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.

I agree with you that he might be really limited with just maths, FM and Physics, particularly if he isn’t interested in Maths. If he wants to drop Chemistry, could he swap Chemistry for Biology? And then he can see what he thinks of biology, and can possibly drop FM further down the line, if he decides that he likes biology and he is sure he doesn’t want to do maths?

If he’s not enjoying chemistry at this early stage then it’s probably a good idea to swap it to biology. If he’s not interested in anything mathsy or engineering then Physics, Maths & Further Maths may be limiting. I’m guessing he’s more STEM than humanities? Would something like Geography appeal?

@phyllidafosset - Economics? Computer Science? Or yes, Biology or Geography.

Oops, sorry was meaning to tag @icanbewhatiwant
My understanding is that Chemistry is very popular amongst some very high achievers so if you are not enjoying it and do not need it for eg medicine, then OK to drop.

I also just remembered that a lot of engineers do DT as the 4th? So Maths, FM, Physics and DT.

He likes biology. But as I said in my post, biology lessons are at the same time as physics lessons, so they can only do one or the other. I’m worried about wanting to drop further maths, if he’s already dropped chemistry then he’ll only be taking 2 A levels. Ds will be furious if I phone the 6th form to ask about it.

@Araminta1003thanks. I don’t think DT is a subject at our 6th form.

You said they were the same time as chemistry but it makes more sense why it wasn’t a straight swap if they are the same time as physics. Maybe start with asking what subjects are in the chemistry timetable block? Then see what if he would consider any?

@phyllidafossetdid I say at the same time as chemistry? 🤦‍♀️ Sorry. Biology and physics classes are at the same time. Otherwise yes, Ds wouldn’t definitely do biology instead.

Chemistry is really really hard. I think people underestimate how hard it is icanbe.

I think I would have the same worry as you if he isn’t interested in a maths or engineering pathway afterwards. I agree with the suggestion to see what other options fit timetable wise and then see if any interest him. Maybe economics or psychology might interest him and fit with the maths?

I agree with others, if he is not keen on maths in HE then maths, FM and physics would be very limiting. Does he not like maths – or why is it a no at uni? Maths, physics and FM is a lot of maths. Also will they let him do just those three? A lot of schools evidently have FM as an add-on of a couple of lessons a week, or take maths in year 12 and FM in year 13. My DC's school timetabled FM as a full A level so you could do it as one of three but I infer from other MN posts that that's not common.

Those three A levels could lead to economics, engineering, obvs physics or maths, plus anything that requires no specific A level choices. Psychology is another thought. In fact would that or econ be a possible alternative choice? He needs to decide asap tbh.

(Sorry I see you say he may not want to go to uni at all which is fine ofc)

I was confused by the (mistaken) chem OR bio rule as that would make medicine or vet med tricky! What else can he sub in for chemistry?

@icanbewhatiwant - chem is very tricky. Ds got a high 8 at GCSE but a B at A level. He found it hard. Hated it but persevered. In hindsight he probably should have swapped. Would your ds consider Geography? It would also sit well with maths and physics and even if he doesn’t love it it would probably be easier to get a solid grade at it than chemistry. In the 2025 grade boundaries for the board dd is doing you needed 90% for an A*!

What else can he sub in for chemistry?

I'd ask that - and maybe get him to very roughly say when he is think uni course wise so you can have a look at requirements to see if not having more diverse three or even going down to 2 will impact.

DD2 doing FM as 4th - so if she drops it end oof year she'd still have three.

Went to Year 12 Open evening last night, nothing that an email wouldn't have sufficed

We've been called to one next week - I don't remember it being a thing for older two. DH said he'd come then last night reponse was is there anything we couldn't learn from an e-mail or having two there previously- and I don't know.

I said we'd go - they wanted quick numbers - but when spoke to DD2 she's not bothered if we go and she won't go herself - and not driving it's a pain to get over there for the time specified and back and actually fairly expensive so now wavering as not sure it's worth it.

My problem is that it’s not up for discussion. He says chemistry is boring and he’s not learning anything. He got 9 in all 3 sciences at gcse. I know he’d change to biology in a flash if he could. He got 9 in geography too, but doesn’t want to carry on with it for A level. If he keeps up chemistry until the end of year 12 is doing well with further maths and perhaps has more of an idea about university or which path to take next and that path fits with just maths and physics then I don’t have a problem with that. It’s dropping it now that I don’t like.

My problem is that it’s not up for discussion

Well other than get him to look at uni entry requirements for courses he might want to do not sure there is much to be done - just suggest he checks to avoid issues later and hope he does it.

DD2 wanted to give up welsh bacc weeks earlier than we were happy with she she made a good case - her tutor also thought so - ultimatley I can't at this age make her do the work though she did want our blessing as it were before she did - if we'd continue with a no I couldn't have done much to enforce that.

Dd1 didn't enjoy A-level chemistry as much as she expected - it was a hard slog and she got A* (highest here) at GCSE in it. DD2 seems to be doing better though won't know till actual tests happen.

@icanbewhatiwant Geography is good for environmental sciences? Some sort of engineering with environmental focus? Data Science later on? Apprenticeships at big banks? Some will offer coding teaching on the job. I think you can do computer science degrees with just maths and physics too. And interestingly and I say this as I have an eldest child at a top international university, they just wanted maths/FM and a science and a third A level had to be English or a language for most of their Maths and Computing and Engineering programmes.

What would worry me is that if he sticks at it but continues to hate it, he will still be left with really narrow options at the end if he doesn’t want to do maths. He would pretty much only be left with very maths heavy choices. But if the issue is that he doesn’t want to do a full maths degree, but he doesn’t want to do something that is grounded in maths, that is different.

I would still be a bit anxious about Maths, FM and physics, but as long as he is aware that his uni options will be maths heavy and he is happy with that, I would probably let him drop chemistry. As others have said, it feels a waste of time to do something he is hating.

if he is adamant or even fairly sure that he doesn’t want to do a maths heavy degree, he needs to think about something else instead of chemistry. Even if he just tries it for a few months - to help him decide if he wants something maths heavy or not.

@Araminta1003yes I think a third A level in something non science would have been a good idea. But Ds wasn’t interested in doing that. He also studied computer science at gcse, he didn’t enjoy it, so doesn’t want to continue that any further (9 at CS gcse) it’s a tough one. I was tempted to speak to the school. But Ds will be really annoyed with me if I do. So I won’t. I’m just hoping their advice will be not to only do the 2 subjects yet (maths, FM, physics)

@phyllidafossetI just feel he should stick with 3 separate subjects for the time being with FM as the 4th. Either keep up chemistry or another subject altogether. It will give him more options. I’m happy for him to just do the 2 lots of maths and physics in year 13 if he has a plan and knows that FM is going well.

@icanbewhatiwantis there a new subject he could pick up? He seems to not be keen on a lot of his GCSE subject. Psychology? Sociology? Guv/pol? Eng lang (v different from GCSE)?

@icanbewhatiwant - so he is a really high achiever and good at a lot of things and confused about what he wants to end up doing ultimately? They are still so young, it is perfectly OK to have no clue what to do later. I think he should do a proper separate 3rd A level, but something he is interested in and then it sounds like he will do well in it anyway. The local private school to us has medics doing chemistry and biology and then something random like drama or English or French to make them stand out. Anything that would work with his timetable that he is interested in. Oxford even has a course in Physics and Philosophy.

Totally agree with you. Would he be more open to experimenting with a different subject (other than chemistry) if knows that a) at this stage he needs more than maths, maths and physics (which also has maths in it), if he isn’t totally sure he wants to do a maths or physics degree and b) he can drop to 3 if he still wants to after he has tried FM for at least a term? Does he LOVE physics? Is he interested in engineering? I know you said he wasn’t sure about uni. And I know that teenage ‘don’t talk to the school’ mandate so well!

I might try to speak to him later. He just doesn’t want to discuss with me. We have been told they are going to be doing work experience again this school year (did it in year 10 too) the head of 6th form told parents that the dc’s need to think about what they’d like to do beyond 6th form and try to find work experience that will help towards a job they want or look good on the personal statement etc. I told Ds this. He said I don’t care where I work. So I told him that really isn’t a good attitude. So he stormed off to his room. Refused to speak to me, messaged me to tell me he will no longer be watching the rest of the series we are watching together, with me. He still isn’t speaking to me 3 days later, apart from dropping at the dinner table that he wants to drop chemistry. He really is so sensitive to anything I talk about. Yet at school they say how he’s such a great peer mentor and friendly etc. he’s very different at home.

Is there another family member who can have a word? Often when DS stopped listening to me DH or DD1 were good for him to talk to.

Also I get further asking questions than relying information or telling them anything - have you spoken to tutor at school yet about it? have you decided where to look for work experience? have you look at how that impact your degree options later? DS was often most difficult when he was feeling overwhelmed by work or daunted by options.

Though this week DD2 asked me something about her course work I answered by dared make a futher suggestion she was free to ignore - got my head bitten off for overstepping she then further told me off as she tried my idea and like she already knew it didn't work like she wanted - I was glad I had DH to eye roll with TBH.