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Original poster

Sixth form - heavy work load and not much time for anything else!

31 replies

Notcontent · 07/10/2022 20:35

My DD is in year 12, at a very academic school. She is doing 4 A levels and really enjoying it so far, but she is working pretty hard. They do some enrichment sessions as well, so in total she only has one afternoon when she finishes a bit earlier and other than that no free periods at school. For one subject she also has an additional after school session. So overall nearly all her time after she finally gets home is spent on homework and revision (they have regular tests). Up to now she was able to do lots of sport during the week but there is just very little time for it now.

Is this normal for some sixth forms? She is also doing some volunteering at the weekends… I feel exhausted just thinking about her schedule - but I am not sure what the alternative is…

OP posts:
AprilShowers23 · 07/10/2022 20:59

Even in top private schools they only do 3 A levels. Usually drop the fourth very quickly. A fourth isn't needed even for Oxbridge/medicine.

canyouextrapol · 07/10/2022 20:58

Creative a levels like art never seem to have an end to them. Annoys the crap out of me that some kids are bunking off my lessons to do more colouring in!

Original poster
Notcontent · 07/10/2022 20:51

They all start with 4, with the expectation that they can drop one. It’s not further maths. They are 3 STEM subjects plus one creative one, that she really does not need but enjoys….

@Camdenish that’s what I am slightly concerned about. Year 10 was the pandemic and she missed out on so much, and then in year 11 she pretty much worked non stop as they had so many mock exams before the real thing.

OP posts:
Camdenish · 07/10/2022 20:38

Is one of the A levels further maths? If not then I’d be concerned that she was spreading herself too thinly for little purpose. Two years ofA levels is a high percentage of a child of 16-18 life. It could be pretty miserable not to have some sort of outside life. Especially after the experiences she’ll have missed during the lockdowns.

tickticksnooze · 07/10/2022 20:37

It doesn't sound abnormal tbh.

NinetyNineRedBalloonsGoBy · 07/10/2022 20:36

Why is she doing 4? No wonder she's exhausted. Even for oxbridge she only needs 3 A s / A stars

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