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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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

986 replies

Monkey2001 · 20/06/2021 11:24

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

OP posts:
Alsoplayspiccolo · 14/07/2021 09:45

FedNlanders, my friend’s daughter has just got Es in her end of years too.
She’s also autistic and has ADHD, and her teachers have said it isn’t a lack of knowledge, more a lack of essay writing skills. They seem confident this will improve with help, so don’t lose hope.

With regards to Monkey’s suggestion of harsh marking, most of DD’s class got Ds for geography (including her, despite being given Bs all year), but when I looked at previous grade boundaries, she would have got a low B/high C, so not sure what the teacher was using for grades.

Oblomov21 · 14/07/2021 10:52

New thread?

FedNlanders · 14/07/2021 10:53

@Alsoplayspiccolo

FedNlanders, my friend’s daughter has just got Es in her end of years too. She’s also autistic and has ADHD, and her teachers have said it isn’t a lack of knowledge, more a lack of essay writing skills. They seem confident this will improve with help, so don’t lose hope.

With regards to Monkey’s suggestion of harsh marking, most of DD’s class got Ds for geography (including her, despite being given Bs all year), but when I looked at previous grade boundaries, she would have got a low B/high C, so not sure what the teacher was using for grades.

Hi, yes, he has the exact same comments about essay writing. Something we need to work on. Im not sure if he can redo year 12 at his current sixth form. I will ask. Hard as he is actually youngest I year too! Thanks for helping.
icanbewhatiwant · 14/07/2021 11:22

They still wear masks at ds's school. They can take them off when in their seats and outside. My friend works at the other local secondary, their dc's are wearing masks all day. As far as I know we haven't had any year groups sent home. Ds3 probably wouldn't notice if some of his year weren't there though!

Ds2 should be getting some mock results today. He also now has a summer job. He will be working Monday, Tuesday and weds. So I've had to cancel and move all driving lessons. I don't think I was popular as we are using 2 instructors. The only annoying thing is it's 17 mile drive to the job. Another downside of living in the countryside. I hope he won't have lots of school work to do over the summer.

Zandathepanda · 14/07/2021 11:25

Hello FedNLanders he can go up a grade or two in English Lit by really honing in on what all those AOs are and what % are needed in each question. It can be quite formulaic.

Zebracat · 14/07/2021 11:50

Our holidays began last week.Trying to put some structure into them now. Ours had talked about applying for a volunteer role at a local historical site, but actually hadn’t...so I’ve encouraged that and some reading around her subjects. She needs to apply for a provisional licence too so we can get some lessons booked. I’m still struggling to find the balance between doing everything for them and letting them face natural consequences. We haven’t got an actual holiday booked, just a second long weekend. She needs to arrange when she is going to see her Df,so we cant book anything Until we know. It is quite frustrating. Think I may just book a cottage and she can come with us or not. We have suggested a couple of visits to sites connected to her history syllabus. She wants to bring a friend , which is fine, but then nothing happens. It’s not that she doesn’t want to, either, she loves those sorts of trips, but she just doesn’t get that we need to plan around them. And then when they don’t happen, she blames me!
Oh well, I’ll miss her when she’s gone.

FedNlanders · 14/07/2021 11:56

Zebra, it's difficult isn't it!

crazycrofter · 14/07/2021 12:30

You're doing a great job @zebracat!

Dd has some things arranged already - a week volunteering at a Christian festival in Cornwall, half a week's teen camp and a day at the Reading festival, plus we're going away the last week of the holidays. She will fill the rest of the time with social stuff - I tend to have to book her in in advance if we want to do something social as a family, or visit other family members!

She's having a chat with an OT we know on Sunday (instigated by me, but she agreed to it!) and I'm hoping she might get some work shadowing off the back of it. Or if not, at least she'll have a better idea what it involves. I'm not even mentioning school work! She'll do whatever she has to do.

In terms of how much to do for them, I think it's totally child-specific, depending on their needs. I've never done anything to do with academic work for dd, no nagging re homework, no help, nothing. But she does tend to need emotional support.

Ds on the other hand is incredibly independent in many ways, never asks for lifts - would much rather take 3 or 4 buses on his own! But totally disorganised/clueless/unmotivated when it comes to school work. I've decided to save all the GCSE revision material which is coming through now in advance of his Sept exams and organise a revision schedule for him. I know he needs to learn to organise himself, but I'm hoping sixth form, when he's only doing 3 subjects that he likes, might be the time for that!

Orangecinnamon21 · 14/07/2021 13:15

I'll pop a place holder for a new thread in further Ed @Oblomov21@Monkey2001 and all!

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 14/07/2021 13:15

We have just received GCSE certificates!

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 14/07/2021 13:17

@Monkey2001

Amidst all the covid idiocy, I am pleased to say DS1 passed his driving test. 10 minors, including one going at 38 mph in a 30 zone (🤨), but he passed. I have a theory that they are being a bit less strict than usual because they need to clear the backlog.

Expecting grade sheet for DS2 tomorrow, then assuming they will be sent home to isolate again before the week is up.......

Congratulations to your DS Monkey! great news. Smile
Good luck for grade sheet today.
JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 14/07/2021 13:21

@20newnames those are great grades for your DS, is it possible they moved the grade boundary for the maths exam? DS2 had his end of years and told e grades he'd got, three of them changed (for the worse) by the time his report came out as they had played with the grade boundaries.

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 14/07/2021 13:26

@FedNlanders I'm sorry to hear your DS is struggling with his maths and History, someone said upthread that some exams are quite formulaic in how they expect you to answer questions, my DS has only really discovered this recently and it has helped a lot. He does Biology and while he clearly knew the subject he wasn't doing that well in exams. We started looking at marking schemes to see what they were looking for but also looked at some You Tube channels where they went through exam papers and highlighted bits in the questions which helped to understand how they wanted the question answered (if that makes sense?), I found it quite enlightening and very useful for DS. Perhaps there are some maths ones that similarly break down the question for you.

AndwhenyougetthereFoffsomemore · 14/07/2021 13:27

Congratulations @Monkey2001's ds! And sorry to hear about your ds' struggles @FedNlanders: essay writing is definitely a skill that needs to be learnt and not something that just 'comes'. DS is autistic and has dyslexia, and I was really nervous about him taking an essay based subject at A level: luckily he chose psychology where the essays are shorter and much more formulaic: he's learnt the formula and takes it very serious and it's paid off for him: do you think a teacher at your ds' school would take time to go back over the basics for him ito how to structure an essay/what the markers are looking for? Keeping that in mind could well bump him up quite a bit I'd say?

Orangecinnamon21 · 14/07/2021 13:28

Klaxon....

shiny new thread in new home of further ed board

20newnames · 14/07/2021 14:08

Thanks @JustHereWithMyPopcorn. It is possible they moved the grade boundaries as I know he only just got an A originally, but I thought it was a full set of old A level papers (the school does maths A level in one year, on to further maths next year). He was very adamant that he checked the grade boundaries many times!!

Either way I don't think it's that bad, he is predicted AAAA so that is enough for any application I think. It may even keep him on his toes which is not a bad thing. I think it's easy to become complacent with a good set of predictions and forget that his school base them 'on a good day'.

ealingwestmum · 14/07/2021 14:39

Congratulations to your boy on passing DT Monkey!

AnneOfCleavage · 14/07/2021 14:53

Well done to mini Monkey on passing his driving test. I got a minor for doing 32 in a 30 zone so v surprised at 38. I think they are being extra lenient to clear the backlog but they wouldn't have passed him if they were unsure of his ability so well done to him.

DD got a D in her sociology mock (was 1 mark off a C) so was very disappointed as got a high C in Easter mocks. She'd like a tutor over the summer to help with exam question prep as she missed crucial terms apparently. It was a mock her teacher had written and she is a harsh marker but it's not consoling DD. Not had the other two results yet as she has those lessons tomorrow and Friday.

DD's work experience has fallen through for next week so she's had to sign up to doing some more volunteering at a COVID hub. School have asked that the hub provide proof they have adequate insurance in place but as DD had volunteered there previously I think it's ott. She's done the training and done a few shifts already so knows what she's doing. Guess school have a tick list to check off but she's now 17 so seems a bit keen.
We officially break up next week but DD obv doing w/ex so this Friday is her last day. She has her birthday party this Friday so can celebrate the end of term at same time. Need to mow the lawn but it's boiling out there so will wait til this evening. Summer weather is finally here.

Decorhate · 14/07/2021 15:20

Ds has decided to drop Further Maths after getting his end of term report this week. I always thought he was a more natural mathematician than his siblings but his FM marks have consistently been lower than his other subjects.

I suspect he may have made the decision before his last set of exams going by the grade achieved...

Hopefully it won’t make a difference to his uni applications.

stoneysongs · 14/07/2021 15:39

I’m still struggling to find the balance between doing everything for them and letting them face natural consequences.

Hear hear, with bells on Confused

Decorhate · 14/07/2021 15:54

@singingstones I had been trying to persuade my older son to sort out some driving lessons (they were supposed to be for his birthday 2 years ago!) He only realised that I was right when he found he could not apply for some placement jobs because he did not have his licence Hmm

JustHereWithMyPopcorn · 14/07/2021 16:02

@singingstones

I’m still struggling to find the balance between doing everything for them and letting them face natural consequences.

Hear hear, with bells on Confused

Yep, same here. DS has some more tests at the beginning of this week and his motivation is zero. Part of me thought just let him get the bad grade if he doesn't revise but the other part of me was yelling 'but a good mark could help improve his predicted grade!' so unfortunately I went into moaning mum mode. DH and I keep discussing that he won't have anyone to do this for him when he's at uni so he really needs to learn to self motivate.
Monkey2001 · 14/07/2021 16:07

@Decorhate sounds like my DS. To be fair to him, he was hoping to pass his driving test in his gap year, but Covid happened. He would not have done anything about driving if I had not sorted it all out for him. I worry about his lack of life skills.

@anneofcleavage the last thing this lot needs is harsh marking, hope she can see the result in context. I really hope the boards don't cut off the generous grades in our year.

DS2 grade sheet in. Exam grades A,A,A, predicted grades A,A,A-. Not sure why PE was A for exam and A- prediction, but suspect it is due to NEA and the fact that his teachers have never seem him play rugby so can't assess. However, as school has an optimistic prediction policy, his UCAS predictions will be at least AAA, which is what he needs.Smile

OP posts:
FedNlanders · 14/07/2021 16:29

My sons grade sheet just came in with predicted CCD (English language, politics and History) I don't think it is as bad as he feels it is but I understand his frustration. This is a boy I was once told would never speak and he never did SATS or anything as was told he would never pass! So I am delighted for him to get this far, but his effort does not feel like he is being rewarded. (His words).

The YouTube videos for essays is a wonderful idea. Thanks. I will definitely give that a shot with him.. He does seem to have picked very essay based subjects!

Well done everyone on exam results.

stoneysongs · 14/07/2021 16:36

[quote Decorhate]@singingstones I had been trying to persuade my older son to sort out some driving lessons (they were supposed to be for his birthday 2 years ago!) He only realised that I was right when he found he could not apply for some placement jobs because he did not have his licence Hmm[/quote]
Snap - DS was 17 in January and I took a stand and said, I'm not applying for a licence, you can do this one yourself. He hasn't 🤦‍♀️
His friends are just beginning to pass their tests though, so hoping that might make a difference 🤞