Applying for 6th form- presumably you state which AS levels?

[Tansie]

DS is about to apply for two sixth form colleges.I haven't seen the application form/s yet, but I'd assume he has to state which AS levels he wants to take there.

My question is- is every other Y11 being carefully guided and advised about which AS levels to take? DS doesn't appear to be at all! And the whole thing about Facilitating Subjects doesn't seem to have been raised; to the best of my knowledge, DS hasn't been sat down to discuss what he might apply for and whether they're a good idea or not!

Am I missing something?

When my dd was applying (two 6th form colleges, and putting in an "expression of interest" at her school), she had to list 5 subjects she was interested in taking. Nothing is set in stone until they actually enrol after the GCSE results though.

And no, there wasn't much talk of A levels at school at this stage. Towards Christmas her school had their 6th form open evening, and then in the new year the y11 parents evening, and it comes up through the year then. Your son could always just ask the relevant teachers.

I did show my girls the Informed Choices booklet and the Trinity list, I have no idea if that sort of thing was mentioned at their schools.

Tansie well, you must be in our area somewhere, this is how it has been for us:

I think we have done 99% of the actual subject advice for our DD (I may be wrong though)

They have had the colleges round for a 'post 16' evening so you could see what was available, plus a talk on apprenticeships. Plus they've had guidance with personal statements. Facilitating subjects may have been mentioned as 'look what you might want to do later and check you are doing acceptable subjects'.

She has had an interview with the careers advisor at school. But I understand that was more DD saying what she was thinking of, and advisor looking at predicted grades and saying 'yes that should be OK'. Which was as much help as a chocolate teapot really (as I think predictions are too high).

I am currently trying to word emails to some of DD's teachers to ask what they think about her doing A levels in their subjects, as I think parents evening next month is a) too late and b) not the right place. (This is maybe a problem of the Hants system, their GCSE teachers aren't also the A level ones).

However maybe there has been more advice available and DD hasn't been mentioning it / accessing it as she is getting good advice from us!

Particularly unclear to me is the new all-through A levels (eg English), what if you may want to stop after 1 year.
Also, no one seems to be explicitly saying that you should be at least getting Bs in the subjects you want to continue with (some subjects e.g. Languages and sciences do, but not as a general statement).

Is every other Y11 being carefully guided and advised about which AS levels to take?

No nothing from the school. You haven't missed anything.

For the sixth forms my dd will be applying to, the applications don't have to be in until January. By then she will have been to all the open days and also had her parents evening.

Haven't heard anything from the school about it yet, although we have a meeting coming up.

We have heard/seen on some school websites that it's a minimum B at GCSE to take it as an A'level, but DD also wants do a couple of new subjects - not sure how that works.

We have been talking to DD about it and are about to start visiting different sixth forms. Fingers crossed.

Sorry, didn't answer your question.
The forms do seem to require them to state their probable subject choice, and I think the interviews are used to check/confirm they have thought about it properly.
As far as I can tell, they can change choices later as long as there are spaces on the courses. I have no idea how likely it is there will be spaces. The whole process is as clear as mud.

No - very little advice from the schools, IME (I have one in Yr11, and 1 now at University - different schools).
Not even had any notification that now is the time to find out when open evenings are.

DDs school does seem to give some guidance - careers teacher, and a session with one of the senior staff. I think we can also discuss things with subject teachers at the 6th form open evening which is next week - she's really not interested in going elsewhere, there's only one other open evening she wants to go to more out of curiousity than anything.

Have you looked at the 6th form prospectuses of the schools/colleges your DS is interested in? DDs has some info on the whys and wherefores, and also lists the admissions criteria for each subject (in addition to the overall minumum GCSE requirements). I'd have thought they all would have this, and also stuff like whether they have to do General Studies, and extra-curricular opportunities.

We've been researching a bit ourselves, as it's not totally clear which subjects would be best for what she wants to do - she can't do everything she'd like to. MN can be very informative! Also we've looked at some of the relevant A-level curricula - so we can ask sensible questions at the open evening.

My DDs school doesn't start the Sixth Form process until after Christmas.

However she has already applied to one Sixth form college, is applying to a highly selective one, and is going to look at two more. None of the open days have been flagged up at school (very different from the process of going from Primary to Secondary). School haven't given any advice so far about Sixth form, I think in her older brother's year they had a careers advice interview this term, which did discuss options.
DD has done some of the research, and knows what she would ideally do, and her "second choice" and where she is aiming. DS at this stage had few ideas and drifted really - but he wanted to stay at his school's sixth form.

Not even had any notification that now is the time to find out when open evenings are.

seriously? DD's had 4 or 5 leaflets mailed to her from various 6th form colleges so far advertising theirs. Maybe our area is more proactive because most of the schools don't have 6th forms so nearly everyone does have to choose a college.

We have the 6th Form open evening tonight. His school will have a parents evening before the subject forms need to be in and he's having careers meetings etc. I'm assuming it's standard practice for them to know what subjects people want so they can sort out the staff or cancel subjects if no one wants to do them?

Round here, the current schools don't have anything much to do with subject choice for A-level; that's between the student and the potential 6th form.

What the secondaries do is to have a 6th form information evening to describe the application process. Some will also host a 6th form fair where several 6th forms will send representatives to talk to students and parents.

DS had to go to several interviews (and changed his mind about his AS choice midway through every interview, as far as I could see) before submitting applications with four preferred subjects and a reserve.

We didn't exactly look at facilitating subject combinations so much as beg him to put at least one recognisably academic subject on every application.

This thread is so depressing!

Sorry. I am involved in the widening access scheme for Oxbridge and one of the biggest barriers we face is applicants with the wrong subjects/combination of subjects.

The poor advice or lack of any advice is a fucking disgrace'

Ds has no idea . He wants to study Law so he knows he needs an essay one, but he's got no idea which. He doesn't do decisions very well so I don't know how much 'guiding' I should do. Tricky.

TheWord - maybe you know of online resources for pupils/parents that may help inform us? It's not that hard to find information if your DC has a fair idea of what they want to do eventually - admissions criteria for specific university courses - but at this stage obviously a lot really don't know.

lady if he's going for a selective university then the grades will need to be good.

So as well as ensuring he has one or two essay bAsed subjects, the rest need to be the ones he think will produce the best grades.

It's also worth anyone on year 11 asking prospective sixth forms what their plans are for AS. This is changing in some subjects and sixth forms that choose not to do them may be disadvantage go the most able students.

I think DDs school kind of hopes the most able will all stay - and will steer the less able towards colleges. At present DD is hating it (new Head Teacher) and has no intention of staying. But in our area all schools have sixth forms, we would travel to neighbouring areas for Sixth Form colleges.

BUT I think the way my school in the 1970/80s gave advice on subjects was better than DCs school does.

Glad it's not just me!

DS had always 'assumed' Maths, Physics, Chem and maybe Geog but as a result of a poor Y10 report, I'm thinking he's aiming too high (actually, wish he were aiming somewhere recognisable!). He's thinking about maybe Economics?

So: Maths, Chem, Geog, economics?

I believe his application has to be in by mid Dec but the mocks and predicted grades are done in January, and Parents Eve is in Feb.

I kind of wish the school had a 6th form, too.

We have one college visit tomorrow eve, and one next week.

Thank you, TheWordFactory I'll see what they say about his grades at parents evening.

errol am on phone and can't link. Sorry.

Young people need to look at the informed choices booklet (updated) version plus the Trinity list (website).

Though this isn't set in stone , it is a good rule of thumb, especially for those with an eye on competitive courses!

My advice; keep doors open, don't put yourself at a disadvantage!

Sorry, WordFactory!

DS1, to be fair, researched every possible combination of facilitating subjects for his chosen career (and then changed his mind about his career choice mid A-levels. Hey ho).

DS2, on the other hand, was always very unlikely to listen to anyone telling him about anything as tedious as worthwhile subject combinations when he had the chance of doing drama for A-level.

Though it pisses me right off that 15/16 year olds who are already up to their ears intheir GCSEs are not getting solid advice on this from school!

Everyone needs to seriously complain!!

Where would you place the onus, WordFactory? Would it be on the GCSE school to inform their departing students, or the 6th forms to emphasise it to their applicants?

(I do realise that many school have their own 6th forms, so would have to do both roles.)

bird don't you apologise! This is a situation that stinks.

Every pupil shod have a tutor/mentor helping them with this. Relying on kids and their parents and t'internet is not fair.

bird I think the secondary school.

They know the kids well. They have a duty to send them on fully informed.

Makes sense, yes. I pity the poor staff trying to get to grips with every subject, though.

At the last count we had a theoretical choice of around 20 post-16 settings -- agricultural training, maths Pre-U, performing arts diplomas, you name it.