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Further education

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

Original poster

Half way through Year 13 and the last school year.

999 replies

OhYouBadBadKitten · 14/02/2018 20:14

eep.

OP posts:
ifonly4 · 27/03/2018 14:43

Thanks for your responses to my question. She was going to do music, but has changed her mind to what has always been a back up option, geography/global sustainability, so at least that's one thing we're sorted on. Also, she's started looking at courses. She's at school in another county and her school only allow limited time out for uni visits, so luckily we're already keeping our eyes open for dates coming up, especially those on weekends she's home.

It seems quite a mind field, so I don't envy any of you.

Nettleskeins · 27/03/2018 15:36

summer is a good time to visit unis. It is amazing how a cold dark day can influence your choices... I wish we had visited more throughout the summer and not impinged so much on year 13. The one we visited in August has stayed ds's fave!!

FantasyAndHope · 27/03/2018 19:25

ifonly
It is a mind field and its made worse by teens changing their minds constantly
nettle
I agree with the visiting in year 12, some do open during summer some don’t

Revision has finally commenced here, but dd has also realised her RS teacher hasn’t being giving her good enough notes just the basics of everything and told her not to read the textbook because it waffles but dd has had to just get on with it so she can get a good grade

TheSecondOfHerName · 27/03/2018 19:47

Have ordered DS1's leavers hoody.

He polled his friends to ask them to vote for which of two (equally ridiculous) nicknames he should have printed on the back. I persuaded him to just have his name instead.

Nettleskeins · 28/03/2018 10:56

I can't believe it..now Ds is struggling with the composition coursework. Will it never end??? He was doing his usual.."oh I'll hand it in as a first draft and then after Easter hols if its all wrong, I'll redo it."...NOOOO try and get it better NOW before Easter, so you can work on it over Easter if it is terrible, and you are not struggling to do composition deadlines when you are desperately revising all the other stuff.
At least he got up this morning.
My gardening has paid off, all tidy and chopped/replanted and it started raining torrentially this morning to water in everything. Cherry is coming out in a week. Tulips have come up in pale colours that could turn into anything, dark red purple orange.Ds2 is ferociously sorting out his GSCE work and making schedules.

Nettleskeins · 28/03/2018 14:47

composition slowly improving.
ds chatting away at lunchtime.

FantasyAndHope · 28/03/2018 18:07

Revision is happening here 🎉🎉unlike GCSEs where it wasn’t
I’ve learnt a lot about Jesus Christ as a person today...Hmm
needles
You can’t tell them they just don’t listen at all

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/03/2018 18:47

dd has her exam timetable. I think she must be taking almost every maths module possible. It's crazy! Only two clashes though.

OP posts:
Littledrummergirl · 28/03/2018 21:34

Ds1 timetable looks ok, he is very pleased with it. We've bought the hoodie and have just been told the plans for prom and other leavers stuff, it's not as bad as I was expecting. He's only got a couple of weeks left before study leave which seems mad!

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/03/2018 21:40

It feels like they just got there doesn't it! That seems really soon!

OP posts:
UrsulaPandress · 28/03/2018 21:42

Ok. Stop it now. We don't need to start the tears yet.

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/03/2018 21:43
Grin
OP posts:
Littledrummergirl · 28/03/2018 22:15

No tears here yet, just relief that his leaving events are straight forward. Ds2 prom has a theme- it's gone from planned smart suit to omg, what on earth can he wear that is in keeping without him feeling uncomfortable.
Grin

marmiteloversunite · 28/03/2018 22:19

Ooo what's the theme??

Original poster
OhYouBadBadKitten · 28/03/2018 22:34

theme!?!

Sponge Bob. That'd be a great theme Grin

OP posts:
marmiteloversunite · 28/03/2018 22:53

Theme for little drummers DS2 prom!

ShanghaiDiva · 29/03/2018 00:35

Ds finishes on Friday for one week and finishes school completely on 20th april with first exam on 2nd May. Time seems to be whizzing past! His mock results matched his predicted grades, all coursework finished so just revision now.
We are moving house later this year, dd is going to a new school and I need to get ds back to UK and sort national insurance number, bank account etc so stress levels running a little high in the diva household!
Ds will probably return to UK at the beginning of September and I thought an intensive driving lessons course might be useful. Anyone's dc done this?

Nettleskeins · 29/03/2018 08:44

I need an intensive driving course. I still cannot drive on fast roads, several years later! actually what I need is one of those courses where they take completely hopeless drivers and fashion them into ninja drivers in the Welsh countryside, surrounded by empty space so you cannot cause harm to others..And I suspect ds is much like me in that..

Having spent all that time catching up on his English coursework, he is now completely behind on his Music coursework..the whole of yesterday was spent frantically trying to make his composition more tuneful, and he has not done some English homework, which of course the English teachers will go ballistic over. Also has to sing 4 pieces today for his performance coursework, final version. He is v worried, it is what he is best at, so if it only comes out at a B standard he will be v upset. We have Gluck Sondheim Butterworth and not sure what the last one is...

And he still has to work out what on earth to put for the final section of his classical composition. There has been a lot of humming in the nettle household.

Ds2 has a Smart prom. They are bussing them to and from school to the prom venue, clearly a form of policing of drugs and alcohol. No-one is allowed to go to prom except by school transport!

There is no mention of a Ds1 prom. Perhaps it is only for the high achievers? It was in the school literature when we applied for sixth form but since then..well I have no idea what is happening..

I'll be glad when he is gone. It has been stress stress stress at this end. Although stockhausen's was setting in when I found myself suggesting to ds2 he might like to go there for Sports Science Btec (something ds2 bitterly regrets not doing)

Nettleskeins · 29/03/2018 08:46

sorry, something DS1 bitterly regrets not doing

FantasyAndHope · 29/03/2018 09:37

No proms here and I’m glad
In a worrying situation with RS revision and how little the teacher hasn’t taught, dd is hoping between the two textbooks that she has now got enough scholarly views
Very worried here,

How is revision going for everyone else?

ShanghaiDiva · 29/03/2018 10:18

Revision going well here. Ds is working his way through past papers. All course content has been finished ( finished higher level maths today!)so past papers and revision in all school lessons too. 7 weeks today he will have finished all the exams.

derekthe1adyhamster · 29/03/2018 10:24

Revision was going well here too, DS seems to have a lot of stuff prepared by school to go through. Obviously the 2 grade difference in chemistry and maths is worrying, but as long as he is working there's not a lot more he can do.
He has however got his second migraine of the week, so he is obviously feeling the pressure

Icouldbeknitting · 29/03/2018 10:28

I did ask about composition but apparently it was done "ages ago". The pieces for his performance "play themselves" and that is true because they've been at concert standard for the last three years.

I am told that revision is happening, I don't see it but then I wouldn't do anyway.

TheSecondOfHerName · 29/03/2018 12:31

My plan to buy something each week for DS1's 'going to uni' box continues.

This week I bought him a reversible mattress topper which has one side that's that sherpa / teddy fleecy fabric. He likes the feel of it, and commented "Oooh, it'll be like sleeping on a sheep!" 😂

Nettleskeins · 29/03/2018 12:57

Icould he sounds v mature and sensible and ready to study independently. Ds is I think using Grade 8 pieces that he has only just perfected - and the teacher though wonderful in what she seems to have brought out in him, is only there once a week. With composition I know what sounds good (surely the test of good music) but no idea just how he can achieve it, except by saying things like that bit is incredibly boring and giving me a headache, and I can't bear to listen to that theme for another second...change the tune...or even (with a bit more attention to detail), I say..I think the notes should go up then not down Confused

I've been playing the piano all yesterday and today, feel quite inspired to master something.