Year 12 (4): The one where they're pondering what to do next

[Numbersaremything]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/further_education/3491933-year-12-3-open-days-and-predicted-grades-beckon

Let's try this

So DS set off for Bristol yesterday morning, was delayed by 20 mins outside Reading by ‘swans on the line’ (?) and then for AN HOUR AND A BIT between the 2 Bristol stations by signalling problems. He says the (many) parents on the train were highly irate and were proposing getting out and walking down the line...

Anyway, he missed the accommodation tour and the Philosophy talk, but blagged his way into the Liberal Arts talk instead. Then spent a bit of time checking out the Student Union and went to a talk on sports opportunities before the Politics talk (very impressive).

So, DS, what’s your overall impression of Bristol?

Well, not great because it rained all day, but good because I met a girl who used to be in my Year Five class.

I despair...

Just on the train back from a very wet Bristol ! Lots of very wet steamy people . I went thinking I wouldn’t like it but actually thought the English talk was very good and despite my misgivings re drugs culture I could see Ds there. I think he also liked it more than he expected.

The admissions talk was interesting as the process all seems very transparent unlike the other places we have been where it has all been s but more of a ‘ dark art’ .

Went to two of the east village accommodations which I have to say seemed a bit grim to me .

@oneteen we are also going to York in the Sunday

Peaseblossom - we were there Saturday and DS really liked it. We went to accommodation talk but didn't get to view accommodation. DS keen on East so what made it grim (which 2 did you see?)

We saw unite house and Orchard heights I think they were called. The first was grimmer , no natural light in the corridors , walls painted breeze blocks and very badly lit. The rooms had en-suite but the bathrooms had no shower door/curtain and so you could see where the floor had rotted from water flooding.

OH was nicer but is literally adjacent to a multi story car park and above the O2 . It was much nicer inside and the en-suites had proper shower doors. There was also a nice communal area. But the corridors in the flats were so narrow only one person could fit down them.

Oh! As it is now DS's favourite if he doesn't get into Oxford perhaps we should go back on an offer holders day if he gets a Bristol offer specifically to check out accommodation because I assume the uni would show the better rooms!!

We were at Bristol yesterday as well.
We saw those accommodation blocks too and thought the same. Unite was grim, the corridors were ridiculously narrow and the shower in one room was disgusting. Like you say they were just wet rooms with a lot of water marks/damage.
Orchard was much nicer as it's only 4 years old. Amazing communal areas and the rooms were much nicer. But you're right the location didn't give a good impression. I'd be quite worried about a non city-wise dd living there and coming and going in the dark. The courtyard in the middle of the block was nice though.
Dd didn't like it as much as Exeter but not counting it out for one if her choices. She wasn't impressed with Biomedical talk but Neuroscience was very very good.

There are lots of discussions in the Higher Education section about Bristol accommodation experiences. Some posters dc seem to have had horrific experiences, mostly at Stoke Bishop and it’s difficult not to be influenced, certainly the lack of 24 hour portering/ wardens seem to have led to drug issues. Less prosaically ds has heard reports of public transport being bad, he spoke to one student yesterday who cheerfully said that there were always people coming in late to lectures because of buses and the lecturers didn’t mind so it was ok..... ds like me hates to be late so he was a bit 🤔

Have name changed since last summer but I have been lurking on this series of threads for a long time! There is a lot of discussion about Uni choices on here but I thought I'd update about my DS who has just completed his first year of his Engineering BTEC and has achieved a provisional grade of D*. I am overjoyed for him as his GCSE grades were mainly 4s, 5s and 6s (due to him attending a failing school and not receiving the teaching that he deserved). We had to fight to get him onto this course at his local college as he didn't quite meet the grades required but I think he has proved everyone wrong. He has worked really hard this year and has even surprised himself. He's not aiming to go to Uni but would like to get an apprenticeship at the end of next year. If I'd have known last year what a difference a year can make I wouldn't have been quite so stressed!

Thats great news Happyson. Whereabouts are you based? Does he have an apprenticeship lined up? Marshalls Aerospace in Cambridge offer apprenticeships

Thanks OKBobble - he doesn't have an apprenticeship lined up but we live in Havering and Cambridge is just up the M11 so it's worth looking into. If I'm honest he would really like to work with cars or bikes, he has a Saturday job at a famous motorbike dealer (can't say - too outing!) that he managed to get for himself by taking a CV in and asking the manager. I'm not really sure how to help him get an apprenticeship to be honest as companies seem to offer apprenticeships so randomly! Does anyone have any advice?

Does his college have a careers dept ? Also google national apprenticeship service . But also contact employers direct

They do have a careers service - but they seem to be very geared to getting as many people onto University as possible and not so clued up on anything else. They are having a careers day soon and I am hoping that will help him a little - although I'm going to have to poke him a bit to ask questions as he's not the confident type!

That’s great news, HappyMum. With those sorts of results he should be a shoe in for an apprenticeship. I’d advise looking at level 3 apprenticeships as well as level 4 as it really doesn’t matter if he repeats some of the theory, it’s all about the practice and getting a foot in the door.

Happy that's great to hear such a positive story.
My ds is doing an apprenticeship. He found his by registering with the gov.uk apprenticeship website. You can add your postcode and preferred distance and you get emailed when something in that area gets advertised.

Well done Happy's son! There truly is a right time and place for everyone He sounds focussed and ambitious..he'll go far.

Friend's son got a Marshall's place for Y12 but apparently didnt do any much work and so left and went back to sixth form where he's a lot happier and doing well. He's young in the year anyway and at 16 it's a big ask for them to be so committed.

DS passed his test so will be driving DH to Bath at the weekend - great supervised motorway experience!

Excellent news on from Terf mini minor (excuse the pun!) and Happy. There are so many good apprenticeship schemes out there now, especially as bigger employers are scrabbling to get their levy back. My sector has some huge names recruiting (I'm not in the motor trade though.) I think the difficult thing is having to wait until next year, before they can burst into action, whereas their chums can have a flurry of open day activity now. I know though that many schools and colleges are calling their end of year careers fares Next Steps rather than just University or Else! There are quite a few regular posters here with DC heading towards apprenticeships.

Terf - sorry your friend's 16yr old didn't have a great experience at Marshall. A friend's son is doing a level 4 post A level and finding it really informative. Perhaps just the 2 years extra maturity makes a difference to what they are prepared to let the apprentices do.

Wow - re driving to Bath - very brave - but as you say a good way to get supervised motorway practice in!

Thanks all! I will register and keep an eye out so I can help him and point him in the right direction when the time comes. It's all new to us both as I did the Uni thing many moons ago so I have no experience of apprenticeships. I think this will do his confidence no end of good as his GCSE results really knocked him and made him feel like he was just not good enough.

Well done to your DS Happy - and well done to your DS Terf..

Happy I think the car manufacturing industry is going through a lot of change at the moment but have a look at Nissan - Cranfield Uni.

Tears here this evening, as decision finally made to give up History. He loves it, but just can’t continue with 4 big essay subjects.

@kingscotestaff - That is such a shame - I do remember your posts at GCSE time stating how he loved History. I hope it all works out for your DS. In some respects doing 4 A levels gives lots of options but it's difficult if they really enjoy all 4 and then have to make a big decision which one goes.

Congrats to you ds Happy and Terf. Juts shows they will each find a way.

Kingscote what is you ds hoping to study at Uni? I'm sure he made the right decision - I am in awe of any teenager being able to cope with any big essay subject but the workload for 4 must be immense. At ds school only the Further Maths people are taking 4 becuase of the workloads.

Is he doing an EPQ as well? If so, history could be the way forward with that. Has he taken the AS level?

DS is doing Pre U Philosophy, Pre U English and A level Politics. Planning to apply for Politics and Philosophy.

The Pre U History on top of those 3 (plus a frankly ridiculous amount of extra curricular activities) was just too much.

He has just written a very sincere letter of apology to his History teachers.