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Further education

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

Original poster

Confused over A level choices

234 replies

ihearttc · 07/07/2021 20:25

DS1 has just finished Y11. He is a fairly bright boy and is predicted 6s, 7s and 8s for GCSE. He has picked his a level choices…PE, Geography and Biology. These are some of his best subjects and is predicted 8 in both PE/Biology and a 7 in Geography.

He had his induction day at 6th form this week and PE/Geography are ok, the Biology didn’t go well. He thinks the teacher is great (he taught him before) but the others in the class are just not on his wavelength. I’m aware that sounds really shallow and pathetic but 2 of the boys especially are very hard work and he said he was only in there for an hour and wanted to walk out. There are 10 of them and he said there is literally no one he could talk to. He is rather cool and sporty…they are the complete opposite so I can see why he found it tricky.

Anyway…my question is does he suck it up and just accept the fact that he is going to hate a lesson just to do the subject or walk away and chose something else. He wants to do something sport related…either sports science or become a Secondary PE teacher if that’s relevant.

The other option is his other choices are limited due to timetabling. It would have to either be the biology, Media Studies (which he did for GCSE), a BTEC medical science (which seems not at his academic level) or Maths. The obvious one is maths but he is freaking out over hard it will be and he doesn’t want to fail.

Any thoughts if that makes sense at all?

OP posts:
Original poster
ihearttc · 09/07/2021 21:05

@GrandmasCat

I never once said he disliked the teacher, he is amazing. The issue (or non issue whichever way you take it) is the fact there are 9 other kids who he seems to think don’t want him there. That is all. Biology is likely to be the best choice however it needs to be his decision not mine.

OP posts:
GrandmasCat · 09/07/2021 21:10

It is ok, but I suggest you talk to the school ASAP because it might not be possible to change, so it is about managing his expectations and all that.

shallIswim · 09/07/2021 21:41

Bottom line is Geography, PE and Biology is a good combo. Very complementary.
My impression of Geogralhy from when DS did it was that it was pretty easy peasy (or at least that was his experience). PE is obv your son's passion so he'll likely do well in that. And Biology - well that's the one he may drop a grade in I guess. But who knows? Perhaps being in a class of bright students will be the making of him?
I'd tell him to suck it up and get in with it.
You're right to avoid maths of he's not top grade GCSE material. It's a brute if it's not đź’Ż your thing.

shallIswim · 09/07/2021 22:16

Actually you say your DS is capable in biology so just tell him to do it. He'll be fine.
I think the problem is that many who do biology also do physics and chemistry and maths, so are the science 'geeks'. I say this in a good way - my DD was one of them! But the effect is that as a group they're the geeky science kids who hang out together and talk geeky stuff. harmless but perhaps a bit intimidating.

Original poster
ihearttc · 09/07/2021 22:31

@shallIswim

That’s exactly it. They all hang around socially, they were in class when he got there all sweaty from running around in PE and he just felt really odd about the whole thing.
He has really surprised me how much he has enjoyed biology and good he is at it going off his predicted grades, fully aware that might change in August though!

Maths is a definite no I think, he is excellent at pure number maths but has had to work really hard to get there.

OP posts:
Toomuchwineobs · 09/07/2021 22:47

Sorry I’ve not read all the thread so apologies if points already made. My son sounds very similar - many of his friends were top science/ maths geniuses and he is more mixed in with what he enjoys - football, art, humanities …He felt similarly in some of his lessons, that he didn’t really gel with classmates, but if he liked the subject and the teacher, and the teaching was good, the classmates were irrelevant. They don’t really need to mix a lot in class and group work etc like lower down in the school. He just went in, did his work, and hung out with his mates doing other subjects. So if he’s keen on biology i would go for it. There’s a lot of people think it only goes with other science subjects, but I think a mix shows breadth of ability. From personal experience I really wouldn’t recommend maths a level unless you’re really keen and find it comes naturally - it’s a world away from gcse. Maybe also consider the btec? I think they are much better received than in the past and if he enjoys it then he will do well, but check what the unis will take.

Dozer · 10/07/2021 08:56

This is a good opportunity for him to (1) work further o his self confidence and self kindness! And (2) pursue his interests and goals, when circumstances are not ideal. (Eg peers in class being unfriendly, although at present that’s a worry/risk, not a certainty. For others it might be a crap teacher, disruptive peers, health issue, problems at home etc etc)

Working on these things now will help him to function well in adult life.

A young neighbour of mine, often quiet and nervous (has IMO domineering dad and siblings!) wanted to go into a trade. Got decent gcses then studied his chosen subjects at a good local FE college. Loads of disruptive, disinterested peers, not great socially for him, except for his girlfriend at the time. He cracked on, did well, the teachers helped him get work experience, short term paid work etc. Got the qualifications, got first FT job a commute away and got up v early, got a promotion. He has been doing great, has identified his targeted next moves and opportunities workwise and seems much more confident all round.

Flowers500 · 12/07/2021 16:25

I don’t understand why the classmates are even relevant? He doesn’t have to make friends…

Original poster
ihearttc · 12/07/2021 20:22

@Flowers500

I’m not going to go over it all again and just open the can of worms once more however the other 9 kids in the class are in a friendship group made up of 9 very academic, high achieving kids. DS is the complete opposite and feels that he isn’t able to both academically and socially keep up with them (for want of a better explanation). He doesn’t need to be friends with them but he is concerned that it’s going to be a long and isolated 2 years in the subject with feeling like that.

He has emailed the head of 6th form who is speaking to the subject teachers about both biology and Medical science but has advised to hold off making a final decision until after results day.

OP posts:
shallIswim · 12/07/2021 20:36

They might like him, and he might like them. Always a chance
I really would try to do Biology rather than Medical Science. The former is much more widely accepted at universities if that's what your DS is looking at

Flowers500 · 12/07/2021 23:16

I understand why your DS is not 100% happy but to be honest just don’t really get why you’re even registering this as a problem. Frankly I’d “world’s tiniest violin” in response to that and tell him to get on with it. He’s not taking his life or career remotely seriously if having a nice group in a class is more important to him. Having pals is really not essential, and frankly feeling a bit of pressure to keep up with the smart kids will likely help his grades.

Flowers500 · 12/07/2021 23:20

To be really frank, I think it is you job here to think things through longer term. At his age he thinks in months, not years or decades. His career opportunities will be very different if he does a (in the nicest way) slightly BS A level. I think it would be extremely irresponsible of you to support this.

4forkssake · 12/07/2021 23:27

I'd be telling him that when he's in the big bad world, or just at uni, it's not full of the 'cool kids', or even people you'd want to share your spare time with, but you have to get on with it. If he's doubting doing a subject he likes & is apparently good at just cos he'll be grouped in with the geeks, then I'd either be having a good word with him & questioning how I'd raised him, or questioning how much he actually wants this for his future career. At 16/17, he needs to get a grip!

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 07:26

@Flowers500

To be really frank, I think it is you job here to think things through longer term. At his age he thinks in months, not years or decades. His career opportunities will be very different if he does a (in the nicest way) slightly BS A level. I think it would be extremely irresponsible of you to support this.
He wants to do a sports degree. Plenty of good ones don't need Biology so it's not at all irresponsible to consider dropping it. Don't be so dramatic. As I said before my own dd did a sports degree with a rg University, no biology, is now training as a physio.

And there are no `bs" a levels.

The op says he wants to do it though so I'm sure they'll find a way through.

Original poster
ihearttc · 13/07/2021 18:26

Appreciate all your comments. Honestly he is the most unstressed, laid back kid there is. He doesn’t normally make a fuss about stuff so I don’t usually have to tell him “get a grip” and deal with it hence why I’m actually listening to him now. He is bothered by it and I’m listening to his concerns and advising him. I’m not going to tell him at 16 that he has to take a subject at A level that he is unsure of cause 6 months down the line he’s going to hate me for it if it all goes wrong.
I’m trying to help him Wade through all the relevant uni courses…have to say (and please appreciate that I didn’t go to university) why A level biology is so vital for Sports Degrees when a huge amount of the A level biology course is not human biology. I honestly would have thought the Medical Science would have been more useful?

He actually emailed the biology teacher as well who replied and said he understood his concerns and in his opinion the class dynamic is a bit unusual as there is normally a bigger mix of students but like the Head of 6th form said to hold off making a decision until after results day.

OP posts:
titchy · 13/07/2021 19:06

why A level biology is so vital for Sports Degrees when a huge amount of the A level biology course is not human biology.

Because a huge amount of A level biology IS human biology! Not much plant or evolutionary stuff at all.

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 19:07

I’m trying to help him Wade through all the relevant uni courses…have to say (and please appreciate that I didn’t go to university) why A level biology is so vital for Sports Degrees when a huge amount of the A level biology course is not human biology. I honestly would have thought the Medical Science would have been more useful?

PE A Level has more human biology than Biology A level. PE will be more useful than the BTEC. I probably wouldn't bother with both. It is a REAL PITA that he can't do Psychology.

But I got told off last time I tried to say you don't need Biology so I'll shut up now.

Unfinishednam · 13/07/2021 19:10

It'll be a good life lesson for him. There will never be a job where you get on with absolutely everyone in your team/department and people will usually be from very different walks of life. This will start to teach him how to remain professional and work well with others that he may not usually mingle with.

Original poster
ihearttc · 13/07/2021 19:14

@titchy

Has it? DS said that the teacher on taster day said a huge part of the course is plant based biology. There was very little mention of human biology (which is the bit he is actually really really good at!) at all.

OP posts:
Original poster
ihearttc · 13/07/2021 19:16

@Bryonyshcmyony

Honestly I really appreciate your help. He is already doing PE, that’s his number 1 choice and his best subject. Not even so much the sport aspect but the theory and human biology side. I completely agree that pyschology would have been the ideal choice.

OP posts:
titchy · 13/07/2021 19:20

[quote ihearttc]@titchy

Has it? DS said that the teacher on taster day said a huge part of the course is plant based biology. There was very little mention of human biology (which is the bit he is actually really really good at!) at all.[/quote]
Then he needs to check the syllabus!

Here for example: https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/biology-a/2015/support/AlevellBiology20155Guide_new.pdf

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 19:22

Because a huge amount of A level biology IS human biology! Not much plant or evolutionary stuff at all

Really? dd did it up to AS level when AS levels were a thing and didn't do ANY human biology at all. Far more in PE!

Bryonyshcmyony · 13/07/2021 19:24

she was AQA not Edexcel, not sure if they are different?

titchy · 13/07/2021 19:25

@Bryonyshcmyony

Because a huge amount of A level biology IS human biology! Not much plant or evolutionary stuff at all

Really? dd did it up to AS level when AS levels were a thing and didn't do ANY human biology at all. Far more in PE!

Weird. My dd did loads of hymns in her AL. The specs changed about five years ago maybe that's why. Unless you've only just done it?
titchy · 13/07/2021 19:25

Hymns?! Human! She'd have hated hymns...Grin