senior phase options (school)

[thegruffalosmaw]

Am I the only parent who thinks the school options choices are utter shite? Also annoyed with DD as she's not making it easy either.

DD is currently doing 5 Highers and is probably the youngest in her year (February born). The school is amongst the lowest in the league tables.
She will be choosing her subjects this month for S6 and so far:

1. There are limited Adv Highers available at her school. Only one is a subject she is currently doing a Higher in but that Adv Higher is not available at her school. She would need to travel to a school in the neighbouring town which she is adament she will not do as its too far, its not near a rail station, there's seemingly no school transport, DH and I will be working so can't do lifts and she won't know anyone. I think its ridiculous that of all the Adv Highers the school offer, only two seem to be available at our particular school.
2. There are also too few Highers available that she either hasn't already done in S5 or is interested in. She doesn't like science (finding chemistry tough), doesn't like music, languages, technical or PE. She feels Higher Maths is too hard (she got a B in the N5 but was predicted A) and apparently there's only one teacher who teaches H Maths and DD doesn't like that teacher. She got an A for N5 Art but found it boring.
3. Several subjects have been without a teacher for a while and are relying on supply so that is also putting DD off those subjects as she sees her friends struggling. Some highers have been cancelled due to too few students choosing them, only 3 picked H Geography so it got removed.
4. She is thinking of H Photography (this is a hobby in RL) and maybe H Geography. No idea what else. She says 'no' to every other Higher (and there's limited choice available).
5. Also not interested in doing any N5s and for the university course she wants to do, she will need at least 3 more highers or some Adv Highers.
6. Not interested in a Foundation Apprenticeship due to a, the limited choices and b, the fact the timetable indicates time on the FA would take up her whole week limiting what other subjects she could potentially do. I myself have heard bad things about some of the FAs on offer via this school and local college.
7. Not interested in other college senior phase school options - many courses are N4/N5 level, skills for work etc (eg hairdressing) and DD would want to do a Higher or Higher equivalent. Also most courses seem to be at the campus furthest away (the college is WCS) so again how would she even get there? No mention of travel provision.
8. We did speak about leaving and going through UCAS clearing but DD doesn't want to do this and would still only be 16. She doesn't want to leave for college either as she doesn't feel ready or like the options.

Sorry for the long post but I feel frustrated at the school, the (lack) of options and travel support and also at DD for being stubborn.

Is anyone else having a similar experience or have any suggestions?

What course is your DD doing that requires 8 Highers OP?

This was my thinking as I have been reading through this thread ...

If a course is asking for eg 4 Bs in S5, but you don't get that, when you apply during S6, they will ask for particular grades to be achieved in S6.

I did 5 Highers in S5 (albeit 25 years ago), didn't get the grades for the course I wanted to do unless I got an additional 3 Bs in S6 or BCCC (same points). I did get in. I have a very good friend who is a careers adviser who says the situation is pretty much the same. If you dont' get the grades in S5, you need to make up the grades through your subject choices in S6. So we are planning ahead just in case. Great that you are all so confident your kids will not need additional grades eye roll I like to er on the side of caution!

Usually if you don't get the grades in S5 an offer in S6 will be conditional on getting grades in Advanced Highers. I think AH is also regarded as better preparation for university work.

A previous posters suggestion of degree and the PGDE is a good idea also

so the current plan is 3 highers - biology, psychology, photography and N5 Philosophy. still undecided on 4th topic.

all will be crash subjects. I am unsure of biology in particular. shes apparently been told its the easiest science.

What are her predicted grades for her S5 highers?

She got AABBD in prelims. but report predicted 3 As and 2 Bs. She has tutor for the one she got a D in who also thinks she can improve.

It is not unusual (in our local area) to have limited S6 choices especially at AH.

ds ended up doing 2 crash Highers he originally wasn't interested in (Geography and PE) but ended up really enjoyed them.

I don't think any science is easy to crash, Biology is regularly quoted as the easiest, but it depends where your strengths are. Biology doesn't have the maths of the other sciences, but is broader and content heavy, if you dd is interested in the subject and good at memorising lots of content it could be a good choice.