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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:
needastrongone · 03/09/2016 08:50

Haudlin, the lift system isn't great is it? Hopefully some level of common sense will prevail by the students, or teachers if she is late for lessons.

Fantasy Assuming you won't move her, then I would encourage your DD to have a positive attitude crack on, a dress rehearsal for Uni life, lots of change etc?

FantasyAndHope · 03/09/2016 09:14

icould
Alternatives have being found for the teachers I just think it's knowing her teachers who are good have gone. And no there's no alternatives
And DD isn't sure oh induction is Tuesday DD is arriving late as we must go to a doctors app to deal with these tricky periods

FantasyAndHope · 03/09/2016 09:16

bar
Yes too late to move and need she's fine but I think it's unsettled her and made her question the education? She's positive just unsettled

Iwantacampervan · 03/09/2016 09:24

All's quiet here until the induction morning on Thursday. DD thought she would buy a NUS Extra card as she (or her sister) uses several of the shops / online stores listed - however, there was much angst when she realised that she would have to attach a photo. They spent time yesterday trying to get one that she would approve of (unlike her college card photo which she dislikes) - something to keep them occupied.

TheSecondOfHerName · 03/09/2016 11:16

NoHaudin how frustrating about the lifts.

Operation Maths is in full swing here in preparation for Readiness-For-C1 test on Monday morning. The pass mark is 65%. If he fails, there will be a chance to resit in a week or two. If he fails that, he'll have to choose a different subject. He is not a highly able mathematician but is motivated and willing to work hard.

It doesn't help that his younger brother is very keen on Maths and has already touched on a lot of Y12 material in his Y9 enrichment classes.

OhSoVintage · 03/09/2016 11:49

228 - Cant believe you got remarks already and well done!. We are waiting on two remarks where she was one or two marks off the next grade, really hope we get it soon. Did you apply for a regular remark or was it some kind of express service?

NoHaudinMaWheest · 03/09/2016 12:39

There is a small notice asking for priority for those who need the lifts but staff admitted it was mostly ignored and just told dd she would have to be assertive. As she also has an ASD that will be difficult. The problem isn't only on the floor she where she is waiting as most people will probably have the decency to let a wheelchair user go first. It is also the fact that the lifts will be going up and down full with no awareness that someone may need it on another floor. We will see how it goes. I have plenty of experience of being that bolshy parent Grin.

228agreenend · 03/09/2016 13:05

Vintage - there was a regular price and express price which was only about £5 more, so a no brainier to opt for it. For the other subject, we were told 18 days.

we didn't expect such a quick response either!

Ds has opted for school 2. I'm happy (I think) for him to go there, but sad he's leaving school 1 also. I'm hoping it's not a huge mistake. Everyone tells me it's a good school, and I know it's not a bad school, but I also have a few slight concerns.

FantasyAndHope · 03/09/2016 14:44

Does anyone have recommendations of website for tutors? Obviously as DD can't move schools im looking at getting tutors as I have looked at the alevel results for DDs subjects and some of them are pretty poor.

cloudyday99 · 03/09/2016 15:57

Are you sure they're aren't other sixth form options Fantasy? The local -pretty competitive - independent that I enquired at only last Friday was willing to accept a late application. You might well find other colleges are too. At the moment you seem to be planning to pay for a school where at least one class is tiny, results aren't great, teachers are uncertain and most of your DD's friends have left. Could be worth a few phone calls to see if there are other options. It's quite possible since may have places they want to fill, or decide to be flexible for an applicant with good GCSEs.

FantasyAndHope · 03/09/2016 16:39

There isnt other options due to dd's background in other schools and how her place is secured at the school I don't pay full fees. I pay a very very small amount and I the funding she has got is correct to current school fees and the current amount I pay is correct to current school fees. State is not an option due to dds background.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/09/2016 17:46

I wouldn't recommend a website for tutors - they take a huge cut that the tutor doesn't see. I'd ask on local Facebook groups for recommendations and visit them yourself. Ask for testimonies.

OP posts:
MsMermaid · 03/09/2016 17:57

Could you ask around local schools for recommendations for tutors? We often get requests for tutors from pupils at other schools and sometimes one of us is willing to do it, or we have 3 tutors we'd recommend for maths, I assume other subjects would have similar. You might not want to do that if you've had bad experiences with those schools though. Local Facebook pages are a good suggestion, weird of mouth is definitely the best way of getting a tutor.

TheSecondOfHerName · 03/09/2016 21:08

Oh dear. Operation Maths turned into "Bloody Shitting Maths" today when he realised that they won't be provided with any formulae in Monday's test (quadratic formula, cosine rule etc) and he'll have to memorise them.

FantasyAndHope · 03/09/2016 21:19

ms
Yes it's a no to speaking to local schools
Oh dear OYBK DD has discovered she has an Alis test? She's very nervous as she's done no work all holidays as she's had none set but the Alis test has maths questions in etc and is used to predict target grades. She's very nervous? If she does badly in this does it mean a lot?

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 03/09/2016 22:22

I don't know alis, sounds like the year 7 midyis tests. If it is, there's no revising really but I think just a practice of basic multiplication/ division and fractions wouldn't harm to get the maths brain back in gear.

OP posts:
TheSecondOfHerName · 03/09/2016 22:35

Thank you for the song. Will send it to him. He has difficulties with his memory so this might help.

FantasyAndHope · 03/09/2016 22:40

OYBK
Yes it's the sixth form version of those told her not to worry when she sat that she felt ill predicted her D's and she's come out with no D's.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 04/09/2016 12:26

Quick roll call for those starting tomorrow......

dd starts. She's really excited :) I'm slightly nervous for her, just on the transport side. Don't want her late on her first day.

OP posts:
MsMermaid · 04/09/2016 12:57

Dd starts tomorrow. It's not as exciting as going to college as it's just the same school she's been at since y7. She's looking forward to it, it's been a long summer.

NoHaudinMaWheest · 04/09/2016 13:34

My dd starts tomorrow too. Just maths school, FE college doesn't start until next week. She is nervous about all the new people. They do a lot of socialising stuff in the first week which she will probably find difficult.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 04/09/2016 13:43

NoHaudin, I expect at her school there may well be lots who find socialising activities awkward, not necessarily physically, but emotionally.

MsMermaid, will be lovely for your dd to see her old friends :)

OP posts:
FantasyAndHope · 04/09/2016 13:45

DD goes back Tuesday for induction but officially Wednesday

HesMyLobster · 04/09/2016 13:52

DD starts tomorrow too. 6th form at her old school so not hugely scary, but she has all new teachers so she's a little nervous. Excited to see friends and get started though I think.

HeyBells · 04/09/2016 14:23

DS is back tomorrow. He's still finishing his homework, funnily enough it's taking longer than he expected. Hmm that'll be A levels for you. Hopefully he'll be in the zone for working now he's had to catch up.

Just year 12 and 7 tomorrow so he's been asked by local mums to keep an eye out for their new starters and make sure they get on the bus ok. I remember that-someone did the same for him. Seems like yesterday!

When DS started there was no separate day so he's intrigued as to what they'll do as he thinks the Y12 are nearly all returners and they did team building etc on the induction days. So presumably it'll be find out which tutor group, get timetable do lessons.