What do you wish you'd known before your child started A-levels?

[ainawatson]

My child is starting A-levels soon, and I'm starting to realise how different it all seems from GCSEs.
For those who have been through it with their children, what do you wish you'd known beforehand?
Was the workload more of a shock than expected? Did they need to become much more independent? Were there particular subjects that turned out to be far harder than they expected?
Or is there something you wish you'd done differently as a parent at the start?
Would love to hear what surprised you most.

I was getting full marks in year 12 maths exams. I got a D in my final year 13 maths exam. The lowest mark I’ve ever got on anything in my life (I’ve never got below an A grade in anything).

I don't think any were handy for the universities we visited, and DD didn't want to go on her own anyway. She wasn't very confident at 16 and 17.

My own preference is for him to take Maths, Chemistry, and English. However, he's still figuring out his own goals and what he actually enjoys most.

Those are massive generalisations. DD went to a bog standard, but rather good comprehensive and got loads of homework from year 7 onwards.

However, your post reminded me of DC who find GCSEs a breeze and who manage to do well without much input. They then come a cropper because they simply don't know how to work or revise.

DD has always had to work hard to pass exams. Her work ethic has meant that her achievements have increased with each education level.

He is still deciding, but the chances are mostly for Maths, English, and Chemistry.

Haha, yes! That’s probably worth making clear from the start — A-levels are called Advanced for a reason.

When does he start school or college then? Has he done the bridging work (esp for maths I would say it is very useful)?

The very last schools to return in my area have pupils fully back on Monday. Most were back yesterday or Wednesday.

ETA: Eng lit or lang btw @ainawatson ? Or lit/lang?

As @RampantIvy says, massive generalization. My DCs also went to a ‘bog standard’ comprehensive and both did very well - especially DC1 who got 4 x Astar at A-Level and a place at Imperial College. Many of their friends also did very well.

Where I think you do have a point is the standards in other countries, especially in maths. DC1 told me all the foreign-educated students knew far more maths than they did and it was hard work to keep up with them:

@ainawatson
Do a timetable for self study. Keep it regular.
Have an activity or something he enjoys to have a break too. Timetable that in too.
Ensure he also has regular healthy meals and snacks available.
Have treats like meals out as family too.
Be available for chats and support when he needs it.

Thank you @Dexternight for your helpful suggestion. I will definitely make a timetable.

Please don't make a timetable. Insist instead that your DS makes a timetable. He's 16!

I keep returning to this thread hoping the message has got across that your DS will probably be leaving home in two years time. Your job now is to prepare him for independence and to be a fully functioning adult for his friends and (possibly) partner. Do not be the parent who creates a man unable to use a bread knife. I know one and he was not an asset on a caravanning trip.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/education/5572006-would-you-let-your-child-choose-easier-a-levels-to-get-better-grades

@ainawatson You are also getting advice on this thread about A level subject choice, with some posters wondering if you are a bot. Are you going to be starting any others asking for advice you studiously overlook? People are responding to both current threads in good faith. What next? Would a tutor help my DS? How do you supervise A level homework? Who should decide my DS's degree choice - me or my DS?

Ooh no, mines going into his second year and he didn't particularly enjoy the first year but essential in what he wants to do. Well done to your son.

@ainawatson your job is to provide a stable home environment with a designated place for your son to study.

your DS needs to think about what he’d like to do after sixth form and be aware if there is a certain goal to make sure his A level options don’t close the doors.

He needs to plan his time carefully, use free periods wisely and really hit the ground running. in Wales we do AS levels in year 12 which keeps the focus up as our school used those grades for predicted grades on their ucas forms. Year 12 is not a year to coast through.

He should have completed the bridging work through the summer

He needs to be an independent and interested learner - this time will fly by and he needs to have to learning side of things figured out himself, so that when he heads off to uni (if that’s what he wants to do) he doesn’t need to worry about that side of things - there’s enough else to figure out (budgeting, shopping, cooking, laundry etc). You won’t be doing him any favours by mollycoddling him through the next 2 years.

Of course this is what I meant!

Ah good ☺ Clarity matters!

I wish I had known how many universities accept BTECs and how they can get you into non BTEC subject related degrees.

DS1 did A levels against my advice to do a useful BTEC (Health for a health related career interest.) He struggled with A levels, didn't put the work in and got low grades. He now says he wished he had done a BTEC.

DS2 did a BTEC- similar academic level to DS1 - got 3 D*s. He doesn't want to go to uni but has 2 friends who have got to Economics and Accountancy and Finance at 2 decent unis with a BTEC Sport (No additional qualifications- just the BTEC)

I guess my point is BTECs are a much lower stress L3 qualification and can very often get you where you need to go afterwards

My DD will be doing A Levels - she got 7s and 8s in GSCE - similar grades to her brothers. The big difference is she is very hard working. I don't think she will find them easy but she will give it her best shot. Also for her preferred degree a BTEC is definitely not an option.

I wish I had known how challenging A levels can be- hard work is needed from the start even for bright pupils.

Of course it is a generalisation. I also did not say all state do nothing, all independent do a lot of work, there are loads of independent where kids do not work much and A level is a big step and loads of comprehensive where there is a lot of work and hone work and kids do very well in A level and uni as happened to your kid and his friend.

the education standard in the uk compared to Europe, not only in math but in grammar, literature, physics, chemistry, biology, languages is very poor. They just study and learn more, curricula are more extensive and way deeper. IB programmes do a bit more but still not comparable to other countries. It is a bit of a shame (I did tutorial at a red brick uni and saw levels of students from loads of countries)

Very timely thread. My dc started 6th form this week. Did very well in GCSE with one or 2 outliers but was super stressed with a perfectionist streak for the last year.

What I wish I had known before this week is that it is worth having a look at other 6th forms even if your dc loves their secondary school and doesn't plan to move. It's always good to have at least one backup either if their grades aren't as expected or if 6th form at their old school isn't as they expected.

My dc has been very unhappy this week as 6th form is nothing like the cosy lovely school they have attended for 5 years. It's a state school with a large 6th form. Mixing forms, having 40% newcomers not being in the same form anymore have all taken a tool and I don't think dc was really emotionally prepared for this. Also disappointing in one subject, the students taking it were acting super bored and even a bit rude to the teacher (these were new students).

Has anyone else had an unexpectedly disappointing start at 6th form?

Lower expectations. It is a lot of work and if they have hobbies their life will be school and hobbies. That’s it.

DD did 4 A levels, she loved them all and enjoyed them all but it was full on from the outset - there is no easing in gently in Y12.

If they aren’t academic it is essential they find this out now, and switch to a vocational subject ASAP.

She will be fine. However, 9 is the absolute highest mark so not sure where you are getting the + bit from. I think it is only the top 3% each year get awarded a 9.

No, my dd did maths and FM at A-level and although FM was challenging, she found maths very doable and enjoyable (as a person who likes maths and had 9s)

Reading the posts about hitting the ground running is helpful. Dc has 3 days silver DofE coming up and is worried to be missing this much school. He is talking about not doing it which would be a shame. Is missing 3 days of school a bad idea in week 2 of 6th form? It sounds like it.

Haven’t read all the replies but I think the biggest thing learnt here was to think on top of workload for all subjects right from the start. Leaving one subject and procrastinating till closer to the deadline has been stressful when another subject also sets big piece of work at the same time. Also make flashcards for revision as you go along - literally lesson by lesson or topic by topic. Again leaving it all becomes difficult when revising for mocks and exams

I’m just through A-levels with my two. Very different learners. One worked consistently every day (not loads but every day). One did very little in yr 12 and hoped she could get away with it (in all fairness to her she has ADHD and it was unmedicated till yr 13). Both equally intelligent in my view. DD1 smashed it. DD2 disappointed with her results. The amount of content alone means slacking off for any extended period is going to be hard to recover from. Both loved their subjects and depth of study.