A-level

[mishknight]

My DD is in the process of applying to do sixth form following GCSEs. The plan was always to stay at her current school. She wants to do A-level Business, Media and Biology. The school have divided all the subjects they offer into 'blocks'. We have just discovered that because Biology and Media are in the same block she cannot do both, (I'm guessing it's for timetabling reasons). Each subject selected must be from a different block. She's gutted. She doesn't want to pick different subjects. Her predicted grades imply that she will make the entry requirements. The two nearest colleges offering a levels would require at least three hours total travelling on buses (two buses each way), which I don't think is sustainable. Any advice from anyone in similar circumstances would be appreciated .

Don’t stress too much at this stage, she’s 16!
All four of mine changed their minds on their subjects on decision day in August. One even changed their minds on where they were going on that day.!
Get her to look at all her options including other subjects. Go to as many career events as you can, let her broaden her horizons.
It will all be ok

Tbf biology is a bit of an outlier with those choices. Is there any other science subject she might like to do? – as if she wants to take biology further, that will help.

That might include maths, PE, geography, psychology?

Or could she take biology, business and some other humanities type subject – Eng lit, history, Phil and ethics, gov/pol, drama, film studies?

I know you say she wants to stick with those subjects but it sounds as tho it may be a problem. The reason they are stuck together is bc I imagine very few people will want to take media and biology. They have to timetable some subjects alongside others, obviously. When I was in my (very small) sixth form you couldn't take geography and French which seems surprising to me now. So there will always be combos that are impossible.

What else is she doing well at in GCSE? What sort of PGs does she have?

Edited to add: DD was set on doing music and then switched to French after a week; DS2 was all for maths and FM and when I suggested biology as well/instead he looked doubtful; he has ended up doing a degree in it! She may well change her mind over the net six months.

Are there any nearer schools (as opposed to colleges?) That might offer her subjects?
Though I guess she will in general have missed application deadlines.

I think she has an odd mix there. I would get her to look at uni courses to see what their entry requirements are as she may need to think hard about if these are the right subjects. Also remember if a good number of students want to do subjects that clash they may look to revise the blocks. We had this and there are now 2 biology classes rather than one to accommodate this. Also talk to the school.

She's picked those as they are her favourite. She says she doesn't want to go to uni. She mentioned other are in the same position,with different subject clashes, but the school won't budge.

If she doesn't want to go to uni then some of the points made here (notably by me!) are moot.

If she still wants to take A levels, then she might have to be flexible. The school is bound to have combos that are not possible. Though I am surprised that there is only one box/group for biology – usually it is popular enough to have two – it did in both my DCs' years in sixth form and in the other settings they considered. Is it a very small sixth form or school?

If these are her faves (does she do media and business at GCSE?) could she consider something new but close? Film studies, philosophy, classical civ, sociology? I know they are not the same as media but they offer a humantites line which may suit?

The school is not being difficult here. It probably can’t budge. Schools have restrictions on timetables due to teachers not being able to be in two places at once. I agree with PP who have suggested that she consider alternative choices.

3 hours a day travelling to a college isn't going to work for her - and in my experience buses are regularly late or cancelled so it could be more than 3 hours.

So she has 2 options-

Find another 6th form that isn't too far away that offers the combination of subjects she wants or

Stay at her current school and change one of her options. If she knows what she wants to do post a levels then she can pick something linked to that. Or just pick another subject she likes? Or maybe try something she hasn't studied yet? My DC and their mates have enjoyed psychology, sociology, economics, politics ... all things that weren't offered at GCSE.

There's a lot of swapping a levels in the first few weeks of y12 anyway as people try things and decide it's not for them.

Is she doing Business and Media GCSE? That would be quite unusual. Biology is an odd choice. If she doesn’t want uni, what does she want to do? Does the school offer Btec type qualifications?