Year 11 GCSE support thread 6 - exams and proms

HSM, how lovely they all got a crown

Well, DD got up at 6.30 and went to "work" - babysitting a neighbours DS - at 7 this morning in a good mood despite having got back from Wireless about 11.30 last night after a very busy weekend week!

I have altered the "straps" part of the bodice of her dress, but she has yet to see/try it, so don't know if it will meet with approval. Then she needs to get shoes before I can tackle the hem which is both a satin lining and loose chiffon

That sounds more hopeful, poppy

DS wants to do 'something bio-medical' at university so is looking at A Levels in Maths, Physics, Chemistry and Biology, but not Further Maths.

Prom this Friday. Suit purchased.

Tilly, I think one science plus maths keeps science degrees open as well ( or better) than 2 sciences. But doing one science just as another a level choice with no intention of taking it further is probably ok - if you look at the famous trinity college list it looks like many arts courses require the specific subject but then for the 2nd and 3rd a levels the sciences are fine.

Fingers crossed for you with DS Poppy.

Late to the discussion about the other thread, but I think schools need to be having the Careers talk earlier to make the students more aware of certain subjects being required for their degree choice.

Chem is an excellent subject to have at A level although it is regarded as the hardest apparently. I was surprised that not all Medicine courses required Biology but I was told all of them required Chem.

poppy, that's great that he was chatty - hang onto the positives

Glad things are improving a bit poppy.

He came home this morning after yet another party sugarplumtree, waffling that the weather was crap and no one would be out today. He seemed quite chatty in the car when I picked him up from the bus stop but disappeared up to his room for the rest of the day and has barely spoken since. He did look a bit bleary eyed and in need of sleep. I don't know what's going on and it's so difficult keeping quiet, not asking questions and just letting him be when all I want to do is hug him tightly.

Thank you for asking.

Switch, not all schools insist on more than one science - I know someone whose DD is doing what I did many moons ago - Maths, Chemistry and French! And as not all subjects/schools are dropping AS levels, many still saying 4 and drop one at AS (DD applied to 6 sixth forms, all doing this)

Sparkling, at least one of the sixth forms said they don't have to have done geography at GCSE to do it at A'level as long as they did the other humanities subject, ie history.

DS1 has had his choices signed off switch so school are ok with it, I still think we need to see what results he gets before anything happens. He and I are happy with English and History, it's the other 2 that need thinking about a lot. He didn't do Geography GCSE so assume tha may be off the table? Maths a definite no.

Sparklingbrook - just to say that DS' school will not let their pupils take only one science A-level; it has to be a minimum of 2. The reasoning is that any science-type degree will always require at least 2 science A-levels, so there's no point doing, say, Chemistry on its own. Is it in any way likely that your DS might be swayed towards a scientific degree? If so, he might be better doing Biology, Physics, Maths (or in some instances Geography) rather than the German.

TBH I'm a bit confused as to why our DCs are all starting with 4 A-level choices (or 5, if you include General Studies). I know it used to be the case that they dropped a subject after AS, but now that not all subjects will be doing ASes how is that going to work? I'm also completely bemused about General Studies, given that most (all?) universities seem to think it's worthless.

Oh good grief just read that whole thread sparkling and feel sick! Ds wants to do pharmacology and seems to know which uni he wants, I think I need to do some serious research myself though as DS can be very single minded once hes decided something he doesn't look at other alternatives.

Sometimes MN messes with my mind when it's supposed to be helpful. I quite like the idea of him going to the local non RG University and living at home at the moment. If he chooses to go that is. He could train as a plumber instead, people need plumbers.

You are so right about MN and the one particular type of child.

Absolutely Juggling

Oh, I definitely wouldn't go thinking that Sparkling
I think there's a course worth doing for most DC who like the idea of going
That maybe sounds a bit casual but there's time yet to think what appeals most and where it might take them?

I don't know if they are any use to anyone else here but there are some free short online courses from FutureLearn here that are designed for young people making university course decisions. I am doing the Calculus one with DS, he will wipe the floor with me (not that I mind).

So many people aren't good at Maths, drop it at first chance and do really well at University. MN is helpful and makes some excellent points but often focuses on one particular type of child.

Oh Sparkling, if they don't go to a RG uni, then their life is over dontcha know?

I and the vast majority of my friends went to polytechnics back in the day and we all have successful, fulfilling and reasonably to very well paid careers. In fact, most of the brainiest girls from my grammar school who went on to red-brick unis (as they were known in those days) failed to enjoy their careers, gave up when they had DC and now either don't work or have jobs "way below" the expectations their parents must have had for them.

RG unis are just a bunch of unis who have made themselves out to be the be-all and end-all. And so they take a lot of the top-academically achieving students and get top results, are looked on favourably by traditionally-minded employers, da-de-da. So if you are that way inclined, they're the ones for you. If not, there are LOADS of other options.

But then you read the other thread and think that if he's not a maths whizz then maybe University isn't for him.

Well I can totally sympathise with him on that front to be honest !

Maths is a very firm no. He hates Maths, he is not a natural at all, he has worked really hard at it but it doesn't come easy. He's going to need it for Chemistry though.

And sometimes it helps a bit if they know things they definitely don't want to do as helps rule some things.

If he does those 4 it will keep a lot of doors open. Would Maths be a possibility at all ?