Tower and Town, November 2020 (view the full edition)InterviewsCovid-19 has created turmoil for all pupils, especially for the year 11 and 13 pupils who have had their exams cancelled. Georgina Donovan (Year 10) talked to those affected. While talking to year 11s from St John's, a real sense of confusion and mixed emotions was apparent. There was relief, especially for those suffering with bad exam anxiety who would have struggled on the day, but also a sense of being robbed of a "rite of passage" and a "chance to prove" themselves. After all, what was the point of the last two years of hard work now they can't take the actual exams? One pupil said to me: "I climbed a whole mountain just to walk off a cliff at the end!". I think this says it all. A common concern was feeling like a fraud, that they will never truly deserve the grade they get. However, on the flip-side, for all the pupils who didn't work particularly hard for the mocks, knowing their grade won't reflect their true ability is upsetting. One student I talked to even finished their final art piece at home, pointing out it was such a waste not to complete it. I asked them all: "If you could, would you still take your GCSEs?" The overall consensus was no they wouldn't unless they felt it would significantly improve their grade. One person commented that it feels as if the moment has passed and they want to move on with their life. I asked some pupils if they felt the school had been supporting them through lockdown and the responses I got were varied. For everyone who plans to attend the sixth form in September, however, there has been good provision of work and "taster lessons" to help them make decisions about subject choices. Of course, the year 13s are affected just as much as the year 11s, if not more so. For many students, GCSEs are a pathway to A levels, with sixth forms and colleges willing to accept pupils on the basis of teacher assessment, but there is tremendous uncertainty for the year 13s planning to go to university this September. Will they still be accepted without A levels? Will they be able to cope on their own during these trying times? Will university life be as stimulating and motivating as they had hoped? So what have all these students been doing with their extra free time? As expected, the number one response was, you guessed it... binge-watching Netflix! Others have used this time as an opportunity to organise their lives, after 16 years of being nagged to tidy their rooms the time had finally come. Some have explored their creativity by taking up a new hobby such as pottery, crochet, art, baking and learning piano. Everyone is enjoying being able to relax, so it's not all doom and gloom. The final question I posed was: "How was your last day and do you feel you got to say goodbye properly?" The overwhelming response was that it had been very chaotic with everyone running around desperately trying to finish course work. Was this the apocalypse? The school was pretty empty with many pupils already absent due to concerned carers or health conditions, many missing the opportunity to say goodbye to friends who would not be returning to St John's. The school hastily put together an assembly, where emotions ran high. This was a valiant attempt to normalise the last day for year 11 and 13. Although many pupils plan to have celebrations of their own when lockdown is lifted, they have missed out on a key experience. I am sure the rest of us wish all the year 11s and 13s the best of luck with their future endeavours.  Polly Baker (Year 9) Georgina Donavan (Year 10) |