Post GCSE’s 2022 - Year 12 2022/23 General support thread

[Rollergirl11]

This is a thread for supporting all young people post GCSEs 2022, regardless of their educational setting.
Our DC’s may continue down various pathways ( employment, apprenticeships, higher ed)
Everyone is welcome!

Happy Birthday MiniWest!
Can't believe this birthday for our dcs will be driving lessons and even more independence.

Hi - I hope I'm allowed to join in. My dd moved from a very average state school to a private school 6th form (free place) and is finding it hard settling in. She's had a couple of dramatic outbursts at how unhappy she is, and how she wants to go back to her old school where her friends are, even though she would have to change subjects, as they don't do FM there. I think it's mainly that she hasn't found anyone she can imagine being really good friends with, and most of the other girls already know each other well. It feels really hard - I don't want her to be miserable but equally it seems too early to give up

@CatsLikeBoxes sorry to hear that for your DD. How many days or weeks is she into her new school experience? I ask because DD has gone to a new school for sixth form and was adamant she'd not make new friends during her first few days. A fortnight in, and she seems to be mentioning loads of girls' names, although she's less sure about one of the subjects she's doing. Would think it takes a month or so to start to feel settled in a new environment, don't you think?

@LouisCatorze yes, I think it is likely to take a few weeks.This is only the third week, and the first week was settling in / a trip away, and she was unwell 2 days last week. But telling her to give it a while also makes her a bit panicky about getting behind if she still wanted to move and had to change subjects/ different exam boards etc. But this is only her 4th day of a normal school day. I'm glad your dd seems to be making progress making friends.

Yes, it's tricky to know at what point to 'call it a day' with a new school/A Level subjects.

Even girls in established friendship groups have space for new friends, I'd have thought? And there will definitely be girls tiring of some friendships they've had since Year 7 (or even earlier in their school careers, potentially). I'm definitely getting that impression from DD (although in one subject she's not yet found any kindred spirits).

I really hope things pick up for your DD @CatsLikeBoxes .

Happy Birthday to your DD @MirandaWest . Sounds like she’s got the right idea with extended celebrations!!

Welcome @CatsLikeBoxes and sorry to hear your DD is feeling unsettled. It’s only natural though as new surroundings are a big thing. I’m sure she’ll make friends soon enough.

Yes I agree I think lots of people will be looking to switch things up with friendship groups. DD for one is hoping to make new friends after leaving her group that she had the whole of secondary school just before her GCSE’s in May. She’s seeing 6th form as an opportunity to spread her wings and branch out.

@MirandaWest hope the birthday girl has had a lovely day!

Welcome @CatsLikeBoxes hope your DD settles soon

Out of nowhere DS has had a wobble about whether he should continue with Maths A level. He is finding it hard,but everyone says it's a big step up. I spoke with his GCSE tutor & she is very confident that he has the ability. Have suggested he talks to his Maths teacher tomorrow...part of me wonders if this is partly influenced by a strict deadline school has imposed for making any changes by the end of this week...apparently lots of students are switching subjects. Realistically though could switch Maths to an AS in June next year & do Business through to A level instead, so I'm guiding him to persevere...

@CatsLikeBoxes My DDs best friend left school to go to a private 6th form in September and hates it. She wishes she'd stayed at her school but can't tell her parents who are paying £££ a term for her to go. She's miserable and jealous of her friends. She'll probably settle but right now it's a struggle.

@CornishGem1975 I hope your dd's friend starts to settle in and like it, if you're not happy it must feel worse thinking of your friends still being together

@CatsLikeBoxes sorry that your DD isn't enjoying things, really hope things improve for her.
@MirandaWest happy birthday to your DD for yesterday, scary to think of them driving (at least for me, DD is away with the fairies most of the time!!!)
@legosunqueen apparently this week is the one where things start to get a bit real - DD has mentioned lots of her friends talking about what to drop - they traditionally start with 4 A levels and most go to 3 either early in this term or at the end of year 12. Looking like her German class will end up with only 7 from 11 😮

Thanks @TheOnlyMrsW DS will only take 3 subjects at A level but is doing one AS too. He's back on form today as apparently was on a par with the rest of the class in the first test. All the drama...

Happy birthday to you and DD @MirandaWest - what did you see in London? I love going to the theatre so always interested.

dS1 has been solidly working since Friday afternoon absolutely non stop and until midnight. I’m quietly encouraging the dropping of one but he is sticking with it for now. He is disappointed today as he got
picked to present his Spanish research topic and has done so much research that his 2 min presentation is 4 mins and they stopped him at 2, then goT asked questions he couldn’t answer. Apparently they were supposed to share questions in advance to prep.

@StColumbofNavron we saw Dear Evan Hansen on Saturday night and then The Tempest on Sunday afternoon. Both very good in different ways!

DD isn’t totally happy with her tutor group - so has emailed the head of year 12 to see if she can move to another one. As they seemed to take no notice of putting her with anyone she’d asked to be with (they had to do that in July which she did) then I am hoping she’ll get somewhere. Other people have moved both out of and into that tutor group so it can be done.

She’s also not totally happy with one of her English teachers although the class is fine as is the other one. And there’s something about Spanish although can’t remember exactly what (think it’s a lesson having to move which means someone else has to change maths classes which doesn’t directly effect her but as there’s only 5 doing Spanish they know each other quite well). History at least is all right!

She and I off to the theatre again this evening - at least this one is in our town! Noughts and Crosses tonight. Then she has a weekend of looking into a voluntary job at a new bookshop, having lunch with her dad, going to a birthday sleepover for a friend and then as alcohol will be involved probably being tired and grumpy the rest of Sunday! But I know she’s been organising her work so she’s got done what she needs to for Monday. Or at least I think she has 😃

Well DD has dropped maths, and picked up the one MFL on offer at the school (the one where she didn't know what a travel agent was, and was convinced she completely messed up the oral, but ended up getting a 9 in it). She would have preferred French (even though she only got an 8), but the school aren't offering it. She is not thrilled about this MFL, but just felt it would be such a struggle to keep on top of the maths, and hopefully if she works at the MFL she might come out with a good grade. There are only four others taking it at the school at A level, and at least two of them are not native speakers - which was one of her big worries about it - one of the reasons the school offer it because of the number of native speakers in it. The other issue is that we get into literature analysis at the A level, and literature analysis has never been one of her strengths (6 in English language and English lit), so hopefully that won't drag her down too much. But otherwise it is a reasonably known quantity, and where she ought to have a reasonable shot at a decent grade.

We seem to have settled in well, fingers crossed. Just 2 students in one of their subjects so its pretty intense teaching, and then only a small handful of students in the other 2. Think they'll stick with their choices but a lot of friends are rethinking their options. Apparently they have until half term to decide, but that seems very late to me.

@Womblesaremyfavouritefood there are >700 Y12 doing maths at DS's college - that's got to be the most popular subject as there are only 3000 in both years.

It's so different to the tiny school I went to!

Wow, we've only got about 50 in our entire school year.

Wow, opposite ends of the spectrum there in terms of year groups!! We have around 350 per year group at DD’s sixth form.

DD has assessments next week in all 4 subjects and then they have to decide which subject they are going to drop before half-term. DD is definitely going for English Lit and History and has to decide between Philosophy & Ethics and Psychology. I think she’s really quite torn. I think she’s gravitating towards P&E but is slightly concerned that the 3 subjects are all quite samey. Psychology would give her a bit more balance but it’s not completely grabbing her at the moment. I am aware that lots of people say that the first part of the Psychology course can be a bit boring and lots of people drop for this reason. But I guess we will wait and see the results of the assessments.

Wow there are some big (and small) sixth forms.

DD's has about 350 in Y12 I think but think there's only the very odd subject (like maths) that has more than 2 classes per A Level subject. A lot only have 1. (Actually there is a few subjects they didn't run due to numbers being too low).

@Naem Glad your DD made a decision re the maths and hopefully her new subject will suit her.

DD is "making" me read all her English Literature texts so I can discuss them with her. And all the theatre talk has me looking to see if any are on locally. Although I think school will organised theatre trips as well. DD is still annoyed that "seeing a live theatre performance" as part of her Drama GCSE never happened as a load of the cast came down with Covid the day before they were supposed to go. (whilst obviously being sympathetic for the cast)

DS hardly seems to be in college so he’s loving it ha ha ha

he’s in Monday Tuesday Wednesdays but today then finished at 12 instead of 4. So different from school but it’s perfect for him. He seems so happy. Finally.

Hi just joining this thread andxsaying hi as DS started 6th form this month xx

Welcome @bubble2000! Hope your Ds is settling into 6th form ok.

@sheepdogdelight, hopefully you like the literature texts! I couldn't really help Ds much with his analysis for English Lit as I just didn't 'get' it. I enjoyed watching the plays and adaptations though.

Ds year group has expanded from 120 to 230. He doesn't have too many free periods so is moaning about that. There is already a bit of drop out with further maths - he's finding it ok at the moment but they're just recapping the Fsmq stuff.

Proud mum gushing post alert

just eaten dinner at the college restaurant where DS is doing his catering course. He was waiter tonight. So so proud as I watched him serving food and drink. Next week it’s kitchen for him as they rotate every other week.

just knew this was the course for him :-)