Year 12 - 2024/25 - Support, Discussion and Looking After Each Other

[BlackBean2023]

A survival thread for Y12 parents (24/25) now that GCSEs are over and our young people move onto KS5

16 marks missed on a maths paper is incredible! I hope your son's friend get the outcome he wants @YellowphantGrey

It does seem a lot @anoukis. The expectation for additional study, super and extra curricular is one of the reasons DS' school do not recommend doing four A Levels, unless one is FM or a language in which the student is already fluent.

Hopefully DS will get his timetable today. They have mandatory PE on Wednesday afternoons, but DS is sporty and quite happy with this. I'd imagine other less sporty students might not be so happy.

Thanks Waspie, my DD's 4th subject is indeed Further Maths. Also, she got an A in her OCR FSMQ Additional Maths exam in year 11, which overlaps to a degree with A-level Maths - this should help a bit.

She will also do Gold DofE, but the activities won't be new as she already does sports and volunteering. She will likely do an 1-hr/week online cookery class for the skills section, and that's a fun one and very useful.

It's amazed me how different sixth forms are across the country and the requirements to get in compared to others and to colleges.

You've said your Son has PE as compulsory, DS sixth form has AS level maths as compulsory and they need a C or above to continue into year 13

I'm trying not to get too invested but I find it all quite stressful.

DS has been desperate to go back, I just hope he can continue into year 13!

DS is missing his uniform. It was much easier and the blazer had more pockets.

His 4th subject is neither maths nor language, so he is taken aback by the expectations. He already had homework last night.

DD has a very packed timetable with (currently) 4 A-Levels and Wednesday afternoon kept free for Games. She’s the oldest in the year (just turned 17) and is also starting driving lessons next week. So it’ll be busy!

We, parents of the cohort, have an "expectations" teams meeting this evening with the head of sixth form. Hopefully that will be helpful in clarifying what they expect in terms of additional study and voluntary contributions.

His form teacher is also one of his English Lit teachers and he is the only one in the form who is new to the school. The form group is a mixture of 10 year 12 and 13 students. They have 15 minutes each day in their form group. They also have "reading week" for the week before half term in October. .

EPQ, super and extra curricular has not been mentioned except in general "yap" (DS' term, not mine!) Next week we have a one to one with DS' form tutor - I have started a questions sheet already!

Since reading these threads I have been amazed at the vast differences between areas. We visited schools and colleges in three counties and they were all much of a muchness in terms of offerings and grade expectations for A Levels so it has been a real eye opener to realise just how different other schools/colleges are.

DD is also missing uniform, although she regularly told me how she hated it at school. Having to plan an outfit for college is stressful, although I wonder if she'll just slip into a regular set of clothes, I think I wore jeans almost exclusively for college.

Work expectation for her is 15 hours in class and 15 hours independent study, that's for 3 A-levels, although I'm sure the independent study bit will vary a little between students and subjects. They are also expected to take an enrichement option, which could be team sports, but there's no compulsory PE.

They have cut the bus service to 2 in the morning and 2 in the afternoon, so she will have to study in college on days when she has less on her timetable unless she can get lifts. I'm sure some time will be spent in town as well! I'm told their private study areas get very busy, so I'm hoping that there will be enough space, the bus she gets has been reduced significantly and it covers a large area, so I imagine the number of kids stuck on campus all day will increase.

Still no timetable, we thought she would get that today, but actually she's just got a timetable for tomorrow, she has two extended tutor times and then starts properly on Monday.

DD's school contacted today, her science paper was graded 88 but apparently one mark off 89, do I want to remark. I think it's fairly pointless but DD is keen, she didn't get any 9s. There's 6 papers though, they are saying it will cost me £42 for a remark, I'm happy to pay this for one, but not 6. Also she got special consideration, we don't know what that added to her score, but I wonder if that needs to be taken into account? I'm confused by it all. Will ask school to clarify I think.

Friday is half day at DS's school and the way his timetable has worked out is that he has no actual lessons on a Friday (has to be in though). He also had a free period this afternoon - so the small bit of homework he was set today has already been done. He's not sure what he is supposed to be doing for 4 hrs tomorrow!

Once he gets in the swing of things I'm hoping that those free lessons will be become v handy.

Doing maths and further maths there is a heck of a lot of maths - 10 50min lessons for Maths/further Maths over 4 days. Not my idea of fun!!

My son has maths / FM with the same teacher in the same room for three consecutive hours tomorrow afternoon and one of them is a twilight so he doesn't finish til half four. This is mean for a Friday isn't it 😅

DD has enjoyed her first two days, but says they have spent a lot of time telling them how hard A levels are and how much they will have to work. This has not helped her anxiety levels. They are also meant to have study periods and free periods, but apparently these have not been organised yet...

DS has a two week rolling timetable.

3 lessons on a Monday, full day Tuesday, 3 lessons Wednesday, full day Thursday and no lessons on a Friday them week 2 is the same but Friday and Mondays swap.

He's dreading tomorrow as nothing to do.

They can't go home for free periods and have to stay in school. They utilise them as TAs around the school and have set periods where they are assisting teachers in classrooms.

@Techno56 that is mean! Here Monday is triple maths which seems much better than a Friday.

Morning,

I see a theme here with schools not having organised things quite yet. DD had a wobble yesterday that she won't make any friends. Prone to being a drama llama this is no surprise to me but follows her first two days of saying she met this lovely person in chem, or chatted to this lovely person in form.....

I think she is impatient and wants to magic new best friends in a matter of hours rather than sit back and see how things develop. Most likely though because she is a new external student in an existing school 6th form, so as expected there are groups of girls clinging together away from the new people.

I have reassured her things will change as she settles in and starts regular lessons where she gets to know her peers that way. My worry about this kind of thing never seems to end, even now she's 16! It didn't help that she messaged me at lunch time telling me she was sad (I was at work) 😟. She was very tired though so has had a good night last night and I am hoping today will be more positive

Work wise she is very keen still and can't wait to get started properly.

@bluefineliner i think we share the same daughter!
I have a drama Lamar as well, I think of her as eeyore!
She had her induction yesterday and to say she suffers from social anxiety she did amazingly well. Went in confidently, spoke to new people and managed the day without incident. But refused to talk about it initially in the car and then vented about the unfairness of her meeting new people to find they weren’t in her classes, the lack of creative extra curricular classes (these haven’t even been finalised yet!) and 101 other little issues. She couldn’t see how amazingly well she’d done when a few years ago she wouldn’t have been able to leave the car in the first place never mind walk in alone and do the whole day. Although like your dad mine hadn’t slept well so was really tired all day so that would t help.
nothing today and then it starts for real next Tuesday! Send strength 🙈

I can think of few things I'd enjoy less than three hours of A level Maths (any flour) on any day!

I hope those who are shy and more anxious about the transition to sixth form are doing well this week. You got this! As parent's we're so protective and hate to think that they are sad or struggling. They are lovely young people and will make friends. Sending strength and positivity.

We had the online "Expectations" evening last night with the Head of 6th form. Whilst many others on here have said that their DC report that schools have stressed how much work is involved DS's school was a bit different - stressing how important it is to have a balanced life and work progressively: that A levels are different from GCSE's and simply cramming at last minute won't get top grades. A levels are about application of knowledge rather than retention and regurgitation of information (as GCSE's were).

He once again stressed that the only C and D grades from the previous year 13 group were achieved by boys who took four A Levels, and that getting top grades in three is much better than good grades in four. Again, asking students to reconsider if they have asked for four. It sounds as though they are going to be ruthless in culling boys from FM over this half term.

DS is very excited - lots of extra curricular and mentoring opportunities. DS really likes the sound of CCF (combined cadet force), which I was quite surprised about. Interesting times.

At DD’s college it’s 50pc teaching and 50pc study periods. She is going to try staying on site for her free periods as the work spaces are good, so that she can work effectively. They have to have laptops with them all the time.

Overall, good start for DS here (induction day followed by first day of lessons). He is very happy with most of his teachers so far, majority of whom have taught him before, and loves his new economics teacher who seems quite a personality.

Really not keen on his new maths teacher though, apparently the lesson was super boring. This strengthens the possibility that maths will be the subject he ends up dropping. He'll wait and see though, they get two teachers so hopefully the other one is an improvement (and the first one also improves on closer acquaintance).

I feel for those whose children are starting in a new place, especially joining an existing sixth form. Such an anxious time. Hope they find their crowd soon.

DS started Wednesday, Maths, FM, Economics and Comp Science. He got a solid 8 at GCSE (that was his level throughout y11 really) so I’m hoping Further isn’t too much for him and that he won’t reach his maths ceiling too early!. Think he’ll give it until half term and then see.

DD stayed at her school sixth form. All mostly OK so far. Although she is not thrilled by how many others also decided to stay as it is the largest cohort they have had apparently! It made me think back to my 1990s sixth form and I think by Christmas a large proportion had left - either of their own accord or they got kicked out. Do you think you would see that scenario today or are schools much stricter now on who they let in? Good luck to all young people - the early days can be difficult. Hope they all find their groove soon.

Day 2 and first detention.

Do I interfere or leave it?!

What on earth was it for?

Hi all, sorry, completely haven't been on this thread since results day!
I posted on the old thread but you have all moved on!

Dd as expected failed Eng. Lang (got a 3), but amazingly got all the other 6 subjects, and got a 7 in maths (needed for A level)

After a LONG interview with sixth form college, they have accepted her to do 3 A levels (maths chemistry and computer science) with an English GCSE resit alongside. Amazingly there is a resit in Nov, which I had understood didn't exist any more, so she may take in then and then be done with English, which would be amazing.

The learning support at sixth form is also amazing, so much in place for her before we start, eg they are going to meet with her every week over the first few weeks to get her into a work routine.
Doing the prep work they sent out has been really hard as she doesn't work well at home, so she came to work with me on Wed and sat in an empty office and then we spent 4 hours in McDonalds yesterday and got the last bits done.

First day of sixth form college today, (induction day) she went off feeling positive, so I am crossing my fingers for a good start. (despite having to walk to the busstop in torrential rain and thunder)
The bus runs morning, lunchtime and evening, so the plan is that she goes in and stays all day every day. She will work at college, so get all her work done there. No uniform, so we had to redye her hair rainbow last night....

Ineffective use of free period, answering back and use of mobile phone.

He read his book for half hour then made an amendment on his fantasy football team. Librarian asked why he wasn't doing school work, he said he hadn't had any lessons. She said he needs to be doing his bridging work, he said there was none set for his subjects. She sent him to Head of Sixth. Head of Sixth said he should have actively gone to find a Teacher for his subject and asked for work to do in advance of classes next week if there was no bridging work listed. DS said he had been reading and they've taken his book off him as its not the English texts that have been sent and not suitable to be I'm school and I've got to and collect his mobile at 3pm.

His timetable for today is

845 till 915 tutor time
915 to 1015 free period
1015 to 11am English
11 to 1130 break
1130 to 1215 English
1215 to 1245 lunch
1245 to 145 free period
145 to 245 free period
3pm form group
3.10 home.

It was first free period. School emailed to let me know the above.

They were bad in the rest of the school but seem adamant they loosen the reigns in sixth form.

I hope the gets the results she needs come November!

Such a lot of change at once isn't it?! And the rainbow hair sounds amazing!

I hope she continues to thrive