GCSE '18s (20) - half term beckons!

[mmmz]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/3355907-gcse-18s-19-new-beginnings

Sorry, I was conscious as I wrote it some are still taking AS s, and I believe some doing all four ? But perhaps with them not being universal there won’t be the pressure there was.

11 geography pieces of homework to do including a presentation during the holiday alone! Then there's biology and maths ( 5 tasks) and revision for psychology assessment with learn rest of unit not covered as it will be in assessment....... And every teacher saying ' take it easy and relax during half-term'

Taking g dgd to school today as dd and myself doing Xmas shopping in city. Very windy and wet hate Xmas shopping! Buying a Dictaphone for dgd which will come in handy and pair of converses for dgs. Dd 1 wants saucepans and dd 2 wants a block of kitchen knives. Are they both having trouble with stroppy teens?

I am thinking that having only one AS level to do will be like a walk in the park compared to having four at once, as students used to.

The only complication is that the internal end of year exams are at the same time as the AS level and those results are used to predict A level results for he university applications. So, you'd think the external exam trumps the internal ones, but maybe not this time. At least, I think that's how it works!

So there was DS in shocking mood last week, slaving to get English essay, Philosophy essay and 2 Politics 9 markers finished. Didn’t go out to party on Sat eve, still printing stuff out at 11pm on Sun eve.

Turns out he’d mis-read instructions - Politics not due in til Friday, English not due in til next Monday...!

So he is now in excellent mood - offered to help make dinner last night, did a couple of hours of music practice, completed his CV for work experience over New Year. I now need to work out how to hack into the school homework server and move everything early.

Pretty sure they will use the AS to do the prediction for that subject- it's more tangible and makes up part of the A Level.
Or is he only doing the AS in a subject that he's not going to continue with?
No ASs here and she will have dropped down to the 3 subjects she is going to continue with when she goes back.
For those doing an EPQ - have they decided the subject yet?

Bpisok - yes, that's it, exactly: DS will drop the subject after AS level.

Hmm I'd say AS is at least as important as it will go on his UCAS as an actual grade not just predicted - I guess it depends how related the subject is to what he wants to study.

I see. That makes things tricky. I suppose that historically there would have been exams in all 4 subjects anyway so it's a bit like previous years?

The question is how/if Unis view the AS now the system has changed. Whether they are looking at 3 x A Levels in isolation or whether having the 4th as an AS will give an applicant an edge.

DDs school are very much of the opinion that 3 (4 if FM) plus an EPQ plus relevant work experience/extra curricular should be the tactic. The EPQ is seen as a 'nice to have' but not too important unless you aren't doing a written subject.

..... I also think that they have to declare the AS on applications so you can't just not revise for it since the grade will be there for all to see! Does he need the AS? Do you/he think that it could impact on his grade predictions in his other subjects? My concern would be that it's extra work with little payback. Except - If he gets a straight A in a subject that he drops then it would indicate that he should get A/Astars in the subjects he keeps which could position him nicely. If he gets a C or D it could be detrimental to his application? The last part is just my thoughts with nothing concrete to base it on!!

I don't think many unis will pay much attention to AS's as the majority of schools are no longer taking them so the benefit will be limited (although I don't know that for sure and could be corrected), but, as Bpisok says, it will be harder to justify high grade predictions if there is a low grade in a related AS - so I can see little benefit and some downside in taking them - apologies to those at schools where they are being made to take them.

DS who is currently still doing 4 A levels, will be taking an AS in the one he will probably drop next summer, along with summer exams in the other 3. My take if he can nail the A in the AS that shows Uni's what he is actually capable off, schools have a notorious reputation of over predicting. Plus if summer exams don't quite go to plan Uni's will be none the wiser and if work throughout the year is of the standard required then most schools will still predict what you hope for!!!

Admission staff I have spoken to on open days have said that they don't take an AS into account if you are then taking it to A2 no mater what the grade, as not everyone takes them.

My DS is taking one subject (History) to AS and then Maths, FM, Chemistry and Physics to A2. (School policy to take 4th - or 5th if doing FM - to AS)

Can’t see History AS result will be of much interest to unis as DS will be applying for a Maths or science degree. I’m a bit worried conscientious DS will find it hard to get the balance right with revision for History for an external exam against the important internal exams for all his other subjects.

An EPQ sounds too much on top of DS’s five subjects but remind me what the project is meant to be on - an in-depth look at an A level topic? Or something not on the syllabus?

Pannetone why don't you email the admissions of a couple of the Uni's your DS is interested in and ask how they will view the AS in History?

Panettone - conflicting info about EPQ topics here
It def shouldn't be on something you are specifically studying at A Level - so if you are studying the Cold War it can't be a detailed thesis on part of the Cold War. Beyond that we are being given conflicting advice.
Some say it should be related to your subject(s) so that it can be discussed at interview (so if you want to do Biology it could be on evolution of native butterflies for example ) Some say it should be something you have a passion for but aren't studying at A Level.
.....I think DD may write a play script.

WRT AS levels - if admissions staff are saying they don't look at them why are some schools still doing them?
I get the idea of starting 4 or 5 to ensure that you like them (especially for subjects not done at GCSE) and then dropping a subject - but why do an entire year?

bpisock that's what I've been saying all along - both DD's schools dropped them at the first opportunity and moved straight to end of year 12 internal exams to give DC new to sixth form a whole year of learning before mocks or exams. I fear it may be some schools being stuck in the past. Like you I completely get the starting with more subjects if you're not sure what to drop. Or keep them up if your talented and can cope with the work load.

On EPQ I think it can be useful if you have a real passion for something or if your chosen Uni subject is not entirely related to your A levels, or you want to demonstrate, or have a chance to practise, a more practical or applied skill (eg putting on a play or writing a script) but again I would guard against doing one for the sake of it (although it does undoubtedly help in the practice of research, report writing and presentation skills)

They are only not looking at AS levels if you then take the A2, as the AS level no longer counts toward the A2, if you take a stand alone AS I'm sure different Uni's and different courses look at them but how much weight is given to them I don't know.

DS's school only does an AS if you intend to drop that subject last year were the first cohort who were under this system, results were down and I wondered if it was partly due to not a lot being done in Y12 as no external exams to revise for........DS's school is not known for its whip cracking

Yes I guess that’s a possibility Bluebelle

Doing one subject to AS level and carrying the other three on to A level is just what DS's school does. There is also an (optional?) EPQ next year. The school has a good insight into how universities operate, so I hope this combination is optimal.

DS really enjoys the AS subject. If he didn't have a SpLD, this may well be the subject for him at university and for the basis of a career. Maybe it still is, despite the SpLD??

I find myself in foreign territory: I trust the school! It's great! I believe that the teachers both know more than me about what DS needs and are actively steering him towards it.

Previously, at primary and secondary school, I've been told that DS is the sort of child who teachers can forget about i.e. the teacher can ignore him and he will still behave and still meet the targets, so the teachers did ignore his needs.

The relief is huge that, finally DS is at a school where he's not an outlier to be ignored and forgotten about! And just in time too as I am out of my depth with all this talk of university visits etc.

Bluebelle DS hasn’t got as far as deciding what subject - which needs to come before he decides where!

I think DS’s school would say you take the AS in the subject you’re dropping to have certification for that year of study. And they want the students to take a 4/5th subject so that they can keep subject options open for Y13. I think DS doesn’t have to confirm A2 subjects til Jan/Feb.

I’m treating the History AS as enrichment type activity for DS - different skill set from his other subjects. So no EPQ on top for him. Interesting the range of things you can do bpisok and Oratory - didn’t know it included things like play writing and producing.

DS was told at Oxford that they're not fussed about EPQs but that if he did one related to his degree subject then it would be a good way to fill his personal statement and something to talk about at interview.

His school says do an EPQ on something you love as it's your last chance to have free rein  I think that's a bit doom-mongerish! They have also suggested that students use a skill not already being used in their A levels - eg if you're doing essay subjects, then do a creative or statistical EPQ. That's nice advice but what if writing is your fave thing?!!! Anyway DS is doing an economics based topic, with writing and graphs and stuff. He is not very creative and can't see the point of 'wasting' all those months on something that won't help his uni application!!

Other friends last year have written a novel (planning to study drama) and composed a rock opera (planning to study law). It seems that anything goes!

I suppose I've just got a bit of a bee in my bonnet about everything having to be certified or examined these days. I don't see why DC cant enjoy studying a subject and then write on their PS or discuss at interview what they got out of it, without having to do an external exam with all the teaching to the mark scheme and added pressure that that entails. I think the same about extra curricular where in some schools everything has to be assessed and measured in terms of LAMDA exams, music grades or debate competitions and, although I know some thrive on it, the stress that puts on some DC is huge. It adds test and deadlines to an already stressful school life. And some of these activities should just be fun !! You can do these things and express at interview or on your PS what you got from it without the certificate or having to say you were the nth best in school or the country.

Sorry rant over

Yup anything goes with the EPQ ! I think DS would have done something on codeing or game creation if he'd done one but as CS A level includes a project anyway he s doing that instead (hope its a bit better thought out than the GCSE NEA debacle !!)

But of course even if you do something practical or creative you still have to do the write up and presentation etc

DS3's school is one of those still doing AS levels. I'm not sure of their reasoning. Maybe to keep the impetus going throughout Y12? They all do 4 subjects in Y12 and 4 AS levels. Some do 5. They are all supposed to do an EPQ as well. DS is thinking about topology, which is maths based but not on the maths or FM syllabus.

I'm not sure if it's the best idea, nearly all the other schools around have stopped doing AS levels altogether and many start with 3 subjects. I do like the fact they take all four until the end of Y12. Good opportunity to really decide what they like and getting a qualification for a year of study seems like a good idea too. Still not sure why they insist on all 4 AS. It's expensive for them, too.

Forgot to say, that really good to hear whistl, must be a huge relief.

I believe at DS' school the EPQ has to be an essay, not a creative project. In fact EPQ lessons and homework have started heavy, with research skills, essay practice, etc. I think DS would've enjoyed a creative project but it's not allowed...