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.

Yes Imperial, UCL etc are seen as some of the best for medicine and science though, and Warwixk would also be up there. Plus London has some of the best hospitals with facilities, though Cambridge has Addenbrokes.

Thanks @TheLivelyViper - DD should really be doing 2 A level languages as she got over 90/95% respectively in them at GCSE and in many cases better than the bilinguals. Thanks to Netflix and Disney Plus and watching in foreign languages! Duolingo now also has an AI enabled chat function which I may get her for some fun.
But DD is too scared to do more than 1 language as worried about not getting a job later. She also is really strong at Music but won’t take that either, same reason. The classes are so small and she would do so well, but I cannot force her. They need to want to do it.
So you have a student who could do really well in those subjects, the school is desperate for her to take it, but she is too scared to. She has kids in the NYO in her school and those who have won international music competitions also not taking music A level because of job prospects. It is such a shame.

He keeps toying with the idea of psychology. I don't know if this is just because he knows me/DH are academic psychologists. I've looked at the curriculum and my preference would be that he doesn't do it - I don't think it would suit him at all. I don't think its the 'easy' option he is perceiving it to be anyway, but I know that for him it definitely wouldn't be an easier option - he'd find the research side of it frustrating because he's much more 'pure science' in his leanings, his analytical skills are okay but it took a lot of work from me on this side of things to get through GCSE History, and his strength is definitely not in essay writing.

He's stayed at the same school so knows the teachers/students, but I think he's just heard so much about Physics and Chemistry being 'hard' that it's led to the wobble. Also, I don't think he 'loves' either subject. I'm not sure he loves maths either actually. But, he just knows these are the subjects that he is good at and didn't know what else to choose.

@mojobrojo - EPQ in a Psychology related field as an alternative?

Maybe, although I can't see him being keen to do an EPQ. He generally likes to do the absolute minimum required. I'm amazed he actually committed to Further Maths and wouldn't be surprised if he declares that he'd dropping to just Maths at some point soon. His university preferences seem to be based around being able to go to watch his favourite football team rather than any subject preference or institutional reputation/quality!

@TheLivelyViper my understanding is they all do AS FM in year 12, then have the option to either sit both A FM and maths, or drop to just maths in year 13. Still getting my head round exactly what they do though!

I went to college this morning!

10 minute 1-1 interview, it was a safeguarding tick box basically.

He seemed happy to see me and happy I was going as well......:-)

He has asked about further maths, but have to wait and see what they say, will find out how the day actually has gone later on. But today is a day for no stress, just enjoy the new academic freedom a bit.

We really need to have better respect and emphasis on creative subjects, languages and humanities (to a lesser extent). It's both due to how state schools (and w/c students), don't have funding for the resources of creative subjects, are lacking the teachers in languages and for creative subjects, many aren't attracted or advertised to come into teaching, they likely want to do the thing they like not teach it (also straight away from finishing studies). It's also due to the government, reducing the hours or expectations for it. It makes it harder for the w/c to get into the creative jobs, partly because it's so up and down with work so schools don't encourage them as important or worthy. Whereas in private schools and more m/c households they have cultural capital of going to theatre, ballet etc and art galleries.

@mojobrojo So he's doing 3 A-levels then? (Or will he swap FM for psych?). I think it may be a nice addition to his subjects as if he doesn't know what he want to do, it's best to do what you enjoy and are good at but also a broad mix so you aren't restricted in the future? Would he be allowed to start psychology and go for the next few weeks and then see how it goes? Does he have any other subjects he did well at and thinks may be useful. I think encouraging him to push on with the ones he's chosen, and revise well from the start, be organised, make revision resources as he goes and he'll be fine. There's lots of YouTube videos of how I got an A or Astar in Chemistry and even though for A-level there's less teacher content on YouTube the sciences is the exception.

Maybe have a chat, and talk through the specification with him and see what he thinks. He could also go and ask the psychology teacher for her honest thoughts and also any questions. Maybe he sends her an email and they arrange a time during his free period etc? If he in a year doesn't know what he wants to do at uni, and doesn't have some level of interest in the modules or course or the university itself, I would encourage him not to go. It would be better he travelled or does internships or work experience and then had a plan. Doesn't have to be his whole life just something he's passionate about and wants to learn more on. Get him to find ant work experience he can, in literally anything and everything. It often helps a lot to narrow down the final choice.

@TheLivelyViper - he's currently signed up for 4 A levels (maths, FM, chemistry and physics). All subjects he achieved very strong 9s in at GCSE (90%+). He has toyed with the idea of replacing physics or chemistry with something else, which is where psychology has been mentioned. I think this is because he's worried that everyone says chemistry and physics are hard. He could, at some point, choose to drop the FM and reduce down to just three A levels. But, he's currently thinking a maths/data science degree is his most likely destination because that is what comes very naturally to him.

I am really not keen on him taking psychology - no issue with the subject - it is my career after all. But, I'm not a fan of the A level curriculum and wasn't particularly impressed with the teacher at the open evening. If he had his heart set on a psychology A level then I'd have directed him towards the local sixth form college that is much better equipped for psychology teaching. But I actually don't think he's particularly interested in psychology, just doesn't know what else he would choose and it is a subject he knows about because he hears us discuss it. I also know what his skill set is and, beyond his mathematical capabilities, I don't think psychology is right for him.

As university academics ourselves, it is an environment he's grown up knowing all about. However, we've been very clear that he doesn't have to go to university if it isn't right for him. But, equally, we've talked about how the experience is more than just the subject you study and that, if you choose right, the whole university experience should be a rewarding one. He's young - only just 16 - he'll work it out I'm sure!

Well dd learned that her parents aren’t as daft as she thought this morning and if you leave just 5 minutes late the traffic will have multiplied many times over into the town she’s going to. We were 20 minutes late for those 5 minutes and she had to get out earlier and walk owing to me being jammed in a space by a van. Lesson learnt, I got a message to say we’d leave earlier tomorrow! She’d been arguing about it for a week!

@katgab sometimes actual experience is the only way.

Ratty is home after induction day, full of chat, few new people met, few school familiar faces said hello to, played table tennis with someone, even found out actual information about people, like their subject choices such like, relevant small talk, not sure on chances to get in to the Further Maths class but there seems to be some haggling now going on, we shall see next week.

Met a couple of possible train buddies, that would be fun, wants to sign up for the gym, went to the local shop, train there and back all seemed smooth.

Could've been a lot worse.

Hard work starts Monday and I'm very interested after his before 7am wake up call what time he passes out this evening.

A final full last holiday day with Mum tomorrow, time to get studious.

Hope you Y12 parents don’t mind a visit from a member of uni staff (I know you don’t want to think about it yet!)

a lot of students are caught out that supported access schemes and outreach programmes open at the very start of Y12 for application and it’s usually done and dusted by October half term if so. Please encourage your young people to attend talks/sessions if invited by school, read emails properly, or if they have particular subjects/universities in mind, do their own research on what’s out there. It’s always rubbish for us to hear students who would have loved and really benefited from a programme, but have missed out because they didn’t realise how early applications are.

There are definitely some that open later on, but just as a heads up

do I have the last starter? Dropped dd2 back today. Room is tiny, have shoehorned her and piano in, but she’s sharing with a good friend. Starting in earnest tomorrow but missing most of next week’s lessons as she has an orchestra commitment in London. Yet to see how many of her skirts will pass the test or whether the headteacher will notice her hair is dyed.

Thanks...not going to lie..never heard of these! So thanks I will look into them

@AelinAG thanks for this dc2 is looking at access to Sheffield and it doesn't have any dates online so will get them to talk with school and see if they know. Didn't realise how early the deadline potentially is.

That's so true, many summer schools application will open soon. Also I'd encourage your kids to look at Sutton Trust and SMF (Social mobility Foundation) as they have programs for different careers, you can get them to see if they'd be eligible and if they're interested. Also these uni programs often lead to lower entry requirements needed. Normally of 1 grade but soemtimes even more if they did the whole program.

And if they aren't 100% sure about a subject, these programs often have extra univeristy style lectures, opportunities to talk to students and lecturers more, to get to see what a subject or a few subjects are like at uni. Even if they don't apply to uni or to that speicifc one. It's often a fun experience and they'll benefit regardless. Definitely look on univeristy websites.

Are these mostly for those who qualify for widening participation schemes? All the ones we've seen DD can't apply for as there are particular criteria that need to be met, and she doesnt meet them.

DD has allowed me to see her timetable. She has 10 hours Maths a week, five of Physics and 4 and a half of Spanish. Not sure why it’s lower than Physics except that there’s only three of them in the class.

1st day went ok.

In chemistry, he is again sat next to a girl who he's been sat next to for four times and I complained four times. She unfortunately poor girl has a very bad body odour and nothing was done and now he is sat next to her again, which is unfortunate. I e-mailed teacher.

All teachers jumped straight in and started teaching very technical elements. He seems ok though so I'm pleased.

Thanks all for the maths reassurance. They do both at the end of year 13.
dd was bubbling over with excitement today. She is loving the first a-level lessons and seems very enthusiastic. They are sitting an ALIS test in the next week which will help set their a-level trajectories/predicted grades. Seems to be VR/NVR type thing which dd quite enjoys is we’ll see how that goes.

I seem to have underestimated my DS. He came home today with a plan to spend the weekend mapping out his private study and homework sessions to ensure he keeps on track and completes the required amount of independent study. When I told DH he asked me who stole our real DS and replaced him with this imposter 😆

Can anyone advise me on how attainment 8 score is calculated? So I know it’s maths doubled, and then 3 subjects including science etc, then 3 other subjects but it is the English but that confuses me. I read that you can take the higher of English lang and lit and you double it if both were sat. So DD got an 8 in lit and a 6 in lang - does that mean she can double her 8 in English lit and ignore the 6 in English lang as she has sufficient other subjects that were higher? Or does she have to include her English lang somewhere in the total in order to be able to double her English lit?
I can’t seem to find the answer to this.

Dd starts today...I feel its late to the party!

We have already had a school led student/parent introduction by the heads/div heads to how intense Sixth Form is and how they will get some predicted grades in February already! Reminder of 1 hour private study work for each 1 hour of lessons and go to the library instead of chatting in the common room. Then full run through for UCAS deadlines, predictions etc. They really do not waste any time! However, there is also lots of pastoral support, thankfully.

These 2 years will go very quickly and they do need to hit the ground running on the study front. We have been told to get them to start applying for work experience next summer and yes the programs if on FSM etc. and start looking at uni courses online.

results (Attainment 8) - GOV.UK Ethnicity facts and figures share.google/kAxaaO0bm3jrvXJNW Attainment 8