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

I've booked dd in for the 14th by herself but then discovered that the price of Bath hotels is extortionate. So I might change it and book myself an extra room. My sister has said I can stay in Bristol in her house if required. I guess if we accompanied them they don't have to stick to us - do they?

@AnneOfCleavage we did an actual campus tour of Winchester at half term but there were no talks or academic staff to speak to. I'm not sure if we booked last weeks one or not now, but we did Reading (virtual) and Royal Holloway (visit) last weekend so a bit uni'd out after that.

for your DD Seeline!

I’ve just booked Nottingham campus visit for DS for next week. I asked what others he wanted to look at and the answer was ‘none’.
I asked what other unis were on his list, he said ‘none’.

What did you think of Winchester EversoDelighted? The virtual tour showed some newly built buildings and it looks like it has a nightclub in the basement. Very modern and fresh. Will be interesting to see it in the flesh. It's one of DD's top contenders. I think it will only be a quick visit as she has mocks starting Monday 5th so wants the weekend to revise.

We really liked it Anne. It's a very small university - the new buildings are across the road from the older part of the campus and the local hospital is in between. It's on a steep hill and close to the city centre which DS liked - it's a lovely city. Also fairly close to the station. But it does mean sports facilities are limited. It's one of DS's top contenders too.

@AnneOfCleavage

What did you think of Winchester EversoDelighted? The virtual tour showed some newly built buildings and it looks like it has a nightclub in the basement. Very modern and fresh. Will be interesting to see it in the flesh. It's one of DD's top contenders. I think it will only be a quick visit as she has mocks starting Monday 5th so wants the weekend to revise.

Winchester is lovely, I went on a campus tour with my Niece last summer - she's starting her teacher training there 2022

We live not too far away too, it's a lovely little city

Yes, we live fairly close to Winchester too, it's commutable at a stretch if DS chose to do so.

@EversoDelighted

We really liked it Anne. It's a very small university - the new buildings are across the road from the older part of the campus and the local hospital is in between. It's on a steep hill and close to the city centre which DS liked - it's a lovely city. Also fairly close to the station. But it does mean sports facilities are limited. It's one of DS's top contenders too.

There's a huge new sports complex either just opened, or about to open in Winchester, worth a look!

Yes, there is a huge new leisure centre, it has opened and is about half an hour walk away I would guess.

But it is a leisure centre rather than lots of playing fields etc. There is a sports ground on campus with an all weather pitch and a couple of tennis courts plus gym and a sports hall. Just perhaps not as much as some of the bigger unis.

Ah possibly, my Niece is about as unsporty as they come

DS on the other hand - sports facilities are top priority!

The Bath thing sounds great, but you may be interested in looking at Universityrooms to plan your own mini break stay in university accommodation. We stayed at Leeds Uni for an open day in 2018 and it was great. I just looked and there was availability in several Oxbridge colleges, Leeds, York and Nottingham. www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/city/nottingham/college/newarkhall

Whoops, I linked one which was not available, here is Christ's Cambridge www.universityrooms.com/en-GB/vendor/christscambridge

Thanks everyone for your comments 🙂

@icanbewhatiwant we looked into degree apprenticeships for my DS. The school recommends twin tracking with a uni application, as the apprenticeship route finishes much later in the year.

There is no one place to look for position s which complicates things but the giv.uk site is a good starting point. Make sure they are actual degree apprenticeships rather than degree level - those you don't actually get a degree at the end which rather ties you to staying within that sector in the future.

They are usually highly competitive, sometimes require higher grades than the equivalent straight degree. They involve the usual job interviews etc.

You need to be highly organised because they will all have different closing dates etc

You don't get to choose which uni provides the teaching element, or how it is provided. It could be all online, you could attend uni a day a week, it could be done in blocks.

From the limited experience we had before giving up on the process, you just had standard work terms - so no accommodation provided, standard annual leave entitlement but of course a salary and fees paid.

From memory, jobs should be beginning to be advertised for next September round about now.

Sorry - gov.uk, not giv 😁

HSBC does degree apprenticeships, as does Dyson. Massively competitive.

I think PwC’s flying start degree apprenticeship is worth a look - you can do finance/IT and you actually go to Uni as normal, fees paid and then paid holiday work with PwC. That’s from memory but when I looked I thought it sounded amazing. No doubt very competitive though!

@Heifer I think your Dc was interested in biology + hockey? We did the York Uni virtual session today and DS thought it was quite useful. They said all the right things about placements, study abroad and options to upgrade to a masters after year 2. It's repeated tomorrow.

Ah thanks EversoDelighted and BlahBlahBlah321 it sounds great. DD should be starting 2022 but is seriously thinking of deferring as would love a gap year to give her brain a rest. She's wanting to do teacher training too and heard from so many people that Winchester is the place to go. DD not sporty either but does love to dance, sing and is into drama too and they have dance studios and a chance to get involved in theatre shows etc.
Has your niece been assigned either Burma or Queens for her room allocation BlahBlah? Think they said those were the two closest to the teacher training lecture halls on campus.

Thanks @crazycrofter and @Piggywaspushed.
I'd be all for her having a year out ...not sure she'd ever leave then though...

I'd heard York was so good but part of the problem is distance ...she does not want to be too far.

We hopped on the train to Southampton this morning just to have a look round campus , she liked how pretty it was. The city itself is well known to her as our nearest 'big' shopping centre so no surprises there. She did say it didn't thrill her like Cardiff did. By the time we left campus, got bus to train station then arrived home it was nearly two hours in all. Yes she can be picked up and that's half an hours drive ish but she is talking about the freedom to come home when she feels sad.

I just think she is worrying unnecessarily so far in advance. Boyfriend deciding he not so obsessed with her that he will follow her anymore doesn't help.

I just keep saying that final decisions don't have to be made for a while yet..and trying not to force opinions

The freedom to come home when you want or need shouldn't be underestimated . Covid threw this into relief for me. If DS1 had gone to Aberystwyth he would have been so far away in emergency need and , before covid, I couldn't really visualise him needing /wanting his mummy (he still doesn't). Where is he is an annoying two train changes but an easy journey really and that makes a big difference I think.

DS2 being interested in Edinburgh makes me jittery but GPs are in Melrose at least.

We looked through some uni modules today . I think it is sinking in how big the decisions are.

@Piggywaspushed

The freedom to come home when you want or need shouldn't be underestimated . Covid threw this into relief for me. If DS1 had gone to Aberystwyth he would have been so far away in emergency need and , before covid, I couldn't really visualise him needing /wanting his mummy (he still doesn't). Where is he is an annoying two train changes but an easy journey really and that makes a big difference I think.

DS2 being interested in Edinburgh makes me jittery but GPs are in Melrose at least.

We looked through some uni modules today . I think it is sinking in how big the decisions are.

This is true. From a selfish point of view it did cross my mind how it would be nice to still meet up for lunches etc easily.

I'm going to have to stop worrying about her worrying, about her worrying aren't I

It was a lovely peaceful day on the Southampton campus though and the rain held off.

They are doing tours if anyone else is interested. They even offered to fit us in today if we wanted. I only went to get a campus map off them. There were also plenty of local people walking dogs on campus which is generally delightful.

Aw, it’s so hard isn’t it, knowing what’s best for them. We’re planning to move next summer - still within the midlands - and from the new place it will be a fairly straightforward two hour drive (or direct train) to Southampton. Dd had been not too worried about distance, and is still keen to check out Plymouth, but I think when we drove back from Southampton the other day it hit her how far even that is (we did hit bad traffic). I also reminded her that she’s very sociable but she gets anxious and she might find it tough being around friends 24/7. She admitted that yes, she might appreciate the odd weekend at home, to decompress.

Dd hasn’t arranged any visits 😬😬, she has a few unis on her lists of possibilities

Oxford
Exeter (first choice)
Bath spa
Southampton

The only one she has visited is Oxford but I think her getting a place is unlikely.

If anyone has any info on the best unis for someone with disabilities and autism i would be grateful, I’m petrified of dd going and not being able to cope physically rather than emotionally.