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Secondary education

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

Original poster

Year 12 / 6th form support thread

874 replies

minesawine · 03/09/2017 21:27

The term is about to start and I though it would be good to have a support group to help us on our 6th form journey.

May the year be drama-free and our DC's study hard and without complaint Halo

OP posts:
ProfessorLayton1 · 03/09/2017 21:31

Thanks for starting this thread. Mine starts on Tuesday...has just raided my wardrobe to get some shirts from me ( I was having them in the hope I will go down to the size before I had my second Dd, not going to happen after 9 years) as she just bought one shirt when we went shopping.

Witchend · 03/09/2017 22:20

First time for us.
Dd1 is off to sixthform college.
She's very happy with it at present, mostly I suspect because it doesn't start (apart from a half day induction) for another week, and her siblings are back sooner.

It's going to be interesting. She's going to be totally independent, taking the bus and things.
I hope she enjoys it, and most of all makes a couple of good friends. She hasn't had a really strong friend since infants, she's on the edge of quite a large group so often forgotten about.

AtiaoftheJulii · 03/09/2017 23:07

Ds also off to 6th form college - it doesn't start (apart from a half day induction) for another week, and her siblings are back sooner - snap Grin although some of his siblings are still hanging about the house before going back to university. (Wonder if it's the same one! F?)

Chose his final A level subject at the last minute at enrolment last week. Seems about 4 years older than he did at Easter! I'm excited to see how college goes Smile I changed school for 6th form and it was the best thing for me at the time, a really good experience Smile

TheFrendo · 03/09/2017 23:51

Son is the only one from his school to go to his chosen VIth form.

Starts on Wednesday with a half day. The big news is that he will have to catch a bus at 7.20, that is a whole hour earlier than last year.

A levels: Maths, FM, physics and chemistry.

There will be no external AS exams, but will be internal end of year exams.

BertrandRussell · 04/09/2017 06:47

Clothes are a big issue here! Ds loves clothes. No dress code, so he's been raiding his dad's wardrobe and planning outfits. Despite having a meeting with his EPQ supervisor on Wednesday morning where he is supposed to have some ideas to discuss......

Notanothergiraffe · 04/09/2017 07:40

DS has gone off half an hour ago to the first day at new sixth form. From find my iPhone he seems to have got the bus ok! (Having nearly missed it on the welcome day). There is no public transport and it is a fair distance so actually catching the once a day school bus is a good start!

I just hope he embraces it, he is not one for natural enthusiasm. We have had the chat about taking opportunities and saying why shouldn't I do x rather than why should I bother!

I have asked him to text me at lunchtime, but know I will be nervous until then. Fingers crossed all goes well.

Notanothergiraffe · 04/09/2017 07:41

Oh yes the clothes! We went shopping last week and he has very very carefully chosen today's outfit Grin

LIZS · 04/09/2017 08:30

Dd is due back this week , but there is an induction day, first day of term then a team building day, so her timetable won't really start until next week. Still building up her workwear wardrobe but enough to be going on with.

Witchend · 04/09/2017 08:31

Atia yes F.

And they break up for the summer in about June.
The words "not fair" have been issued by ds several times already. Grin

CiderwithBuda · 04/09/2017 08:37

DS starts Lower Sixth on Thursday. It's the school he was in anyway.

He hasn't actually been at school since November due to daily migraines. Did GSCEs at home. And did quite well considering!

He is doing English Lit, Early History and Economics. And will be doing GSCE Spanish somehow.

They have to wear office dress so we bought him a couple of suits and some shirts and ties. Cost me a fortune! But given the crappy year he had last year I wanted to spoil him a bit and for him to feel happy and confident going back.

We are off shoe shopping today............

titchy · 04/09/2017 08:40

Ds has induction Wednesday and Thursday and starts properly next week. Big sixth form college, although he'll know quite a few there. Didn't really pull his finger out at GCSE. Hope he does for A level (sciences) Confused

Livingdiisgracefully · 04/09/2017 08:47

Titchy, my ds in similar boat. Starting properly next week but induction days this week. Didn't really pull finger out for GCSEs and was disappointed with results. He SEEMS to be galvanised into working harder for As though obviously time will tell! He's doing maths, economics and politics.

BertrandRussell · 04/09/2017 08:57

Do most of them have to wear "work wear"? I know several of ds's friends do.

blametheparents · 04/09/2017 09:22

DS starts at 6th form today. He's back at the same school he's been at since year 7. Looked very smart this morning, and keen! Wonder how long that will last?

DS will study for the IB. Anyone else?

titchy · 04/09/2017 09:24

I suppose it's better to be disappointed at GCSE and learn the lesson then, than be disappointed at A level...

LittleHo · 04/09/2017 09:48

ds starts sixth form this week. I'm glad because he was getting bored on the days where he couldn't work.

He really needs more clothes but hates shopping. The local shopping centre looked like hell on earth this weekend and the surrounding roads were gridlocked so we avoided it.

Wiifitmama · 04/09/2017 09:50

I am wondering if my son is at the same 6th form college as the first couple of posters on this thread as he starts next Monday but has a tutorial this Friday too. We are in London.

For my son, this is his first time at school ever as he has been home educated all his life to now. Major change for us all but we are ready :) He is taking Maths, Further Maths and Computer Science. I have two others still at home (who restarted school work this week while the eldest gets to do nothing!).

Wiifitmama · 04/09/2017 09:51

Sorry should have added - no uniform and no "work wear". We did look at a couple of 6th forms that insisted on suits. I seriously can't imagine my son in one - he lives in jeans and t-shirts which is fine for the 6th form he is going to.

ifonly4 · 04/09/2017 09:55

I need a bit of hand holding with this. DD is moving from a state school to full time boarding school, so it's a big move for us and her. She's got a scholarship (and luckily we've got a massive bursary) and it's a great chance for her to get more experience in her chosen field and also hopefully have the chance of an increased grade in one or two A levels.

DD has her induction tomorrow and lessons/clubs etc start on Wednesday.

Laniakea · 04/09/2017 10:10

dd is back on Wednesday, it's the 6th form of her school so no big changes as far a travel goes. 'Business smart' dress code except on Friday's which are 'dress down' so anything goes. Idiotic imo.

She'll be doing physics, chemistry, biology, creative writing & EPQ. Creative writing will be next summer as she did the AS this year. Maths test a couple of weeks into term.

Wiifitmama I'm sure your ds will do brilliantly :) dd was home educated until year 7 (then I put her on a train to a school 20 miles away, where she knew no-one Shock Grin ... she was fine!) I have another three who are still HE'd. The dynamic changed when she went to school, but the biggest thing was that we suddenly/accidentally found ourselves following school terms which we had never done before. My youngest are 6 & 8 so they can't really remember having her at home full time.

Laniakea · 04/09/2017 10:13

ifonly is her school far from home?

Wiifitmama · 04/09/2017 10:23

Thanks Laniakea - he will be totally fine at 6th form. He is academic, social and a succeeder in everything! He is not worried at all - it is more of an adjustment for me to not have him at home helping me out! Ds2 is 13 and just starting GCSE work at home so will have to step into his big brother's shoes. DS3 is 9. We do work to school terms for a variety of reasons (including my own work) so that won't be a change for us. But not being able to holiday during school terms is a massive change!

AtiaoftheJulii · 04/09/2017 10:37

Hi WiiFit - another ex-HEor here! But no, ds's 6th form college isn't in London. He is doing maths, FM, Com Sci and physics though, so plenty in common Smile

Holidays only in school holidays was the major disadvantage Grin Have had all 4 gradually start school (3 into y7, one in y9) and two now at university, so plenty of readjustments over the years. For me, it's always very weird at first and then suddenly completely normal.

Boarding school is a big move, although for a 16 year old who wants to go, I imagine it's absolutely fantastic. I have a not-so-secret fantasy of sending my youngest to boarding school for 6th form, lol - she'd be going when ds (barring gap years) would be starting uni (and dd1 will probably be back home after graduating Hmm ) - but atm she's not really on board!

How often will you get to see her?

AtiaoftheJulii · 04/09/2017 10:40

Bertrand I'm assuming your son got into the 6th form he was hoping for? (I was busy and preoccupied around results day.)

Laniakea · 04/09/2017 10:43

But not being able to holiday during school terms is a massive change!

I told dd that she'd had the advantage of many years of holidays so she could stay with my mum & we'd continue to take the others away in term time. In the end it felt too mean but I am seriously considering it for next summer!