Year 12 / 6th form support thread

[minesawine]

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

DS's school is pretty regimented in y12 - supervised study periods in a specific place rather than 'free' lessons, for example - but removes the scaffolding gradually over the two years. I wouldn't say they are being spoon-fed and babied, more that they are given the structure initially to promote good habits on transition into sixth form, then given more and more independence once they have made that jump. There is also a very significant and structured push towards work / work experience / work skills / preparation for employment as well as extra-curricular activities in addition to AS / A-levels, which I hadn't necessarily expected and which is of course very useful preparation for uni and time management.

I certainly haven't heard of any particular issues on transition to uni from ex-students.

A couple of weeks in now and things are becoming more clear. Maths teaching at DS's college is excellent and we are really happy with it. (he is doing maths and further maths). Careers office is also excellent and has already provided him opportunities. Computer science teaching is dire. Dull teachers, teaching at a low level, late to class. DS has given up and is now siting in a corner in class and working through the book on his own. So my task over the coming weeks is to try to find him extension actives outside of college. He is fine teaching the curriculum to himself for CS but he is bored.

Just back from the launch of the Seren network that she was invited to be part of. Very interesting it looks. She has a series of events to attend, at a range of schools/colleges in the area. Lots of sessions giving advice for writing personal statements, mock interviews at Bangor Uni, an oxbridge conference and a residential rip to Cambridge uni. Alongside several 'stretch and challenge' events.

Some great speakers. Made me very proud to hear the students, from several school in the area, be told repeatedly that they were 'Wales' brightests pupils based on their GCSE results'. Nearly brought a tear to my eye.

She is quite a funny mix. She's not shy when it comes to talking to other people, but doesn't put herself out there much.

But she's starting thinking about how to make herself be more 'rounded' rather than just concentrating on her studies. She has a plan for her Welsh Bacc community challenge. Is going to return to learning the piano (which I can support her with if she wants rather than official lessons as I play but don't teach) as she got grade one under her belt then lost interest. She's also looking into something in the community. Perhaps the local Young Rangers as her friend does it and recommends it. Quite a change from the 'I'm alright in my own company just doing my schoolwork and writing my stories' person she has been for a long time.

not much happening here. DD's still enjoying it - small classes (chemistry is only 5 now), loving her subjects, teachers are all good, keeping on top of work (I'm sure she could do more but that's always the case!).

She's using one free a week for a zumba class, their 'directed learning sessions' are non existent so far (two sessions a week) & the year 12 EPQs haven't be organised (that should be another session). She's probably doing 6 or 7 hours a week at home (but that includes her creative writing & she's halfway through a Future Learn course too) and gets everything else done at school.

She applied for Headstart last week - only one course that she really wanted to do but I encouraged (!) her to consider a couple of others. The personal statement section was painful She's still thinking about whether to do her UCAS application next next year & defer or wait & apply with results in hand. I think it will depend a lot on her results at the end of year 12.

Still haven't got the biology paper I requested back - they are saying November now the exams organiser said that she can still appeal if there is some gross error despite it being after the remark date.

Ds, as he was just literally walking out the door and down the path this morning, 'casually' said that he might stop doing physics. And do what instead, I asked. "Nothing. Bye!"

If he did drop physics that would leave him with double maths and computer science. In theory his college do allow this (at least in y13), but I think it's a bad idea for him.

Now looking forward to a nice chat tonight!

from what I know of him Atia he'd be seriously underselling himself by just doing the double plus CS. Typical to just throw it out while he's leaving!

has he mentioned any issues with physics? Maybe he could go back to the biology plan? Argh.

maybe he's just being annoying!

DS was only allowed to do three A Levels (on solid but not stellar GCSEs - he did get the EBacc and passed 11 subjects in one sitting) to stay in his sixth form. Only problem is that I now think he's got too much time on his hand - he seems to have an awful lot of free periods during some school days. And whilst he is evidently working and getting all work done on time, I'm not convinced that he could do with the extra challenge TBQH.

Am considering contacting school but worried about being 'shot down'. What do you think?

He's doing all Humanities A Levels.

When we were at school it was the norm to do three A Levels but many/most of us did an extra O/AO Level or two in the L6 too. Can't help but think he'd benefit from something additional too.

Atia I just did Maths, FM Physics for A-level (and then did Maths at Oxford, so it can't have disadvantaged me too much).
DD1 did similar on chemistry though. She had something she said she couldn't understand and was talking about giving it up right at the start.
I know why they tell them there's a huge jump from GCSE to A-level but I think all the going on about it made her panic "I can't understand this bit at the beginning, I'm obviously one of the people that can't cope with the jump".
She then sorted it out with some older students who said along the lines of "oh yes, I remember that being a bit word" at a stem class and has been fine since.
Luckily when she said it, she also said they didn't allow them to give anything up in the first 2(?) weeks so she said she'd have to leave it. That gave her time to reassess and see it hadn't been the right decision. I'd suggest you persuade him to give it a bit longer.

weird, not word.

As I could have predicted the shine has worn off for my DH who now finds some teachers 'boring' . he never shares anything about school anyway but his 'enthusiasm' - such as it was!- has waned.

It isn't helped by lack of purposeful work to do and loads of frees.

He was originally doing 4 but dropped French upon changing back to his original school . Spanish (which I mention on this thread and elsewhere ) is being taught on fewer than 7 hours . He is just twiddling his thumbs really.

He isn't super bright,; he needs pushing and he needs inspiring... not much of that going on, sadly. I think politics hasn't lived up to expectation either.

Sigh...stressed...

Hahaha! Freudian slip! DS not DH!!!

*She's using one free a week for a zumba class, their 'directed learning sessions' are non existent so far (two sessions a week) & the year 12 EPQs haven't be organised (that should be another session). She's probably doing 6 or 7 hours a week at home (but that includes her creative writing & she's halfway through a Future Learn course too) and gets everything else done at school.

She applied for Headstart last week - only one course that she really wanted to do but I encouraged (!) her to consider a couple of others. The personal statement section was painful She's still thinking about whether to do her UCAS application next next year & defer or wait & apply with results in hand. I think it will depend a lot on her results at the end of year 12.*

I'm so in awe jealous that these children ACTUALLY exist!

Bold fail - no idea why...

Hahaha piggy - I'm so in awe too!

Hi wiifit. DS is settling in to SFC. Really enjoying History and Politics A Levels but 'meh' about Spanish (I think) because he is quite a long way ahead of the rest of his class so is whizzing through the class/homework. I'm trying to encourage him to work through the Spanish course book himself and start reading some of the set texts to stave off the boredom.... Loads and loads of frees, though he is taking himself into college on his 2 mornings off and working in the library for a few hours. No careers talks here (not sure he's ventured anywhere near the careers office) and not a word about an EPQ - or at least he hasn't told me about it. I feel he should be doing more in the evenings but am leaving it for the moment. Nice to have a calm house tbh...

oops wasn't trying to brag just a bit of a brain dump ... her room is absolute shit hole and I had to do an emergency bank transfer because she somehow managed to go overdrawn (by 9p - buying junk food in the village shop) and she woke me up snapchatting me pictures of her eye makeup last night Oh she also forgot to fill in the contact details part of the Headstart application so got a confused email from them this afternoon!

School are extremely un-pushy, hence the lack of progress with the EPQ & they don't really have any enrichment (beyond sport!). There are very few doing science now - loads of ppl changing mean her classes are 10, 10 & 5 - most of the trips & stuff are humanities & arts. They have some fabulous activities but it seems like science is a bit forgotten! She also has fewer taught hours than friends at various other schools & I think she's worrying a bit (though I did point out her classes are much smaller).

Didn't think you were bragging, fear not !

and anyway, I'd brag if I didn't have a child who makes a sloth look speedy

gazzalw at my school until the end of this week subject content teaching has been weak as we have to prepare for students changing course and the catch up this causes them; you may find that the content, work, homework ramps up significantly next week as the census information has to be sent to DoE next week in terms of students enrolled and courses they are enrolled on, so no more swapping for a year!

cafe DS told me the EPQ is not done until year 13. Not sure why, but that is the way they do it there. DS will definitely do one. He has lots of frees too but uses them for projects he is working on, homework etc. He is very proactive so went to the careers office the first week and has been back since. They send a really interesting newsletter out (there have been two so far) with lots of information about opportunities, work experience etc. I have been very impressed. And the main reason DS has gone to 6th form instead of staying home schooled if for the maths. Both the maths and further maths teachers are fantastic and they do extra maths enrichment (which is mandatory for the 7 Further maths students) on a Tuesday afternoon. I can live with the computer science being crap - but it is shame too. Ds is hilarious. This week he texted me (after the CS teacher was 20 minutes late) "I demand more from the education I am not paying for." :)

Oh, and cafe I am pleased to hear about the Politics teaching being very good. DS2 is thinking of going there too and he absolutely wants to to Politics A level.

Cricketballs, Wow! DS has been fully into content from day 1 (essays set and marked within first week of term, daily Maths homework, EPQ topic chosen etc etc). Mind you, they have gone down the 'keep ASs' route, so it is a pretty fast start to get them ready for those by may.

cricketballs thanks for your insights. That makes perfect sense. So basically from next week it's likely content/course work will be ramped up significantly!!!

Piggy it's nothing to do with parenting if that's any reassurance.
Dd1 will assess what she has to do to get to where she wants to be, and will work incredibly hard.
Dd2 approaches more with a scattergun approach. She does what she enjoys really well. Don't ask her to do something she doesn't enjoy.
Ds' entire idea of doing anything he hasn't totally chosen, even if he will enjoy it, is to strop about it then do it with minimum effort.

I would like to say it's not my parenting that ahs made my DS such a loafing oaf...

I hate to say it, but this thread does throw into relief a bit of a gender divide....on the whole.