Year 12 - 2025/2026: Here we go again!

[QueenMabby]

A new thread for the new school and college year. A friendly thread for parents of those going into year 12 in September 2025.

Thank you! He's home - he said it was a 6/10 - he didn't speak to a lot of people but the teachers were nice and he enjoyed the free periods where he did his homework. He got the school bus back and chatted to 2 girls, one is in his form adnd lives in the village. He said he had a really good day - so I'm super happy with that! He's doing History, Sociology and Criminology and had a bit of a wobble about Criminology last night - I've said see how it goes as he can always chane to English after the first week or two if he really can't cope with it.

I'm a lurker but now joining the chat to say thank you @TheLivelyViper for this as Youth Boards were a new thing to us. After discussing with my DD she found a local arts charity that she was already involved in had one, contacted them and she has an interview tomorrow to potentially join them. It aligns so perfectly with her interests and will also give her so much opportunity.

For the record, DD starting college next Monday, studying A levels in English Language & Literature, Classical Civilization and Sociology with the aim of JH English & History or Liberal Arts at university and currently hoping for a future working in museums or galleries, or educational outreach or something like that with either an arts, history or literature connection.

@CasparBloomberg love how she has such fabulous plans!
and 6/10 isn’t too nasty @Blahblahblah81 fingers crossed for the rest of the week!

That's great, well done her. She could maybe get some work experience from anyone (like staff) who work in the industry, or know people as well. If she's looking, you can just email local galleries etc, and just ask, sometimes take a while, but all you need is one reply saying yes.

I will say if she wants to do history at uni, she may need to add it now at A-level, and do 4 A-levels. Just I don't think I saw any unis that didn't say History A-level was compulsory if you want to do a History degree. The only one I saw was Manchester (this was for History and Politics) and they said they'd consider someone who did Politics but not History. Though even then they said they'd prefer you had History.

That's interesting, I haven't seen a compulsory policy in schools before. Do they pay for kids on FSM, PPG? Or do they have computers in school they can use? Otherwise that feels a little problematic for families who can't afford it.

Though I will day laptops or tablets in 6th form are definitely easier for storing all the files etc, and easier to make notes and all, you can annotate slides the teachers uses and stuff.

DD’s school has provided IPads/Chromebooks up to now, but it’s up to them in the Sixth Form (the school
sent a rather amusing email saying this was to allow free choice). I don’t know whether they provide any assistance to students on means-tested bursaries in obtaining a suitable device.

DD just finishing Maths bridging work. Her A level calculator arrived today.

She currently volunteers as an usher in a local theatre (primarily as it means she gets to see the shows for free!). She has also been in touch with the local city archives and museums, but they'll only take her as a volunteer from 18. But hopefully, making new contacts through the youth board will give her other opportunities.

Thanks for expressing your concerns, we were a bit worried too. She has looked at a few JH E&H courses and there's some that do require history so will be out (eg York and Durham), some require English or History (eg: Warwick), some only English (eg Birmingham) and some (eg Exeter) don't require either. Oxford require English and only recommend History, so that might be okay or might not be out. She thinks there's a good range of choices. However she just couldn't push herself to do any the history A level choices as she's primarily interested in the social history/cultural history parts and that seemed to be more a feature of Classical Civ where they cover history, literature, politics, art, religion etc ...

@TheLivelyViper At DD2’s 6th form they were compulsory too and were provided but students ‘owned’ them with the idea that they’d be handed back at end of yr13. When the end came they were offered the opportunity to purchase them for very very little. We chose to purchase DD2’s as it’d be great for uni and it’s now 4 years old but absolutely fine. it was a bargain.
With DD3 they had to purchase iPads in yr5 - it was an indie though. I’m assuming the bursary kids were bought them. I’d hope so!

That sounds great, also free shows sounds like the best benefit from a job. I'd love that.

Yes that's a good plan, if she's going for English and History, then she'll likely be fine with her current A-levels. Just depends sometimes as even with History and Politics, they won't see Politics A-level as a supplement for History A-level. It will as you said mean some unis are a straight no, but as long as they're okay with English, they'll still be lots of fantastic choices for her, I just wasn't sure with English and History courses, so thought I'd mention it.

I do think she may benefit from doing History though, aside from the unis (it seems many good ones will be fine without it), but I also think the skills specific to History mat be harder to develop in first years with less guidance on things, others will have done in 6th form. Some of the speicifc skills around histograpgy, sources, coursework are very useful to know. I do understand though why she doesn't want to - if the topics her school offers really don't interest her.

That's the thing with subjects like History, you may love the subject but not love the topics you're doing. It's so broad that you can't do everything and so some students may love History but hate their A-level. I did the Tudors which frankly I hated, it's not at all interesting to be and in my opinion, overtaught. But it doesn't mean I don't love History. Just something to consider with the skills, as 1st isn't a jump due to the A-level building that foundation, it will br a massive jump from GCSE and there's less contact time and guidance for those things you pick at A-level.

That's a good system, some schools will have open facilities with lots of computers and open for a while before and after school to help those students. It's not perfect as these kids tend to have to look after siblings, work, or do more, so sometimes cannot stay later but it does help some.

I would hope if putting in a policy like this, someone would think of what to do for those who can't afford it. Many kids still do what they can on a phone and may have a shared laptop (sometimes not very good) across a few siblings so it's hard to get everything done and in time as well.

That's an issue with digital exams, I've been involved in discussions on them (with people who know a lot more than me on the actual development side), and it's a big obstacle to having them. Like what level of computer would we say kids need (it wouldn't have to be the same one necessarily but certain specs would be needed to mean everyone can do the exam), they need to be able to know how the paper works and to practice, so what about kids with little access - surely that's unfair if they haven't practiced with them before the exam. Will the government be willing to fund it for them? They'll need to use it in mocks etc, so would need it a while before exams, you get the jist.

@CasparBloomberg I’m quite suprised York doesn’t accept class civ for history/English joint degree as they accept it for their history single honours.

There are certainly unis that do not specify history for a history degree. Leeds is one – and I see the PP has mentioned others.

Tho tbh if someone wants to study history at uni, why wouldn't they take the A level? I see that this is answered too tho tbh I would still take it instead of sociology if history were on the table.

https://courses.leeds.ac.uk/370/history-ba?_gl=11cvhlx3_gcl_auMTc5NjUyNjc5NC4xNzUyNTMyNzMx_gaMTAxMjUxMjE0NS4xNzUyNTMyNzMx_ga_SEKE21EBEQ*czE3NTY3NDk0NTQkbzgkZzEkdDE3NTY3NDk0NjEkajUzJGwwJGgxNzM1NjM2ODYy#entry

Thanks for all the laptop advice. I hadn’t thought of teachers sharing slides which they can then annotate.

I’m a bit of a dinosaur and a firm believer in pen and paper as a means to learning, but it seems I shall have to move with the times!

Time to shake my piggy bank!!

@TheLivelyViper thats a lot of things/skills to consider.
@clary Sociology is a passion (did GCSE) and taking a levels she felt fully committed to, to get the grades was her priority, but she did look at what her choices restrict her options to. Her college don't allow taking 4 unless Maths/FM
@NotDonna I just double checked, I couldn't see it say it accepts it in the course entry requirements, but it may say it elsewhere?

Yes I didn't realise till @CasparBloomberg replied, for single honours History and History and Politics - that's not the case. You always have to have History A-level. However it seems for English and History some unis (not all) accept English A-level if you haven't done History. With Politics and History, even if you have Politics A-level they still want you to have done History.

My initial worry was that some unis would he out of the question, and I didn't know if they were aware beforehand - seeing as it seems Casper's DD is aware of this and willing to not be able to go to some unis as a result, that's fine.

The other worry I have would be the skills jump between GCSE to degree, yes classical civilisation is good but they'll still be some differences in the speicifc debates of History, and some speicifc skills (sources, historical interpretations, histograpgy and debates around it etc). Yhere's also essay writing and argument skills which are slightly different to other essay subjects and the writing from GCSE to A-level is different - yes doing other essay writing A-levels will help, but there is a different style in History to English or Sociology etc. All great subjects btw, and I did them at A-level, there is a difference. Also just the break of 2 years from not doing History.

I got DD a MacBook for sixth form and as a reward for doing well in her exams (she got it before the results though so more well done for the effort she put it than the outcome). It sounds extravagant but we have a work scheme where it’s interest tree and spread across 12 months and reduces your NI contributions, so works out cheaper.

Our Head of HR has to sign off the requests and she asked me what I was getting - just as chit chat as we are friendly and she has a DD in the same school year. When I told her, she said she had done the exact same for her DD who was throwing herself into her school work as she loved using the MacBook so much.

I have found the same with my DD. She has already downloaded apps for homework and organising notes etc so I think it is a worthwhile investment. She wants to study medicine and ai’ e see. Quite a few med schools where pupils use them, so hopefully it will get a lot of use.

DD used an iPad for flash cards for GCSE and she was showing me them the other evening - I could not believe it - she had 200-300 flash cards per paper! It was incredible. She has already started to make some for A level too as the maths dept asked them to cover the first 3 chapters in their maths textbooks and she has done so and made flash cards. She is extremely dedicated!

That's weird, most 6th forms or colleges allow 4 A-levels as long as they have the grades. I was suggesting that she could just add History (4 is hard but honestly with good organisation can be fine and beneficial). It seems that she'd have to drop one, which I suppose is more difficult to make a decision - especially as she loves them all.

I also love Sociology and it's a great subject, so a hard choice, but if she wants to do History at uni, I think I'd sacrifice Sociology. It's up to her, since she's fine with not being able to go to some universities, that's not a problem. I'd be more worried about the skills and the jump, as I mentioned earlier.

Is it the topics for the History A-level she doesn't like? What exam board is it? And what topics are the papers? Just wondering if that's what putting her off.

My DD’s school doesn’t allow 4 either! Unless FM. My friend’s super brainy daughter who got 10 x 9s wasn’t allowed to, but she seems happy to stick to the 3 she has chosen and core maths (the school does offer that). They also offer EPQ but not until yr13, which seems a shame to cram it in with mocks and uni applications, but my DD has ruled that out anyway. I quite like that they don’t put too much pressure on them as she’ll be having enough pressure from the hoops that needs to be jumped through to apply for medicine.

Yes put off by the syllabus, plus always fancied Class. Civ. as her school didnt offer anything like this.
They do AQA and offer 2 options

1. The Tudors 1495-1603 and Revolution and Dictatorship: Russia 1917-1953 Or
2. The Quest for Political Stability: Germany 1871-1991 and The Making of Modern Britain: 1951-2007

I need some advice please, we are still in limbo after results day as DS got a 3 in English so his chosen 6th form couldn’t accept him. The paper has been sent for review of marking and we are still waiting for this to come back (so frustrating!).
He applied for college last week and they’ve asked him to go tomorrow to the late enrolment event. If his English comes back as a 4 he can go to original 6th form but not do the courses he wanted. Another local 6th form has said they accept students who need to resit English so we’re waiting to hear back from them as to whether he could join.
He doesn’t want to go to college so doesn’t want to go to the enrolment tomorrow. But if his grade stays the same and the second 6th form says no then he will be stuck with nowhere to go!
Can he enrol there tomorrow and then change his mind/cancel if things change? I don’t want to mess them around but equally he needs to have something concrete in place, especially given how close we are to term starting!

To be fair, she’s at a private school so I think the expectation is that we just provide them. There will be financial aid for those on bursaries or any families who are struggling though.

I'm slightly confused, why are there 2 options for each paper. Is it based on choice of students? Are there different classes.

Anyways, is there no way she can compromise. What ones does she prefer? Like best case scenario what would she pick? I personally prefer the second option, but for my A-levels I did the first option (Tudors and Russia). I did hate the Tudors but sometimes you just have to push through something, if you like the wider subject and need it, and also to develop the history specific skills. Though I wasn't planning to do history after when I picked it.

If she prefers the content of classical civilisations, she may want to look for more ancient history courses as it seems it would be more interesting for her. Or maybe she should consider just doing a Classics degree instead.

Just popping in to say my school is very much the opposite of many of yours - laptops in lessons are very very unusual. We have computer facilities just for sixth form but we're generally quite "old school" in lessons.

Essays have to be typed but class notes are handwritten on handouts that we hand out. Some subjects use PPT but not all - I don't use any.

Good luck to all new year 12 :)

I mean for single history, York accept classical civilisation. That’s why I was surprised they didn’t accept it for joint English/History.

I think DDs new school is like yours Mrs Hamlet