Year 12 #3: Open Days and Predicted Grades beckon

[whistl]

Yikes! The title has just hit me! It's too soon! I'm not ready!!

Thread number 2 link: https://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/3443840-Year-12-2-Carols-commutes-a-few-stocking-fillers

Not guilty, so it must be Something.

www.getmyfirstjob.co.uk The company I work advertises apprenticeships on here.

Some apprenticeship links below. Have posted similar ages ago but thought it might be helpful again.

The most popular schemes are very competitive and the minimum requirements are the minimum with many applicants having higher grades or qualifications. It’s quite hard to navigate as each company has own process (e.g. online tasks, assessment centre, group, individual).

World skills show at NEC 21st-23rd November. Huge number of companies from traditional trades and engineering to BBC, GCHQ and National Grid.
www.worldskillsuk.org/directions/our-events/worldskill

In many areas there are local training colleges working with lots of companies.

Apprenticeships in Wales can be searched here

www.careerswales.com/en/jobs-and-training/job-seeking/vacancy-search/what-is-an-apprenticeship/

List of Welsh companies here
www.careerswales.com/en/your-career/features-1/apprentice-employers/

England

www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

www.notgoingtouni.co.uk

Someone's done their research! Peggy I officially name you our first (of many) apprenticeship guru.

@Stickerrocks - I'll be in Bath on 22/06!

Thank you !!!

And yes I did save your links from before. The frustrating thing is there is no central process and its a case of searching and applying and as Peggy says the entry requirements are not necessarily high but the numbers of places are quite low so I think the competition now will be tough. Also selection is at job type assessment day and interview and I've got no idea how he'll get on in that environment. Exciting and terrifying at the same time !!

Not been to Bath campus so tempted by the 22/6 too. Love the city and some great hotels so wondering if I can persuade DS and DH to make a night of it as it's a long leave weekend :)

Why thank you Sticker.

One of my older DC is a very happy engineering apprentice doing HNC this year. Another DC struggled with A levels, went to ex poly (with strong dept in subject) and is now really happy in work, working alongside people a bit older and more qualified than they are and doing really well.

Lots of paths!

I have a day out in Bath on Thursday, not uni related though. I think you should all meet up in the Spa in June, doing a secret signal to identify each other!

@Stickerrocks - I love Bath Spa. Maybe DS1 should go there and I could have lots of outings there. We had a fabulous weekend there for a friend's 40th. The rooftop is lovely.

Ooo, we’ve got Bath on the 22nd June as well! We’ll have to arrange a secret sign. Maybe wear a MN scarf or clutch a packet of pombears?

Bristol - 15/6 anyone?

Yes Bristol is on dds list. I think that's our first one.

Ok, diary now set up, but DS isn’t allowed to skip cricket on Saturdays, so he’ll be grovelling for some Fridays off.
We’ve got:
Exeter 31/5, Bristol 14/6, Manchester 21/6, Oxford 4/7, Durham 6/7 and possibly Newcastle 28/6 if school will give him a 3rd Friday off.

Now to hope that some of his mates are doing the same days so they can travel together. If not, Granny has said she’ll go as moral support and to carry bags!

DS can only have 2 school days off for open days so that will be the Oxford one (as they are both school days).

We will travel to Bristol on 14th for 15/6 so may see if they will do half days!

He will not go to Exeter in May as it is in half term but his exams are the week before and week after half term so he will not use up revision time! So that is on the cards for September. (I was quite impressed that he won't entertain going then).

Glad we already went last September to Durham (ruled out as too small and dull) and Warwick (will be one of his 5 but unlikely to choose unless no other offers from decent places - his words).

People who are looking at apprenticeships:

If you're anywhere near Milton Keynes, there's an apprenticeship show on 12-13 March.

DS's school have set a minimum of doing 5 days worth of things to prepare for university by July. Open days, master classes etc

Who else has applied for Eton Universities Summer School?

DS's school hasn't mentioned days off for uni visits. Quite tempted by Exeter in May half term but will see what DS thinks.
Back to the grind today!

Back to the grind indeed, trying to persuade DS he needs to step it up a bit now.

Thanks for the apprenticeship show tip, I may see if I can get DS out of school to take him, For anyone else interested its actually on in other areas of the country too.

Back to the grind indeed.

I just have to share....

DS1 has eaten 8 weetabix. Surely that must be some kind of world record? Off to get another pack of 48...

Sandy 8???? That's impressive!

Found you all! You had dropped off tio! Well, DD needs to get her finger out and consider other university destinations - she is keen on one close to home and hasn't really given any others serious consideration. Her predicted grades are very realistic for the courses she wants, but she needs to look at a few more and get to an open day or two!
She is just back from a weekend in college with her big brother. They don't get on particularly well, so we were surprised when he invited her to stay with him at university. Sounds like they had a great time, cooking together, pres both Fri and Sat (he even asked our permission to buy her a couple of bottles of cider for pres as he knew he couldn't take her to the pub/club his friends would be going to), sightseeing in Cambridge and staircase pizza party. She has declared she is definitely going back! I'm just so happy they chose to spend time together, and enjoyed themselves. A couple of years ago I could not have believed it would happen!

8! Wowzer that's a lot of weetabix 😀

2 days off for Uni visiting here, and not any old 2 days. There are 2 specific dates in the year diary so I am not sure whether they align with any Uni open days. Something for me to check.

They do a visit to Oxford and a couple of careers fairs too.

I think we will be going to Bristol and Exeter then Durham, York, and Edinburgh together (a couple of girls road trips!!). The London ones she will do on her own/with friends (we a very close)- probably UCL, KCL, LSE and QM. We may do Manchester and Liverpool in the summer whilst visiting family but she's not particularly interested in them but you never know.

So that's my annual leave gone!!!

We've done Oxford and Cambridge. DS1 prefers Oxford as the course suits his interests more (Chemistry).

We're doing Durham, Bristol and Bath this summer. DS1 will go and visit his cousin at York and he's doing a residential at Manchester in July. York is the lowest standard offer at AAB so I'm wondering if we need something else as a potential insurance. We don't have predicted grades yet but early indications seem to suggest a mix of A and A star.

Would have thought AAB was perfectly fine for safety net Sandy particularly as they will probably accept lower.

8 Weetabix !!! Must be a record. But I have actually noticed DS starting to eat a lot more - I guess maturing into adults (or still growing).

Was that really minimum of 5 days Whistl ?! Most schools seem to have a limit of two days a term or two days in total. I hope people aren't panicking about having to fit in multiple visits, whilst you should do some many will do less than suggested on here or not visit at all. Or leave some until offer or interview days. Some Unis (it was Southampton and Manchester last year insist on interviews for most subjects even though they will almost certainly offer (a ploy to get people to visit in the hope they will like it) so you may want to check if that's the case to avoid two trips.

Did anyone's DC apply for UNIQ? If so, have you heard from them yet?

NET x