would have done english A level but his teacher really didn't like him for some reason. She was new at the end of year 9 and moved him down 2 sets. Then he had her for the 2 gcse years too. She predicted a 5 on all his reports. I thought it was odd as he'd been in top set the previous 2 years and was predicted higher. She told him not long before GCSEs that he'll be lucky to scrape a 5. He wanted to stay on at 6th form so was worried. Anyway...he got a 7. I think if he'd stayed in top set he may have had a better grade. But a 7 is still great. But he might have taken a different path. He always said he wishes he'd done A level english. He's now doing biology at university.

Ds2 used to read at primary school. Now he won't read unless he has to. Ds3 (year 7) really hates reading too. We have so many good books that my oldest read. But they just aren't interested. It's quite sad really, they'd rather be gaming. Ds3 (who some of you might remember we struggle with) actually has very little interest in anything, no matter how hard I try to encourage clubs, hobbies etc he just says no. He's just had end of year 7 tests and is in top quintile for STEM subjects. So he's doing well at school even if I find him difficult at home.

Thanks for the new thread @Monkey2001

My two don’t read anymore either. DS1 used to love reading but hasn’t read a book in years. Both would rather be gaming.
DS1 is taking English Language A level

I think also reading isn't done just because any more at school. Even at a young age, they read extracts and analyse tediously.(unless you like analysing like me!)

The joys of childhood listening to a teacher reading a book aloud for a calming afternoon went , sadly, with SATs etc.

I spent a whole lesson reading (and discussing) to a class the other day lack of planning!- and it was so much better than I thought it would be.

Thanks for new thread monkey!

Blimey, how are we on another thread already? I was only gone for a few days!

Congratulations to all the music exams and others doing so well. It is also refreshing to hear from those who are not all A* students. DS's school often makes me think that him getting a B is the end of the world.

DS used to be a very strong reader up to about yr 9 or 10 and then social media/gaming/you tube took over. He is doing Eng Lit and enjoys it but something that is hugely off putting for him is having to read Chaucer, he hates it and can't actually 'read' it, he just doesn't see the relevance and wishes he could be looking at a modern text. It's nice that his school has about 25 boys that take Eng Lit (even though over 100 take maths!) I think they do need to do more to make it appeal to this younger generation. We have such a wealth of fantastic writers to choose from I am not sure why we can't update the syllabus a bit to engage students in the joy of literature. Or it might just be his school have picked the least exciting books...

Thanks for the new thread @Monkey2001.

English - its been both my DCs worst subject at GCSE. DS managed a shock 5 last year and never even considered for a moment taking it at A level.

DD (y10) is a big reader but finds the books they are set extremely tedious (having listened to the audio of Cider with Rosie with her in the car on a long trip a couple of years ago I can see where she's coming from). This summer they've got Pride and Prejudice and she's rolling her eyes again, she likes adventure and fantasy not period books. She too is not considering it for A level although it would work with her other choices. It is her worst predicted grade so fair enough. I do think its a shame though.

Thanks for new thread, Monkey.

Not sure what I think about online interviews...

Well, I do know what I think, I think, “Will this disadvantage or advantage MY child?”

@KingscoteStaff

Well, I do know what I think, I think, “Will this disadvantage or advantage MY child?”

That is a natural thought when you have a child affected. What it should mean for some, particularly medicine and Oxbridge, is that admissions tests might be more important than usual.

A friend in Wales who is a passionate and talented physicist did not get a Cambridge offer and the feedback was that his admissions test was weak. Yes, it probably was not in the top 25%, but he had NO support from school and his parents were unable to help him. He loves Physics, has been reading fairly heavy physics books for pleasure for years and is exactly the sort of student Oxbridge want. He has been told his grades as he is in Wales and got 4 x A* and A for Welsh bac, so really is exceptionally bright. DH did a mock interview for him and was very impressed, we think he would have got an offer if they had met him.

So if you are considering Oxbridge, your DC need to really excel in the admissions if interviews are on line again.

I think medicine people know that we are all expecting more applicants than ever and that the UCAT/BMAT scores required for interview will probably therefore be high again at most universities.

Thanks for the shiny new thread Monkey

DD has never been a big reader and the only time she really got into a series was when the Diary of a Wimpy Kid and Dork Diaries came out and she gobbled through them. She actually still loves us to read to her so we still do at times especially if she's not feeling well.

Booked an open day at Sussex early Oct so we've just squeaked that in as DD has to get her application in to her school by Oct 15th. Super early and it's not because she's doing medicine, it's just what her school have requested. Have one at Winchester booked early next month so hope it still goes ahead as it was booked before last weeks' 4 week extra regulations kicked in.

So weird as parents of last years' year 12 cohort were saying how unlucky their DC were not having open days and having online interviews etc and saying how lucky we were as our DC wouldn't go through that and yet it's still happening and still will for some time. Who would have guessed we would be where we are now this time last year.

It's amazing the 18+ are getting their vaccines now so we are doing brilliantly there but I do feel for the older generations who haven't had theirs in other Countries

Dd also used to read a lot at primary and then a bit in early secondary when she went through the Maze Runner/Twilight books but not in the last two or three years. Ds has never been much of a reader.

We've got the Winchester one booked as well @AnneOfCleavage, hoping it goes ahead as it is high up DS's list of choices. We did the campus tour at half term.

@Monkey2001 Thanks for the shiny new thread .

Thanks for the new thread!

Re English - my DD has always loved English and was good at it. Still always had a book on the go. Both she and DS were out off by thoroughly uninspiring teachers, boring texts and not being allowed to have any original ideas. They were told what they had to think the author meant rather than actually being allowed to come up with their own suggestions etc

I can't remember who was interested in architecture, but if they are at a state school, this work experience might be interesting - www.s4snextgen.org/Opportunities/View/id/1828

It's my DD @Monkey that wants to apply for architecture . That sounds such a brilliant opportunity for a potential student. Unfortunately DD isn't in a state school so I'm guessing that renders her ineligible ☹️

@Seeline

Thanks for the new thread!

Re English - my DD has always loved English and was good at it. Still always had a book on the go. Both she and DS were out off by thoroughly uninspiring teachers, boring texts and not being allowed to have any original ideas. They were told what they had to think the author meant rather than actually being allowed to come up with their own suggestions etc

That's sad but I do think that has become a problem in all subjects.

The main issue with the kids I teach seems to be that they expect and want to be told what to think and what to write and don't actually want the open endedness of English.

I think I am quite an old-school teacher though! or just old

Drama, history, English, PE, graphics - all once very popular, all dropped in numbers at my school at A Level and at GCSE for the first two.

I am amazed at the Chaucer! What board is that?

Thanks for the new thread @Monkey2001. I may be way offline, but I also wonder if the way 'English' is taught in primaries is impacting this cohort. English at primary is SO tediously focused on grammar and fronted adverbials: dd (my Y10) was pleasantly surprised when English at secondary was so much more about books and not about tenses and parts of speech... That said even she (who was a voracious reader) has massively slowed down with her reading - I think the lure of easy content in the form of youtube and tiktoks and all the rest is too much. She had an adorable conversation with her English teacher who is setting up a shakespeare club : but even she - who loves Shakespeare and mythology and is interested in reading classics at uni - doesn't expect to study Eng Lit at A level. Gutting!

DS went to the Royal Holloway open day today (more because it was local than because it is of real interest tbh): he was very impressed by the main building and the laid back relaxed atmosphere .... and the board games club! But less so by the course (comp sci) - which is good news I think, as he's starting to get more of a sense of what he does and doesn't want...

I do agree that the Eng lit content needs some updating. I really love the dc's poetry choices ( a mixed bag of contemporary and older stuff) and Shakespeare works for my two, but there are just too many dead white men on the reading list still. (And I'm amazed at anyone choosing Chaucer for anything below A level: just why?!?! Your poor son, @JustHereWithMyPopcorn! I learnt to read Chaucer at uni, even then didn't love it. And honestly, I'm not convinced it's that key to the canon/future lit development - unlike Shakespeare, or Thomas Hardy, or Mary Shelley for example)

Thanks for the new thread. I'm just wondering how many of these last few weeks we will get through without the whole year being sent home.

Christopher yes I was thinking that too!

Thanks for new thread. Interesting that there may be more online interviews. Not sure that would be great for DS.

DS was another whose English GCSE results were out of kilter with all other subjects. I look squarely at the teacher (not all teachers Piggy!) for reasons I won't bore you with. I loved English Lit A level and persist in trying to get DS to read for pleasure. A recent success was Harlan Coben's YA series.

Thanks for the new thread.

We went to Southampton on Friday ... in the pouring rain. They did an accommodation and campus open day. Really lovely campus. DD now firmly getting her heart set on it.

Desperate to get to end of year without isolation...gah.

@AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore we went to Royal Holloway yesterday too, also for us because its fairly close to home. Main building is wow, DS liked the feel of the campus overall and the people we spoke to were very friendly and helpful.