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Original poster

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

999 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 31/08/2016 19:19

here we are.

OP posts:
Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 15/09/2016 15:03

and what does she want to do next?

OP posts:
BitOutOfPractice · 15/09/2016 15:05

She's doing History (that she wants to study at uni), English Lit, Politics, and Psychology. She wants to drop Psychology

I think we should talk about it over the weekend.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 15/09/2016 15:08

I agree :)
She has sensible subjects and I think she will be absolutely fine with those 3. Many private schools only allow them to do 3 subjects as does our local very large 6th form.

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Icouldbeknitting · 15/09/2016 15:15

I've gone back and worked it out, I couldn't work it out at the time because I'd overlooked the CA part so it made no sense. DS is one point off an A so that's why school are doing it. What I know and they don't is what he said when he came out of physics so I know that is low for a good reason.

I am looking forward to tomorrow when I can hopefully say that the first week of college has gone well. I did feel brave enough to ask about the scrum for the buses, I've driven past at the end of the school day and there isn't enough pavement for all the hundreds of teens waiting for buses. Apparently it is all fine, Ds and his friends have worked out a buddy system which pairs a six foot lad with a smaller friend so the smaller one can tuck in behind the big one as he ploughs his way to the bus door.

MyStudyLife is a timetable app that seems to be meeting with approval, it shows him when his homework is due which certainly meets with my approval.

Icouldbeknitting · 15/09/2016 15:20

Boop College here do three A levels as standard on the basis that three done well is better than four done less well. It will give a lot more time in the week to get to grips with the work for the others.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 15/09/2016 15:21

BOOP ds dropped 1 of 4 as he was struggling. It was fine. Most universities only expect 3 (don't know about Oxbridge). The only downside is that she has no option to change anything further down the line. So I suppose the conversation has to be about if she is sure this is the one she wants to drop.

(Are you BOOP from TA thread?)

BitOutOfPractice · 15/09/2016 15:34

I am the Archers BOOP yes Grin

Her best friend has already dropped one which I think has tipped her over the edge.

We'll talk about it over the weekend and I'll try not to panic

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 15/09/2016 15:48

Exit, with my university lecturer hat on, I'll tell you that they don't teach them critical thinking if they can get away with it. Grin IME a lot of drivel contentious nonsense material is presented in psychology at level 3 as if it is straightforward fact.

I suspect the government are resolutely against a population of people who are taught to question and think for themselves. And certainly not anyone who'll ask for and then question evidence for any claims they make.

needastrongone · 15/09/2016 15:57

Exit, I think YABU as arguing with a teenager when it is well known they know EVERYTHING was never going to end well. Grin

I like to plan and worry too Kitten. DD's sport sometimes makes this hard and I get anxious when I can't plan!

No harm in thinking it through over the weekend BOOP, and dropping one may settle her down and give her confidence.

catslife · 15/09/2016 16:00

Boop I have heard that pyschology is one of those subjects that isn't quite what A level students expect it to be like.
Exit that comment about male / female brains would irritate me too!
dd is also "only" taking 3 A level subjects. I think if needed, A level pupils can start a new subject or EPQ in Y13 if things don't work out with current "options".

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 15/09/2016 16:06

DS1 is only doing 3 subjects really because maths and further maths are still just maths even if they're 2 alevels.

flatmouse · 15/09/2016 16:12

Good grief - this thread moves on almost as quickly as the Christmas ones! DS started Y12 on Monday. Seems quite happy but still his normal laidback, slightly disorganised self!

Cloudy you mentioned some Ancient History podcasts - any chance of a link? DS doing Ancient History and may find them interesting. Think it's going to take a couple of weeks to sort transport to/from (seems to be mix of bus and walk but not enough bus to warrant a termly pass), and food (cafeteria expensive, local shops expensive but won't take sarnies!).
Can't believe we need to start thinking post-Y13 already! At the moment he's talking Uni although no idea of course (has decided which Uni tho!).
He's down to do an EPQ - so i shall enjoy reading other peoples' experiences on those, and is playing sport which takes up one entire morning and one entire afternoon.
Think he was a little shocked to see the 5hrs of independent study/week/subject!
DS trying to get a saturday job but is struggling.

flatmouse · 15/09/2016 16:20

needastrongone ... text books and notes recommended for Chemistry? Tell me more!

Had folders for DS - and yet sheets handed out in lessons are screwed up in bag not in folders (which were also in bag). Then it all got drowned in massive downpour...... He really needs to apply some organisational skills!

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 15/09/2016 16:46

I'm not sure organisational skills is a concept DS1 is familiar with. At all.

FantasyAndHope · 15/09/2016 17:22

DD has her first exam next week! In R.S and she understands most of it but had begun to self teach she's really frustrated and sad bht at the same time cannot swap

cloudyday99 · 15/09/2016 17:35

boop DSD had also dropped psychology already, so has similar ones left to your DD. I don't she would have coped with the workload for 4 so it was probably sensible. She found it more sciency than she'd expected (despite what everyone tried to tell her) I think the only downside to dropping one so early is that the other 3 really have to go well, add they're going have to stick with them.

I'll have a look for the ancient history links flat mouse They were in the summer work she was set and i think I have it somewhere.

needastrongone · 15/09/2016 17:56

Flat. I've bought DS his own copy of 'The Salters Advanced Chemistry AS Year 1' text book. The school provide the students with a copy for the year, so buying one is optional, but he can then make notes if he feel he wants to.

The other purchase was the schools own set of 5 notes booklets for each of the 5 topics, which are 'to support independent study to a greater depth', so something they have drafted themselves. For the princely sum of £7 Smile

Icouldbeknitting · 15/09/2016 17:57

On the subject of money - my main parenting role at the moment is a daily scrabble for £1.40 in change for the bus. Secondary was cashless with a bus pass and ParentPay for meals but now it's all cash.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 15/09/2016 18:06

On the subject of text books FE college charges £35 for resources for history, nothing from maths school.
I don't remember having to pay anything other than optional revision guides for ds.
Is it the subject or the college or is this fairly standard?

MrSlant · 15/09/2016 18:15

Sorry Exit, I'm a planner too, need to know at least the 'shape' of what will be happening or I get all snappy and worried. To be fair I'm juggling a lot of balls too and I'm terrified of dropping one and letting the DC's down! No other bugger gives a damn about them and I think I overcompensate constantly sometimes Grin.

StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 15/09/2016 20:00

Knitting: could you get a travel pass? DS1's pass for the metro is £7 a week and, crucially, doesn't rely on us having cash.

DS's school have given them an AS/A2 aqa chemistry revision guide thing. I'd already bought him the AS one when he decided on chemistry rather than physics. He doesn't seem to have any other books from school nor have they asked for any. (I did buy him all the edexcel maths and further maths study books though).

I'm thinking about a chemistry textbook and a computer science one, but the CS ones on Amazon have seriously dreadful reviews.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 15/09/2016 20:01

dd doesnt have to pay anything for text books. At her old schools 6th form they had to contribute towards them.

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StepAwayFromTheThesaurus · 15/09/2016 20:13

The textbooks at school have to stay at school for DS1 (as does his laptop). So I'm getting him ones for studying at home too. He's been good about studying so far. Not just homework, actual independent study. Who knows how long this will last.

Icouldbeknitting · 15/09/2016 20:30

Prompted by this thread I have asked about books - nothing for me to buy so far.

No travel pass for us, we live just over the border into the next authority. As he doesn't live in the area where he studies he can't have a student pass there. I will see if I can smile sweetly in the post office and come out with a bag of 50p coins.

HesMyLobster · 15/09/2016 20:44

Just back from the "Year 12 settling in and information evening" at dd's school.
Crikey!
The headlines were pretty much that you should be basically working all the time or you're not doing enough.

A lot of talk about extra curriculars and part time jobs not taking up more than a couple of hours a week.

And that any slips in attendance or grades will result in them not being allowed to complete the course.

It was much more authoritarian than the "come to our 6th form information evening" where they talked about freedom and independence and being treated like an adult.

I didn't take DD as she was out at her extra curricular (sshhhhh! Wink) but looking around as I left there were a lot of very pale, worried looking 16 year olds.

The pressure is definitely on.