Rural school. Limited H/AH options. Does it matter if only 4 subjects?

[Issy422]

Wondering whether DD's situation of restricted options for H/AH is common and nothing to worry about, there's an alternative option I'm unaware of, or whether I should be drastic and relocate for a year nearer a larger school (DD not keen).

She wants to go to university, but not until after S6, and not 100% sure yet what she wants to study, probably design, but could change to English or music.

Background is DD in S5, doing 4 Highers and, due to timetable clashes, one SCQF6 (gets UCAS points, but not a Higher, so if uni doesn't count it, she won't be considered to have 5 different Highers from S5).

For S6, DD has to choose 4 subjects, can drop to 3 later in year, but only if all AH. However, there's no AH History, English or Design on offer next year, which leaves her with only Art and Music at AH, and she wasn't necessarily going to do music. For the other two subjects, there's only two Nat5s she can do, one possibly could be a crash higher. And that's before timetabling is set, so if there's a clash, she could end up with fewer options.

Is this restricted availability of options in some locations expected by universities or will it potentially hinder her? We're 'remote and rural', but SIMD40, so WP for some unis and not for others.

No other local secondary she can go to. Local college has nothing relevant. Home schooling not an option as I don't share her artistic talents and I work.

School options include some SWEIC online courses. Are there other online courses?

Is there an alternative we may not have thought of?

On a related note, how much do published entry requirements reflect reality? She's aiming high and hoping for places like DJCAD, SoA or RCS, which are all highly competitive to get in. Are the entry requirements (with a good portfolio) generally enough or do students have to get higher grades/more than 4 subjects in reality to be ahead of the competition for a place?

The universities with different entry requirements for S5 compared with S6 is a bit confusing, eg one course I saw at Glasgow lists AAAB at S5 but AAAAAA at S6. Do these universities only give conditional offers then?

@Issy422 I think she needs to contact RCS widening participation department to see if she qualifies for support. Applications need to be in by early October for Bmus performance, or consider a Gap year. I'm not a singer, but I think that singers sometimes mature a bit later. Also, kids travel huge distances to go every Saturday, you'd be surprised. There are specific grants for travel for young musicians in rural areas. Also, RCS offers are heavily weighted on audition, the grades are to be able to do an audition, then the selection is based entirely on the auditions. You'll be able to see now what to prepare.
Grades for Unis will be different for those applying from 5th or 6th year as you will be expected to have kept working in 6 th year, not coasted. You can pay for a consultation lesson at RCS to see if she's working at the expected level.

Heriot Watt engineering admissions specifically said at the open day that they only asked for four highers at S5 because of the limited options for some rural schools. I know that’s not helpful for you as it’s engineering but at least shows some universities are aware.

I would contact the university admissions departments and ask them - hopefully they can provide advice on the best way forward. Fingers crossed for you.

Many university courses only ask for 4 highers, with the exception of the highly competitive courses like dentistry etc

It's a lot to ask a teacher to teach 3 levels in one class. If the class is very small or the teacher is very keen they might agree to try it, but I wouldn't want to do it myself unless I'd previously taught the advanced higher

@MistressIggi It's not ideal, but it looks like that is going to be the solution. They do normally offer AH, so the teachers have taught it before and they had 1 person doing AH and 2 doing H in the N5 class last year, as well as the proper Higher class. It works for the practical as they all perform at different levels anyway, but it doesn't work well for theory and she usually sacrifices a few piano lessons to go over theory with her piano teacher close to the exam. At least this time it will be a mixed S5/S6 class, whereas last time they had to join an S4 class, so the main focus was on the N5.

@HushTheNoise Aware of the audition requirements, but hadn't realised or didn't remember the auditions were that early. I'm not surprised that people travel a long way for juniors, but it's not something we're able to do, both financially and health-wise (I can't drive long distances regularly and there's no train service here). We don't qualify for WP. We established up thread that the S6 entry requirements were for people resitting subjects, otherwise no-one in S6 would get an unconditional offer. Are you saying that's not the case in your experience?

Thank you @Abdnshireoutdoorsy and @Largasoss. I mentioned up thread that I had been looking at the S6 requirements and at a 5-yr masters course, which had made me think she needed more than 4 Highers.

Yes, CUCAS form in start of October, audition was November, unconditional offer followed afterwards, done and dusted before Christmas! Unconditional offers are less common outside conservatoire as they want you to keep working. Conservatoire won't actually be so bothered about AH music grade as the level is not that high ie you only need to be grade 6, so the audition is the important thing. Feel free to PM if you want any more info about RCS, although mine is not a singer.

She now has this year's timetable sorted. She is doing AH music in the mixed N5/H class. Still an issue over a fourth subject, but she's chosen something she's not that interested in and will see how it goes.

Thanks everyone for your help. Much appreciated.

I often hear about the declining standards in Scottish education and this thread confirms it.

It was decades ago I did my Highers but a small rural school offered Higher English, French, German, Maths, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History, Art and Geography as well as the non university qualifiers - Home Economics, Technical Drawing and Modern Studies. I was annoyed they offered Latin O grade but not Higher.

Those going to university mainly went from 5th year and entrance requirements were 5 Highers in one sitting-6 for medicine, vets and dentists. I got an unconditional offer based on my 5 Highers at 5th Year

I stayed on to do 6th year just for fun really. Certificate of 6th Year Studies was the equivalent of AH. All Higher subjects were available, including 3 separate Maths modules. I did CSYS French, History and English.