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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

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:
starfleet · 29/09/2016 11:21

I see your colds and raise you. I have shingles (and a cold). Oh the joy.

needastrongone · 29/09/2016 11:27

Oh heck for all the poorly folkSad.

DS got a B+ for his first chemistry work marked. Haven't asked him if he's pleased or not before he sloped off to school...

ExitPursuedBySpartacus · 29/09/2016 11:46

Shingles - eek - never had that but always sounds painful.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 29/09/2016 13:52

StarFleet, that's rubbish :(

now listen every ones bodies there's no need for us all to come down with worse and worse germs just so your owners can get all germ competitive on mn. Repel those invaders!

OP posts:
starfleet · 29/09/2016 15:08

It's not pleasant.

On the plus side DS isn't suffering from anything - unless general teenage angst is a malady?

needastrongone · 29/09/2016 16:24

DD (Y11) has just got 2 A's and an A* (physics) in her science mocks! Really pleased for her. They do these early to split between triple and double science. Smile

FantasyAndHope · 29/09/2016 17:50

DD got 9/15 in her hamlet essay DD is unhappy but teacher said expect a massive drop in grades until they get to grips with the mark scheme, but said DDs efforts were best in the class

MsMermaid · 29/09/2016 18:34

Starfleet I hope you feel better soon, shingles always sounds really painful.

Dd has signed up to do the world challenge trip at the end of year 13. It looks amazing, a real experience. So I've paid the deposit and now the rest is up to her, she's gone into town this afternoon to see if any where needs Christmas staff. I'm amazed!

ExitPursuedBySpartacus · 29/09/2016 21:29

Dd brought home a letter about the ski trip. £1600. Plus more money for evening activities yet to be confirmed. Oh how we laughed.

TheSecondOfHerName · 29/09/2016 21:36

£1600 for a ski trip? Where are they going to be skiing? Colorado?

We've had a letter about a trip to China for £1500ish.

TheSecondOfHerName · 29/09/2016 21:45

On the subject of illnesses, DS1 has a horrible case of man flu. 🤧

ExitPursuedBySpartacus · 29/09/2016 21:47

Austria. But school always stay in 5* hotels and fly scheduled airline. Not sure what else justifies the expense.

MrSlant · 29/09/2016 22:10

Wow Exit, DS went on the ski trip last year and it came in at around £600, although it was a 26 hour coach journey which might explain some of the price difference!

We finally appear to have had some work done, biology test today. My fingers are crossed that he's getting on ok. I think the best thing at the moment is that as he is doing photography he is officially doing an 'art' subject which I thought Mr ASD head would struggle with, not the actual photography, he's always had a knack for that, but the planning and 'mood boards' and sketch book they need to keep. After a day of boggling that he was only allowed to tear things out and using rulers was banned in the layout he's really embraced the challenge and his official school black paper art book looks really, really appealing. Fantastic to see another side of him developing. Plus he's taught himself to play a song on the piano. You Tube apparently. God only knows why I shell out hundreds of pounds a term for his brothers to do music lessons Grin.

On the subject of illness DS' horrible vomiting/headaches that repeatedly made him miss school last year are apparently gone by magic. Good medicine doing all your favourite subjects apparently Hmm Smile

needastrongone · 29/09/2016 22:17

That was the cost of DD's Y10 ski trip this year. State school. Colorado.....

MsMermaid · 29/09/2016 22:29

My school do ski trips that are about £900, in Europe somewhere (I don't really know because I have absolutely no interest whatsoever in joining them). We also do a far east trip which is well over £1000, and the geography trip to Iceland is £900 ish as well. I feel very fortunate that dd has never wanted to go on any of those trips, but she does want to do world challenge, and they sometimes do a physics trip to Cern which she'd like to go on if it runs. Then there's an orchestra residential.

Speaking of costing money, apparently dd will need a better flute if she's going to continue. I'm loathe to buy a new flute costing£££ when it's just a hobby, but then again she gets a lot of enjoyment from it.

Luckily nobody in my house is ill currently. Lots of sympathy from a safe distance for all of you suffering. Lots of kids at school are falling ill, so I suspect I'll have a cold soon :(

MrSlant · 29/09/2016 22:46

MsMermaid I did that when I got to a certain level. You start to move on to solid silver head pieces etc as they progress. Have a look at John Packer website they might be able to give you a rental instrument to start with. Apologies if the teacher has already told you all this. I don't think DS3 realises how lucky he is to be learning on my 'good' flute (on the lessons/practice I am there to supervise at least!).

MrSlant · 29/09/2016 22:48

They also do good refurbished second hand instruments. I send mine to them for maintenance, they are very experienced.

Icouldbeknitting · 30/09/2016 07:04

Mermaid She could still be playing the flute in another forty years and the hypothetical grandkids could too. There are few things now that you could buy today and reasonably expect it to cross the generations, certainly not anything with a battery in it. I suspect that DS may need another instrument before he's 18, he will if he ends up going the conservatoire route. His teacher has made noises about it before but it was at the same time when DH looked like being made redundant so I ignored it until it went away.

It's the end of week three here, all is well, it makes a huge difference when you are only studying the subjects that you like. Some of his classmates are not studying subjects that they like so DS is waiting for the unhappy or uncommitted to drop out (English mostly)

MsMermaid · 30/09/2016 07:42

You're quite right I could, she may well still be playing for years to come, after all I still play badly in an amateurs orchestra and it's many, many years since I last had a lesson. She's not necessarily going to be brilliant, she may only get to grade 7, as I think it would be a bit much to do grade 8 at the same time as A levels. Thanks for the link MrSlant we'll look into that, and ask her teacher for recommendations.

MrSlant · 30/09/2016 08:07

I did my diploma at the same time as A levels BUT I was doing music A level and they seemed to fit in around each other. I have such happy memories of sixth form, just spaffing about doing loads of music and fitting other stuff in between. Oh and grade 8 theory for fun because my friend was doing it! They were such happy days, I'm glad DS has given up one of his A levels already, he's having a much nicer time of it at school and once they get out there into the big bad world it's head down, work hard and before you realise it you are 40. Damn. Grin

Icouldbeknitting · 30/09/2016 10:37

Mermaid She doesn't have to be brilliant, just good enough to get a seat in whatever ensemble she wants to play in. It's a skill that could see her through the rest of her life. There are plenty of adult wind bands as well as orchestras and it gives them a social network at University and wherever they end up afterwards. I have no idea why I am saying this as clearly you know - you play.

As to ending at G7 - well DH left school with G2 piano and took it up again in his late forties. At that stage in his life he had the things he didn't have at school age, time and a piano. He started lessons and took his G8 last year.

I wish DS would do G8 theory for fun, I tried to sell him on G6 but he wasn't buying it.

MrSlant · 30/09/2016 13:36

I'm doing G2 piano right now Icouldbe Grin, early 40's, time and a piano that came a couple of weeks ago, I would be SO chuffed to get to G8 standard, you've given me inspiration. I also play duets with DS3 on my knackered old flute whilst he has the beautiful one. It's the first time I've used my music since I left school and I absolutely love it.

My best friend needed G8 theory so I had a buddy. I've got the certificate out upstairs with my sons G1 piano and I'm still boggled that I passed!

Icouldbeknitting · 30/09/2016 14:42

MrSlant I don't think my husband is a natural pianist by any means but he was willing to put the time in and dogged determination saw him to the end. I can confidently say that if he can do it, you can too. He's now working his way up the jazz piano syllabus and I'm enjoying that much more.

raspberryrippleicecream · 30/09/2016 16:16

DS1 did Grade 8 last March before his Alevels, he quite enjoyed the contrast to the Science and Maths.

If you are buying new, don't forget about the Assisted Instrument Purchase Scheme. It still counts in sixth form, I checked last January as we intended buying DS1 a new trombone for his 18 th, only he ended up with a second hand but better instrument.

I think it is definitely worth while getting one, DS1's is on his pile of stuff for uni on Sunday, he is hoping to join the uni bands

FantasyAndHope · 30/09/2016 17:40

ms
Iceland is amazing it's a trip DD would do again!
DD wants to go to Russia with school they've being quoted £1,200 as there stopping off in Transylvania. But it'll help with her ucas application so I'm willing to pay the money. DD is excited!