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Secondary education

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

Starting Y13 (y12 support thread contd) - number 3

999 replies

Littleham · 30/10/2014 11:05

Thread continued folks...

OP posts:
Littleham · 10/11/2014 20:01

Great Horsemad. Fingers crossed he gets those offers soon. You deserve the Wine.

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 10/11/2014 20:20

You will get the wine Horsemad. And I hope you enjoy!

Horsemad · 10/11/2014 20:21

Cheers Littleham, have just opened a bottle now; blimey it tastes good! Grin

AtiaoftheJulii · 10/11/2014 20:22

You know we're all on your side horsemad Smile

Horsemad · 10/11/2014 20:22

Thanks Leeds2, I hope so! [smile|

Horsemad · 10/11/2014 20:24

Thanks Atia - this thread is so helpful, the support is great and loads of info from everyone.

muffinmonster · 10/11/2014 20:26

A hooray and a boo here: DD's Biology teacher agreed to up her prediction to a B following mid-term exams (hooray!), but the UCAS form didn't go in today as promised because her reference wasn't ready. Should go tomorrow, then it'll be the waiting game for us, too.

Another setback has been that two of DD's aspirational courses have raised their required grades from ABB to AAB, putting them out of her reach. Still, we managed to put five options on the form.

Congratulations to all those who have offers already. So exciting!

Littleham · 10/11/2014 20:42

Good news about the raised grade prediction muffinmonster. Shame about the two choices. There is an awful lot of grade inflation going on a la Exeter. Which two universities were they?

You are nearly there!

OP posts:
muffinmonster · 10/11/2014 20:51

Strathclyd eand Sheffield. At least we knew abut it before her form went in. If we had't, she might well have wasted two of her choices. So maybe waiiting for the raised prediction was a stroke lf luck.

Littleham · 10/11/2014 20:58

Sounds like it was lucky. Seems like a bad time to raise the offer grades. The whole process is a bit like picking your way through a minefield, hoping not to tread on one of the darn things.

OP posts:
Leeds2 · 10/11/2014 21:11

I am really not looking forward to DD going through this process next year.

Have your DC's schools been much help? Both with where to apply to, and what to apply for?

Littleham · 10/11/2014 21:27

There is a bit of guidance on the Ucas process (a couple of assemblies), but mostly it is left up to them. The personal statements get checked by a teacher before they go off as well & sometimes returned to dc's if there is something wrong.

OP posts:
AmazingDisgrace · 10/11/2014 21:33

DDs application submitted todayGrin

muffinmonster · 10/11/2014 22:17

DD's school ran a couple of meetings about university choices / UCAS, and have been very helpful about the personal statements - it seems the students were encouraged to show them to as many teachers as possible. Head of sixth form has been lovely and helpful. I was about to say that they haven't offered so much guidance on choice of uni/ course, but DD was very set in her mind about what she wanted to that, and that (with her modest grades) narrowed the field very effectively. This thread has also been very informative!

muffinmonster · 10/11/2014 22:18

to do, not 'to that'.

Littleham · 10/11/2014 22:48

Agree with that - teachers have been lovely & helpful. Top tip is to tell your dc to be self organised and ask for individual help as early as possible. Even if the school doesn't have lots of time for formal sessions, there will be people who know all about the application process.

OP posts:
Horsemad · 10/11/2014 22:51

This is what worries me about DS: he has chosen 5 with high grade requirements - there's no fallback option.
With his predictions I think he should have applied to unis across the spread of grades, his all want all As and above in one case.

Littleham · 10/11/2014 22:57

He can have another go via Extra if he doesn't get any offers though. There were loads of courses in clearing this year too.

OP posts:
Horsemad · 10/11/2014 23:32

You are right Littleham, I just wish he'd been a little more strategic!! I wish I had his ability to be so laid back about the whole thing!

MrsBartlet · 11/11/2014 06:08

Dd's school have given a lot of help Leeds2. I think most of their PSHE lessons since the end of Y12 have been on applying to university. The early applicants are pleased because they are allowed to get on with other work in those lessons now! There have also been a few evening for parents explaining the process etc.

hellsbells99 · 11/11/2014 07:39

DD's school have helped with the Ucas process but choices of courses/uni have been left to the students (and parents). DD has her first offer (AAB) following an interview - but it does specify an A in chemistry so she is really going to have to work her socks off! 2 more interviews this week.

Horsemad · 11/11/2014 07:48

DS's school have a teacher mentor assigned to a group of pupils and we've had 2 parents information evenings.
They've been preparing since Yr 11.

AtiaoftheJulii · 11/11/2014 07:59

Well done to her for the offer! Should give her confidence for the next two interviews :)

DD1's school have been very helpful with the process - several pshe lessons; a parents' evening (that I didn't go to - figured I'd learnt enough here, lol!); they get recent old girls in to talk about their courses; they produce a comprehensive booklet going through it all, with advice from girls as well as teachers, and examples of personal statements; everyone gets a UCAS mentor. Probably more that I've forgotten about.

But I don't think there was very much at all on what or where - although I expect if you wanted that sort of advice, there would have been people to talk to about it.

And she's applying for Classics and her Classics teacher didn't know anything about the Oxford Classics aptitude test, which fortunately was funny because dd had read loads about it and found practice papers, but could have been annoying.

There's a local schools-business partnership organisation that does things like arrange work experience, and last week they put on an Oxbridge interview day. And I don't know who organises it, but some of the local schools distribute a list of teachers who are happy to do mock interviews if asked. So stuff like that is clearly great.

Mindgone · 11/11/2014 12:06

Hellsbells, that great news! :)
Horsemad, hang in there Wine !
DS has two interviews lined up now! One next month and one next week!! Shock

mumslife · 11/11/2014 12:24

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Message withdrawn at poster's request.