The long summer and NCS

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Miltonkeynes1
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:33 pm

The long summer and NCS

Post by Miltonkeynes1 »

Just wondered how everyone's DC's are getting on after the exams? I think DS is a bit worried about his results, he's been a bit quiet since the exams finished but he is starting on the NCS next week, so i am hoping that will keep his mind occupied. Anyone else's DC doing NCS and if so, how's it going?
doodles
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by doodles »

If I'm honest Ds is a little bored and just getting used to having spare time. He's got himself a job in the local pub and does two shifts (10 hours'ish) a week washing up and peeling spuds. Earning a decent amount each week so he's happy and they are a fun crew as well.
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
MedievalBabe
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Joined: Wed Oct 16, 2013 9:56 pm

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by MedievalBabe »

My DS has just finished his second week with NCS. For him the best bit has been making new friends as the place they went to for the first week he described as suitable for Y5 PGL and not 15/16 year olds and also no water sports which he was lay disappointed about as they advertise it using water sports. Last week he said some got more out of than others but he said it was still fun with everyone else and the food was awful.

The next 2 weeks are the charity project and he described it as our Apprentice project. He is really looking forward to this part.
ToadMum
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Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by ToadMum »

DD did NCS last year and I think found it a generally positive experience. The week's camping was no big deal for her, especially with it being only four miles down the road but although it was a bit disappointing that they had no water sports (despite facilities being available there) they knew about that in advance and did get to use the Olympic bike trail as an alternative activity. Also, they had done some canoeing / kayaking during the first week and again, it's something that she had already done with Scouts. The last week was a bit of a lesson in how other people's action, or lack of it, can scupper one's carefully thought out plans :shock: but hey, welcome to the real world...
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Reading Mum
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Joined: Tue Oct 04, 2011 9:44 am
Location: Reading

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by Reading Mum »

DD came down with the lurgy almost straight after her exams. She has been doing a lot of sleeping and chilling since but had started to get bored by last week. Now all the music and drama activities have finished too. She took herself up to London last week - a big adventure as she had never been without one of us before. Next week she is off to Nepal with school and there will only be 2 weeks left to wait once she gets back.NCS didn't fit in with the trip.
2childmum
Posts: 523
Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2008 4:02 pm
Location: S E London

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by 2childmum »

DD is currently in Croatia on an orchestra tour - and we have a church week away and a family holiday to Jersey, plus an orchestral course the week of the results, so she couldn't do NCS as well.

She has been set work by all 3 sixth forms she has a place at - one of them has set what I consider to be an excessive amount. She was panicking thinking that she would have to do it all, as her first choice sixth form is very small and had said it would only run courses if there was a minimum number of students, her second choice is a grammar and has high entrance requirements, and the third is the one with the huge workload. Thankfully first choice has confirmed that they will run the science A levels she wants to do even with smaller numbers, so she is now concentrating on their summer work, which isn't too bad, and is mainly maths which she does for fun anyway! But she will still have to get on with it in between all the other activities.

Do other sixth forms set such a lot of pre- A level work? The MFL courses at one of the schools want them to learn the entire first year vocab list before they even start!
doodles
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Joined: Tue Oct 27, 2009 9:19 pm

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by doodles »

We have had to buy s considerable number of text books, which I suspect they should look at before September :wink:
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !
Miltonkeynes1
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:33 pm

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by Miltonkeynes1 »

2childmum wrote:DD is currently in Croatia on an orchestra tour - and we have a church week away and a family holiday to Jersey, plus an orchestral course the week of the results, so she couldn't do NCS as well.

She has been set work by all 3 sixth forms she has a place at - one of them has set what I consider to be an excessive amount. She was panicking thinking that she would have to do it all, as her first choice sixth form is very small and had said it would only run courses if there was a minimum number of students, her second choice is a grammar and has high entrance requirements, and the third is the one with the huge workload. Thankfully first choice has confirmed that they will run the science A levels she wants to do even with smaller numbers, so she is now concentrating on their summer work, which isn't too bad, and is mainly maths which she does for fun anyway! But she will still have to get on with it in between all the other activities.
DS intends to stay at his grammar school as long as he gets the required grades. He has not been set any holiday work by the GS or his back up school which is the high school. Setting work seems a bit rough after all the work they had to do for their GCSE'S, especially if they have to do 3 lots like 2childmum junior.
Do other sixth forms set such a lot of pre- A level work? The MFL courses at one of the schools want them to learn the entire first year vocab list before they even start!
Miltonkeynes1
Posts: 98
Joined: Tue Jan 10, 2017 8:33 pm

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by Miltonkeynes1 »

DS intends to stay at his grammar school as long as he gets the required grades. He has not been set any holiday work by the GS or his back up school which is the high school. Setting work seems a bit rough after all the work they had to do for their GCSE'S, especially if they have to do 3 lots like 2childmum junior.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: The long summer and NCS

Post by Guest55 »

Many schools do set Maths work or they will be very rusty in September; some also have tests straight away!
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