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Original poster

If you get five good highers, what is normally the next step in 6th year?

31 replies

Dartj · 18/01/2023 15:36

Does anyone know if 6th year is normally sixth year studies? Or more highers?

when I was at school it was a bit of a mix but 6th year studies seemed to be kept for more able children especially. My child is currently choosing Nat 5 subjects so just thinking ahead

OP posts:
happiertimes123 · 18/01/2023 15:38

I think it's a real mix - some do advanced highers, some do more highers, some do resits.

Original poster
Dartj · 18/01/2023 15:41

That’s what I thought. That’s how I remember it. Just wasn’t sure if perhaps sixth year studies was more normal route now

OP posts:
SauSest · 18/01/2023 15:44

With 5 good grades it's usually 2 Advanced Highers (SYS doesn't exist now) plus a further higher, or 3 AH

mrsmacmc · 18/01/2023 15:48

A real mix for senior phase these days they could do
More highers
Advanced highers
A foundation apprenticeship which is equivalent to a higher
PT school / PT college

AnyRandomName · 18/01/2023 15:50

I did 2 AH and then one more Higher which was more of a personal interest than for the grades themselves. I didn't have enough classes / work those that combo, I'd advise ensuring there is enough of a balance between independent study and classroom time

stargirl1701 · 18/01/2023 15:57

Sixth Year Studies was replaced with Advanced Higher at least a decade ago if not longer.

Original poster
Dartj · 18/01/2023 17:01

Thanks. Yes I should have remembered it’s advanced highers now!

OP posts:
MountedbyHarryWindsor · 18/01/2023 17:39

I did CSYS English and dropped out as it was so hard and fast paced.
Didn't stop me going to uni and getting my degree though.
Nothing wrong with just doing more highers.

SandyIrvine · 18/01/2023 18:13

My DCs schools made you do at least 4 subjects in S6. Advanced Highers were recommended particularly those useful to future study/career ( if you had good H passes).

There is also OU YASS courses.

WeAllHaveWings · 19/01/2023 08:05

It will all depend on the school. At ds's school some of the options for S6 were

5 more Highers (either picking up one they dropped after NAT5 or a crash higher)
Advanced Highers (if they sit one or more AH they get a free column for study)
YASS (OU course - independently studied in library)
College courses (they go to local college for 2 afternoons a week, think they usually get an NC at the end of it)

If you are picking NAT5 I would ask the school to see the options forms for S5/S6 to see how the columns work out.

EvelynBeatrice · 19/01/2023 14:55

If a pupil wishes to study medicine, law, other academically competitive subjects in Scotland and definitely if opting for England, then it will be three Advanced Highers required. AHs are worth more UCCAs points than A levels.

Sturmundcalm · 19/01/2023 21:00

DD did three AH and a crash higher - her school wanted four subjects taken, although most kids had at least one of those at a lower level than DD did.

Timeandtune · 19/01/2023 21:03

In Scotland it’s perfectly possible to go straight to Uni after 5th year. My DS2 did ( as did I back in the prehistoric era).

Quordle · 19/01/2023 21:06

stargirl1701 · 18/01/2023 15:57

Sixth Year Studies was replaced with Advanced Higher at least a decade ago if not longer.

Still a deal off, it's been 22 years 😂

HufflepuffRavenclaw · 20/01/2023 08:31

This is the beauty of S6 - there are so many options. My eldest who is now at Uni was very focused on getting a place on a science related degree and did Advanced Highers in Biology and Chemistry, Higher engineering and a short course in statistics. He felt that doing all this in S6 at school made the switch to university much easier as he had covered some of the first year material, he also had the option for direct entry into the second year at uni but didn't take it.

DD is currently in S6 and is doing 2 advanced highers, one "crash" Higher in Modern studies which she didn't do at Nat 5, and a Nat 5 in cake craft for "fun".

Her friends are doing a lot of different combinations - some are doing no Advanced Highers at all, some are retaking Highers they did last year, or new Highers, or more Nat 5s depending on what they think they would like to do. The school also offers a "sports leadership" course which offers some way of starting on the path to get a refereeing qualification, or volunteering, and many of the kids take a couple of afternoons out of school to go to a local college to study courses.

Back in my day when it is still CSYS I did similar - two SYS in what I was thinking about doing at Uni, crashed Higher Economics and an O Grade in Accounts. One "column" as a free period/study time.

SandyIrvine · 20/01/2023 09:18

Worth checking which subjects are offered at AH at your DCs school. My DSes low performing school always offered AH Art, Music, English, Chemistry, Biology but sometimes you had to go to a nearby school for other subjects. Some kids (like my DD) switch schools for this reason.

WeAllHaveWings · 20/01/2023 12:11

Timeandtune · 19/01/2023 21:03

In Scotland it’s perfectly possible to go straight to Uni after 5th year. My DS2 did ( as did I back in the prehistoric era).

Another good point.

There is also the choice not to do S6 and do something at college.

ds is at uni doing engineering now, other than letting him mature a bit more S6 was a waste of time as he didn't need an AH or more Highers.

In hindsight he would have been better going to a local college that partners with Strathclyde to do an enhanced HNC which would have given him guaranteed entry to 2nd year. His is a 5 year course (integrated masters) and it would have maybe let me retire a year earlier saved him a full year of studying/uni costs.

stargirl1701 · 20/01/2023 14:01

@Quordle

I feel like 1993 was 20 years ago... 😂

RoaryLion1 · 20/01/2023 22:32

As others have said there are lots of options. What does your child want to do OP? Some uni courses will require advanced highers. I did three advanced highers (plus an extra Higher, which was a bit too much I think) because the courses I wanted to apply to required it. There is the option do go straight to uni after S5 but I personally wouldn’t recommend - IME Highers aren’t good prep for the uni style of studying (which is more self-directed, you have to write longer essays etc) and I found Advanced Highers were much better prep for university.

dementedpixie · 20/01/2023 22:38

My dd did 2 AH and 1 higher in S6

SauSest · 20/01/2023 22:48

Very few go straight to University after S5, it used to be a thing but quite rare now.
I have a DC in 2nd year uni and no-one from her year at school went after S5. She knows 2 people at university who went after S5 but both are from the area and have stayed living at home.

Tintackedsea · 20/01/2023 22:53

AH is last remnant of awesome in Scottish education. Demanding, rigorous, academic. Courses for clever, curious kids.

HufflepuffRavenclaw · 21/01/2023 08:09

Yes going to Uni after S5 isn't really a thing here either, at a school where lots of kids do go on to university. When DS was at school there was one kid who left at the end of S5 to go to a local uni, DD is currently in S6 and I think 3 have left - one to go away to a uni in a different city, the other two into some sort of performing arts degree. All three this year who left were very early birthdays in the year - one a deferred January born the other two March.

RamsayEaster · 23/01/2023 23:05

my daughter got her uni place from her S5 subjects so done two advanced highers in the subjects she was continuing at Uni plus two more highers in

2chocolateoranges · 23/01/2023 23:13

Both my teens worked hard in 5 th year, head down , concentrate on school and exams. Both received the grades to go uni then however as both were at the younger end of their year decided to stay for 6th year where they did more higher (easier ones as had done maths and English in 5th year) and used 6th year for the social side of it.

meant they were closer to 18 when they started uni rather than being just 16 nearly 17.