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.

No idea..
Could the uni help?

Not sure but even in May half term there are thousands of B&Bs in places like Torquay and Exmouth if you drive - accommodation won't be an issue. I am not sure about Exeter itself.

I see they are Friday 29th and 30th, so if you can go down on the Thursday or early on the Saturday morning you will avoid the worst of the traffic. Fridays are horrible even outside holidays. And if you don't need to go via Stonehenge, it will also be better, the M5 gets busy but not as bad as the A303.

If you go to the Friday one and come back on the Friday the traffic should be ok as you will be going against the traffic flow of holidaymakers.

Thanks BlaueLagune - Unfortunately the A303 is our route, so from Surrey it can take anything up to 4 hours on a busy day! We're thinking of taking the train from Woking which is direct and a couple of hours, so Exeter center is the ideal.

We sometimes avoid the A303 by using the A30 instead.

By the way the train from Woking to Exeter takes a lot longer than 2 hours and I wouldn't want to rely on SWR at the moment. If you went from Reading it would only be a couple of hours.

Hi everyone, so here’s the latest with us.
Just found out that after all the year being pushed into taking 4 Alevels they must drop at the end of summer unless it’s further maths or they are off to USA unis.
I’m I wrong feeling peeved about wasted time?

Meant compulsory to drop 1. Sorry can’t tyoe for being angsty

Arewedone Do you mean just drop, or do the AS and drop. Our school starts with 4, and is asking everyone now to decide which one they want to do for AS and then drop, leaving 3 for full A Level.

As an aside, DD has just dropped Biology, which was her fourth, and was going to be her AS. However, she was really struggling, and wanted to focus more time on her humanities, and get in some extra reading for those, with a view to applying to Oxbridge, so they have allowed her to drop Biology early. She is really happy.

Meant to add, that they really don't need 4, and I think since moving to a linear A Level, taking 4 will become increasingly rare. DD1 (a few years ago) did 4 to AS in her first year, then dropped one. 3 is absolutely fine, and doing 4 in the first year, is valuable in keeping your options open, and in broadening your talents.

@Baaaahhhhh no they don’t do AS. So expecting them to take summer exams and then drop 1.
I just think that since the summer exams are for grade predictions why waste time between now and then on a subject you are told you need to drop? Just seems a waste of revision. Dd already knows which she wants to drop but isn’t allowed to until June.

Yes Dd wants to apply to Oxford so would prefer the time to read around the subject she will apply for. I've emailed the HOY but no reply since yesterday.

Every 6th form seems to be following different policy re 3/4 AS/A levels. Last year, Dc’s school used to make them take 4 and then either drop 1 after an AS or carry on with 4 if very able. Now they let them all do 4 all the way. It was a different policy when we actually applied.
Dc has now ( after negotiations ) dropped 4th A level to concentrate on getting 3 good grades and epq

Baaahhhh regarding staying in Exeter. There is a Jury's Inn by St David's station and there is a Holiday inn but that is further away from the uni. (Sorry if I got your name wrong, too many a/h to count)

Also if you stay at Jury's the uni run mini buses from the station to the uni so you could hop on that.

I’m thinking I may try and battle it out with the school to drop the 4th ASAP as I don’t see the point at this stage to continue if they are forced to drop it in July anyway!

Thanks Marmiteloversunite Nice to know about the bus too.

Arewedone I agree. If you are not taking AS, and want to concentrate on Oxbridge, I think you have a good case. For DD it was pretty easy too as her AS Biology is completely irrelevant to the History degree she wants to do.

DD school doesn't do any exams in Summer of L6th, lucky them. Only those who choose an AS do so. Aren't all schools so different!

This is the first year DS2's school has dropped AS exams, except for FM. The origignal idea was that people who only wanted AS maths would still do it after 2 years. DS2 is intending to carry it on to A level but will still be expected to sit the AS.

At the moment he is intending to keep all four subjects to A2.

It is also the first year of dropping As levels completely at dc’s school
There are exams at the end of the year for ‘continuation to year 13’
[

for continuation to year 13

The school really, really needs to be very careful about how it words that particular policy. Or is it an indie? In which case, of course, awkward little things like the legislation pertaining to admissions and exclusions don't apply.

Nope , not an indie Marching
I think they offer an extra year to at least some of those who do not pass the ‘progression examinations’
But I’m not completely sure on their policy tbh

How's everyone doing? DS2 seem to getting along happily. He applied for Uniq but as we don't hit the main criteria I doubt he'll get a place.

Internal exams are in March.

He passed his driving theory test last week!

Also wondering how everyone is doing? Dd was supposed to start getting revision sorted this half term but has only managed some extra reading. Had to put selection of Unis and course ideas in before half term which has her panicked! Anyone else have to do this?

DS has just produced a shortlist of unis he wants to visit for Open Days. A couple don't fit so we'll have a look round the area over the summer. He is still trying to decide between two subjects.