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.

@Rugbylife Can’t believe it was handled so badly!
I could understand why he wouldn’t want to go back.

Is anyone still waiting for AQA remarks?

Yes both RS and English Language.

Have received two others back.

We are waiting ages for CiE Spanish !!

Hope outstanding remarks come back quickly....

DD had an external guest speaker this week talking about Scottish universities - she's now quite interested in Edinburgh and Dundee (to do politics probably).

Dundee is a city I don't know (apparently coolest small city in the UK) - it is a campus university but as the city is so small i don't think it feels like a disconnected campus university).

I think from the talk she was given DD is attracted to Scottish universities at the moment because it (as far as she tells me) is more flexible in terms of content.

We know Edinburgh reasonably well, have also suggested Glasgow. St Andrews is out - does anyone have any other views on Dundee or indeed other Scottish Universities?

My son did awful at GCSEs due to total lack of revision. But he’s doing what he planned and while not loving it is happy enough doing what he’s interested in. He has a decent schedule five or six hours three days a week plus half day work experience. His main hobby at the moment is his girlfriend and half heartedly looking for a part time job.
My daughter just started Y10 and is much more invested and will get top marks - such a different journey for both of us this time around!

Myrtle my friend's son is at Dundee and is very happy there. I also know DC at Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

Friends son is doing economics based degree so I think that was less flexible and DS1 looked at Glasgow for Physics which was also just Physics, if you see what I mean. His applied for the second year of MPhys so he could cut out a year of the five year course.

From the DC on MA courses it is indeed very flexible and lots end up doing a different degree or joint honours.

Finally got the result of ds' Eng lang remark back - one paper stayed the same, the other went up by two marks so he now has a 6.

Thanks raspberry very helpful! Think Dd hasn't fully settled on a subject- although leaning towards politics- the flexi approach is attractive at the moment. Am just glad it has got her thinking about it!

Congratulations berlin on the remark.

Congrats berlin

Congrats Berlin, can I ask which board it was and how long it took please?

It was AQA and took just over two weeks (although it went in about 10 days after we'd put it into school so felt like it had taken an age!)

How are all the dcs doing now... a month into their college/ 6th form/ apprenticeships ?
Dd says there was a flurry of A level subject changes at the end of last week and a few joiners/ leavers. She said it was a cut off date at the school. Dd changed an a level a few weeks back. Thank goodness there was that little bit of leeway to try out and change if needs be.
We are going to see another uni next weekend just to get more idea of the courses in the areas she’s interested in.
Dd is so busy ( 4 A levels) .She was originally thinking that there would be one afternoon free but they have to mentor someone else ( younger pupil) or volunteer or do D of E in that session. Lol- I seem to remember playing pool a lot when I was at 6th form!

Hi
DD also doing 4 As and an EPQ so only has 2 frees a week, did have WEd afternoon as volunteers after school on Mondays and Saturday morns but for next 3 weeks is helping out with science workshop for local primary schools. Is finding it enjoyable but a lot of work as have had first batch of tests already.Also, finding it hard going with memory problems from epilepsy so having to find out how to navigate this as well.

I think the cut off date was 25th for course changes at ds1s college...

Ds1 seems ok. VERY tired. Enjoying his courses so far and likes his teachers.

🤞

Received the final 2 remarks, RS has gone from a 8 to a 9 and English language from a 6 to a 7. Dd very pleased with the language in particular

Fab!!! :)

Fantastic.

Dd says there was a flurry of A level subject changes at the end of last week and a few joiners/ leavers

Same here. Quite a few seem to have dropped Maths, which I understand is not uncommon as it really steps up. Also we had a girl who went to another school and hated it, and has come back, and another who stayed, but left suddenly last week, and has since been spotted at the local 6th form! All the girls know, but the school doesn't seem to, very odd.

DD very happy, loves her subjects and has had some good feedback so far. She is doing lots of other "stuff", helping out at lunchtime clubs, volunteering, and rehearsing for a school play. Often comes home very late, and is quite tired already, I think she will be ready for half term, which for us is only 2 weeks away .

DD2 is doing really well. She got inundated with homework in the first 3 weeks, almost as if they were trying to impress on the students how hard it was all going to be, but now they've eased off to more sensible workloads. DD2 had her first assessed work in Psychology and did extremely well, marks in the highest possible tier marked according to A level grading. She's enjoying the subject matter and is good at writing essays.

We're planning to start open days this year because we haven't narrowed down options and because one of DD2's possible options may be Trinity in Dublin, though this is dependent on Brexit going badly (for the Brexiteers, that is). So that means a weekend away, and her other options will all require an overnight stay.

DD1 had already narrowed down her options a lot by the time we started open days, which made things a lot easier.

My DD has amazed me. She has suffered with anxiety for years but she has managed to start a new college with a course which is mainly taken by boys. She is taking herself there and back and making friends. She is also loving the Btech and working hard. Very proud of her.

Congratulations on all the remark that have been successful, and good to hear so many have settled in well.
A while since I’ve been on so if I’m repeating forgive me. Dd has begun to settle into a routine now, and is loving her waitressing and has settled in well there.
All been up skittled today though - coming home from a weekend away just me and dp after getting a call to say my dads had a stroke. He’s in hospital, knows something has happened but not a clue what and lost all down one side. He’s 84, so externally I’m ok, internally I’m screaming.......and tomorrow I have booked off as I have a carpet being fitted, furniture being delivered.......Christ - timing is crap

DD is finding A levels more stressful than the GCSE exams - school are piling the pressure on them - while telling us they have won loads of awards for mental health support and awareness, shouldn't be surprised - league tables still reign supreme.

Dd is getting stress over a couple in her friendship group who have loads of free periods and keep telling her she’s working too hard........meantime they are messing about in their frees and are still behind on coursework/homework each time telling the tutor they have been too busy.......dd isn’t having any of it though and told them to butt out - she knows that it’s a different way of working now and unfortunately they hasn’t got that yet.......

Foslady in my experience 6th form is one of those times when friendship groups change. Your DD will either live with the dossers (and ignore them) or develop a group whose study ethic is more like hers.