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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

year 11 mums! what is your son/daughter doing in september?

45 replies

Ladyemem · 07/05/2012 22:37

would love to know what others are doing when they leave this year.

A levels? which ones?
full time course at college? what course?
working full time? where?
apprenticeships?

OP posts:

Kez100 · 13/05/2012 15:08

My daughters conditional offer from her second choice arrived yesterday (after a muck up with paperwork their end where they thought she had missed the interview and sent her another datevto attend) It arrived with two offers! One for a course she never applied for ( and never would have!) ......... Really makes you wonder what it will be like if she goes there.

She is pleased its only her second choice.

bruffin · 13/05/2012 16:08

Could she have a similar name to someone else.

Kez100 · 13/05/2012 17:00

Very unlikely. I shall have to let them know though because maybe the typist prepared her letter and then used her name and address for the next student in the acceptance pile. It is a course in the same department, but a very very different one.

I'll ring them tomorrow. Make sure someone else hasn't lost out on an acceptance letter.

MiraNova · 14/05/2012 12:36

DD will be starting at local Sixth Form College, and planning to study Geography, Spanish, Economics and either Biology or Chemistry.

GraduallyGoingInsane · 14/05/2012 19:16

DD1 will be staying on at school for Sixth Form. Her school is a three-tier one, so she only went there in Year 9.

She's taking 4 A Levels - hoping to do English Literature, History, Art and French.

I'm kind of relieved that nothing will change - same place, same school bus, same teachers, largely the same friends, even the same uniform but for a different coloured jumper and permission to wear subtle make up!

expatgal · 14/05/2012 19:24

Dc returning to the UK and going to boarding school for A Levels. Has never lived in the UK before, born a brought up a third culture kid. Is anyone else in the same boat? Hoping they will settle in and have some great new experiences though we know it will also be tough along the way for all of us. I am surely going to miss Dc however if they are happy we will be happy. Choosing to look on the bright side at all the positives.

musicposy · 14/05/2012 20:41

Going to 6th form college to do A levels, English (she thinks literature but could change her mind) Drama and Dance and BTEC Dance level 3 instead of a 4th AS level.

In some ways I'd prefer she did some more academic subjects but I know she will really enjoy what she's chosen, and it's her life, not mine.

BrigitBigKnickers · 14/05/2012 21:50

My DD is hoping to stay on at the school where she currently is but she has to get at least 8 B grades (or points equivalent). She has been getting loads of A and high B grades in her controlled assessments and course work but is not great at exams-She loves her school (only moved there two years ago as the one she was at before was dire) so we really hope she can stay there.

If she gets back in she hopes to do English, Maths, Psychology and Graphics. (Maths prob just to AS level and continuing with the other three to A2.)

busymummy3 · 14/05/2012 23:25

Sixth form in DC'S school asks for 5 A* GCSE grades or more to study 4 AS levels plus the minimum grade needed to study the individual course requirements. Is this standard ?

BackforGood · 14/05/2012 23:28

nope.
ds has to get 5 GCSEs at grades A*-C, including B or above at the subjects he wants to study.

bruffin · 14/05/2012 23:33

No
Ds has to get 5 Bs for one sixth form and his own have said they aren't worried about what he gets but he needs A to do maths, but even then they will take each case on its own merit.

deliataughtme · 15/05/2012 10:05

He's staying where he has been since he was 8. We tried to persuade him to board for 6th form but he loves where he is. He will do the IB and the present plan is: History, Latin, Art (possibly English or Philosophy) as highers and Maths, Biology, English (possibly Art or philosophy). English is compulsory as either a higher or a lower so has to be in there somewhere. Other compulsory options, if I understand it correctly are: a science, maths, a humanity - I'm not certain if a language other than English is compulsory.

Dadofteens · 15/05/2012 15:22

Very interesting thread! I'm intrigued that apprenticeships are only mentioned once. Did any other DC consider this option? Do parents feel they have enough information about apprenticeships?

bruffin · 15/05/2012 16:18

They had an apprenticeship fare at dcs school, but none of it was aimed at the more academic type. The only one that looked suitable for DS was the National Grid which paid well and sponsored university (I think)

Also the company DH used to work for started to do apprenticeships, but DH was quite shocked they do not have to provide any external education ie day release for college. He felt it was just cheap labour.

PrincessTamTam · 15/05/2012 17:21

DS2 staying on at 6th form of local comp he's attended since yr 7. Doing A levels in English, Politics, Psychology and Photography - has half an idea of going into journalism after uni... well that's the plan! Has to get through his GCSEs first which is a struggle when you are a lazy layabout .
He has to get 5 x grade A* to C and at least a B in English.
Got little or no info re apprenticeships and would have liked to know more.

Theas18 · 15/05/2012 17:29

DS is staying at school to do Biology Chemistry Maths and Music (dropping maths after AS). He was going to do english instead of chemistry but swapped after re thinking that he really wanted a medical/scientific lean to a pshycology course and this would make him more " attractive" as a uni applicant. School haven't confirmed the swap and wont till results I guess .

His english teacher cried when he told her he wasn't sticking with it- talk about apply pressure He'd really like to do it as well ifthere were enough hours in the day!

Theas18 · 15/05/2012 17:30

We've had info re apprentice ships more than A levels/Uni as parents but this comes from external city education sources rather than schools.

glaurung · 15/05/2012 17:50

dd would have liked an apprenticeship as she's no great fan of school, but we've had very little info and found nothing suitable. I think A levels are quite a risk for her as if she doesn't put some effort in she will probably flounder badly. On the other hand she's quite capable of doing well at them if she does put the work in, and they're not easy to go back to do later, so it's probably the right path for her to keep as many options as possible open at this stage.

DavidDickinsonsTan · 15/05/2012 17:53

staying on for a levels
maths
accountancy
physics
and i have clean forgotten the 4th!

BackforGood · 16/05/2012 00:32

We haven't had much info about apprentiships, but what I have seen indicates to me they are for the less academically inclined, rather than the potential university students. Also, that there's an emphasis on Science and Engineering, which definitely aren't the areas my ds is looking to get into.

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