Page 18 | New Year 12 starters parent support thread (snappy title eh?)

MsMermaid · 13/09/2016 18:14

When I learned to drive (for the third time, but it was the time I passed) I did a semi -intensive course so I did 3 or 4 days of 6 hrs driving, then as many 2 hr lessons as I needed till i passed the test. That's what I'm trying to organise for dd, mainly because you get so much practise in one day that you really feel that you've made progress. And you don't have to spend such a big proportion of the lesson going over what you did last time. It is daunting thinking about it though.

Icouldbeknitting · 13/09/2016 18:33

I can breathe again. Day two and DS has now had all of his lessons. The concern from induction day was that two of the subjects were full of people who didn't seem to want to be there and had no interest in the subject. They have moved onto other things so the stupidity and messing about has gone. We've had the emergency stationery purchase and paid for the school trip so I think that's the major hurdles overcome for this week.

DS has had an hour's driving at a young drivers's place ("Admiral young driver's scheme" should find one) and another hour on the repurposed aerodrome where I was driving at 16. The first one was with a driving instructor in their car, the second one was with DH in his beloved Mini. I think it will be me going out with DS when he has the L plates on, I can predict that the Mini is not going to be available.

FantasyAndHope · 13/09/2016 19:01

DD has rang in a real angst! Her R.S teacher is going over the same stuff over and over again the lessons are really boring and DD is just fed up she put up with it for 2 years and doesn't think she can do it for another 2 years. She spoke to head of academics he told her its alevels get on with it and it'll be worse at uni. He gets good results so can't be that bad of a teacher. Every lesson DD said he just says Half way through go to the library and research one thing DD didn't understand but he didn't seem to care. Currently looking at tutors for DD as she loves the subject overall. At a complete loss. Any advice would be welcome

cloudyday99 · 13/09/2016 20:03

Well DS says the first day has gone OK. Hasn't found out who's in his classes yet, but met some of his form group. And discovered he doesn't have to go in until he has lessons, no registration like at school.

MrSlant · 13/09/2016 21:10

NoHaudin that must be really frustrating, is the building new? Otherwise why is the lift being an idiot. DS' friend started an FE college this week and the structure seems very different to sixth form, not like my experience of school, can you put a rocket up them, your DD really deserves a bit of support. Good to know Welsh uni's accept the Bacc, having DS currently doing the equivalent of 5 A level subjects (he's expected to drop one after AS, not the Bacc though) seems terrifying when he struggles academically, I'd hate it to be something that uses up his time and then is no use.

Fantasy I'd be so annoyed by that attitude! Such a shame if it's something she really wants to learn about. Head of academics sounds a real joy . I don't really have any advice although DS has one teacher who isn't exactly helpful and we are online researching and looking over GCSE text books to fill in gaps. Not sure we should have to though! Tutor sounds a great idea if you can afford it.

MrSlant · 13/09/2016 21:30

Oh boy, I just saw a thread for new uni starters parents to support each other and had a moment of deja vu for when I saw 'new GCSE starters parent support thread' then 'new A level starters parent support thread' and thought "wow, that's ages away for us". That's ages away for us right?

FantasyAndHope · 13/09/2016 21:59

mrslant
It's £30 per session I don't want to have to pay it in all honesty
DD said online searching is much harder for Alevel as unlike gcses there's no specific sites

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 13/09/2016 22:00

NoHaudin. How frustrating. It doesn't make an easy start for your dd.

Fantasy, is your dd really wedded to the idea of RS? what would she like to do next?

Hooray for good first days :)

OP posts:

cloudyday99 · 13/09/2016 22:02

I'm not sure I'd go looking for a tutor just yet fantasy She's only a week into term, and if the teacher normally gets good results then maybe it is just a different learning style or a few teething problems. You might find your DD gets used to things in a few weeks.

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 13/09/2016 22:11

so something terrifying for any Oxbridge potentials (sorry!) for those courses that need a pre selection test (dunno what the formal title is), they need to apply for entry for that by mid October next year.

In one year and a bits time. oh dear.

Can we wind the clock back??

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HesMyLobster · 13/09/2016 22:18

DD had her first EPQ lesson today (she has one timetabled per week) The teacher's advice when choosing a topic is to choose something related to the university course you want to do!
DD has vague rough ideas about university but we both thought she was months away from having to think about it seriously!
She has spent a good chunk of this evening looking at uni websites and online prospectuses!

HesMyLobster · 13/09/2016 22:19

Yes please to winding the clock back!

FantasyAndHope · 13/09/2016 22:20

cloudy
She's had him for 2 years this is his teaching style. DD spoke to previous alevel students and they said they taught themselves.
OYBK
She loves R.S the only option in the block is art which is a no biology DD hated science except chemistry and psychology only thing putting DD off that Is the fact it's not a facilitating subject and it's a lot of learning and she's doing history which is a lot of work,

raspberryrippleicecream · 14/09/2016 00:38

Been there, done that. I'm also on the uni thread, the next 2 years flies by.

OYBBK we did that too, although DS was 1 mark away from being interviewed. It did mean though, that he had all his personal statement and applications sorted early and could concentrate on A2s. He had had other interviews and all his offers by Christmas.

Really recommend the early approach to anyone.

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 14/09/2016 07:56

errrrmmmm, OK. So does that mean she needs to be going to open days pronto?

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StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 14/09/2016 08:10

Oxbridge has always had an October deadline for UCAS, even when they didn't test.

It is scary to think that you need to start thinking about university though. DS1 wants to go to Glasgow to do maths (possibly with computer science).

MrSlant · 14/09/2016 08:11

Yes, this is the question, when do we start open days and all that malarky? Well when I say 'we' this is where we have to sit on our hands and not helicopter isn't it? Damn, I am an utter control freak, this bit is going to be hard, especially with a child who moves with tectonic slowness at the best of times. Although he has had his heart set on one course for so long making him look at others is going to be the challenge or not, the thought of him only being 45 minutes from home is way too tempting. Roots and wings, must remember that one, roots and wings!

EllenJanethickerknickers · 14/09/2016 08:27

For DS1 we went to the July open days, those that didn't clash, and also some in September. They are usually arranged in outside of uni term time. We had to book to get on many of them, you couldn't just turn up.

I'm not sure what to do for DS2 because I won't be looking at Russell Group universities this time! So we'll be starting from scratch. Also, I think that maybe a higher apprenticeship might be more useful, so I'll have to investigate those as well.

By the end of Y12 DS1 was set in what degree he wanted to do. A few months of A levels had enabled him to know better where his strengths and weaknesses lay. He needed STEP (Cambridge maths entrance exam) to get a good offer from his universities of choice, whilst having ruled Oxbridge out early on.

Have a look at some universities' websites, their entrance requirements are pretty easy to establish. It's too early to have a good feel of what grade our DC are likely to obtain. The step up can be a big shock to even 12 A* and A grade GCSE students.

Original poster

OhYouBadBadKitten · 14/09/2016 08:47

You see, that's the sensible sort of advice that we need Ellen :)

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NoHaudinMaWheest · 14/09/2016 09:40

Yes we did open days at the end of yr 12. They don't start until after the AS exams and in our experience anyway school was geared up for having lots to their yr 12s disappearing for the odd day here and there.

Once we had his AS results it gave a better feel for what might be possible in terms of grades and we looked at another open day in September (which is where he has actually ended up going).

MrSlant I went to all the open days and all the events in them with ds. I would say students who were on their own were in the minority.
I discussed where he might want to go with ds but I booked the open days and the train tickets. I just know that for him it was necessary whatever people with dcs without other issues might think.
I also found it very helpful to visit the student support/ disability (whatever they called it) stands as it gave a good feel for what the attitude of the university might be even if the services they offer are fairly standard.

Shineyshoes10 · 14/09/2016 10:24

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

TheDrsDocMartens · 14/09/2016 10:44

Open Days in year 12. Dd1 has a few picked out as she's quite definite about the type of courses she wants to look at. She's picked mainly ones a long way from us though so looking like some over night stays!

cloudyday99 · 14/09/2016 10:56

We're taking DS and DSD to one open day this autumn, along with DSS who's Y13 but didn't get his act together to know where he wanted to go in time for the summer open days. If they're thinking of Oxbridge or medicine then they really need to do the June open days at the end of Y12 as many of the autumn ones are too late. DSS has now ruled out Oxbridge partly because he doesn't think he'll make the deadline.

We're just doing the one fairly local one with DS and DSD this autumn to let them see what a university looks like and get some idea of what sort of thing to look for when they need to make their own short lists. DSS struggled to know where to start really so hopefully they'll learn a bit and have some idea by the summer.

FantasyAndHope · 14/09/2016 10:58

DD is looking at London school of economics Warwick and Durham. She's looking at history or international relations she would like to do law but do isn't sure

littledrummergirl · 14/09/2016 11:10

Ds1 wants veterinary. He really wants London at the moment but will need to have a look properly. We are also thinking Liverpool, Edinburgh and maybe Bristol but he isn't keen on the idea of Cambridge. His school do a trip there though so at least he can get an idea.

I quite like the idea of waving him off on the train by himself but I suspect I'll go along (possibly with dh to really embarrass him) for a couple of reasons:
To ask the boring questions like housing, meals,jobs, finance.
To be nosy- I never went to university, have never been on campus or inside one. It's about time I found out what I missed out on

It seems to be here very quickly.