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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

suggesting DD chooses a different A Level

44 replies

xmaswiththeinlaws · 31/03/2023 19:00

DD is relatively bright and in Year 11. In her mind she has vague ideas of careers but nothing definite. Initially she expressed an interest in Architecture and more recently, Interior Design.
My dilemma is that she is taking Art GCSE and has been predicted a 4, which she swears is wrong and her teacher hasn't looked at any of her work recently and should be a 6. It is her worst subject, all the other predicted grades are 6, 7 or 8.
She has put down to do A level Art (Photography), and I she is resenting me suggesting she choose a subject that is not her weakest, and preferably not subjective, as Art is. She doesn't have an SLR camera, she takes a few pictures on her iPhone, but nothing really for months.
We moved house and have a lot of decorating to do, in which she has shown absolutely no interest, she does not watch interior design or art programmes on TV or read any books on them. She also doesn't appear to make any art projects for pleasure. She only designs lovely houses on SiMS.
When I was at school I enjoyed art but did not take it, even for GCSE, I wasn't allowed as I was capable of passing 3 sciences so it wasn't an option (unless I had had outstanding artistic talent). I drew, created and made things for pleasure, even in the 6th form but never considered myself artistic. I did OK in my A levels but did not get the grades I needed for my choice of Uni course , despite having got As in those subjects at GCSE and working reasonably hard (I thought at the time).
I feel it would be very risky her taking a weak, subjective subject at A level, whereas she thinks I am just being negative. She also plans on History which she is good at and Psychology, which I don't anticipate being a problem. (She already has 7s in English language and RS, which she took early).

AIBU and pissing on her bonfire or is she taking a real risk by choosing Art/photography, especially if she changes her mind on future career options (as both myself and my husband have done)?
How difficult is it to get a good grade in A level art? she thinks with a good teacher, she'll learn what she needs to know.

OP posts:

GrinAndVomit · 31/03/2023 19:10

I’d ordinarily think you were being unreasonable for dissuading your daughter from something she is passionate about but it’s not entirely clear she is passionate at all. It seems more like something she would like to be passionate about.

Could you arrange a meeting with the A Level Art teacher at her prospective college and discuss it further? You might get a better idea of her real motivation and interests if she has the opportunity to speak to someone who knows what they’re talking about in that field.

TheSnowyOwl · 31/03/2023 19:12

Be prepared for her to always resent you for this if her future doesn’t turn out how she currently envisages.

carriedout · 31/03/2023 19:13

I'd ask school to advise and let her absorb that.

In general I think parents should avoid meddling wherever possible - my approach was if school are happy and the child is honest, it is their choice to make.

BendingSpoons · 31/03/2023 19:20

Would the school/college be happy to take her on with a 4? For a lot of A-levels they want a minimum grade. Do you have any sort of parents' evening?

queenofthebongo · 31/03/2023 19:21

Don't panic too much. Wait for her GCSE results to come out, and see how she fares. She would probably need a 5/6 to continue at A Level and if she doesn't get it, she won't be able to and you won't get the blame. Encourage her to have a couple of back up subjects anyway.

Choconut · 31/03/2023 19:22

It sounds more that she likes the idea of it rather than the reality. Would she agree that if she gets below a 6 she changes the choice to something she's done better in? So let her put it down for now (it might push her to try harder anyway) but then change to something else if she gets below a 6. I got a B at GCSE art......and a D at A-level so if she gets lower than a 6 I think she'd definitely be much better off doing something else.

Curseofthenation · 31/03/2023 19:24

Why doesn't she take four A level subjects at AS level and then drop one? If she turns out to be very good at art then perhaps it will pay off. Either way, it gives her options.

GordonsAFGirl · 31/03/2023 19:27

Let her take the art. If she needs a different set of A levels for her degree she can do an extra year.
My DD did film, loved it but not useful for her university course. My DD is a sold artist but didn't want that career. I do think you need something that is meditative in your study options. Three sciences for example is for doctors only. I did cookery for O level, got 100% and went on to study Law. The only person who benefited from that qualification is my husband! 😁

GlacindaTheTroll · 31/03/2023 19:27

If she's seriously interested in architecture, then she'll needs maths (does her school offer anything in addition to a full A level) and drawing

So art could be a good choice, but drawing, not photography.

But it's really not uncommon for teens to have only the vaguest ideas about their longer term future, so I'm not surprised that she's being a bit changeable.

When does she need to giver her definite preferences by?

Dobbyismyabsolutefav · 31/03/2023 19:31

I was under the impression that most sixth forms or colleges would expect a grade 6 or above in the subject at GCSE to be accepted on the A level course. So if pitching at grade 4 then this might not be possible. Isn't most of the portfolio done by beginning of May? So hardly anytime to elevate your DC's grade. Time for an honest chat with the teacher or head of year to see what grade is achievable.

Perhaps your DD could start with 4 A levels and see where she is at Christmas and drop one at this point. This is what our school encouraged.

Quveas · 31/03/2023 19:31

Hmm. Rather good photographer here, not professional but sold a lot... and I no longer have an SLR ( too heavy due to disability). Don't rubbish phones - my Samsung can take fabulous professional standard photographs. Equipment helps. True photography is half luck and half skill.

I'm not saying you are wrong. I've had a passion for cameras since I was a child. But listen to her choices and reasons. She may be right. And if she isn't it will be logic that changes her mind, not you knowing better.

Panda368 · 31/03/2023 19:32

Calling art GCSE and Alevel subjective really isn’t true. There are strict coursework and marking criteria. The most important part of the courses is showing g awareness of the working process and being able to analyse your own work.

You have to jump through the hoops and show your working and thinking which I would expect to be getting 4s she either hasn’t understood or won’t doing. I would have a meeting with the art teacher and ask for the marking criteria for each grade. It is very formulaic at gcse and a level the teachers taste or opinion of wether something is good or not won’t come into it. You could be a fantastic technical artist who pulls some amazing composition out of the bag in the exam but if the back up work is t there they won’t get the grade.

AtomicBlondeRose · 31/03/2023 19:36

I work at a college and at enrolment if a student with a 4 in Art - who had better grades elsewhere - came to me wanting to do Art I’d have a chat about why, then all over the head of art who would discuss a) is the grade an anomaly for some reason, b) why are they choosing art and c) what art do they do outside school. It wouldn’t be a blanket no but would very very much depend on how they answered those questions. It would be hard for someone who does no art at all in their spare time to be convincing that this, above all, was what they wanted to study. So I think you’re right to be wary. It’s a massive time commitment and although it’s not just about talent, it does need a real degree of passion for the subject. You can’t go passively through it.

ActDottie · 31/03/2023 19:38

What are her three other subjects? If she doesn’t do great in art in year 12 then she can always drop it

Switchwitch · 31/03/2023 19:42

Tread carefully. My DM said I wouldn't enjoy a certain subject at around this age, persuaded me not to take it for a level. I regret it hugely. She didn't really know me at that age. I spent most of my time away from her in my room and she really didn't know any interests I had and was basing it on the me of 3 years before.

BrowniesnotBlondies · 31/03/2023 19:43

Maybe suggest she looks at a photography based EPQ. Or maybe start with 4 alevels and drop one a couple of months in?

Sandwidged · 31/03/2023 19:44

Get her some proper careers advice and let her make an informed decision about which A levels to take. This is her choice, not yours.

Tellmethespoiler · 31/03/2023 19:44

If it helps, my DD did A level photography and she hadn’t done art or any sort of design subject at GCSE. She wasn’t interested in drawing or art particularly, and she picked it as an easy subject. To be honest, she picked all her A levels like that - none were subjects she did at GCSE. She got A/A-star in all her A levels.

CheersForThatEh · 31/03/2023 19:45

I'm not trying to take a swipe at you here, but you've spent a third of your OP talking about you and your thoughts.

This is where she gets to make decisions, just be there to pick her up when she needs you X

CheersForThatEh · 31/03/2023 19:47

Get her some text books on it to show your support. If shes keen, great, if she goes off it then she might pick something else anyway

JudgeRudy · 31/03/2023 19:50

Is she planning to stay on at school? The reason I ask is that she might have more choice at a college of FE. Most colleges offer psychology but you might find a 'better' art based course. There's A levels BTECs and T levels

Sandwidged · 31/03/2023 19:50

Your change or direction and expression of creativity is yours and different to hers. Best not project, she is her own unique person. Also, what’s the worst that could happen if she gets a mediocre grade for Art? It’s not the end of the world, it’s part of learning about strengths weaknesses and exploring possibilities

teneastereggs · 31/03/2023 19:56

It's her choice not yours. Her life. Leave it to her.

highfidelity · 31/03/2023 20:56

I did two art A-levels (Fine Art and Design & Printmaking respectively) and Ancient History. I went to art school, turning down a place at UCL to study Ancient History. Art school was a disaster for me. Although I am very good at drawing, painting etc, I wasn't motivated - I didn't live to create - something that is vital for anyone choosing to pursue art based further education, let alone artistic career.

Given what you have said about your daughter, she doesn't sound particularly interested in Interior Design, and I can't help but feel it would be a waste of her time. I know it was for me and I bitterly regretted not going to University to gain a humanities degree. I actually dropped out of art school completely and got a job. In the end, I did a degree in Film as a mature student alongside a full-time job.

I don't think you are wrong to suggest you daughter considers a different subject for A-level. I think she is silly narrowing her potential now, not least because should she wish to pursue Interior Design at a later date, she can do that irregardless of whether she has an art A-level.

Phos · 31/03/2023 21:06

If she wants to do Interior Design at Uni she would need to have a portfolio of work showing her creative and design ability, I don't think Photography will provide her with that. If she also doesn't do any art outside of school, this sounds very much like an idea she's just plucked out of the air.

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