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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSE Results next week- making it special

31 replies

PurpleDaisy2114 · 05/08/2021 17:51

Hi all-
Just that really. Am planning to get some balloons and want to mark the day. Have ordered a personalised card. Have suggested a meal...
Not much interest however from DS!
What are toners doing??

OP posts:
54321nought · 05/08/2021 17:53

Balloons may not be a good idea, if the news is bad

54321nought · 05/08/2021 17:54

I would suggest a small gift, BEFORE results come out, with a note saying you are proud of him, whatever the outcome. ( if you are proud, that is!)

PotteringAlong · 05/08/2021 17:56

You need to be very very confident of results before you start bunging balloons up…

Original poster
PurpleDaisy2114 · 05/08/2021 17:57

That's a nice idea 54321
Fair point about balloons. I could stick them in the cupboard ready...

OP posts:
UncomfortableSilence · 05/08/2021 17:58

I've got DD a small gift and a card, she's had a very tough year so we are giving it to her the day before and reminding her whatever the results were incredibly proud of her.

I have booked a table for dinner that night which can be changed if she doesn't fancy it!

MydogWillow · 05/08/2021 18:04

Don't want to put a downer on it but what if his results aren't as expected? This big build-up might not be a good thing? I'm sure you mean well but he's probably a bit nervous without the added expectation?

My DS will probably spend time with his friends. He wouldn't be interested either Smile

Pythonesque · 05/08/2021 18:06

Ooh that's a thought. DD has A level results due on Tuesday; but is overseas starting a gap year and unfortunately in (covid quarantine) isolation till 24 hours after she'll get her results. She's getting lots of phone chats with us and with more local relatives, but I'm sure she'd appreciate something being delivered - on the day would mean she had it in advance of viewing results early evening in her time zone.

MydogWillow · 05/08/2021 18:15

@PurpleDaisy2114

That's a nice idea 54321 Fair point about balloons. I could stick them in the cupboard ready...
Perfect.
TeenMinusTests · 05/08/2021 18:44

I think DC won't want to plan anything until they have the results in their hands.
We didn't plan anything 6 years ago for DD1, but went on an impromptu shopping trip plus meal in evening.
This year I'm anticipating a take away as DD2 won't want to go out. We'll be proud whatever as she couldn't have done more than she managed, at one point it looked like she wouldn't be able to sit anything at all.

clary · 05/08/2021 18:47

Balloons are a bad idea if you mean helium balloons - landfill and waste of a valuable resource.

DS2 gets his A level results on Tues and is going out (either way!) as of course they are pretty much all 18 (one friend is 18 on results day!).

We will go out for a family meal during the week I think.

Hoppinggreen · 05/08/2021 18:51

I have taken the day off work and so has DDs BFs mum.
Once they get their results we are all going for lunch. No card or pressie

Original poster
PurpleDaisy2114 · 05/08/2021 20:48

Mixed responses- thanks. Yes I was thinking helium, it's a pretty one off occasion

OP posts:
LEMtheoriginal · 05/08/2021 21:04

We are all on annual leave, offered DD a lift to school. Have been told in no uncertain terms that we are not to take dd into school and that she just wants to go get results and enrol for 6th form.

It is by no means a foregone conclusion so i am a little anxious. She's worked so hard and deserves a place but is dyslexic and despite doing amazingly well with support in place she may just miss the grades, so were on tenterhooks.

54321nought · 06/08/2021 09:33

I am surprised anyone is going in to school for this. Its all online around here

TeenMinusTests · 06/08/2021 09:44

@54321nought

I am surprised anyone is going in to school for this. Its all online around here
But why is it all online?

The country is meant to have opened up.
People can go to football matches etc etc.
Why shouldn't the pupils be able to go in, be congratulated by staff, celebrate with their friends, have that experience?
(Especially as so many missed out on leavers assemblies and proms.)

Justbetweenus · 06/08/2021 09:47

Online here too which I think is a shame - yet another experience they miss out on.

MydogWillow · 06/08/2021 10:22

In person collection here but staggered times alphabetically. The teachers are on hand for support and to help with 6th form/college questions.

SeasonFinale · 06/08/2021 10:53

Ours have been online for a jumper of years pre dating covid as there is no need to come in to collect a piece of paper which can easily be emailed. It never stops the kids meeting up to have fun and celebrate. It also means that those who get a shock result get it privately. The school is still available for support by phone or even may ask those who want to to come in for support. It also means they get them as soon as the embargo is opened.

SeasonFinale · 06/08/2021 10:53

*jumper = number!!

MintyCedric · 06/08/2021 11:01

I'm hoping to make it really special for DD as she's had a bloody awful 18 months with Covid, my dad being terminally ill and then passing away halfway through exam fortnight and her dad's usual thoughtless bullshittery (he's off on holiday on Monday...could've changed his plans as camping but cba Angry).

So...we're off to get her results mid morning, then I've booked a table at her favourite Italian restaurant for lunch. My mum is meeting us there then we'll go back to hers and I'm making a special cake for her and probably a few balloons.

I've bought her a bracelet that she's wanted for over a year...she won't get much for her birthday next month but it means she'll be able to wear it to her prom.

Her Godmother who we haven't seen for four years is coming to stay for the weekend so we're going out for brunch with her and her other two godmothers on Sunday.

MydogWillow · 06/08/2021 11:12

@MintyCedric

I'm hoping to make it really special for DD as she's had a bloody awful 18 months with Covid, my dad being terminally ill and then passing away halfway through exam fortnight and her dad's usual thoughtless bullshittery (he's off on holiday on Monday...could've changed his plans as camping but cba Angry).

So...we're off to get her results mid morning, then I've booked a table at her favourite Italian restaurant for lunch. My mum is meeting us there then we'll go back to hers and I'm making a special cake for her and probably a few balloons.

I've bought her a bracelet that she's wanted for over a year...she won't get much for her birthday next month but it means she'll be able to wear it to her prom.

Her Godmother who we haven't seen for four years is coming to stay for the weekend so we're going out for brunch with her and her other two godmothers on Sunday.

Sorry to hear of your loss. What an awful time.

Your plans sound wonderful.

Abraxan · 06/08/2021 11:22

@54321nought

I would suggest a small gift, BEFORE results come out, with a note saying you are proud of him, whatever the outcome. ( if you are proud, that is!)
We did this when Dd did GCSEs 3 years ago.

We celebrated before results day. We wanted to celebrate and reward DD's effort and hard work, rather than the grades.

Obviously when she got her grades we said well done. We went out for a nice meal as a family - but would have done so regardless of grades.

Abraxan · 06/08/2021 11:25

@Justbetweenus

Online here too which I think is a shame - yet another experience they miss out on.
Many students prefer it all online in my experience anyway.

Results day in person can be a real challenge for some students, especially for those not getting expected top grades,

Our experience of A levels last year was that they all met up afterwards anyway - just not at school.

Maybe the way forward could be to offer both options.

MintyCedric · 06/08/2021 11:57

Thank you @MydogWillow.

Tbh after I posted I thought I'd probably come back to pile on saying I was being over the top.

It's probably a bit indulgent but she's my only my one and has had to fend for herself a lot over the last 18 months so if I can't do it now 🤷‍♀️

We've been given predicted grades and advised that short of a catastrophe they are likely to be accurate or higher so hoping we won't have any surprises. DD has worked her arse off and deserves to do well.

TammyTwoSwanson · 06/08/2021 12:13

Ds struggled with his work - he has ASD but got no support from school (a whole other rant I won't bore you with!). He worked so hard for his exams, and it wasn't easy. It wasn't easy for any of the kids this year as they missed so much school due to covid.

We are going to give him a gift before his results. He really wants a computer that's being released in December (he's pre ordered it and is hoping he saves enough by the time he has to pay for it!) So we will probably give him some money towards that.

We don't actually know if he'll get the results he needs. He needs one subject to be higher than his predicted grades to get into his first choice sixth form. It could go either way! We will go out for lunch too, to celebrate the end of his exams and the next chapter! Am trying to put the emphasis on the effort and time spent, and not on exam grades.