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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

About sons a level decisions

76 replies

ginorwine · 12/08/2014 08:08

Our ds has just done his as levels . He did not enjoy English at all - one of the books was Austen and it was totally not his bag and he struggled to be intrested!
He is now saying that he has learnt a lesson and he wants to do b tech in outdoor ed then a level geography and travel and tourism . He was prev asked to do three sciences at g c s e by the school which was not his thing so it is his second experience of this.
The school have said that the curriculum set up means that he would not be able to do a level geography as it clashes so he would have to do the b tech and travel and tourism . He has just done a young leaders course via a bursary from a charity and that was outdoor ed as well as public speaking group work etc. he loved it. He has no idea what he wants to do after sixth form and thinks maybe uni or maybe appreitiship - he loves school and that's why he struggles to think beyond it I guess.
The school don't want him to do the b tech as they say it will limit his options and feel he shd be aiming for an r g uni . My gut instinct is to support him to do what he wants as if happy will enjoy and do well but others like a relative who employs people say you have to think of future .
We have appt with school later this week. !!! Any advice or experience please? !

OP posts:

Original poster

ginorwine · 12/08/2014 08:15

When I say it's his second experience of this I mean being advised to take certain subjects but not liking them . He got a star s in eng lit and Lang gcse but struggled with as as he really really did not like Austen . Therefore he said he has listened to school about both taking 3 sciences which he did but did not enjoy and English as , ditto ! So now wants to chose himself and not be advised by school . He feels school wants this for results. He does not want to consider going to another 6 th form to look to see if he can do the combination he wants ie to included geography as he loves his school . Outdoor wd is a specialisim at his school anyway

OP posts:

nameuschangeus · 12/08/2014 08:15

I have no experience of this as my ds's are too young as yet but I just wanted to say that I think you should let your ds have his choice, it's him who has to actually do it and it's much better to be doin something that you're interested in.

LocalVelvet · 12/08/2014 08:21

I would support him in doing what he wants. It seems like a perfectly sensible and well thought through choice anyway, and in a growing area.

He could end up working for a very long time, and enjoying work is something which will make life so much better.

He's also much more likely to do better at something he enjoys.

Good luck

LokiBear · 12/08/2014 08:21

He needs to think about the long term plan. If he wants to go to university then he needs to do A-Levels. Google 'connexions' and see if there is a centre local to you. You might be able to book him an appointment to speak to a careers advisor who will help him make a plan.

callamia · 12/08/2014 08:28

What is he predicted in his AS levels? Schools are bloody obsessed with Russell Group, and over-predicting A Level success, and it might be that a university doing the course he might be interested in would accept a btec/mix of quals. Btec distinction grades fall within the 'margin' student numbers, so are 'equivalent' to ABB at A level (attractive to universities).

Could he start researching possible apprenticeship or degree course opportunities and work backwards? It would be a shame for him to limit his options, but also a terrible shame to drag himself through an a level route that doesn't interest him, and that he won't demonstrate his potential in.

Vocational qualifications don't have to be seen as awful (although, in my experience, the T&T one seems to be taken by less able students). If he could pass with starred distinction grades, this would really mark him as able and promising - universities wouldn't ignore that.

silverstreak · 12/08/2014 08:32

Encourage your son to do what he is interested in and enjoys....I always suspect the school is more interested in bolstering their results tables than what's best for the pupil. Don't worry about the uni issue (although following up options online as above poster suggested is always a good idea), nothing is irreversible, it's best to maintain your sons interest in his current education if he's unsure what he wants to do as opposed to him worrying about a maybe in a few years... It sounds like he's interested in maybe the sport, leisure & tourism industry as a possible career - he is on the right track, it's an ever-growing industry! Good luck to him! :)

cricketballs · 12/08/2014 08:36

Loki - A levels are not the only route to uni and don't suit the preferred learning style of a large number of students.

op; as another poster said, it is your DS who has to complete the course, so whilst you can offer support and advice, ultimately it is his decision

Sandthorn · 12/08/2014 08:36

BTECs do limit your options compared to A-levels. They're vocational qualifications, so they direct you to certain careers. Apprenticeships limit you even more, but the payoff is that you get to focus 100% on the skills and experience you need for the career you've already chosen. Not everyone is ready to be single-minded about their career at 17/18 (some of us still struggling at twice that age!), but if they are, concentrating on what they love and are best at is not a bad thing. A BTEC is a good halfway measure.

What's genuinely limiting is ending up with no post-GCSE qualifications and bugger all confidence, because you hated your A-levels and got crap marks as a result. Ultimately, I think if your son is prepared to make this decision, he's old enough to make it for himself. But he needs to commit to it, and not change course every year because he's disappointed with what he's doing. He should spend some real effort researching what graduates of the course go on to do. What are his options afterwards, and are they things he'd be happy with.

LRDtheFeministDragon · 12/08/2014 08:38

He won't be doing Austen again, though, will he? Do the books for next year look any more interesting (he could probably find out what they are if he doesn't know)?

He'll get his results in a few days, and might be in a better position to know once he's got them.

DealForTheKids · 12/08/2014 08:40

Are there any sixth form colleges local to you, ego might have a broader options set, allowing him to undertake all the courses he wants?

I would add that if DS' school is anything like mine was, there's a risk they'll be unsupportive even if they allow him to do the Btech.

crazykat · 12/08/2014 08:40

Support him in doing what he wants. If school push him into subjects he's not keen on he won't do well enough to get into uni.

A-levels are hard and need a lot of work which will be much easier if its a subject he likes.

If he can't do the mix of subjects he wants at his school you could look at local colleges to see if it would be possible to do them there instead.

Hakluyt · 12/08/2014 08:44

I'm a bit confused. What AS levels has he done? And what are his predicted grades?

PumpkinPie2013 · 12/08/2014 08:46

It's true that BTEC can limit options as some Uni's won't accept them for some courses.

Can your ds talk to a careers advisor about what his options would be if he did the BTEC courses with the Geography?

Also if his school can't make the combination fit is there a local college he could look at?

What does the second year of English involve? Would he enjoy it?

I would encourage him to look at what he could do with the subjects/courses he intends to take and find somewhere he can do the combination he wants if his current school can't accommodate.

Then he can look at his results on Thursday - he may have done better than he thinks in English.

I hope he works out what he wants to do.

Original poster

ginorwine · 12/08/2014 08:46

Thankyou all for your advice! He too has said it's a growing Industry to me - I have no idea! - what opportunities are there?? My gut is that he knows what he is doing as he gets a and a stars in what he likes and b or c in what he doesn't . He is predicted high marks in geog and got an award in that last year but wd have to drop it if followed that route. He is really into sport and plays at district level and has run marathons for charity and was much offended when his English teacher told him sport is not important esp when had just run for cancer care. I think he is able to get a distinction in outdoor ed and his plan is if I like it I will do well .
What is t and t ?
Thankyou so much for your advice ! I find it hard when school say one thing and ds another and I want to support my son but was worried the emotional side of me wd steer him to listen to himself not school and then limit his options . In my heart I know he has to do what motivates him if this truly does -.was concerned he was trying to take the easy option which may limit him - but he seems to have thought this thro! Thankyou so much all !

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MrsWinnibago · 12/08/2014 08:48

Definitely support him. When I was his age and at college for a levels, I HATED it and wanted to leave and get a job. My Mum was upset but my Dad said "No, no...she must do as she wants...she knows how she feels!" and it was the right choice.

I worked happily for two years then went to Drama College in London...got a degree in the end anyway. He's trying to find his way

LittleBearPad · 12/08/2014 08:52

He won't do Jane Austen a again though will he. Does he know what's on the syllabus for the Upper Sixth?

A-levels would give him more options than vocational qualifications. I'm not clear what geography won't fit with?

Original poster

ginorwine · 12/08/2014 08:53

Hakluyt - he has done as English , geography , travel and tourism and media. He is predicted a geog , b English , a travel tourism and c media . He says he thinks that he failed English !! We will see on thur ! He said this about physics but got a b .

OP posts:

Walkacrossthesand · 12/08/2014 08:53

T and t = travel & tourism.

Original poster

ginorwine · 12/08/2014 08:54

Little bear - geography clashes with outdoor ed.
he should i know look at other 6 th forms to see if there are other options there but he absolutely refuses - has loved his school from day one!

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Hakluyt · 12/08/2014 08:55

Is there another BTec he could do which would fit in with geography and travel and tourism? If he is absolutely certain he doesn't want to go down the university route that might be an option,

Original poster

ginorwine · 12/08/2014 08:56

Walk - of course , sorry!!!

OP posts:

Original poster

ginorwine · 12/08/2014 08:58

Hakkuyt - I think he wants to go to uni on balance - he keeps referring to of he does well in the b tech he wd get a lot of points for uni. He is planning to do a 2 year b tech in one year .

OP posts:

LittleBearPad · 12/08/2014 08:58

What is outdoor ed?

What university courses does it lead to?

What would he get out of it?

I'm not being snarky. But I think these are the questions he needs to understand the answer to if he's going to change.

I'd like to understand the first one please? I can't understand what it is.

LeggyBlondeNE · 12/08/2014 08:59

Hm... I would say Geography is an excellent A level to have, and if he were applying to me for uni I would rate an A/A* in Geography well. BTECs are equivalent on paper but aren't as highly regarded. It might be worth talking to admissions selectors for Sports Science (if that's ultimately what he might go towards?) to see how they feel. He could always stick with A levels next year then take another year to do a BTEC.

What else is he doing? BTEC on its own isn't enough for uni.

LittleBearPad · 12/08/2014 09:00

Is this stress coming out pre-results day? Ie I must change all my plans because I think I failed English?

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