Parents of Year 12s - exam time again! (oh no!)

[OhYouBadBadKitten]

Just noticed we were running out of thread!

Why do some schools still insist on general studies? No university will accept it as a subject. Why can't the students take a subject that will be more useful to them?

All AS at dds too. trying not to think about next month

I'll be glad to get DDs results tbh. She is hesitating over uni choices, we think till she has some idea of how realistic they might be. Results will definitely help one way or another!

DD hasn't had enough time to consider her options. She has had far too much schoolwork/too many exams to give university much though, and now we are running out of open days because she changed her mind and decided she wanted to do medicine, and the applications have to be in before some of the autumn open days. We could have done with a 13 month year this year.

Lonicera totally agree with General Studies statement - why keep it when Universities don't accept it & like they all have time to take it just for fun don't they?! Madness!

DD only has AS results in August to go on now so crossing everything for her as she has her heart set on a few Unis now after visiting

starfleet glad to hear your DS liked Liverpool.

DS had the same thoughts re General Studies. He though it was a waste of time and would have much preferred to have an extra lesson in one of his "proper" subjects.

DDs school isn't doing GS any more, I thought it was my available as a new A level?

Two years ago school wanted DS1 to do GS as an additional AS, it was covered through PD lessons and self study. DS refused as he was already doing 5. I felt it was the high achievers being asked to do it and it boosted the schools results.

No GS at DD's school either, thank goodness! It was compulsory back when I did Alevels, and I remember thinking even then that it was just a waste of time.

I asked dd today when they get the results of their internal exams, whether it was at the same time as AS results or if it would be back in class in September.

Her response was "oh, we've had them already, they gave them to us in the lessons last week, did I not tell you?"

Errr - no dd, no you didn't!

To be fair to her, it has been a busy couple of weeks, but still! Can she not feel the anxiousness and worry about these things radiating from me?!

Actually, it's probably a good thing if she can't!

Anyway, 2 As in the 2 internal subjects - phew!
Which makes the wait for AS results slightly less agonising.

Last day for all of us here tomorrow!

DD has another week and a day to go. She has a taster day in Leeds tomorrow.

No GS here either.

Last day of school for DD tomorrow, but then she's got a week of work experience. I have been released from jury service now so I'm back at school til Thursday next week :( I'd been hoping for a nice juicy trial, but no luck for me.

Dd's extra work experience in the holidays has just been cancelled :( They couldn't find staff to cover it, which is a shame (but logistically it's much easier for me)

No GS here either. I refused to do it when I did A levels as it felt pointless so I'm happy it's not compulsory now

doh MrsAD, what a lot of cancelling :(

Well done for surviving to everyone who has finished this year, hold on, nearly there to those that haven't.

I'd have thought that with funding cuts to a levels, more places will be dropping GS. Mind you, would be quite nice if they were all given finance lessons.

My school are now offering core maths level 3, which involves quite a bit of finance and maths stuff they'll need in day to day life. Of course it's optional, and equivalent to an AS, and aimed at pupils who get B/C at GCSE. It seems like a good thing to me, but not many places are currently offering it, and I think that will only get worse with funding cuts.

DS1 got:
D for History (so C prediction for A-level)
C for English Lit (so B prediction for A-level)

The other subject is AS, but he is expecting a C or D.

So it's looking like he'll be able to continue to Y13, which is good.

kitten totally agree with ditching GS & giving them real life finance lessons instead - much more relevant skill as they head off to Uni or work. I put my eldest DD in for a personal finance course that was offered as an extra after school qualification a few years back now. At the time she moaned like crazy having to do the extra workload, but the other day she actually thanked me for making her do it, as she is so savvy now doing her internet banking, everyday budgeting & financial stuff on her pay slips & pension/tax deductions & now even talking about extortionate mortgage repayments she reads about!

DD has a few more days left at school, but not doing much. Roll on the holidays

DD started a Saturday job last year, and ignored me pointing out she was being taxed and shouldn't be.

They then did some finance in PD, and apparently she shouldn't be being taxed! Who knew!

what do parents know eh Raspberry?

So dd has now finished Y12 and been given a timetable for next year along with holiday tasks in each subject.
My understanding is that General Studies isn't being reformed as a new linear A level so many sixth forms are now dropping it.
I don't know how the current qualification compares with the General
Studies A level that I did many moons ago - but the most useful part (for me) was the optional extra I took in Spoken English which covered How to Give a verbal presentation etc.

Perhaps the school could focus on stuff like that as part of their enrichment programme. It is completely and utterly pointless making students study an A level that no higher education institution will accept.

Ds1 school have advised r&r as much as possible although to do the super curriculum stuff while they have no workload.
As one of his teachers pointed out, if you say on your ucas form you've read a book relevant to the degree, it'sa good idea to actually read it as you may be asked about it at interviews.

dd took til wednesday off, then started her nuffield placement and working on her epq. That was a short summer holiday

They all seem to work so much harder than I remember of that age. It was all hanging out at the beach and drinking cider in my day...at least in my minds eye.

DS has taken this as his "week off".

He has his EPQ, an independent study, a stack of science papers and wants to draft his initial personal statement.

He got through the induction at the football club so now also has a job. Not going to have much of a relaxing summer break. He is going to a festival but not until the end of August.

They have already done the first draft of their personal statements at DD's school. They don't do EPQs as far as I know. The pressure that 17 year olds are under today is horrendous. When I was 17 I had a ball and spent all summer doing fun stuff.

Well done to your DS TheSecond - excellent news.

DD's college don't do General Studies thank goodness.

DD's last day was Thursday and other than hoping to do extra hours at her part-time job, she will get a proper holiday. No coursework to do, no placements, no EPQ, no personal statement to do.