Parents of Year 11s - the end has been and gone

[BitOutOfPractice]

The thread that got us all through the exams is now full so here's a new one to get us through the nervous wait for results

Well done to all our brave Y11s and wish every last one of them all the best

Link to the last thread

Lobster I would also drop maths personally.

no uniform for college here (thank goodness) and they start on the 13th, which seems to be later than most of you

That's an idea greened though not sure how fast they deliver, and DS isn't used to buying shirts so I'm not sure he'd know his size. We do have a Next in town though, so could maybe do a trip there on Thursday if it turns out to be necessary. Or he could wear his one shirt and tie on the Friday and then go shopping at the weekend. Wasn't expecting to be in this much disarray so close to the start of term!

DS has been set some summer holiday work by both the sixth forms he initially applied to, so has done (most of) two lots. I've no idea what the independent school has asked them to do over the summer - just hoping it's similar content

The booklets with questions in that need completing is what we have here as well MsMermaid

Thankyou for all your replies.
Some good points I hadn't thought of.
I think Dropping maths is also out of the question - she's excellent at it (As in maths and in further maths - haven't got her marks but she is fairly sure from looking at unofficial mark scheme that she got 100%) She really enjoys it and ideally would have liked to do further maths too.

After A levels she's hoping to study Law, ambition is to be a barrister.
Maths and French are definitely her "best" subjects, the ones she's confident she can do well in.
She needs an "essay based" subject - she did better in history than English and prefers it. She's done her research and thinks history is better preparation for studying Law, similar skills etc.
English she has always been pretty good at because she's a book worm and loves reading, but she doesn't enjoy the process of pulling text apart so that puts her off.
The main reason for not wanting to change French class is the teacher and other students in it, they are largely the same as in her GCSE class and they all worked exceptionally well together so she doesn't want to lose that either.
She does do a lot of drama outside school. It was her lowest scoring GCSE by quite a long way.
She needs to choose between her head and her heart.

cloudy
DD is independent no bridging work being set. Strange even DD said its strange as friends of friends at other schools have being set it.

DD had a homework task from each subject to complete over the summer (she has done the history and the English!)

Cloudy Next tend not to have a huge range in store, but I would say go to the shop to get an idea of sizing then order online - their next day delivery is pretty reliable.
Asos have a huge range online and also have good next day delivery.

Oh tricky Lobster. You are right, she absolutely shouldn't drop Maths then. Oh dear.
I think extra curricular drama may be the least bad solution then. When does she need to make up her mind?

Main school opens on Tuesday so she's planning to pop in and see if she can talk to her 6th form tutor, but needs to decide by Wednesday.

I think I'd personally drop the drama and just do extra-curricular Lobster. What would she do instead? You say she'd have liked to do further maths, I'd that a possibility of she drops drama? Or will she pick another essay subject (my worst nightmare, I hated essays)?

Dd is doing maths, further maths, chemistry and physics. She decided that essay subjects just aren't her thing, even though she's done well in them at GCSE. I actually think she'd quite like to continue with most of her GCSE subjects, but loves maths and science. She's planning on being a physicist.

Second set French at A-Level aren't going to be particularly low ability are they ,will need at least a B to join.

6th Sep start for DS2. Dress code is business attire so in Meadowhall for opening time yesterday. M&S currently running a 20% discount on all suits and have a decent range of good quality slim and super slim fit. Still with suit, shirts, ties, shoes it did make kitting out for secondary seem something of a bargain in comparison.

Tough choice on Drama. DS2 was giving the subject serious consideration for A level, not now going with it. Maths may open more doors and the other thing that concerned me about drama was the low % of A / A at A level as compared with pretty much every other subject - eg in 2015 around 16% got an A / A in Drama as opposed to around 36% for French, 23% for History and over 40% for Maths, and 2016 was an improvement for the Drama %s as compared with previous years. I'd be surprised if it has anything to do with the calibre of the DCs taking A level drama but rather a seemingly very tough and subjective marking system for Drama.

Do you think DD should be doing any work?
She's taking English lit History and R.S? Worth doing anything!

Ds1 school has put work on the vle. I asked ds1 how he was getting on with it and he said he thought it was for current yr12/13.
I don't think he's started it yet
Hes not going to be bored this week.

Fantasy has she read the Eng Lit set texts, could be well worth doing if she has not already done so and hopefully won't feel too much like actual work :) History, does she know the periods to be studied? If so, and if periods she has no previous familiarity with, worth a general read and / or film / drama from the period (eg if doing the War of the Roses a bit of Phillipa Gregory). Ds2 doing two of her three including History - had a couple general texts recommended - he'll be doing War of the Roses, America from 1860, and Totalitarianism.

FantasyAndHope has your DD taken a look at The Student Room?

Also, my DD had some work from school for her A level choices.

She's on TSR gmome
She hasn't read set texts as 2 of them the teacher chooses based on the class.
And the other English teacher (she has all 3 reaching her) hasn't decided but they study the bloody chamber and she'll get the books when she goes back.
History it is the same periods as gcse barring one period which they won't study until A2.
I'm shocked really if everyone else has got work DD has got none and I have emailed school and they've said there's none being set

Thanks, lobster That's a good idea about mail ordering once we know his size.

MsMermaid, is your DD a clone of my DS, or vice versa? Same subject choices at A Level, same ideas re eventual career destination, and same dislike of 'writing'

I've been and bought all the stationary DS will need, and a bag. The shop assistant in WH Smith told me he was going into Y13, and to tell DS the fun stops in Y11 and you have to knuckle down and work at A Levels, no cruising if you want to get the best grades as it's a big step up. Useful advice.

DD is most worried about not using her frees effectively and wasting them. Told her its fine to be unsettled for a few weeks but after its hardwork. As these grades will effect her life choices.

FantasyAndHope the work my DD has been doing is essentially revising what she covered during GCSE but I think that is because the subjects she will be on are very much technique based (Maths & Sciences). There is an assumption that students will be fully up to speed with techniques covered at GCSE.

At some point though lobster she's going to have to Sri a subject she's excellent at isn't she?

gnome
DD is doing all essay subjects. I suppose it must be fine if the school haven't issued anything

My Ds has done nothing! Nothing has been set