Advice for Year 10 and Year 12 Students during Covid-19
If your Year 10 and Year 12 are heading back to school, here's what to expect. On June 15, up to a quarter of Year 10 and Year, 12 will be allowed "some contact" with teachers to help prepare for exams.
The aim, says the government is to ensure students get face-to-face time with staff before the summer holidays. However, the new guidance shows that in order for schools to adhere to social distancing rules, the number of pupils allowed back will be capped at 25 per cent of normal levels. This means that the remote learning provision will stay in place for some time to come.
If your child is in Year 10 or 12 and you're worried about how they will cope with GCSEs and A-Levels in the 2020-21 school year here's how to help them.
Reassure students it will be fine
The first thing to do is reassure students that they will get all the help and support they need in the next academic year. This is a turbulent time and what's happening with lockdown and school closures will be taken into consideration re GCSEs and A-Levels.
Discussion is now taking place over whether to tailor GCSEs and A-levels in 2021 to recognise that it may not be possible to cover all content in the usual way.
The Office of Qualifications and Examinations Regulation (Ofqual) has pledged that Year 10, and 12 pupils will not be "unfairly disadvantaged" if their 2021 GCSE and A-level performance are hit by the lessons they have missed this year.
Help them cope with work and stress
If your child is stressed and worried about work and the future talk to them about their fears and see what you can do to help. If they are struggling with remote working and motivation, setting up peer study groups via WhatsApp can help.
If the problem is knowledge gaps and understanding a subject tutor is also a great idea to help motivate and steer them. You can also ask for extra support from teachers (remember schools are closed, but teachers are available by phone and email).
If it's anxiety about what happens next and how it will affect them be clear that extra help is likely for those sitting exams in 2021, due to all the content they have missed in this academic year.
Find out what you need to know
As a parent, it can also be a stressful time worrying whether your child will be at a disadvantage next year and beyond. This is where talking to the school will help. Find out:
What your child needs to be doing at home right now.
Which subjects to focus on at home.
What topic areas they should revise and know by the time they return to school in the autumn.
What they can do at home from now until September.
With GCSE students, it's likely to be maths, English, Science, a language, humanities and any subject they want to take at this level. With A-levels, it's more about topic areas and the areas that always come up in examination papers.
Talk about University applications for 2021-22
Right now open days for universities have been cancelled, so it's a very unsettling time for Year 12s. The good news is universities are doing everything they can to help students make the right decision. Even though you can't visit universities right now, there are loads of resources online to make you feel as though you did.
Many universities will hold virtual open days (these have always been in place for international students, so they do work) to meet the needs of new students. UCAS is also running Facebook Live events on different topics. These can help you stay abreast of the latest developments and have the opportunity to ask questions.
Plus you won't have to accept a university place without having visited the university. Once you've submitted your UCAS application and have been offered a place, you will be invited to an applicant day in 2021. These days are specific to your course and will give you time to talk to tutors and current students before you make your final decision.