Where can I find professional help in Choosing A levels

He should go for firstly subjects he enjoys and secondly subjects he's fairly good at, as he'll be more willing to work hard or pursue problems with a subject he enjoys. My DD chose three A levels subjects which don't gel together and is now looking at doing 2 totally different degrees. There are plenty of uni choices out there.

We attended a talk by DD's school this week and their advice for uni degrees (where pupils don't know what they want to do), and you could argue this applies to GCSE/A level options, is to do something they enjoy as they'll be far more like to succeed.

I think you also have to consider personality and aptitude when looking at careers too.

My DD did a test for choosing a career at 15 and actually it was pretty accurate! 10 years later she is working in one of the areas it suggested! However she converted to this area of work as a post grad after university where she studied the subjects she was best at and wanted to pursue to a high level of competence.

You therefore don’t always have to choose at 16. Fresh opportunities and maturity make such a difference as well as getting to know where you might be happy working. Are you better on your own or working with others? Skills and talents are important but they are not the only things that drive a career.

Have you been to any of the college open evenings ?

If you are at the Priestlands end of the Forest then they should be able to advise.
Otherwise, for A levels, your options are Brock, Tauntons, Barton or Symonds.
All are very different and it comes down to what he will enjoy studying where.

Have a look at the websites for each - see what the options are - go visit them. Look in the windows of the departments.
See what spins his wheels.

OP I think people telling you to chill etc are trying to avoid you wasting money on tests that might not help and also avoid your DS doing subjects that are not suitable (for him).

What subjects from his GCSEs does he enjoy? Is he good at them? He must know if he prefers history and geography, or rather maths and chemistry, or is he better at French and German? These are the ones to pick for A level.

In terms of where to study, are the offers so very different at different colleges? The most likely thing is that some will offer more unusual A levels not done at GCSE - eg DD's 6th form offers Government and politics and psychology. Find out what the different colleges offer - do any of these appeal?

If he doesn't really like anything he does at GCSE, A levels may not be the best route for him - they are very academic and you need to love your subject. There may be Level 3 courses that are more appropriate.

Please don't worry at this stage either; DD was totally set on doing Music A level and we dismissed a couple of schools that don't offer it - then about a week into the term, so in September, she came home and said she wasn't enjoying music, wanted to drop it and switch to French - which she did and had just got her highest yr 12 mock grade in that! There will be flexibility and choice.

You don't need to be county level! Dd is doing PE a level predicted an A. She's also doing RS and Geography and wants to do sports science degree

www.ucas.com/ucas/16-18-choices/find-career-ideas/buzz-quiz
www.myfuturewise.org.uk/courses_and_events.aspx
www.ucas.com/ucas/after-gcses/find-career-ideas/explore-jobs?f=/job-families/leisure-sport-and-tourism
www.lboro.ac.uk/study/school-college-liaison/events/inspiringminds/
www.coa.co.uk/services-and-support/students Cost?

Is he / are you considering A levels in the subjects in which he's having additional tutoring? You mention possible GCSE grades "with the help of a few tutors".

From what I understand of current A levels, they're supposed to be hard and if he needs tutoring at this stage, it may not be the best idea for him to continue with those subjects for A level... unless he'll be tutored alongside school for A levels as well...

Does he LIKE Maths and science though? Great if he does (and is expected an 8 or 9!in Maths), not so good if he doesnt!

But yes looking at degree courses then working back is an idea.

I agree with pp- you are entirely over thinking this and he needs to start to take some ownership of his choices. Subcontracting this decision will allow him (and you) to “blame” someone else if it doesn’t work out.

the vast majority of 6th formers don’t have a career path in mind and so choose the A levels in subjects they are best at and enjoy. As others have said there may be subjects he doesn’t know about - business, psychology, sociology etc that might appeal. I would also say that when choosing the 6th form the general feel of the place and what it offers should have equal weight. I’d be massively surprised if the offer of your local 6th form choices differs greatly anyway

Might he be interested in something sports related such as Sports Physiotherapy? My sister did physiotherapy and one of her fellow students ended up as a physio at Tottenham.

If he's more interested in technical.stuff, there are degrees in sports technology. One of my friends daughters did a sports technology degree and now she works for a major sportswear company designing technical trainers. There are lots of options.

My son did Maths, Physics chemistry and Further maths A levels. None of the 6th forms where we live will let you study any of the science or maths subjects unless you get an A in that subject at GCSE. I think that equates to an 8? So if he doesn't get 8s he may find some subjects not open to him.

I agree with pp, he should do the subjects he enjoys.

Relative's son is doing an extended level 3 in Sport. Despite having pretty indifferent gcse results and redoing y12 , he is one of the more academic on the course and many were retaking Maths and English gcse or equivalent alongside. Not sure it would be the best option for someone capable of 8s.

Do maths and science and keep sport as a hobby to keep his options open. It is important to choose A levels he will do well in and be enthusiastic about to progress. There are plenty of unis which offer high level sport and modules in sport psychology, physio, science etc as part of other courses. Check out likes of Loughborough, Bath and Bristol to see what their entry requirements might be but few would insist on PE at either gcse or A level since not all schools/colleges can offer it.

Let your DS choose the subjects he's genuinely interested in and is good at (hopefully they are the same ones!). DS is thriving in the sixth form (more so than for GCSEs and further down the school) doing the subjects he really wants to do. He is just so much more motivated and enthusiastic. He doesn't know what he wants to do career-wise but is quite certain of his degree choice now.

I think DC need to be encouraged to start finding their own way as they head into the sixth form. If you use psychometric tests to help determine A Level (and potential career) choices you may be setting him on a road to nowhere.

“Doesn't play for county, so Cannot get a high grade”

Sorry- this isn’t true. Who told him that?

When DC were trying to choose A levels I found advice and a list of preferred A levels on one of the Cambridge University website s . It gives sensible advice about some combinations as well- eg subjects which overlap. I had a quick look and couldn't find it, but this might help
www. russellgroup.ac.uk/for-students/school-and.../subject-choices-at-school-and-college/

Don't waste money on a 'professional' assessment. I don't think you will be any further forward. Most of the kids in my DS's class did one a couple of years ago, and it was largely just confirming what they already thought - it didn't offer any stunning new insights. The people best placed to advise are probably your son's current teachers, and you and him sitting down together to consider options.
Probably the best advice is to do things that he enjoys and or can do well at. However colleges tend to offer a lot of new subjects that aren't available in schools, so maybe he would be interested in starting afresh with something completely new? Has he been to any college open days?
Would he want to go to the same college as his DT or definitely go somewhere different and branch out on his own? That might be a consideration.
Does he see himself going to uni after college? If so, he probably needs to stick with reasonably well regarded academic subjects. It does depend on what sort of course he is likely to pick. Some have very specific requirements, but there are plenty that don't. If he really doesn't know what he wants to do, he could look at Liberal Arts and similar degrees - they start off very general with a spread of subjects and gradually narrow down.

Ok so Science or creative arts or humanities or languages or social science. He must at least be able to rule one or even two of those disciplines out. Start with what he doesn't want to do. Often when you then look at what's left things become clearer.

Worth making sure one or two are respected A levels (google Trinity Cambridge list).

Most people just choose the subjects they like / are good at. If they have a career or general area in mind do the subjects you need. If he's no idea keep options open - do at least one or two old fashioned 'proper' subjects.

As an academic and A level teacher my best advice would be for him to choose the subjects he enjoys most. He will do best in them.

A levels are hard work - and harder if you are doing something you're not that fussed about.

As an occupational psychologist who designs psychometric tests and works in graduate recruitment I can safely tell you to Chill!!

Kids today are going to be doing jobs none of us have even thought of yet! We can't predict the future..much less control it though our A level choices 😂😂.

Get DC to do stuff they enjoy and encourage them to be resilient, adaptable and tech savvy. The rest will fall into place