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.

She is looking at social sciences / sociology with human psychology type courses.

*social psychology.

Typical! We really need to narrow down ds's choices as there a few on the same day, in different cities. We may well have to leave a couple fo Sept/Oct when the next open days happen. He's not 100% sure what he wants to do (human geography, poss with urban planning?), so I think it's a case of having a look around and attending a few subject talks as a starting point.

DD has had 2 lots of end of term type tests Dec & Feb, but has full AS level exams for two subjects in May Sat in exam hall conditions and the 3rd subject they give them one of the Alevel papers to take and they have to have D or above to stay on the Alevel courses. It’s a large college. It looks like in previous years it’s around 20% cull at end of year one and explains their “good” results! We hadn’t realised this until they told her in the first term. She should be ok in two of her subjects but they have had sub-teachers in Biology as the teacher went on Mat leave so it’s been tricker.

I guess it makes sense in a way. Because they only get 3 years funded at college, if they get to the end of year 2 and fail then there's nothing they can do because most courses are 2 years. I guess it gives them a chance to start a fresh in September again. Although DS said alot of kids in Chemistry are getting Ds and Es at the moment.

@JellyCakeswim

Same at my DD school, D or above in end of year mocks or you are out.

That said they have given them predicted grades already and all those at risk are highlighted and getting extra support so it shouldn't be a shock for anyone.

My DC doesn’t know what they want to do. Degree apprenticeships in finance/IT would be an option but he is also looking at Unis. Does anyone know anyone who has studied Chemical Engineering. This is one of the other options he is looking at. I have read conflicting reports about job opportunities with a degree in Chemical engineering. It’s so hard when they don’t know what they want to do.

@Sadtimes1 my DC keeps flip-flopping about university subjects. We started Y12 with Computer Science, around Christmas it was Music, a few weeks ago Linguistics, and now MFL - one language from A level, one ab initio. She won't really think about jobs after, which is annoying but there you go. Her father and I both have old-fashioned academic degrees that we've not used since graduating, and I'd be happier if she did something vocational, but she seems keen to follow our bad example .

I lived with a few Chem Eng-ers at university (so my knowledge is 20+ years out of date). But they've all been gainfully employed since graduating, either in oil, or food manufacturing. All doing very well from what I see.

Regarding open days, DC1's done one very recently, and did another in Y10 with school at our local university (which is highly rated for all the subjects she's thinking of). Both were subject-specific, and we're trying to find more of those but they seem thin on the ground. She has at least been to all but one of the cities on her current shortlist, so getting to Birmingham, where she hasn't visited, would be a priority I think.

@Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky Manchester is my alma mater and it's an amazing city in which to be a student. So much so that I moved back!

Thank you @TheTurn0fTheScrew that’s really helpful.
My DS is trying to consider careers but finds it almost impossible to decide what sort of job he’d like and be suited to. It’s quite hard for them to imagine what a job in a certain field would be like. Uni wise, we will be probably be limited anyway as I suspect he won’t want to leave home (suspected ASD). The only problem being the nearest uni asks for extremely high grades so 🤞.
My eldest DS took 4 A level subjects, which included 2 languages, one only to AS. He considered a MFL degree but only decided at application time that he should go down the science route as he felt the employment opportunities wouldn’t be as good with a MFL degree.
It’s really tough, my other DS (SEN) wants to go into game design but that does seem an extremely difficult industry to break into. His other brother (also SEN) did a similar course at college and it really hasn’t helped him gain employment. They don’t seem interested in a vocational courses sadly.

My DD also doesn't know what to do really. She loves writing and Spanish but doesn't see the point in doing a writing degree. She was interested in teaching but thinks it's probably a good idea to do a degree and than post grad training after if she's still interested. I think linguistics with Spanish would be a good fit for her (from what I've read!) because it can lead to all sorts of careers, even something like speech therapy and I think a year in Spain would be brilliant, she loved it when we went on holiday there.

But I've told her to look into any Unis or courses that she likes the look of and we'll just do loads of open days to either fire her enthusiasm or eliminate options!

Well ds managed to forget about a biology test first day back at school having had all of Easter to revise. I have had to really bite my tongue!!!!!

Still on Easter holidays here, @mumonthehill but I shall check nothing similar's going to happen here! First day back seems a bit harsh, but I suppose not such a bad one for them to learn from experience on.

Mine is away for the first week of term on a German trip. Hoping not to miss too much as most of the studying German have gone. Probably just history to catch up!

So ds got 2 marks off a B for the biology test he did not revise for. Apparently me saying so you got a C then was unsupportive!!! I have done this all before with elder ds, boring myself really and sounding like a broken record!!! Hope everyone else is back in the swing of things.

Isn’t it funny - ds is ALWAYS 2 marks off the grade above 😅

I have had an email from school today to say they are cutting f2f teaching hours for the next 6 weeks. The class will be given work to do and have to stay at school but have no teacher, not great news.

@Sadtimes1 gosh no that is not good news. Have they said why?

@mumonthehill it says due to unforeseen staffing changes. This is a very high achieving school but it is in a large trust with another secondary that does struggle so sometimes staffing is shared. I am unhappy as subjects such as Maths will be affected and my DS is finding that subject the hardest. He is trying to use Uplearn to get answers from tutors on there.

@Sadtimes1 that's really difficult, it's admiral your son is seeking out support but disappointing he's in the position to have to do that.

DS2s school is also in turmoil with a mass exodus of staff. Unsurprising as the Headteacher is just awful. The SENCo and head of 6th Form have both gone, but neither was doing much for DS2 tbh.

DS2 is plodding along, he enjoys Biology so much more than Maths, but gets much higher grades in Maths than Biology. He's predicted an A in Maths and D in Biology. He is resistant to tutoring but I think I'm going to have to push it with him, as he's only doing the 2 A Levels and further maths. He's still quite fragile mental health wise, so it's a tricky balance.

I had a brief conversation with our nearest university who said that DS2 may get allowances for his mental health difficulties etc, so I'm hoping he may be able to transition onto some kind of university course. We finally have the psychiatrist appointment via CAMHS next week. We went private but I want care transferred as his difficulties are long term and I may be quitting my job.

@PennywisePoundFoolish wow, that’s really hard. It’s great that you’ve got an appointment with CAHMS, I really hope that they help. I have mixed experiences with our local one.
i know what you mean about tutoring, relatives have often told me to get a tutor for my other DC with severe dyslexia but he would have absolutely hated it and is always totally exhausted after a day studying.
It’s great that your DC is so good at Maths. Maths is my DS’s favourite subject but he finds it harder than his other subjects, Chemistry and Computer science.
Does your DS have an idea of what he wants to study at uni?

DC id doing Level 2 BTec in ICT. Got merit in one subject. Awaiting result for second one. Talks about doing BTec next two years equivalent to A levels but having ASD difficult to focus. Learning virtual driving and very focused watching daddy driving, so keeps going about wanting to become either bus driver or train driver! My heart breaks. It's difficult for me to explain that it might not be possible due to ASD!

Well we have finally got 2 open days booked and I have tasked her with reviewing courses at the others on her list.

She may hopefully get to another couple by herself but not sure how many I can make with her as I / we seem to have stuff on on the key weekends.

I am thinking we may do a road trip round the northern options October half term to at least see the cities / do a self guided tour.

It’s good that your dc has a couple lined up @Fluffycloudsfloatinginthesky - got to start somewhere!

Ds has booked one open day but I’m finding it hard to get him to show much enthusiasm.

I’ve explained there’s no pressure and he could leave it for a year, do an apprenticeship or something totally different but he says he wants to go to uni after A levels 🤷🏻‍♀️I think part of the issue is his brother always knew what subject he’d do - whereas he’s not very clear yet.

I think we may do a few self guided to get a feel for the cities / unis…

@Monstermunchy it's going to be interesting, she loves going to gigs and I'm not sure how much that will factor into her decision - the two we are booked to see are Exeter and Loughborough and not sure they will be the best fit for that.

It's making her think about London I think even though she would rather get away from
home and I have said if she goes to London she will need to live at home for y2/3. We live in z6 and makes no sense to pay rent when we are so near.

Ah I see! Yes gigs are probably not the number 1 selling point for those places - I can recommend Leeds for its music scene though (obvs depending on the type of music she likes!).

My ds is focusing on cities rather than unis/courses - I think there does need to be a balance but also whenever he ends up I’m sure he’ll have a good time.