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Secondary education

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Unhappy DS at sixth form

34 replies

Piggywaspushed · 12/09/2017 17:41

So, I am not sure how I expect MN to solve this for me but DH is in full on rant mode and DS is in either indignant squeaking or grim tearful silence mode so I just need a bit of support really.

Some of you may be familiar with the story from other threads but here it is:

DS went to normal local secondary which for some stupid reason has its sixth form in a separate town with different senior personnel. Early in year 11 the SF couldn't and wouldn't commit to A level Spanish, DS's best subject by a long way.

So, we shopped around and went to various open evenings. the choice then boiled down to the original school or the sixth form college (we aren't a normal SF college area) in a town a 30 minute bus ride away.

After GCSE results day, it became a definite that school 1 was offering Spanish but that DS still couldn't do it in combination with his other allegedly preferred subjects.

DS is a terrible communicator and quite anxious. He went for an induction to the college and promptly changed his option choices (again!) but said he wanted to go there. Doing Spanish, French, Politics and business.

He has done two days and is upset, unhappy, hates French, hates core maths (that they have to do). he does not know that the original school are prepared to take him back doing Spanish, politics and business. Apart form full marks in his Spanish GCSE, French was his only other genuinely high result. he got an A. But he finds the teaching intimidating and says his class ahs lots of fluent speakers.

He could just drop French at the new place but he still says he hates it.

What would you do? Cut your losses and send him back to his original school? Or make him stick it out , having made the decision himself to go to the college...?

He is genuinely unhappy but he has only been for two days. That said, if he is going to change , it has to be sooner rather than later.

No one tells you this stage of parenting is the most stressful yet!!!

probably millions of stress induce typos in this

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Piggywaspushed · 12/09/2017 20:56

I did wonder café Grin

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Cafeconleche · 12/09/2017 23:31

piggy so happy for you and for your DS and that he's happy about going back to his old school. It can be tough out there for them and happiness counts for so much! Now, where did I put my Wine Hmm?!

AtiaoftheJulii · 13/09/2017 06:57

My eldest's old school said explicitly to them at the end of y11 that if they went somewhere else and didn't like it, they'd be welcomed back with open arms, and to do it as quickly as possible. I think in her year no one came back, but one of the new girls went back to her old school Smile

I'm glad the decision's made, that's usually the worst bit! When will he go?

DumbledoresApprentice · 13/09/2017 07:05

Glad it's worked out well for him. He might not be the only one either. We've had 2 come back to us from other VI Forms at my school this week. Last year we had 3 transfer back at the end of y12, and not because they'd done badly either, we transferred them onto y13 courses and one has just got in to do medicine at Uni. I think it happens quite a lot.

Piggywaspushed · 13/09/2017 07:07

He is starting back today . I'll just phone the college today to say he is ill in case he hates this place more!

Such things are sent to try us...

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OddBoots · 13/09/2017 07:13

It sounds like things are agreed but for what it is worth I think he and you have made the right choice, 4 A Levels plus core maths with a long commute sounds too much for him.

Locally 4 A Levels (even if 1 becomes and AS) are only offered to those with 4 or more A-A* at GCSE because there is too great of a chance that it would be too much for most students. 3 A Levels is enough for all but the most competitive destinations so focusing on doing well in those three will give him the best chance.

Therealslimshady1 · 13/09/2017 07:17

Why don't you present him with the options and let HIM decide?

Piggywaspushed · 13/09/2017 07:23

odd I have read this on MN lots but honestly in my area 4 is the norm. Our local providers all make students do ASs, with a view to assessing successes and dropping one. I am a teacher and always wanted DS to do 4 until half term because I was always sure there would be one he would hate : which has proved correct. If he could do French at where he was now going I'd make him continue (although we wouldn't be in this pickle if eh could have!!)

slimshady - we have Confused

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Piggywaspushed · 13/09/2017 07:24

DS is being v annoying this morning. When he is in a good mood he behaves like a small child. he is chasing his brother about and hitting him with a blanket....

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