Y12 2023/24 - support, discussion and looking after each other

[BonjourCrisette]

GCSEs are over and we are beginning the next stage. Let's hope it's a bit less stressful than this summer has been! All welcome to discuss, share experiences and support each other as our children move into Y12/BTECs/apprenticeships and start a new phase.

DD seems to be super busy, too, with a whole heap of extra-curricular drama as well as school work. I think everything is going OK but no mocks here until January next year. I think predicted grades are based on the teachers' assessments of each student and also the end of year exams.

She has decided where and what she wants to study next, so I think we need to go and visit her top choices and also identify some backup options. Pleased to find out that her top choice seems to be a reasonably affordable city as I am already thinking about what it's all going to cost. It seems to be absolutely eyewatering.

It's hard thinking about costs of university. DC1 feels that unless there's an incredibly compelling reason why one particular course is head and shoulders above the others then London is off the cards because of housing costs. I feel a bit sad about that, because she's a big city person, and I loved my (skint ) years in London, but it's sensible.

Sorry, if this seems ignorant but I genuinely don't know. My ds in first years of A Levels. When do you apply to uni's. How do we find out the process? I have no idea how it all works.

We are just starting to look at possible uni courses. Taking it slowly as DD was a school refuser so the turn around from last year is incredible! She loves college and the path she has chosen to follow!

My DD's college had a really good information event about funding for uni and how it works - I am old enough to not have paid uni costs of any type (in fact due to parental low income I was pretty much paid to go courtesy of a student grant!) so had no clue!

I feel very out of the loop on what is involved with applying for uni, though, so need to get to grips with that now! I think applications made at the end of this year, is that correct? I know my friend's twins have had offers/rejections since mid-Feb.

You apply by the end of January (mid-October for Oxbridge). That means that if you want to go and visit universities, which I think is important, you would need to book in for tours etc in the summer term. There is lots of info on the application process and how to fill in all the forms on the UCAS website.

The school or college should offer support especially from September. It is worth looking now as it takes the pressure off when the deadline hits. I know in DS school they do draft personal statements before the end of this summer term.

University open day dates seem to have mostly come out this year and can be found on their websites. Lots in June/July and then another wave in the Autumn.

I think it's quite hard to know where to start, but broadly I think you're trying to work out what subject they'd like to do, what sort of place they'd like it to be (big city, city campus, rural-ish campus, smaller town etc), how far from home, how good a fit their likely grades are with the places they like etc, and go from there. Budget is also something to factor in - there is a massive discrepancy between accommodation and living costs around the country. You choose up to five course to apply for. Once you have your offers you pick two (favourite = firm, second favourite that you'd be happy to go to = insurance). Ideally you want a range of grade options in that five, so you can have an insurance choice that has lower grade options.

DD is planning to apply for Medicine, which (like Oxbridge, dentistry and vet medicine) has October deadline rather than January. So, choosing a course has been the easy bit (getting on it might not be so much!). She is trying to get a good chunk of her research done this summer and we have booked out several weekends for open days already. She definitely wants a medium-large city, and we've ruled out anything north of Leeds due to distance from home (also ruled out the couple of places closest to us as she wants to move further away). I'm lukewarm on London due to the costs, but that's probably where she most sees herself at the moment.

As @mumonthehill says above, school/college should provide a lot of support and will know the process well. Exciting times!

lets the sixth form college should have parent and a student information sessions to explain. We've got one tonight. There is a UCAS tour in April that the students are going to at a local convention centre.

My ds went to a uni fair today but said there was nothing on personal statements (even though the programme I read online said there would be) - sounds like it was pretty much a waste of a morning. He asked two unis about a course he’d seen and they directed him to their website which he could have done at home 🙄

My ds has a compulsory trip Tues to a fayre but they travel 2hrs, have 1hr to look around and then travel back. Hardly worth it.

Ds has done one of those too - Leeds to Birmingham - a waste of time!🙄

We had one of those, in the 6th form. Main thing I remember was they left 2 of the 6th formers behind by accident and only found out the next day when they came in and told us. 🤣

I took ds to an apprentice fair a couple of weeks ago because that's what he wants to do next.
He reappeared after an hour saying he'd talked to RAF, Boeing, and one about nuclear warheads and was very happy. I'm not sure how productive it was but apparently the RAF one had a great VR headset.

It was pretty pointless! So crowded, he managed to pick up a few brochures and that was it!

Hi everyone,

Can't believe we are already in March! And the first year has nearly been completed.

Ds says a few people are starting again at a different college in September and starting another 2 years of A levels or a different course.
Ds really hasn't embraced his first year like I thought he would. He has ongoing MH struggles and on pathway for ADD assessment.

Comments on parents eve(online 5 min call)
Was that he's a great chemist or has it all going on but he's just not applying himself or getting it down on paper. He's finding Chemistry hard, he only really enjoys organic chemistry.

Unfortunately he hasn't found 'his people" he has loads of free time and wanders into the town by himself.

He's thinking whether to re start again in September either re-starting again doing the same A levels at the same college or start different ones at another college.
Is that even possible?

X

We had video parents eve here too, mocks went ok but did mess up one paper got E balanced out by A on the other part. Interesting to see how easy it was though to mess up the grade, and a good learning exercise for DD. Next is AS levels in May they need min D to stay on the Alevel course.

I-think there’s funding until the year they turn 19 for “free” access @Letskeepgoing as I’m hoping my younger one whose is now HomeEd as has fallen out of mainstream school, can delay college until just turn 17, due to late Aug birthday but still do Level3 courses as they will still be 18 in August even in 2nd year. They are also autistic but academically able so need more time to develop social skills to cope with college life.

Thanks for your reply. Sounds similar to my ds. Very able in some topics and really struggling in others. Got a U in some chemistry topics, B in a another. He said he feels like now he knows what and that the time has gone so fast he's just getting to grips with things. They've also said he has asd traits but ds doesn't want a diagnosis.

@Letskeepgoing im sure a few of my elder dc’s friends started again in y12 (albeit at the same school) but it would seem that this a thing.

My ds has mocks this coming week so we shall find out how he’s doing - I think he’s getting on ok but sitting actual exams will show him! Mind you he’s had a horrible cold for 2 weeks - after having one Feb half term too 😐

Thank you. I haven't heard anything about mocks so far. All ds has had is small topic assessments.

I think once he has done mocks it may give him an idea of whether to continue or not....

As far as I know ds haven't said they'd kick anyone off If not achieving a certain grade but I guess not wise to continue if getting very low grades.

Elder ds retook year 12, and took 1 different alevel but kept 2 the same. I would say that it was really hard for him going back a year but he had a plan and he achieved what he wanted in the end. It is worth thinking about but elder ds did find it hard when his friends went off to uni and he was still doing A levels.

That's very true plus ds wanted a year out too.
Its chemistry thats really not going well for him....

@Letskeepgoing it was maths for ds, he got an E in his AS in year 12 so really redoing the year was his only option. He swapped it for Geography, and kept chem and bio. If it is any consolation ds now in year 12 is finding chemistry a struggle too. I would see how the mocks go and then make a decision. It all depends how far off the grade he needs he is.

@Letskeepgoing My DC’s friend started year 12 again with a completely different set of subjects, they are funded until they are 19. They just didn’t enjoy their subjects in the first year. I think it’s really worth your DC switching if he is already struggling. He may find it easier to change to a college than go back and start again a year below his peers.

My DS will only be starting his level 3 in Sep and he is 17. He had to retake English (severe dyslexia and also on the pathway for ADHD/ASD diagnosis). The college wouldn’t let him start a level 3 with the retake so he chose a different 1 year course. 2 of my DC’s went to college, both have SEN, and they have found it so much better than school. IME though, colleges do not push them very hard, there is less parental input and a lot is left up to the student. This suits some kids, my DC’s have never done work at home but the elder one surprised all of us and did manage to get a distinction in the level 3 ext dip. Just be aware that a lot of colleges don’t do all the traditional A level subjects.

Good luck with the assessment, my elder DC refused to accept the diagnosis for a long time but it has helped them and they are now more comfortable with it.

Thank you! I think we will see how he gets on in final exam. I assume there is one. He's getting very low scores in the mathematical subjects like Mole calculations. His teacher said he's really good at Organic chemistry which I think they visit more in year 13.

Thank you!

This college is very hands off. I really don't think my ds realises how much work out of college is required.
They've done an inclusion plan for him at college but his Chemistry doesn't seem to understand. Says he needs a bit of a reality check! Yes he does to an extent but he is aware of his struggles.
Another challenge is he's having a lot of worries about the chemicals in chemistry, lots of hand washing and worries he may contaminate his pets when he gets home so excessively washing.
How long have you been waiting for the assessments?