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Original poster

A level choices and moving for 6th form

33 replies

celestialsquirrels · 16/06/2013 09:34

Dd is at an all girls day independent school in year 10. She is doing 2 x English, 3 x science, maths, French, philopsophy&theology, geography and drama GCSEs. She is dyslexic - reads a lot and has perfect spelling but slow processing which means she finds it v difficult to get things down on paper fast. She gets full extra time and really needs it.

Her current school offers A levels and IB. She is really not good at maths and appalling at French so IB is probably not right for her. She is NOT a straight A student. I hope she will get a couple of As, mostly Bs and the odd C in maths maybe. But who knows. Her iq is apparently 129 so there is a clear disconnect between intelligence and achievement in exams.

She is thinking about moving to a coed boarding school which offers A level, Pre U and extended projects.

For A level she wants to do English Lit, Biology and Photography. For her fourth either Geography OR English Lang OR an extended project. EP appeals because she can do it at her own pace so her processing issue doesn't come into play. She worries that Geography will mean too many exams with lots of writing. Photography I think would be an obvious AS only, but if she continues she will get an A level AND a Pre U in it (but I don't understand the point in having both). She is passionate about photography.

She doesn't know what she wants to do at uni/for a career. DJ and I come from traditional professional backgrounds so assume university is a given.

I would just be interested in everyone's thoughts about

  1. Moving schools at sixth form
  2. Subject choices
  3. The value of an EP
  4. Photography as a subject.
  5. Anything else to help me through the confusion!

Thanks v much.

OP posts:
creamteas · 16/06/2013 11:54

A levels in English, biology and photography would be an unusual combination but still leave lots of options. She has two traditional subjects and there are lots of subjects at university level that do not ask for specific subjects.

Whether or not to move is very individual and she is the best person to really decide. It will really about how she feels about starting in a new place, and if she is comfortable making new friends, But she is looking to move, then I would say make sure it is to somewhere that has lots of year 12 starters, rather than somewhere were most friendships are already in place.

Don't assume that university is automatic, let her explore about other options. And even if she does want to go to university, don't assume it has to be straight from school. Better to spend a year or two after year 13 finding out where your interests really lie, than feeling unhappy and out of your depth because you are at the wrong uni, or studying the wrong subject for you.

Original poster
celestialsquirrels · 16/06/2013 11:26

Hi Wuldric. I say uni is a given because I think it is a valuable way to spend three years, especially for a person who maybe has some growing up to do and no clear idea of where she wants her life to go. I don't have any hang ups about RG unis - I just mentioned that I read that document. Dd is keen on the idea of university. If she said she wanted to go to art school that would also be ok. I just can't see that in 2+ years time she is going to have a clear career plan outside of university. I don't know - maybe she will.

I must say I don't think photography is going to be the easiest career to follow these days where content is cheap/free and everyone is a photographer, but graphic design, film, webdesign etc may offer possible careers I guess.

She isnt good in exams but she is bright. I really just don't want her to make any choices which would prevent her from going to university if that's what she wants to do (as she says she does).

OP posts:
Wuldric · 16/06/2013 10:44

I am interested in what you say when you mention that DJ and I come from traditional professional backgrounds so assume university is a given. I recognise that.

But then you go on to describe a child for whom academic stuff is always going to be a struggle, whose probable GCSE grades are at a level where an RG university sounds a bit unlikely, and whose real love and passion is for photography.

Moving schools at sixth form is not a biggy, I did it and DD will do it, although DS probably won't. I just worry you are channelling her into a direction where she can only disappoint (you, and herself) and away from something she loves, and if she loves it she will be happy and probably excel.

ISingSoprano · 16/06/2013 10:34

Geog can certainly be good for bridging the gap - I tried to persuade ds to take geography but he was having none of it. He did however take Environmental Science which he has loved (alongside history and biology).

Original poster
celestialsquirrels · 16/06/2013 10:21

Thanks v much for that. Yes I think she would like a chance to reinvent herself a bit too, that's v interesting.
Eng lit and biology look a bit random to me, that's why I think geog would bridge the arts/science gap a bit. I suspect she won't end up doing science at uni but I just don't know.
She is quite young for her age (still hasn't started periods at 15 and 4 months) and I think this is partly why she is unsure about what she might want to do...

OP posts:
ISingSoprano · 16/06/2013 10:15

I think she needs to think about what she would like to study at university and pick the best she can for the subject, rather than get hung up on RG.

My children are in the state school system but and we have separate sixth form colleges so slightly different to your situation. However, the sixth form move has been nothing but positive for my ds. It can be an opportunity to reinvent yourself.

Subject choices - eng lit and biology are two rigorous and highly regarded A levels so, IMO, there is no harm in doing photography too. However, your dd needs to think carefully about what she wants to do after A level. In my experience, any science related degree course will want two science related A levels (or a science and maths). Others may disagree with me but this is what we have found with ds applying for university entry this year. Research, research, research...!

Extended projects - In my opinion (and with no research whatsoever!) I think these are more value in arts related fields than science.

Original poster
celestialsquirrels · 16/06/2013 09:48

But will a university rate it? I have read the Russell group informed choices doc - will English lit, biology and photography get her into a decent uni do you think?

OP posts:
almapudden · 16/06/2013 09:46

I think if she's passionate about photography then she should do it for the full two years. It's portfolio-based, so although it does involve a lot of writing and research, it's something she can do at her own pace, without the pressure of exams.

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