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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

A level results day 2024

827 replies

Happyface246 · 05/08/2024 14:34

How’s everyone else feeling about results day? I’ve got one at uni already and 2nd dd hoping to go to Kent in September. She seems ok about it at the moment although think that will change as it gets closer. Me I’m so keeping my fingers crossed she gets what she wants, I know there will always be other options but she loved the open day. Going to struggle with this one going though as it has been a real journey to get to where she is.

OP posts:
ShanghaiDiva · 19/08/2024 11:37

I think differences in quality are less marked at A level. By the very nature of the course level teachers are teaching ‘brighter’ students and these students are studying subjects they want to study, rather than having to take a gcse foreign language or plod through gcse chemistry,

TheaBrandt · 19/08/2024 12:52

Well the awesome teacher resigned and now teaches at the private school my friends Dd is at so in this narrow example the teaching she will get definitely is way superior! Plus it’s a boarding school and there is a dedicated assistant who does hours of language practice. Sorry but if Dd had that level of
input she would def have got an A* as she did in both her other subjects. Still who cares she got in where she wanted! Was just musing.

Tulipvase · 19/08/2024 12:58

After some advice re accommodation if any one can help?

My daughter is in a queue for accommodation (I think, she’s in a queue for something any way….). Unfortunately price is a factor for us, she seems to think she has to accept what she’s offered. Is that right? Is she better accepting and then trying to change if needed?

redskydarknight · 19/08/2024 13:06

Tulipvase · 19/08/2024 12:58

After some advice re accommodation if any one can help?

My daughter is in a queue for accommodation (I think, she’s in a queue for something any way….). Unfortunately price is a factor for us, she seems to think she has to accept what she’s offered. Is that right? Is she better accepting and then trying to change if needed?

I'm sure this varies by university, but my DD was told that if she turned down the offered accommodation, she would either have to sort her own place or get the dregs of what was left (I paraphrase).

Assuming your DC has had to put accommodation choices in some sort of priority order, I would assume they would get the cheapest option that was left?
I would suspect they would be best to take what they are given and try to change later, than turn it down altogether (and risk getting nothing/something worse).

Tulipvase · 19/08/2024 13:09

redskydarknight · 19/08/2024 13:06

I'm sure this varies by university, but my DD was told that if she turned down the offered accommodation, she would either have to sort her own place or get the dregs of what was left (I paraphrase).

Assuming your DC has had to put accommodation choices in some sort of priority order, I would assume they would get the cheapest option that was left?
I would suspect they would be best to take what they are given and try to change later, than turn it down altogether (and risk getting nothing/something worse).

Show quote history

Thank you. That fits with what she thinks too.

She did put it in priority order but I don’t think that necessarily means much. Just have to wait and see I guess.

Charlotte120221 · 19/08/2024 13:24

definitely accept the accommodation you're given - or you risk ending up with nothing.

There's always some movement before and immediately after term starts

Tulipvase · 19/08/2024 13:29

Charlotte120221 · 19/08/2024 13:24

definitely accept the accommodation you're given - or you risk ending up with nothing.

There's always some movement before and immediately after term starts

Thank you - she’s in and we think got the accommodation she wanted!

Tortiemiaw · 19/08/2024 13:31

As per my message above, dd was offered a totally undoable room that panicked us all. The university said if she turned it down, then they would t have to help her, so she went straight into the swaps bit and thank god has managed to get a cheaper one that way.
Not that much cheaper but definitely better! Even just about doable!

Tulipvase · 19/08/2024 13:46

@Tortiemiaw so pleased you managed to sort something out. It’s definitely a nerve wracking experience that’s for sure!

I’ve got GCSE results due for No2 this week, so I can’t see things getting any less stressful for awhile!

PumpkinKnitter · 19/08/2024 14:01

That's a relief @Tortiemiaw. I'm glad she managed to get it sorted. Also excellent that your DD got her first choice @Tulipvase. Even when they can put down choices it is a worry waiting to see what the accommodation gods are going to decide!

Tulipvase · 19/08/2024 14:07

@PumpkinKnitter it certainly is a worry! When does it ever stop….

WombatChocolate · 19/08/2024 14:55

KielderWater · 19/08/2024 10:11

I was recently speaking with a school inspector who had just retired. Over her career as an inspector she found there was no difference between the quality of teaching at state schools and that at private schools.

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I think it depends on what you mean by ‘teaching’.
If you purely mean what students ‘receive’ during lesson time via direct delivery, I’m sure that’s true and lessons themselves are pretty similar.

But I’d also look at differences in terms of how much work is set and marked. How many opportunities to do full timed papers? How much personalised feedback is given. How many opportunities to see a teacher and discuss areas of difficulty 1-2-1 or in a small group, what amount clinics or further support sessions are available, what proportion of teachers are experienced or have worked as examiners too. All of these things make up the input students receive. There’s also the issue of continuity of teaching by a specialist across the course.

Schools differ of course…there are state schools and state schools - a wide range from truly excellent to pretty poor. And the same goes for independent schools. There are also state and independent schools which are highly selective in the sixth form and those that are far less so. Some are having classes with a much wider range of ability, catering to those who’ve got L4-9 at GCSE. In other places, the range might be L8/9.

I’d agree that top grades from a state Comp are more impressive.
I went to one and remmeber being at an interview and someone saying to me ‘you’ve done amazingly well given the school you went to’. I was really surprised - it was in a decent area and had seemed okay is to me…but we’ve mostly all only known our own schools. It did have the full range of ability and some difficult pupils too. But it wasn’t a sink school. But most people at the we would have been to independent or state grammars.

mumsneedwine · 19/08/2024 15:17

We are mostly the same humans teaching at both. I've taught at v expensive schools and v poor schools. I'm still me as a teacher.

What changes are resources, class sizes and extra stuff that costs money. But teaching is the same - get disruptive, entitled students in all schools. Just easier to get rid of them in private.

ZanyFox · 19/08/2024 15:22

WombatChocolate · 19/08/2024 14:55

I think it depends on what you mean by ‘teaching’.
If you purely mean what students ‘receive’ during lesson time via direct delivery, I’m sure that’s true and lessons themselves are pretty similar.

But I’d also look at differences in terms of how much work is set and marked. How many opportunities to do full timed papers? How much personalised feedback is given. How many opportunities to see a teacher and discuss areas of difficulty 1-2-1 or in a small group, what amount clinics or further support sessions are available, what proportion of teachers are experienced or have worked as examiners too. All of these things make up the input students receive. There’s also the issue of continuity of teaching by a specialist across the course.

Schools differ of course…there are state schools and state schools - a wide range from truly excellent to pretty poor. And the same goes for independent schools. There are also state and independent schools which are highly selective in the sixth form and those that are far less so. Some are having classes with a much wider range of ability, catering to those who’ve got L4-9 at GCSE. In other places, the range might be L8/9.

I’d agree that top grades from a state Comp are more impressive.
I went to one and remmeber being at an interview and someone saying to me ‘you’ve done amazingly well given the school you went to’. I was really surprised - it was in a decent area and had seemed okay is to me…but we’ve mostly all only known our own schools. It did have the full range of ability and some difficult pupils too. But it wasn’t a sink school. But most people at the we would have been to independent or state grammars.

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Yes - the best teacher dd had during her A levels had recently joined from a state comprehensive. She was/is an amazing teacher. No difference in actual quality of teachers, but having a small (10) class of highly motivated students meant that they finished the syllabus just after Christmas and spent the rest of the time on revision. No doubt that contributed to the top grades.

mumsneedwine · 19/08/2024 15:30

We finish the GCSE syllabus at Christmas. And the A level by half term. Lots of revision time. Boggy comp.

ShamblesRock · 19/08/2024 15:48

Tortiemiaw · 19/08/2024 13:31

As per my message above, dd was offered a totally undoable room that panicked us all. The university said if she turned it down, then they would t have to help her, so she went straight into the swaps bit and thank god has managed to get a cheaper one that way.
Not that much cheaper but definitely better! Even just about doable!

That's fantastic news, what a relief.

I am not sure what my DD has been offered, I know she put down shared bathroom, but not much more. I paid £50 a week when I was at uni for an en-suite room, my perception is somewhat skewed. 😂

Lampzade · 19/08/2024 16:12

Youcantcallacatspider · 15/08/2024 14:10

I am nowhere near a-levels with my dd yet but just want to cut in and say please please please support your kids and be happy for them no matter what and maybe think carefully about making a big deal out of it even if they've done well.If they've not done well then support them in deciding what to do next and make the connections but don't do anything to make them think you're disappointed.

I can remember my older sister getting AAA and my dad calling everyone he knew to brag. I got ABBB in my a-levels. I worked like crazy to acheive this and was enormously stressed throughout the exam period. However I just couldn't organise myself like my sister could. My dad didn't call a sole to let them know my results and made a point of saying 'he thought he'd let me let them know' I still remember how gut-wrenching that was 20 years later

Any achievements your children make are ultimately their success and not for a parent to brag about or even disclose. It's that sort of shit that makes kids feel so under pressure. Your job is to be the voice of reason and the voice of stability. They're just pieces of paper at the end of the day

Btw I'm a doctor now

Edited

Good advice
I did well academically, but was more worried about disappointing my mum than failing the actual A level exams.

KielderWater · 19/08/2024 16:20

TheaBrandt · 19/08/2024 12:52

Well the awesome teacher resigned and now teaches at the private school my friends Dd is at so in this narrow example the teaching she will get definitely is way superior! Plus it’s a boarding school and there is a dedicated assistant who does hours of language practice. Sorry but if Dd had that level of
input she would def have got an A* as she did in both her other subjects. Still who cares she got in where she wanted! Was just musing.

But until she resigned, your DD state school had the awesome teacher and the private school possibly had a mediocre one or a series of supply teachers.

My DC state school has just gained two teachers from a local private school.

Lampzade · 19/08/2024 16:24

butterbeansauce · 16/08/2024 12:42

If your children are disappointed I think it's not the results that will affect them going forward but how everyone around them supports them or otherwise. If your child did their best then everyone should be buoying them up and helping them to see that it's a blip not a disaster.

I don't think that there's necessarily a strict correlation between A levels and Uni performance. Other things come into play too, like the level of teaching in the school. Good teachers produce good results in general. A young person with a B in a poorly performing school may well get a better Uni result than a young person with an A* in a hothousing school. Also A levels are very weighted towards exams whereas Uni is much more based on course work for most courses. So those hard workers who don't perform on the day will do much better.

Also, it's a bit like this: you know how you wonder why you got so exercised about how many ounces of formula your baby took and the colour of their poo. Well A levels is a bit like this. It's a marathon not a sprint. And I hope that people will be telling me this when next year's degree results come out and it's time for job hunting!

Absolutely

ZanyFox · 19/08/2024 17:57

KielderWater · 19/08/2024 16:20

But until she resigned, your DD state school had the awesome teacher and the private school possibly had a mediocre one or a series of supply teachers.

My DC state school has just gained two teachers from a local private school.

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Yes that's my point- same teachers. Except never, ever supply teachers. They don't exist as far as dds school.was concerned (in 10 years of sending kids there they never had a single supply teacher)

TheaBrandt · 19/08/2024 19:34

Im not saying teachers in private schools are better I know they are the same people as teach in state but am noticing the teacher shortage now - which affects both state and private but maybe worse in state.

Lack of competent teachers is bound to affect the grades students are able to achieve at A level going forward. Certainly did for Dd
anyway.

Strathfan · 20/08/2024 07:11

What @WombatChocolate said. It’s not about the teacher - the comparison is a red herring.

It’s about the time and the resources, the culture and ethos of the school, the hours that are put in, the class sizes and disruption etc etc.

Most people will find an A* from a state comprehensive more impressive than one from a private school.

BunnyLake · 20/08/2024 11:24

Strathfan · 20/08/2024 07:11

What @WombatChocolate said. It’s not about the teacher - the comparison is a red herring.

It’s about the time and the resources, the culture and ethos of the school, the hours that are put in, the class sizes and disruption etc etc.

Most people will find an A* from a state comprehensive more impressive than one from a private school.

That might be true but does it happen that much? If you want to go to Uni (not counting Oxbridge etc) they just want the A. If you apply for a job (normally online) is the algorithm really going to throw you out because of your school? Most private schools are not Eton and an employer probably won’t even know that your A from St Mary’s (or whatever) is state or private. My ex interviews and he could not care less what school or Uni you went to.

Don’t know why it went bold or ignored the asterix 🤔

Strathfan · 20/08/2024 11:57

BunnyLake · 20/08/2024 11:24

That might be true but does it happen that much? If you want to go to Uni (not counting Oxbridge etc) they just want the A. If you apply for a job (normally online) is the algorithm really going to throw you out because of your school? Most private schools are not Eton and an employer probably won’t even know that your A from St Mary’s (or whatever) is state or private. My ex interviews and he could not care less what school or Uni you went to.

Don’t know why it went bold or ignored the asterix 🤔

Edited
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Yeah I’m not talking about that I guess. I’m talking about that thing called “conversations with people in real life”.

ZanyFox · 20/08/2024 13:37

Strathfan · 20/08/2024 11:57

Yeah I’m not talking about that I guess. I’m talking about that thing called “conversations with people in real life”.

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Don't know about you, but once the flurry of interest is over, noone I know bangs on about their dcs A level grades, and more importantly, nor do the dcs!

Unless you are the type of person to corner people at parties and tell them about your state school grades and how you beat the odds.