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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

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

473 replies

ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave · 04/09/2019 14:06

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.

OP posts:
Original poster
ArthurtheCatsHumanSlave · 19/09/2019 15:32

Lots and lots of homework for DD as well as lots of self imposed extra work. I don't think she can sustain it for long, but she seems happy enough at the moment.

Open days, we are only doing Oxford this week, and then won't do any more until end of the academic year. The thinking being that if she likes it, she can go full steam ahead with extra stuff required, if she decides it is not for her, then we will have saved her some time and effort.

Nothing yet from our re-marks, though not yet a full week. Can't wait for it to be all final tbh, and then we can just move on.

OP posts:
Hoooo · 19/09/2019 16:50

Ds1s is edexcel but no mention of payment so I'll assume on 2 weeks, thank you.

raspberryrippleicecream · 19/09/2019 18:47

If DS2 pursues one of his possible paths, he has to apply by end of September next year, so he definitely needs to be thinking now.

However of my two DC already at uni, one knew what he wanted to study and spread open days between beginning and end of Y12. The other wasn't ready to think about at this stage, applied in December with unis they hadn't looked at and was still doing applicant offer days in April. If possible I'd recommend a middle path of these two approaches!

berlinbabylon · 19/09/2019 20:12

DS eng lang is AQA. I've got a feeling the school might have saved them up to send together, so we may not hear for a while, as today was the deadline. But I might be wrong.

I've just had an email to say he's got the chance to do a course related to his sport (outside college) which would effectively give him a diploma a bit like a single BTEC. I am wondering if it might be too much work on top of 3 A levels (glad he didn't choose 4 or an EPQ!) but sounds like an amazing opportunity.

SomethingSpecialzz · 19/09/2019 21:23

Received edexcel drama remark back, stayed the same.

School sent off last Friday and we received in the post (from the school) today, so less than a week and just paid for normal service.

Hoooo · 19/09/2019 22:05

Apparently ds was 4 marks off a 9 for geography! but after reviewing his paper his teacher doesn't feel he can find the 4 marks (maybe 2)

myrtleWilson · 20/09/2019 12:30

Hello all

DD is enjoying 6th form - is absolutely loving politics and she's in a tiny class so they are cracking through stuff.

RS, Philosophy and Ethics is going well too - Dd declared she didn't entirely agree with Plato which I suspect has him spinning in his grave Grin
English - she had a bit of a wobble with as one of the other pupils is very confident with one of the texts and Dd spiralled off into "I can't do it' but little pep talk later plus a better lesson on one of the other texts and she's back in the game.

Her EPQ ideas are unformed at the moment - broadly something around women (their bodies) and power - so could be how the state has power of women or it could be how women self & and collectively empower -but far too broad at the moment.. Luckily (I think) DH is an academic so has experience in helping people shape their thinking around dissertations so I'm handing that over to him - but if anyone on the thread has a good idea I'm all ears!!

We only sent one paper in for a remark -made a last minute decision yesterday and DD has rung this morning to say its back already and she has the mark needed to take her up a grade boundary. I'm hoping she's not misinterpreted something as that seems super fast!!

Hoooo · 20/09/2019 13:23

Gosh, that IS fast!
Which exam board??

DontCallMeDarling · 20/09/2019 13:26

I think we will leave open Uni days for now and let dd1 settle into her new course and college before we seriously think about her next step. I think the entire family needs a break from thinking! Although next up is GCSE choices for dd2 so not too long a break.

Hoooo · 20/09/2019 13:32

Us too.
We will start thinking about it next year after xmas.

catontherun · 20/09/2019 16:25

@Hoooo DC's school had put in for a huge number of reviews/checks/remarks on behalf of their students. DC has been given a substantially increased mark in one subject so now has a grade 9 in that subject too. They are however finding the A Level workload very heavy and wondering if they can cope with it and their extra curricular stuff + the 5hrs a week part tine work. I'm partly hoping that it's a sly way of the school weeding out early those who are highly likely to fall by the wayside along the way. Cruel but it could explain why a dc who coped with more GCSE's than most is telling me it's aleady very hard work and they're not sure they can keep it all up. That or the dc have wound down a little too far over the summer. Either way I'm puzzled.

Hoooo · 20/09/2019 16:43

Its a huge leap from GCSE to Level imo and ds1 - despite his high grades and work ethic - is finding it hard.

Hoooo · 20/09/2019 17:42

I've said it before really think 4 A levels is too much. Add in even 1 extra curricular activity or sport and how will they manage?

Unless they never do anything but go to college and study of course but how long can they keep that up?

However, I do think that ds1 isone pf those dc that kicked back too much over the summer - he read 2 books, that's it!

myrtleWilson · 20/09/2019 18:01

So have seen the evidence in writing myself now and I can doubt DD no longer! - No misinterpretation and possibly the quickest remark ever. From being signed off for submission at 5pm yesterday (we like to live dangerously Chez Wilson Grin ) to letter confirming new grade being emailed this morning!

Hoooo · 20/09/2019 18:08

Blimey!
Congrats to your dd!
Which board was it?

myrtleWilson · 20/09/2019 18:59

oh sorry I forgot to answer that - Edexcel.

Arewedone · 20/09/2019 19:24

Wow, that was speedy myrtle! Congratulations!!

Adding to the workload conversation we had a school meeting today to discuss the sheer volume of homework as it seems everyone is finding it tough going and the explanation given to parents was that the Autumn term is the longest so they have to get through as much of the curriculum as possible given that the spring term is much shorter and then exams and predicted grades are given in May.
Sort of makes sense but it’s a bigger load of work.

Arewedone · 20/09/2019 19:24
  • bugger load
LynetteScavo · 20/09/2019 20:01

That's great @myrtleWilson!

I guess the boat has sailed for the rest of us now...

The only remark I asked for came back with exactly the same mark. DS muttered they probably just took our money and didn't even look at it he's not bitter at all Grin

Hoooo · 20/09/2019 20:18

Ah. Interesting. Ds1s is edexcel too.

Just looked at the newest newsletter from his old school and its the gcse results edition and he and his friends are on the front page 😊❤

Arewedone · 21/09/2019 16:00

Hooo that’s lovely, have you printed it out!

Hoooo · 21/09/2019 17:38

Oh, I've sent it to everyone I know!

I'll get dh to print it at work :)

Arewedone · 21/09/2019 19:10

👍🏻 That’s my girlGrin

Hoooo · 21/09/2019 19:12

😀

eatthatfrog · 22/09/2019 10:49

Have any of your dc done the ALIS test and if so did you get any explanation back with it that was more than a box plot plus two lines?