Year 12 #1 - GCSEs are sooo last year!

[bpisok]

New thread to see us through to Christmas?

Still no SMC results at DS’s school. He’s asked and they haven’t received them yet, apparently. He’s enjoying the maths mentoring he’s been doing with a Y8 pupil.

I went to Physics Live today, an event for sixth formers at Birmingham University. Very interesting talks by 6 speakers including Professor Frank Close (The Cosmic Onion writer.) I think it was aimed at Y13 but my school took Y12. They do Chemistry Live and Biology Live as well. Good chance to have a look at the uni. I think it’s the one that the term ‘Red Brick’ was invented for! It had a really nice feel, despite the rain.

Look after yourself, Alexander. That ear sounds nasty.

I hope DDog gets well soon, Limit

Helicopter parenting

Article on stepping back in today's Guardian.

DS2 went to a lecture by Ben Sparks yesterday on the mathematics of music. He found it really interesting.

So did he have proof of the rumoured link between musicians and mathematical ability? I think it was one of the Enid Blyton Mallory Towrs/ St Clare's books which initially raised my hopes that as a mathematician I must have a hidden talent for music which simply hadn't been given the opportunity to be discovered. 40 years later I'm still trying to find it!

If Ds was a few years older he’d have loved that.

He said it was about Pythagorean tuning.

Hello everyone,

I’ve been lurking silently, keeping updated with your news and wishing I had positive updates to post, but I don’t.

If anyone here has any experience, or can direct me to the right place to learn more, regarding taking AS levels as well as/instead of A levels, or converting them at this stage, I really would be eternally grateful.

The health issues have escalated and poor DD is facing a very uncertain future. We’re now deliberating whether to convert to AS levels as it’s looking increasingly unlikely that she’ll be capable of taking A levels without significant detrimental impact on her cognitive and physical ability.

She needs something ‘in the bank’ to move forwards with - uni simply isn’t an option, unless it’s close to home and we need to explore all other options for her.

I can be more specific via DM, but we’re not receiving any useful guidance from the school as, typically, our ‘square peg’ situation doesn’t fit their ‘round hole’ answer bank. Careers advisor is next to useless.

Thanks in advance.

I should add that AS levels were initially suggested to us in the summer as a back up in view of DD’s situation, but they’ve since been portrayed as ‘too much work’ when mentioned in subsequent conversations with subject tutors.

As a rule, school no longer offer AS levels, unless indicated in individual circumstances.

We have a meeting next week where we need to update them as to the severity of DD’s health and we want to go armed with as much information as we can.

Apologies for rambling. It’s all taking a toll on my own health and I’m beginning to struggle to know what to do for the best.

A1ways what an awful situation. I'm so sorry you're all going through this and that the school aren't helping.

I am sure you've thought of this already but if A / AS levels are making your dd's health worse is it worth stepping off the education treadmill? Is she persevering because she enjoys it or because she feels like it's "what you do"?

All of these things can be done later on if the timing is better. It's not worth risking her health.

Take care of yourself too

So sorry A1ways x have no practical advice I’m afraid but thoughts are with you and echo what kick says

So sorry to hear this A1ways, it must be very worrying and frustrating. Are you thinking that your DD could do the AS Levels over the 2 years so at the end of Y13? Or at the end of Y12?

I’d also echo Kick that either option isn’t worth jeopardising your DD’s health any further. for your DD and for you.

It's never worth jeopardising health for A Levels. Sorry I can't suggest anything practical other than that if she really wants to do them perhaps she could do it over 3 instead 2 years and see how she goes. Does she want to be in school? If not, is it worth considering home schooling/self study? That way she could pace herself and only work when she wants/feels able to. It's probably viable for humanities but not sure about sciences. There are science practicals but they aren't part of the paper so it may be possible to do them later? Or she may get an exemption later due to her ill health?
It is she still attending school because she thinks it's the 'right thing' to do/social side/to maintain some normality?

...💐whatever you decide

@A1ways - so sorry to hear your DD isn't well. As others have said, it might make sense to step back from formal education for a bit to give her time to recuperate. Is there something else she could 'do' in the meantime to keep her mind occupied? A skill, craft etc?

I'm so sorry, A1ways.

I guess your concern about your DD's health vastly outweighs your concerns about her academic future, but even when it comes to the AS level question, i have no answers.

I think the option for counting AS levels towards the final A level result ended a couple of years ago. I don't think there are any exceptions, none that I have heard of any way.

I do have experience of a DS who is doing a mixture: 1 AS + 3 A, but I'm not sure how this could be helpful. When he does the AS level, that will be the end of him studying that subject, unless he picks it up at university.

I can't help but think that although it is a terrible time to get ill, there has to be more plurality in the system than just saying game over. Look at all the people around these days who left school with no or minimal qualifications and went back when they were older and now have first degrees, and sometimes even PhDs.

So, it doesn't always depend on getting A levels when you are 17/18.

You need good advice, and that isn't going to come from a school that only know about A levels for 18 year olds. But all these people who become mature students must have got advice from somewhere, so it must surely be out there somewhere??

Apologies A1ways if the suggestions to extend the course aren't appropriate in your situation. It sounds like you are looking for something shorter that your DD can 'bank' now as credit for what she is doing this year. But I don't have any knowledge or suggestions - hopefully someone more well informed might do so.

TheFirstOHN if your DS2 has not read it already, then the Gödel, Escher, Bach book may be right up his street!

The recommendation comes from remembering that some of the more well-read members of my university maths class were really into it. Apparently, it is really good. I think it has subsequently become a classic.

I've never read it myself - I just never liked maths that much, even though I can see the beauty in it. Unfortunately, DS is the same as me (without the beauty bit), and I think the lack of proper interest will severely limit him later. I think that he'll be better off finding some sort of applied maths that he can interest himself in and do well at.

A1ways - so sorry to hear about your daughter's health issues. I don't have any real advice other than to let dd do what she wants to. If she wants to study A levels becasue she enjoys the subjects let hER but ultimately there are more important thing than qualifications right now.

Do look after yourself too. it may seem like there is no time to consider yourself but if you don't look after yourself you won't be in any state to look after anyone else.

Morning all,

Thanks so much for your replies. It’s very much a ‘could she take an AS level to bank her efforts in year 12’ query. We’re not even sure she can achieve year 13.

She’s doing A level study because it fitted her best in a time when education is compulsory. She loves her studies, her sixth form but is finding it increasingly difficult to keep up.

She feels her health is ruling her life and ruining her future options.

I don’t know where to look for impartial advice on this. There’s more to the whole situation, but I can’t go into detail here, nor be specific about what she’s hoping to do. I can divulge more via DM if anyone thinks they can assist.

I do appreciate your thoughts, thank you.

I hope someone can help you. I won't ask for a PM as I doubt I would know what to advise and so it would simply be curiosity so unless you want to just offload (I'm always willing to lend a listening (but infected!) ear but I hope someone else may be in a positon to offer more constructive advice.

A1ways - I have one sort of suggestion. There is a very highly regarded very selective private school near me where the sixth form careers advisor is said to be so good, that his advice is worth the two years of fees alone. Its a boys school, but I do not think that makes any difference.

I know that sometimes teachers at the other local private schools work privately as tutors to top up their salaries. I don't know if this man does this, but if he does then a hour's private consultation with him, and maybe another hour where he does research for your DD would put you on the best track for your DD?

There are probably other, much better options, but racking my brains, that is all i can think of. The downside may be that although his knowledge is excellent but it is all in the direction of A levels, university and a good career? I just don't know.

A1ways - I am sorry that your family are going through these significant health problems with your dd. It must be so very hard for you all - I can't imagine. Is it worth reflecting on what A levels she is doing? If she is doing the sciences, they are obviously more challenging than the other A levels in terms of material covered and complexity. A sixth form tutor from a different college to the one my dd attends, remarked to me that science and maths are the subjects that "make kids cry" (I don't agree with this as a generalisation - some kids like many of the dc on this thread are naturals in these topics, but I get what she means). I would not dare say this out loud in most company, and certainly not in front of my dd with her Art, Graphic Design and Psychology A levels.

Could there be other subjects that she could study which would not be so intense and demanding, but still enjoyable and still worthwhile studying?

I am not advocating this necessarily but it is an option. It is possible to repeat Year 12 and draw a close to current studies if they are really not working out. My dd knows of two students in the year above her at school who started sixth form college in Sept 2017, dropped out because it wasn't working and started afresh in September 2018 (and are much happier)

I hope I haven't said anything too clumsy and inept

How is the ear infection Alexander?

Ddog has now been discharged home. He has some liver damage and needs to go back as an outpatient for tests to keep an eye on liver function, but vet doesn't seem overly concerned

Just reflected further - why can't her sixth form let her repeat Year 12? That way even if she is currently behind, she will easily catch up and consolidate when revisiting the material in her repeat Y12. Again, my dd knows someone who is repeating Y12 at his college.

Following LimitisUP's post below, is it that your DD's health is gradually deteriorating and the chances of it improving later are low? So, it is about grabbing the best qualifications that she can whilst she is still able to get something?

I hope I'm wrong and what i just wrote is not right, but that's what I thought you were implying.

Limit I may be wrong (sorry a1ways if I've read this wrong) but the issue is more about worries re staying well enough to last the second year - not that she is not keeping up now. So restarting or lengthening the course is not helpful.

Was going to suggest something similar to whistl. Don't know if DDs school is indi or state but they don't seem to be hugely helpful, tho may be through lack of resources rather than want of trying. DDs school bent over backwards to look at alternative options and keep options open for her when ill in sixth form, whilst at the same time not putting any pressure//expectations on her. There may be a local school better resourced who you or your school could go to for advice. There are many routes into further study now but we and teachers are stuck on the straight to a levels uni track.