Year 13 A-levels 2021 - general support thread?

[CeaseAndDesist]

I can't find a general support thread for parents of brand-new year 13s who will be taking A-levels next year - is there one?

If not, would anyone like to join this one?

[Andi2020]

Yes I would like to join
My dd started Alevel 2 year course today
We are in Ni so starts in Y13 and Y14 next year
Her subjects are
Business Studies
Science
Drama
What subjects is your Alevel student doing.

[cptartapp]

DS1 has just started year 13. A levels in Businss, Geography and Maths. Back in college two days a week, remote learning the other two days!
I also have a DS in year 11 now so a very stressful year ahead. They've a mountain to climb.

[CeaseAndDesist]

Hi @cptartapp and @Andi2020. My DS is taking History, Politics and Media Studies at a local 6th form college. He wants to study Politics or maybe International Relations at university.

The only good thing to come out of this whole mess this summer is that it has given DS a much-needed kick up the backside! He is one of those typical clever-but-lazy, pull-it-out-of-the-bag-at-the-last-minute boys who spent most of Year 12 coasting and, unsurprisingly, his predicted grades at the end of last term were a bit of a shock (to him at least!)

He knows that if he had been in Year 13 this year he'd probably have missed out on all his university choices, even with CAGs let alone the bloody algorithm grades. So he's had his head down every day for the last two weeks and is determined to do as well as he possibly can. Let's just hope it lasts!

How were your DCs feeling about going back? DS was desperate to get back and was in for an enrolment/admin day on Tuesday...but we've not even got his timetable yet...

[geogteach]

Dd was in for her admin day yesterday. Next week exams and then start teaching on 14th. She is doing English, history and philosophy and ethics and wants to study law at uni. I also have a son in year 11 so another exciting year ahead!

[ThelmaDinkley]

Morning, can I join please? My dd starts back today at sixth form at a large school. She’s doing a levels in art, English language and sociology. Think she’s glad to go back but she’s not looking forward to trying to catch up on everything.

[Baaaahhhhh]

Hi all. There are a couple of threads running over on Higher Education. Perhaps get this one moved over?

[nancypineapple]

Yes please! I would love to join-my ds has just started yr 13 back today. Studying Maths, Biology and Economics-dropped psychology just before lockdown. He is worried now as wants to study economics at uni and hasn't got further maths as an A Level- or rather I am worried now! How are you all feeling about the year ahead? X

[ThelmaDinkley]

I am worried about the year ahead tbh and so is dd. Nobody seems to know anything re next year’s exams. I hope content will be reduced or allowances made as they’ve missed so much time and I can’t see how they can get it back.

[Movinghouse2015]

Can I join please?

DD returned to 6th form yesterday, was only in an hour to pick up timetable etc. Lessons start today.

She is studying psychology, sociology and BTEC health and social care. She wants to go to uni to study nursing.

She had a positive day yesterday and is pleased with her timetable, so it's a good start.

[CeaseAndDesist]

That's good to hear @Movinghouse2015. Glad to hear DD is pleased with her timetable - ours is still in the ether somewhere! Hope it arrives today as DS is still hoping to find a job for a few hours a week and it would be good to know whether or not that's going to be feasible.

I am worried about this year. Full disclosure - I work in a university and these last few weeks have been a bit of a nightmare. The numbers of students on my course are creeping up and up every day and we simply don't have the space for them. I worry terribly about what will happen next year - I don't trust this govt an inch not to completely fuck it up for our kids, again.

@ThelmaDinkley I agree about the exams. I can't see how DCs can be expected to sit 'normal' exams with the level of disruption they've endured this year. Yesterday DS was looking despairingly at the huge Politics textbook that accompanies his course and said 'We've covered about 70 pages of that and there's 100s to go'. It's a mess.

[grauduroi]

Morning, my ds is off for his first day today but I suspect for housekeeping rather than lessons. He is really looking forward to seeing friends but concerned about the next year.

He is doing Chemistry, Biology, Geology and is thinking of Pharmacy

[chillie]

Hello everyone, my dd went back yesterday and is doing maths, physics, biology and geography. She received her predicted grades AAAA and her timetable. We are now worried that if predicted grades do turn into actual grades at any point that she will miss standard offers for Physics ( which she obviously doesn't actually have just yet). It's going to be a very stressful year I think!

[cologne4711]

DS is back this week but only this week, then he's back to virtual teaching for two weeks, then one week face to face and one week virtual. He's doing history, politics and a language and will probably do something politics-related at uni (though I did suggest he trained as an electrician the other day as it may well pay more).

He is a last minute crammer, good at exams, so the uncertainty over exams and possible predicted grades etc isn't really suiting him. He just isn't the sort of person who can work well without a deadline. At the moment his predicted grades are lower than he needs for the universities and courses he has been looking at, although his personal tutor said that if he pulls his finger out now they will go up.

How is AAAA not good enough for a physics degree by the way?

[CeaseAndDesist]

@cologne4711 your DS sounds just like mine!

[Baaaahhhhh]

DD had "orientation" afternoon yesterday. All went well. Saddest thing was that they have lost their 6th Form Common Room this year, which has been requisitioned for an extra classroom for the year 7's, apart from that, everything else pretty normal. Full days, full timetable, and they are currently going ahead on the presumption of full exams next year.

[Andi2020]

My dd got timetable today and a completely different timetable put up online on the parents app.
It had my dd on app for plumbing instead off business studies like what a load off crap why have apps that are not tested before they are put up.
One off my kids not on the app at all.

[yoikes]

Hi 👋
Ds1 went back this week and has been doing his ucas predicted grade exams.
He is doing history, geography and politics.
He has worked hard over the summer but
sadly his college were dire over lockdown...no online teaching at all for weeks then the geography tutor just told his class to "go through the textbook".
He is going back for 2 days and 1 day of online lessons.
We are going to get him a geography tutor I think.
Teaching doesn't start til 14th.
This cohort have been thrown under a bus imo 😡

[yoikes]

He has an induction afternoon on Thursday.

His timetable has been altered twice already.

[DeRigueurMortis]

Hi Everyone!

DS starts back next week.

Frankly he needs the routine!

School (state) was great over lockdown and they had virtual lessons and homework submitted marked online so DS is pretty confident they aren't behind the syllabus.

He's doing 4 A Levels and wants to read Maths at Uni.

Fingers crossed for everyone this year!

[Movinghouse2015]

I think the issue is the different offer that children get from schools and 6th form colleges.

My DD is doing three subjects and will get five hrs teaching for each.

Friends DC at other provisions have varying differences, some more/some less.

During lockdown there was daily work set for DD via show my homework, but no online teaching and no marking or checking work is complete and up to-date.

My DD completed all work set and more, but many of her peers haven't. They are sitting tests this week to see where they are all at.

There has been talk that they can repeat year 12 and it sounds like this will be encouraged, depending on the outcome of the tests. It sounds like a number of her friends are considering this option (I'll encourage DD to do the same if exam results are lower than expected).

[IrmaFayLear]

Dd is currently doing some work! I agree that the fear of God has been put into them about predicted grades so they are not relying on a last-minute sprint.

ceaseanddesist - that is scary. Like every other new yr 13 and yr 13 parent, I am concerned about universities being full up with deferred students and the volume of applicants this year. Over on the student room it seems that masses of kids are taking Autumn A Levels to up their grades. Some of those have been promised a 2021 place.

I wonder if dd should ask to defer, but in normal times the top universities only accept deferral requests from geniuses!

[pointythings]

DD2 started back last week and is currently laid low with a flare up pof her fibromyalgia - we are talking being unable to walk other than to get to the loo. We haven't had a flare since April, but they do happen - Yr 13 is going to be a toughie.

[Baaaahhhhh]

pointythings Hi Pointy, I remember you mentioning this back on the GCSE thread. Poor girl, as if there wasn't enough to worry about this year. Hope she improves soon.

[Baaaahhhhh]

No tests for DD, they had remote exams in May, and got "working at" grades. They will get their predicted depending on how much work they have done since, where they are at with preparation for this year, several pieces of work they had to complete over the summer, and their work over the next four weeks. They really have to hit the new term at full speed.

[Andi2020]

@Baaaahhhhh your dd is lucky the school doing so much.
My dd is on her 3rd day sitting around doing nothing
She already changed one off her subjects