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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:
MrSlant · 02/09/2016 11:04

I love this thread, great that it's in further education. I remember being on a thread with some of you as we wept quietly at the prospect of our SN children approaching 'big school' and how they would cope and now we are all sixth formers or at college. Didn't we do well!

Ellen I hope everything is nicely set in stone for you soon, I know exactly how spinning out not knowing is. Good luck.

I know they are supposed to look after themselves now they are in moving on with their study but I've agreed with DS that I will be 'on him' for at least the first term. He really struggles with organisation and although he is now studying only things he has a passion for it could all go a bit wrong yet! He's been given 6 weeks to prove himself for the BTEC but I found him reading the relevant GCSE revision book whilst he ate his take away last night so fingers crossed he's going to show the man that he was wrong!

ShanghaiDiva · 02/09/2016 11:10

ooh shiny new thread!
Ds starts week 4 next week. He is taking the IB diploma so has 6 subjects - maths, biology, chemistry, geography, english and german. All going well so far :) and has made friends at his new school. Found some boys who love touch rugby as much as he does!
Good luck to everyone who is starting at sixth form/college next week!

catslife · 02/09/2016 11:16

Found you all.
dd starts sixth form college on Tuesday and has enrolled for 3 subjects. Timetable will be issued on first day back so unsure how many hours she will need to be in college each week yet.
dds room has had a big sort out over the Summer and is now the tidiest in the house!
Off to buy stationery for college this afternoon.

MrSlant · 02/09/2016 11:41

Yes, time for lunch then stationary shopping and school jumper collecting. Exciting times!

DS is doing the Welsh Bacc as well which in all honesty, I have NO idea what it entails. UCAS treat it as a full A level for points but I'm not sure if all universities accept it. Mind you he passed the lower level one which is the equivalent of GCSE apparently, so that was nice. I really need to become more engaged in their education!

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 02/09/2016 12:29

cloudy, different schools do it differently, some run both concurrently, many topics just build from maths to FM.

{{{hugs}}} knitting.

OP posts:
TheSecondOfHerName · 02/09/2016 12:38

Just found out that DS1's A grade in Maths GCSE was a middle-to-high A rather than a low A (raw mark 158/200) so I'm feeling slightly more optimistic about the prospect of him doing Maths A-level.

TheSecondOfHerName · 02/09/2016 15:28

He's back. Contrary to my expectations, induction day wasn't "OK", it was "really good".
Smile

Lots of ice-breaking exercises with his peers and motivational speeches from the staff.

chocolateworshipper · 02/09/2016 15:56

In case it helps anyone - I have just come back from Sainsburys where they had amazing offers on stationery. DD is dyslexic, so stocked up on highlighters (massive pack for £1.50), coloured biros (pack of 18 for £1.20) and much more at half price or less.

raspberryrippleicecream · 02/09/2016 16:48

Knitting Flowers

raspberryrippleicecream · 02/09/2016 16:49

Further Maths at our school is twilight, with DS it was 1 lunchtime and 1 after school in Y12.

FantasyAndHope · 02/09/2016 16:53

Can't believe there back next week! DD has shiny new nails ready for back to school

needastrongone · 02/09/2016 17:30

chocolate, never mind DS, I might stock up for my work!

littledrummergirl · 02/09/2016 19:05

knitting
Flowers and hugs. I'm sorry for your loss.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 02/09/2016 19:26

Flowers Knitting. Sad

I think DS's course is sorted. The timetable is fine and I've chatted to the course leader. His GCSEs are good enough to do the diploma, so if he has been mis-enrolled they'll change it. But the course codes are so confusing it might be that he is actually on the right course and the enrolment form is wrong. Anyway, lots of phone calls later and it will be fine.

My DS1 did maths and FM and they ran both courses in parallel rather than maths in Y12 then FM in Y13. I guess it will vary according to school policy.

2gorgeousboys · 02/09/2016 20:27

Oh knitting. I'm sorry Sad

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 02/09/2016 20:35

Will have a look out tomorrow. Thanks for the tip Chocolate. It's me that needs the gazillion biros. I'm terrible.

Most of dds friends have started back this week. They've been texting her from college (novelty of finally being allowed phones in school) She seems fine about it. Ridiculously excited about next week and getting her timetable. Back to early starts though, out of the house by 7:20 :( that's the time I've been having a lovely cup of tea in bed.

OP posts:
TheSecondOfHerName · 02/09/2016 21:20

DS1 says that his friends who are going to the FE college had their photos taken for their ID cards. Something weird happened to the aspect ratios and their heads are all stretched out of proportion. They have to wear their ID cards at all times. 😂

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 02/09/2016 21:36
Grin
OP posts:
FantasyAndHope · 02/09/2016 23:02

DD has had a complete blow to the system. Out of her group of friends (10) they will only be 3 of them left as most have left due to some of the schools departments teaching being very poor. Most of the year group has left due to some departments being poor or because they've being there since 4 months old and simply want change

NoHaudinMaWheest · 02/09/2016 23:09

Fantasy that sounds difficult for your dd. Hopefully the ones left are those she gets on really well with.

Dd did her orientation visit today with physio and wheelchair. Maths school went well - they are friendly and accommodating. FE college where she will do one subject less so. Her class is on the fifth floor and they have no priority system for the lifts. There are only two small ones and the floors go up to 9.

FantasyAndHope · 02/09/2016 23:27

no
She gets on really well with them, the issue is its making DD question if she wants to stay there as one of her departments both teachers have left one on Mat leave and one has retired

marmiteloversunite · 03/09/2016 06:29

Oh no Fantasy just when you thought you were sorted!! All that new uniform too!! What a nightmare. Really sorry.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/09/2016 07:28

Are new students coming in Fantasy? Is the department one of her subjects?

OP posts:
Icouldbeknitting · 03/09/2016 08:12

NoHaudinMaWheest Do you think the FE college will take the full two years to laminate a sheet of A4 and stick it next to the lift? There's a world of difference between using a lift because you have no other access available and hopping in to avoid the stairs. I would hope that the students would themselves give priority to a fellow student in a wheelchair if they stopped to think about it for a minute but sometimes people fail to notice the bleeding obvious.

Fantasy When my husband did his A levels (1979, state school) the year fitted comfortably in a minibus. It meant that he didn't have a fantastic choice of subjects but it was the only choice available to him so he got his head down and got on with it. Does your daughter still have another option that she can consider? She needs to be happy in her choice because if she does want to change her mind the time is now. I'm sure that they have arranged some maternity cover because otherwise they would have approached you/her to ask her to change her A level choices.

DS has no other options so he has to make his setting work.

baringan · 03/09/2016 08:37

Oh no fantasy. I feel for your dd. This happened to Dd1 a couple of years ago when she was in year 9 - hence why we moved her for 6th form. Is it too late to move her? I'll admit we've just moved dd2 from her private school for similar reasons and I am so relieved we did as her year are leaving one by one. However, I have good friends who have decided to stay and tough it out and I am sure the school will do all they can to make sure everything is OK for them.