Can anyone tell me about foundation degrees?

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

Ds has high-functions ASD and dyspraxia and has found the last few years at secondary quite tough. He's very bright but doesn't tend to do well in exams as he finds all the following the mark scheme and telling the examiners what they want to hear rather baffling...

He's physically and emotionally quite immature - he's 17 and 6'6" bit thin as a beanpole and no sign of any stubble - he still has a child's face shape and skin. He's always been a few years behind his peers and he comes across like a much younger teenager at the moment.

The SENCO at his school has suggested we look at foundation degrees as the extra year might help him mature a bit more. I know nothing about these - does anyone have any extra they can share please

[RedHelenB]

What a levels is he doing? Art and design foundation courses are always popular

[titchy]

I think you/the teacher are using the wrong terminology. A Foundation Degree is a vocational subject and equals the first two years of a normal Bachelors degree, so the first year is no different.

I suspect you mean a degree with a Foundation YEAR. This is an extra year (often called year 0), before the standard first year that gets students with either poorer A level results, or A levels in the wrong subjects, up to speed so they can join the first year along with everyone else.

If he's academically sound I'm not sure they'd be such a good idea tbh. Maybe a gap year?

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

Hmmm he's doing psychology, computer science and maths and at the moment looks like he'll get CCC or with a very hefty dose of luck BBC. Anything higher is extremely unlikely as he just doesn't think in a standard way ...

He seems to have a natural affinity for psychology and is very good at programming so ideally he'd be looking at something which married something psychological with programming.

It was just an off-the-cuff remark by the SENCO at the end of a long meeting so I may well have got the wrong end of the stick!

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

I'm not sure a gap year will be that good an idea as he'd just spend it on the computer and would never leave the house (judging by the last few holidays ...)

To be honest I'm finding it hard to see how university is going to be successful either but not sure what else he can do with himself

[Foldedtshirt]

How far away from Scotland are you? Degrees there are four years, the first year is a little gentler and broader and there are lots of home and younger students, as they take they're A Level equivalents at 17.

[Foldedtshirt]

Their 😳

[titchy]

Look at Sussex - Computing and Artificial intelligence or Cognitive science and psychology. Might mix his strengths quite nicely in a slightly niche way. Year in industry might help social skills too. Plus they have foundation years...

[Noitsnotteatimeyet]

Sadly about as far away from Scotland as it gets! But Sussex sounds promising, thanks for that