HELP! S5 Subject choice for ASD/Dyslexic DD ??

[54isanopendoor]

So, Dd has to hand her subject choices in on Mon.
Currently she is taking 3 N5's (& struggling).
School have recommended her for 4 Highers (!)

Currently she's thinking of Higher Maths (on track for a B with tuition)
and also Higher Engineering (on track for a B without tuition)
Then adding in N5 practical Electronics (goes well with Engineering)
and possibly N5 Construction 2 afternoons a week at local College

Does this seem a good 'mix'?
I realise that only we can say what she is like as a student but I think even this will be a stretch for her (& me as I'll have to do A LOT of scaffolding...)
so I wanted to ask if it seems a good mix with opportunities for progression?

anyone got any thoughts please ?

I have a dyslexic dd who was diagnosed in final year at university and a dd who is studying engineering.

what does your dd want to do after school?

is it possible to do highers over two years at your school? I’d do that with the maths and engineering.

jump to highers is quite big.

n5 in electronics and construction fine.
what about computers, coding is everywhere and a basic understanding would be good.
how about media studies in place of wordy subjects?

@Workerbeep thanks for replying.
I could ask if Highers could be done over 2 years?
she's struggled with 4xN5's this year (they just let her drop one) so I think 2 Highers & 2 new N5's will be quite a push for her.
After School ? she doesn't know.
She likes Engineering.
She likes practical things (but not design / imaginative things / art).
She likes to be given a very clear set task & to work through it thoroughly.
Her elder sibling is a Computer whiz so she isn't very interested in that area.

Doing a higher over two years could mean being in a special two year class, but is more likely to mean being in the regular higher class but doing it twice.
There isn't as much to aim for in S5 if you manage to scrape a N5 pass (if you do well, do Higher, and if you fail you can resit - but if you get a D or C?
The list you've given does seem to not have any literacy based subjects, which might balance things out - not if that's a particular hate though. Will she get N5 English? If not I would repeat that.

@MistressIggi she HATES literacy based subjects &, due to ASD & Dyslexia, is fairly poor at them too.
I dont' think the school runs any 2 year Highers no - it's a very academic school. So I think she'd have to resit them in S6 if she failed them in S5. My worry is that she wouldnt see the point in that. She was withdrawn from N5 D&M by school just last week so she can choose it next year & do well in it but she's refused. She's very black & white in her thinking - she's now 'bad at D&M'. She's not, she's just been overstretched this year. She would need 2 Highers to get into local College I think, but not necessarily good grades like for Uni entrance.

I'd worry about the 2 afternoons a week at college. My DCs school allowed this but timetabling meant some catch up with other subjects. They found it impossible to timetable without overlap because of travel time.

Do you think the school could help persuade her to pick up nat 5 D&M again? It sounds as if she was good at it and only had to drop because of other workload. It would be so much easier than 2 half days at college.

I would say concentrate on getting a pass in her Engineering H in S5. Take the H Maths classes, keep up the tutor (if you can afford) and aim to sit (and pass) by end of S6. Get passes in 2 Nat 5s Electronics and D&M in S5 but focus on the Higher.

@SandyIrvin I think that is what we will aim for.
She is very keen on the 2 college afternoons but we'd need to check there wont be a timetable clash (timetables not worked out until end of May!) Her brother goes there & she is keen to start too.

I am worried about the 2 x Highers. She wants to try but doesnt think she can (ASD, Dyslexia, selective mutism & long covid). I spoke to both teachers who say: 'academically yes, but the pace is unreal & we have concerns about her stamina'.

Maybe she'd be better with a f/t college course but then she'd lose her school friends (moved school 2 years ago & only just made some so keen for S5/6 too)

Are you in Edinburgh OP? The two college afternoons are well established here and I think it (usually!) works out ok for timetabling. Easier for S6 though (study periods)

Maybe ft college would be a better fit with more emphasis on project work and less on a single exams.

Will college help with the transition. Although if they are all new at college then it might be easier to make new friends.

UPDATE:

So, the course Dd wanted is not being run at College after all.
So, that's off.
There is a local Fast Track Engineering Apprenticeship which sounds good.
It takes up 3 subject spaces (so she could only take 2 others) but only counts as 1 Higher (but if you pass you are given a Higher A grade)
It runs 11.30 till hometime 3 days & 1 day at a placement.
Small group, nice tutor. Ideal. But she doesnt' feel confident enough this year.
Wants to do it in S6 year & do more exams this year.
Currently thinking Higher Engineering, N5 D&M, Woodwork, Metalwork, Practical Electronics (probably dropping Higher Maths).
So, she'd end up with 2 Highers (max 3) inc Engineering, & Engineering apprenticeship one.
But she isn't interested in Uni, just wants to get a job age 18 so the apprenticeship seems the correct direction to go.

Would it be worth her going straight to college?

I got nothing from S5 or S6, then did a college course (which was a breeze) and then degree - never failed an exam once I left school - got the dyslexia confirmed when I was well beyond uni!