Help with S6 choices

[WankersHacksandThieves]

Forms now out. DS still can't decide what he wants to do at Uni. 5 columns and his current 5 Highers are one in each column.

He is currently doing Maths, Physics, Engineering, Computing and Graph Comm.

He says he's happy to drop Graph Comm. He can choose Personal Study for one column, he has the option to do Electives (charity/coaching type stuff) for another but he doesn't want to do that.

So the way we look at it he either has to drop Maths or Physics or he has to choose to drop Engineering or Computing. He then has to pick up a 4th subject , that's looking like either Chemistry or Business management.

Essentially what he really needs to do is make up his mind about whether he wants to follow Engineering or Computing which would make it easier. He is doing well in all subjects.

Any thoughts?

My DD did 3 AHs (ABB) and a crash Nat 5 (language) (B) last year and managed fairly well, even with a fair amount of sick leave in the first term. As long as they're organised and sensible, 3 AHs is a good intro to university level study.

dS2 has just chosen 3 AH, doesn't seem to be unusual at his school, I suppose he can always drop one if it proves too much.

Sunday night now and no decisions made on 6th year, DS2 has a plan for 5th year.

DS2 is going to ask for Music and History (together with English, Modern Studies and Business Management) to see if that can be accommodated. Back up plans are to park History until S6 and do Media in the spare column or ask if he can do Sound Management at college for the spare column. Not sure how that works as he'd need to go to college on a Friday so would miss whatever else was timetabled? For now we are going on basis that he will pass Nat 5 maths and if he doesn't we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

Ds1 been away at camp all weekend and is up studying the booklet now but isn't looking inspired.

In my experience it works well for students who are motivated and capable of self direction (you'll know if that applies to your DS) and less well for those who only work on tasks set in class with teacher supervision. Does actually look like a good combination as the Media, Music and Sound Tec alongside English link to lots of pathways. If he's at all interested in teaching the one student on my teacher training course who was joint qualified with Media was headhunted before graduation and has picked and chosen where to teach since.

Thanks Lidl - DS2 wont be able to do both Media and Sound Management as well as music, it will be one or the other (if he can't do History) but at least that gives him options for S6, he's not interested in teaching at the moment, he's only interested in playing in a band...

DS1 has just narrowed it down to Maths AH, Physics, AH and Computing AH but if that doesn't work for any reason (the form doesn't dictate the level and they may not run AH in some smaller subjects) then he says he'd be happy to swap for Engineering AH. He still says he enjoys them all equally.

Any closer to getting things decided, Wankers?

Must be unsettling, at the same time as having to study for the actual exams

Ds had his Higher geography assignment today - which unlike the assignments for the other exams is more like a mini exam. I think it went ok - at least he told dh it was "ok" which usually means good and seems in a reasonable mood.

Thanks pb. Yes, we have loads of "ok" in our house too. DS2 likes to think the worst in every situation so that he doesn't get disappointed and DS1 doesn't like to communicate! Hope it went better than ok for him :)

"Interviews" were today. DS2 is no further forward really although they've confirmed that they are happy with either of his back up plans (either media or the sound management course at college). I think they need to wait and see how many applications they have so they know if there is demand for them to offer another history class but it would depend on which column they put that in as to whether it would help him or not.

DS1 didn't have an interview as such (think they ran out of time before getting to his class) so he just had to hand in form. Computer teacher spoke to him afterwards him to say that the AH Physics was in his column not the one DS1 chose to do it in so there is a class but he has said he'll sort it out so looks like that might be him doing AH Maths, AH Physics and AH Computing. He seems happy enough with that and I hope they honour his two columns of personal study and actually do what they said. he's moving to a new Pupil Support teacher in 6th year. I've liked the one from 5th year as she did seem a bit more on the ball than some, hopefully next one is good too.

Also now waiting on an urgent dermatology appointment for him too. i think GPs have given up but have changed his antibiotics as the other ones clearly not having any effect anymore and yet another cream. No idea when this will be but GP was furious that we hadn't heard anything as he said it was mega urgent 2 months ago. This is clearly not helping his confidence and anxiety issues.

Dd did her choices today. She's doing higher RME, Higher Drama, Psychology higher at college which is a short walk away and an OU module on Understanding the Autistic Spectrum.

Ds has done his Nat5 choices of English, maths, chemistry, graphic communication, modern studies and design and manufacture.

My stress levels will be through the roof this time next year haha x

Groovee Join the club! Highers and Nat 5s for us this year. 12 exams to get through. May is going to be a long long month...

Oh we'll need to get our exam support thread set up just as Easter Holidays start!

We do indeed Groovee:)

The 3 AH's sound great. From what you say about him he should do very well. And there will be a small amount of overlap in maths and physics so although a lot of work, not as much as if he were doing three completely different subjects.

The schools in our area seem hell bent on getting S6s to do four subjects too. Unless they choose 3 x AHs and sometimes even then. I think they're frightened of having lots of pupils in school with 'free' time. They don't always have enough staff to offer a good range of AHS to all the pupils who'd like to do them either. DS almost didn't get into an AH maths class despite getting an A in H Maths as it had 30 pupils in it - fortunately someone dropped out and another boy left school. he went on to drop it later

I will have one doing Highers and one doing basic training in the Navy at the same time, I'm going to up to high doh (how do you spell that?). I' M more worried about the raw recruit, he's my problem child and is not great at personal organisation!

Thank you rogue, that was fortunate! To be honest it would suit better for him not to have too free time as the school isn't local and independent transport is a headache. We manage currently but having the two of them starting and finishing at different times isn't going to work.

DS1 has a bit more info on how the clash works, apparently he just goes to each class half the time and catches up in the extra free periods he has. Not sure how successful that's going to be and now gives him even more time that isn't scheduled for classes.

wiggly I'm sure that they will probably have more success getting him to be organised than you or school would manage, hopefully he blossoms with the routine.