Current Year 11 2021/2022 support thread pt II

[StColumbofNavron]

Thread for those with Y10s finishing July 2021 ready for Y11 in Sept 2021.

All welcome.

New term info came today

No bubbles
No masks in classrooms but still worn in corridors and public area and on school transport
Still no changing rooms, so wear PE kit on PE day
Clubs back to normal
Lunch in the dining room all together
Sport fixtures, concerts and performances all back on

Unless DD decides on some shoes, she won’t be going back at all though.

Can I just sneak in here? DD2 started back in year 11 today.

Her school set work over the summer and she did all of it apart from the English because that wasn’t sent home or published on the Google Classroom and she was ill during the last week of term with a throat infection.
She had emailed her English teacher during the holidays and she got one sheet yesterday which she did. She has triple English today and was a bit nervous that she hadn’t done all the work but I’ve said I’m willing to go into bat for her if it’s a problem. I’m sure it will be all fine, they know she is a diligent student.

I bought all the revision guides in the summer, she just needs to actually use them now.

Of course you can sneak in @MrsPnut welcome! We're a friendly bunch!

DS back to school today, said they didn't have any lessons just all day talking about GCSEs and post 16 pathways, think he found it fairly boring. He forgot his mask but said he didn't need to wear it. They said at the end of last term they would be doing assessments at the beginning of term to see where extra support might be needed so expect those will be coming up soon.

Just been looking up other sixth form open evenings (we have one tomorrow) and need to get booking! He's not very keen on the smaller options (I know they don't always run all the A level options depending on numbers and he is planning on doing further maths) so there are two main ones which are really big (one of which is the one we are seeing tomorrow afternoon.)

DD went to one open day today for 6th form and has been to another but isn't sure between two - she wants to do maths and FM and both offer it though the one she went to today has increased requirements to 8 in maths and 8 in all the sciences and she is worried she won't get that in biology. I've be very surprised if they really wouldn't let her do maths and FM as she is so strong at them but we will see. Other option is also fine and much smaller class sizes.

She has been out with friends all afternoon and back just for testing on Monday and school on Wed assuming negative. DS back Monday. Just came back from holiday today. Had a lovely time but now sorting out DS's EHCP and schools and finishing cleaning downstairs so back to reality. Get all the pets back tomorrow, silkies, cat and rabbit.

Thanks, I've just been looking at 6th form options and there don't seem to be any in person open evenings around here except the school she is currently at and the college.

DD wants to do Chemistry, Biology, Maths and Art (if she can fit it in) at A level. She wants to study Vet med and most of the 6th forms round here do those A levels.

DS1 has gone from not discussing it at all to suddenly spending all day yesterday looking at Sixth Form and universities. All of the Sixth Forms seem to have their Open Evenings in November around here. He has plenty of time to think it through but the only subject he is sure on is History, but is disappointed with all of the offers as he says almost all are a rehashing of things he has already covered and he wants to do more non-British history. I remember feeling the same at A level but I think he just has to get through then will have more choice at uni.

The problem is he is only interested in certain things so won't entertain any creative or slightly off tangent subjects and it is looking like he will end up with some combination of History, Classical Civilisation, Politics, Sociology or perhaps Spanish. I actually think he should do Spanish as although still requiring essays it might break it up a bit.

He has just suddenly got very organised.

We've got secondary to look at for DS3 too so a busy old time.

I think the system is that they can hold offers from multiple places and don't have to decide until results day. Still haven't managed to book any other open days, need to get on with that.

He really liked the one we saw on Saturday but their listed requirements are very high. The maths teacher we spoke to did say they were trying to adjust things as they don't want to miss out on people who are extremely good at maths but weak in English (that will be DS then!) They are also changing the way they teach the further maths course (they call it double maths) as they have historically had a lot of people take it and then drop down to single so she said they were keen to find people who definitely wanted to complete the course (again this will suit DS). Hopefully his desire to go there will motivate him to work hard!

I'm going to try and contact school again at some point this week about him dropping French, they seem very inflexible despite his SEN. He got a 2 in the yr10 exams but they have predicted him a 4, I don't see how he could get a 4 given he has no interest in it and is doing zero work! Having talked with DS he is willing to do some self study for GCSE statistics so might ask if they will let him do that in French lessons (they don't normally offer it), even if they don't anything he learns will be useful for A level.

DD said at open day she asked about the very high listing for maths and FM which said 8s in maths and all the sciences and maths was we didn't set that and don't agree with it and we want to accept applications from people good at maths but cannot guarantee won't be overruled. They said to DD 3/5ths of people drop out of double maths so criteria has been increased to try and stop them starting. But requiring a 8 in biology seems crazy. Glad it seemed crazy to maths department as well.

How weird wanting an 8 in biology to study maths .

We have two sixth form colleges to look at in October and his school are doing their sixth form day in December after mock exams.

DS is really not sure what he wants to study but possibly maths and economics. We have parents evening in a few weeks so hopefully get a bit more idea then.

Its a very strange policy, its for further maths, but there is no overlap between the maths in FM and GCSE biology. I think the grade inflation means they have to raise requirements and they don't want to raise the 8 to a 9 for maths but then saying all 3 sciences seems very odd but sounds like its been set by a non-maths SLT member and maths dept were . Some people will be doing FM for Economics and don't need any sciences for that. GCSE physics has some maths overlap but then for DD so does computing and additional maths.

It reminds me of when I went round a Cambridge college as a student and they had a sheet saying for Economics you need maths and FM A levels and I had neither and the Head of Economics said that is rubbish lets just rip this sheet up now and ripped it up. I got in so . Think there is selective applying of rules with these things sometimes.

DS first day back today and lots of homework to get his brain back in gear. He’s thinking Computer Science, Maths, Geography and Business A levels but not definite. His school have a great sixth form so he is planning in staying on. I had a look at the maths requirements and it’s 6 for maths and 7 for further maths (he won’t do further maths). They have to start with 4 A levels but can drop to 3 (my DD did this in the first month of starting sixth form).

No homework here yet (or so he claims) but he did have exams in Biology and French today so I guess they were serious when they said they would test at the beginning of term!

He wants to do Maths, Further Maths, Physics and then is deciding between Chemistry or Computer Science for A levels. He hasn't done CS for GCSE so not sure how much of an issue that would be. I think he needs to try a coding project to see if coding is something he actually enjoys or not.

Glad I've been reading about sixth forms on here as just about registered in time for an open evening today. Ds hoping to stay on at his school, girls join so it will feel different and better for him I hope.

School tonight was a bit over ambitious. I think we need a Plan B that has lower entry requirements, just in case.

Just copied this from another thread about estimated dates for Aqa exams 2022.

go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=www.aqa.org.uk/exams-administration/dates-and-timetables

Sorry, that link didn't work!

I'll try again - link to post.

2022 GCSE dates www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/4286402-2022-GCSE-dates?msgid=110577407#110577407

Does anyone's dc school not set for science and English? Dc has moved class and when I queried it I was told that they don't do sets which I always thought they did.

Thank you @Lightsabre really useful

@SodaWaterTastesOfSadness DD is only set for maths.

Year 8 DS is set for Eng and Maths

Dd is set for maths, english and science, rest are mixed ability.

She is currently on her fourth day in a row tomorrow of parties, one covid test neg, hoping Wednesdays will be too so she can start back, hair is still multi coloured.

She said her average grade at new school is listed as 9 plus but that is as she has only taken 1 exam there.

Computer science A level you should not need GCSE, Its DD said its pretty much all on seneca and quite a lot of maths in it. If you enjoy maths your DS woukd probably like it and good for jobs. Very male dominated at our school, 2 girls, 23 boys.

Thanks for exam dates.

Thanks for the exam dates. For the pp my ds is set for maths but nothing else.

School has started well. Some homework but not loads. Trying to encourage him to work on a subject if he was supposed to have homework but it wasn’t set. He has a chemistry test in a couple of weeks.

@Lightsabre Are those the actual GCSE dates or are they different as they are AQA?
DS is doing AQA Maths - so would he have only that single paper from the AQA timetable and others from a different timetable?

[quote SunflowersInTheShade]@Lightsabre Are those the actual GCSE dates or are they different as they are AQA?
DS is doing AQA Maths - so would he have only that single paper from the AQA timetable and others from a different timetable?[/quote]
They usually coordinate between the different exam boards so maths paper 1 is on the same day whether you sit AQA or Edexcel.

DD is set for Maths, English and science at her school. They do offer a lot of options for GCSE so other classes depend on what options you chose.

She starts extra maths lessons after school from next week until half term. They are trying to work on exam technique etc as well as covering topics that they are not sure on.

Thanks MrsP!