GCSE'S 2019 Done, Results Received, Moving on to 6th Form and College

[ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3671029-gcse-2019-support-thread-6

New Thread for all our DC's moving on to 6th Form and College to do ALevels and BTEC's, and anything else exciting and new.

Hi I'm hoping I can join.
Dd2 didn't get the grades to get into her school sixth form and so has gone to a local college where she knows no one.
She sounded utterly miserable when she rang me earlier.
She has some learning difficulties and struggles socially and is refusing to speak to anyone other than tutors.
She also has been in a tiny free school so isn't used to the large classes.

Hoping someone with older teens can tell me it gets better!

Thanks @ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave

Hi all
Thanks for new thread Arthur

Sadness I hope things settle for your Dd. My older dc has ASD and took a while to settle into college. My biggest tip would be to get in touch ASAP rather than leaving it like I did. I met with the learning support dept and Dc got a mentor and encouraged to make friends with like-minded individuals.

Dd’s First day today. Seems to have gone ok.

Name changed for new thread btw but was on old thread from start

DS1 did great in his GCSE's and is now doing Maths, Business and Geog A' levels. Started on Monday at college and so far so good, although he said one boy in his class asked for permission to use the toilet on day 1 and has never been back. DS2 into year 10 today so feel that it's off we go again!

Sadnessandlight is there a mentoring programme at the college she can tap into? Yr13s available to chat to Yr12s who feel a bit lost and lonely maybe?

Thanks for new thread, old one had dropped off my TIOs.

DS loves his 6th form already. He’s spent his whole school career writing to be able to concentrate on the subjects he likes best
Got the book list today

My DD1 has gone to a large 6th form college doing maths and sciences. She only knows a few people who came from other schools. They don't have form groups, it's very independent, so I am hoping she manages to make friends in her A level subject classes. I'm hoping they'll have some extra curriculars which interest her. It's a very, very mixed cohort of kids due to the different courses they offer. She likes her teachers so far.

Dd started new 6th form Tuesday, with no one she knows, floods of tears, really missing friends who have all gone to local college.

Has said though she thinks the teachers are good, the headmaster seems great.

Today she has spoken to a couple of people, one invited her to join her group for lunch and catching train tomorrow with another.

So an improvement today, fingers crosses it continues. I’m exhausted and it’s only day 2!

Dd2 starts year 11 tomorrow

Thanks @ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave! First day today and it appears to have gone well.........other than illness meaning that the timetables have not been released (feel for the member of staff who went off ill but surprised that only one person can do this task....?).
They had the joy of a motivational speaker in.....it was a loooooooong day 😂

Thank you Saucery I will get her to see if there is anything like that. That's a great idea thanks.

Theovertoad thank you. We have a meeting in a couple of weeks with her senco to touch base so will have a word then.

Hahaha26 sorry to hear your dd is struggling too. Hope things improve!

DS shattered today. There was registration yesterday afternoon at the dreaded sixth form, but today was the first day of classes. Did NOT help that the Northern Line was suspended this morning. Mad scrabble to pick up from outside closed tube, drop off to overground somewhere. He did make it there in time, but it was not a great way to start!
And he got the most ridiculously heavy textbooks today, but lockers are only allocated on Friday .
Very tired and very, very hungry this evening. Homework already!

Dd started new sixth form moving from independent to state.

Longer journey , buses diverted on first day ! But found a travel buddy and noticed the bigger class sizes.

But settling in however girls already in the school are in a clique, dd plans to create her own !

My DD2 is starting at local college tomorrow. She is moving from
Independent all girls to state on a boy orientated course. Going to be a steep learning curve. She is feeling anxious. Keeping my fingers crossed there a couple of nice girls on the course. Should hopefully be a less bitchy learning environment.

Will read all the posts tomorrow but wanted to get this in Threads I'm On!
Thanks for the new thread - slight gulp that we're no longer in Secondary Education topic

DS is doing a BTEC rather than go to a 6th form like his friends from school so didn't know anyone, but I thought he might bump into some people from primary school (he hasn't yet) He's sociable, so I wasn't too worried about him not knowing anyone.

He did spot someone from school sitting alone in the library though, felt a bit sorry for them and went over for a chat. He may not have the best GCSEs in the world but he's really kind and friendly.

Today he's going on a "team building" trip to a theme park. It's a hard life.

First day with lessons today and also the dress code must be worn. Lots to remember so also v tired yesterday.

This new school is about 4 times the size of the old one so it’s quite a shock to the system.
Hahaha I hope your Dd has a better day today.
Dd said she tried to speak to as many people as possible in her form and is hoping that once lessons start today , it will be easier to gel with people.
She logged onto the homework system last night for the first time and there was already homework waiting for her.

Hi everyone!

sadness contact learning support at the college. Poor dd. It must be hard for her (and you!).

Ds1 did well and got into the 6th form he wanted and the A levels courses he wanted to do.

He has had 2 induction days this week and today is his first "proper" day.

He now has to get the bus and the college is HUGE compared to his old school.

He struggles with change and has been quite stressed and worried.

I'm hoping that by half term he will feel more confident.

There are a few from his college who are going there (some are doing btecs so in a different building) so they all travel in and home together.

Just hope he enjoys today! It's a full day...3 lectures and a late finish.

I'm telling my Dd to get through to half term and likely these first nervous weeks will feel like a distant memory. She's not very outgoing but she's a lovely, level - hard girl who has always had close friendships so I am sure she'll eventually find her people. Her chemistry class was 4/5 girls. She went to anindependent y7-11, with 2/3 boys and there weren't many science orientated girls in her year group, so this makes a great change for her. I'm proud of her choosing to make this huge change.

Level-headed

New Bus pass has arrived so Dd going by bus today. She has downloaded bus app so that she can see where the buses are. Fingers crossed it all goes to plan

Dd had her first day yesterday which was only 2 hours spent sorting her timetable and meeting her tutor group . She was buzzing when she got home.

lynette your boy sounds lovely.

Dd stayed has stayed at the same school for 6th form and having completed the first week hasn’t yet established a friendship group as many girls left last term but she is so happy with the new sixth form common room and the freedom to make toast and coffee that she is really content atm.

LynetteScavo as the Mum of a teen who I know has sat alone all week and literally talked to no one THANK YOU for raising such a lovely boy. Kids like yours help massively with kids like mine who would never approach anyone ever even if it meant sitting alone all year.

DS’s school arranged the boys moving up to 6 th form in groups with new to the school entrants to show them around. He says it’s still a bit split along previous school lines but it usually starts to mix once they are into their courses I believe.
Must be hard for some dc to go to a completely new place, I really sympathise! I didn’t have to do it, DS hasn’t had to either and I think those that have will have a head start if they go off to uni post-A level. Having done their Mingling With New People beforehand!

DD started yesterday,picked up her bus pass and decided to use that.
She was knackered,she has to catch the bus at 7.10 and gets home at 6pm.
She knows no going to her college as she is doing a level 3 diploma,everyone else is going to the 6th form college but she gets the same bus in as them.
She has made a friend,loves the teachers,is amazed that they can be called by their first names,even the head.
They are on a trip today and DD and friend plan to buddy up with a boy who they thought no one seemed to talk to yesterday.Dd is socially shy but edging out of her comfort zone.
Early days but I think she is going to blossom.

My DD liked the idea of starting a fresh,she knew her old school friends since she was 3.Now no one has her history(including anxiety and panic attacks in secondary)
She is also with a group from different social backgrounds so a bit more like real life.