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Further education

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Original poster

Confused over A level choices

234 replies

ihearttc · 07/07/2021 20:25

DS1 has just finished Y11. He is a fairly bright boy and is predicted 6s, 7s and 8s for GCSE. He has picked his a level choices…PE, Geography and Biology. These are some of his best subjects and is predicted 8 in both PE/Biology and a 7 in Geography.

He had his induction day at 6th form this week and PE/Geography are ok, the Biology didn’t go well. He thinks the teacher is great (he taught him before) but the others in the class are just not on his wavelength. I’m aware that sounds really shallow and pathetic but 2 of the boys especially are very hard work and he said he was only in there for an hour and wanted to walk out. There are 10 of them and he said there is literally no one he could talk to. He is rather cool and sporty…they are the complete opposite so I can see why he found it tricky.

Anyway…my question is does he suck it up and just accept the fact that he is going to hate a lesson just to do the subject or walk away and chose something else. He wants to do something sport related…either sports science or become a Secondary PE teacher if that’s relevant.

The other option is his other choices are limited due to timetabling. It would have to either be the biology, Media Studies (which he did for GCSE), a BTEC medical science (which seems not at his academic level) or Maths. The obvious one is maths but he is freaking out over hard it will be and he doesn’t want to fail.

Any thoughts if that makes sense at all?

OP posts:
Original poster
ihearttc · 14/07/2021 07:44

@NoNotHimTheOtherOne

That’s pretty much what DS teacher said. He is already doing PE a level. Think we really need to investigate the medical science BTEC further. If it’s enough to get him a decent grade and onto university then I’m seriously thinking it may be more useful than a Biology A level where a huge huge chunk of it isn’t relevant. Whilst I appreciate that’s the same for every course, it’s a hard subject to take if you aren’t going to enjoy a big part of it.

OP posts:
NoNotHimTheOtherOne · 13/07/2021 22:42

There isn't much human biology in A-Level biology. There used to be a separate human biology A-Level but it had little take-up (teachers said it was much too hard to get an A grade) and was abolished by Michael Gove. Students used to complain that we required them to pass an A-Level in hedgehogs to get to medical school. The new specifications are much more about fundamental principles and schools can choose human-oriented examples for many of them, but this still leaves a lot of human anatomy & physiology untouched.

There's more specifically human biology in A-Level PE so far as I can see.

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 21:34

@titchy

This is aqa: www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/as-and-a-level/biology-7401-7402/specification-at-a-glance

This is the human spec from ocr - doesn't look too dissimilar tbh.

Maybe dd lied when she did barely any human biology in the first year. Or maybe her teacher lied when he agreed. Who knows.
Hendersonsisnotrelish · 13/07/2021 19:52

Sorry, not read the full thread. But I teach in an 11-18 school and totally get what you mean.

The divisions of y11 can heightened and cliquey. Usually a few weeks into y12, students are far more fluid in their friendship groups in lessons. Especially if they all enjoy the subject.

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:39

No hymns though Grin

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:38

Hopefully it is just a confidence crisis. Hope he's ok.

FWIW my dd adored AL / degree/postgrad biology, and is planning a PhD!

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:36

This is aqa: www.aqa.org.uk/subjects/science/as-and-a-level/biology-7401-7402/specification-at-a-glance

This is the human spec from ocr - doesn't look too dissimilar tbh.

Confused over A level choices
Original poster
ihearttc · 13/07/2021 19:31

It’s AQA they do. I’ve just looked at the course content and there does seem to be some human biology but not as much as I expected tbh.

@titchy I’m chuckling at your daughter singing hymns in biology lessons!!

Tbh I think he is just having a massive crisis of confidence in his abilities. Maybe when he gets his results and he gets an 8 he’ll feel completely differently.

OP posts:
Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 19:26

No I think it would have been four years ago.

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:25

Hymns?! Human! She'd have hated hymns...Grin

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:25

@Bryonyshcmyony

Because a huge amount of A level biology IS human biology! Not much plant or evolutionary stuff at all

Really? dd did it up to AS level when AS levels were a thing and didn't do ANY human biology at all. Far more in PE!

Weird. My dd did loads of hymns in her AL. The specs changed about five years ago maybe that's why. Unless you've only just done it?
Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 19:24

she was AQA not Edexcel, not sure if they are different?

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 19:22

Because a huge amount of A level biology IS human biology! Not much plant or evolutionary stuff at all

Really? dd did it up to AS level when AS levels were a thing and didn't do ANY human biology at all. Far more in PE!

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:20

[quote ihearttc]@titchy

Has it? DS said that the teacher on taster day said a huge part of the course is plant based biology. There was very little mention of human biology (which is the bit he is actually really really good at!) at all.[/quote]
Then he needs to check the syllabus!

Here for example: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/biology-a/2015/support/AlevellBiology20155Guide_new.pdf

Original poster
ihearttc · 13/07/2021 19:16

@Bryonyshcmyony

Honestly I really appreciate your help. He is already doing PE, that’s his number 1 choice and his best subject. Not even so much the sport aspect but the theory and human biology side. I completely agree that pyschology would have been the ideal choice.

OP posts:
Original poster
ihearttc · 13/07/2021 19:14

@titchy

Has it? DS said that the teacher on taster day said a huge part of the course is plant based biology. There was very little mention of human biology (which is the bit he is actually really really good at!) at all.

OP posts:
Unfinishednam · 13/07/2021 19:10

It'll be a good life lesson for him. There will never be a job where you get on with absolutely everyone in your team/department and people will usually be from very different walks of life. This will start to teach him how to remain professional and work well with others that he may not usually mingle with.

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 19:07

I’m trying to help him Wade through all the relevant uni courses…have to say (and please appreciate that I didn’t go to university) why A level biology is so vital for Sports Degrees when a huge amount of the A level biology course is not human biology. I honestly would have thought the Medical Science would have been more useful?

PE A Level has more human biology than Biology A level. PE will be more useful than the BTEC. I probably wouldn't bother with both. It is a REAL PITA that he can't do Psychology.

But I got told off last time I tried to say you don't need Biology so I'll shut up now.

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:06

why A level biology is so vital for Sports Degrees when a huge amount of the A level biology course is not human biology.

Because a huge amount of A level biology IS human biology! Not much plant or evolutionary stuff at all.

Original poster
ihearttc · 13/07/2021 18:26

Appreciate all your comments. Honestly he is the most unstressed, laid back kid there is. He doesn’t normally make a fuss about stuff so I don’t usually have to tell him “get a grip” and deal with it hence why I’m actually listening to him now. He is bothered by it and I’m listening to his concerns and advising him. I’m not going to tell him at 16 that he has to take a subject at A level that he is unsure of cause 6 months down the line he’s going to hate me for it if it all goes wrong.
I’m trying to help him Wade through all the relevant uni courses…have to say (and please appreciate that I didn’t go to university) why A level biology is so vital for Sports Degrees when a huge amount of the A level biology course is not human biology. I honestly would have thought the Medical Science would have been more useful?

He actually emailed the biology teacher as well who replied and said he understood his concerns and in his opinion the class dynamic is a bit unusual as there is normally a bigger mix of students but like the Head of 6th form said to hold off making a decision until after results day.

OP posts:
Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 07:26

@Flowers500

To be really frank, I think it is you job here to think things through longer term. At his age he thinks in months, not years or decades. His career opportunities will be very different if he does a (in the nicest way) slightly BS A level. I think it would be extremely irresponsible of you to support this.
He wants to do a sports degree. Plenty of good ones don't need Biology so it's not at all irresponsible to consider dropping it. Don't be so dramatic. As I said before my own dd did a sports degree with a rg University, no biology, is now training as a physio.

And there are no `bs" a levels.

The op says he wants to do it though so I'm sure they'll find a way through.

4forkssake · 12/07/2021 23:27

I'd be telling him that when he's in the big bad world, or just at uni, it's not full of the 'cool kids', or even people you'd want to share your spare time with, but you have to get on with it. If he's doubting doing a subject he likes & is apparently good at just cos he'll be grouped in with the geeks, then I'd either be having a good word with him & questioning how I'd raised him, or questioning how much he actually wants this for his future career. At 16/17, he needs to get a grip!

Flowers500 · 12/07/2021 23:20

To be really frank, I think it is you job here to think things through longer term. At his age he thinks in months, not years or decades. His career opportunities will be very different if he does a (in the nicest way) slightly BS A level. I think it would be extremely irresponsible of you to support this.

Flowers500 · 12/07/2021 23:16

I understand why your DS is not 100% happy but to be honest just don’t really get why you’re even registering this as a problem. Frankly I’d “world’s tiniest violin” in response to that and tell him to get on with it. He’s not taking his life or career remotely seriously if having a nice group in a class is more important to him. Having pals is really not essential, and frankly feeling a bit of pressure to keep up with the smart kids will likely help his grades.

shallIswim · 12/07/2021 20:36

They might like him, and he might like them. Always a chance
I really would try to do Biology rather than Medical Science. The former is much more widely accepted at universities if that's what your DS is looking at