GCSE '18s (20) - half term beckons!

Waving right back

Yep, I think we've got our dc in a decent college there Sticker

Relieved to see your response from the college has been positive. Waving at you from a few miles away!

Good for her bpisok - I guess there are wordsmiths like AA Gill who were dyslexic but made successful careers in English. SPAG isn't everything

DD is thoroughly enjoying the English Language course so far. She wasn't interested in taking Lit, but is enjoying the analysis within the Language course.

@LimitIsUp - English as a dyslexic is clearly not as weird as we might think. DDs doing English Lit too. If anyone had told me that she would be doing it for A Level 10 years ago I would have laughed in their faces.....mind you, her teachers would have probably laughed too 😁

Yes Sticker, sociology could be an option too. Particularly since if all else fails with a creative career (it shouldn't - she should be able to find a commercial outlet for her creative skills), she thinks she might join the police!

Quite impressed with college and its responsiveness. Had a call from dd who met with Faculty Head today who was constructive and helpful. Dd will drop biology and is meeting the Graphics Head teacher (there are a few of them – big sixth form college) tomorrow and the English Lit Head teacher tomorrow to help decide between these two subjects. Apparently, Graphics is full but there is space in product design which is similar but in 3D (sounds pretty good, and vocationally useful). English Lit might sound a bit left field for a student with dyslexia but she did score an A* in English literature and appears to have a flair for interpreting imagery and meaning etc, so it is in the mix for the Biology replacement. I could probably help her with English Lit too (as it more within my competencies than biology). We have prize giving at her old school tonight with presentation of GCSE certificates so she is going to speak to her old English teacher for her honest assessment as to whether dd could cut it at A level

So hopefully as early as next week she could be started either Product Design or Eng Lit
Really heartfelt thank you for listening to me bore on and for showing interest and concern.

Jufus did they play theme from MASH? Grown men sobbed as they played that when I saw them.

Limits it looks as though there are a few options for graphic design which all seem to be a little bit more commercial than fine art. Graphic communication sounds good if you're arty. A friend is taking the classic graphic design course alongside photography and film studies at another mega college and loves it so far. Alternatively, has she thought about sociology, if she is enjoying psychology.

If she s heading for art foundation limits it makes it a bit easier as the third subject is less vital in itself and can be something she enjoys and can do well in. I think the foundation year for art is a great idea and could be usefully applied in other fields too (not just where dc don’t make the grade) especially those that don’t match to a level subjects

Meant to say - well done to your dd JufusMum

Great news Jufus. Hopefully you DD will really fly now she s in a better environment.

No never heard of a MOOC - but have just looked it up. Every day is a school day

Alexander good luck with the referral - sounds like your GP is very organised!

I've heard of them I even regited for one with the OU but not done it yet.

Has everyone else heard of a MOOC? Or is it just me that had never heard of them?!?
DD and I looked at them yesterday and we are even doing one together. Apparently Unis love them, so she is going to do a few this school year.

Thanks for the new thread! Got so much to catch up on as I have been away for a few days seeing my beloved Manic Street Preachers in London.

DD had an off timetable day yesterday, they had to make and edit a music video - DD loved it and took sole charge of the editing. Tutor is apparently going to give her an achievement certificate as he was so impressed with her efforts.

Relations with best friend still strained.

Oh and DD has booked an Open Day visit at Edge Hill University - eek.

Love and hugs to all that need it today.

Agree Alex doctors surgeries vary as much as schools although I have had the opposite - when the girls have had to change for school and uni I have been amazed at how responsive the new places were. I thought ours was the norm but have been really impressed with campus health centre and gp

DS school is strongly in favour of complementary subjects too ie doing science subjects helps other science subjects and doing all essay subjects helps you become proficient at analysis and essays - although recognise there are exceptions and doesn’t fit for everyone

Cherry - you've summed it up neatly re having done well at GCSE but not truly having a science bent. She has hit the Peter Principle in biology I think..

I never want to change Dr's surgeries.

Dd hasn't yet got round to registering as a temporary student so at 8.30am she phoned our home Dr and asked for a telephone consultation (armed with the IADMS information about the clinic).

Dr phoned her at 10am and he is going to try and make the referral.

Limit a friend of mine has 2 DC who both chose Biology A Level alongside arts/humanities subjects. Both found Biology was the hardest by far, I think because neither really had a true science bent. Loads of facts/info to learn and a very, very prescriptive mark scheme at the end of it. Both had enjoyed it and done very well at it at GCSE.

Hopefully your DD is able to switch if that’s what she decides. Now’s the time to do it!

Cherry - she is doing Psychology and Art. She is managing the psychology fine (it just seems to 'stick' in her brain more readily) and Art is her chief passion. She wants to do fine Art at University (after a mandatory Art foundation year) so would still need 112 UCAS points - which is 3 A levels. She would therefore be looking at a subject swap rather than dropping to 2 A levels. Not sure how viable that is in a mega sixth form college with 2000 students per year and the consequent timetabling complexities. She would like to do Graphic Design she thinks. I feel a bit of an idiot for not putting enough forethought into guiding her with A level choices in the first instance

Cherry, as capable as your ds is, given his dyslexia its probably a good thing that he isn't taking on an EPQ too

Peggy I think we were all snarling & circling protectively.

Not in the least bit insensitive - I genuinely do like to hear of examples of where those with spLD have flourished and done well - gives me hope !