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Secondary education

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Original poster

Dd having second thoughts about an A Level subject

31 replies

Dancergirl · 02/10/2017 15:25

She's doing English Lit, Sociology and History. She's realised after 5 weeks that she's not enjoying History.

A few things bothering her - she worked really hard for her GCSE and still only got a B (although she got 75% overall, high grade boundaries).

They spent the first few weeks just watching films, now the work has started she's not enjoying it and finding it boring. She doesn't want to stick it out for 2 years.

She's thinking of possibly changing to Spanish but not sure. I suggested a science, maybe Biology (she got AA for dual Science).

I assume it's not too late to change?

OP posts:
LIZS · 02/10/2017 15:30

Depends on the school. Ours gave 2 weeks for swapping and now no changes until New Year.

Original poster
Dancergirl · 02/10/2017 16:27

So they can still change in the New Year lizs?

OP posts:
LIZS · 02/10/2017 16:31

Dd thinks so although I thought they could only drop a subject then (most start with 4 and there are exams at end November). Seems like a lot of ground to make up otherwise.

poisonedbypen · 02/10/2017 16:32

Surely there will come a point (fairly soon) where they have covered too much for people to catch up? I think they give them 2 weeks at my DCs school. Maybe ask the school rather than people who don't know?

orangeowls · 02/10/2017 16:36

Is she wants to swap she needs to do so ASAP. I’m a teacher and pupils still swap at this point but she will need to catch up on the bits she has missed.

noblegiraffe · 02/10/2017 16:50

I can't see schools allowing any changes in January except to drop subjects, they'll have missed too much work. She needs to talk urgently to the school about whether this is still possible, with a plan to catch up on the work that she has missed.

Original poster
Dancergirl · 02/10/2017 16:55

Thank you, dd is going to talk to Head of Sixth Form to discuss her options.

Does anyone have any experience of Spanish (or other language) A Levels? Dd got an A at GCSE but I think there is a huge jump at A Level. But I suppose you could say that for any subject.

OP posts:
Bobbiepin · 02/10/2017 16:57

Census goes off in a couple of weeks, after that funding is set and there will be no changes. I'd have concerns about any of my students changing subjects a month in but if she really wants to and can demonstrate exactly how she intends on catching up then she needs to ask pronto.

TheSecondOfHerName · 02/10/2017 17:05

DS1 changed two of his subjects at the October half-term of Y12. It was hard work for him to catch up, but it was the right decision.

mangomama91 · 02/10/2017 17:10

I got an A in gcse French and did it at a level and yes i would say it is quite a step up

Haskell · 02/10/2017 17:12

Census is Thursday! She will have no chance to change if she doesn't speak with them tomorrow

LIZS · 02/10/2017 17:13

Dd is taking 2 mfl and finding it hard going - both the extended vocab to learn and the topic based research and discussion.

marialuisa · 02/10/2017 17:52

DD is doing French and Spanish. She's quite happy but there has been a lot of "drudge" vocab learning rather than a massive "step up" IYSWIM. Her school have deliberately structured topics so they are covering those they touched on at GCSE e.g. Technology first which is probably helping.

Piggywaspushed · 02/10/2017 17:52

My DS got an A* in Spanish and an A in French. He dropped French as he found 'all the people talking in French' too intimidating!

He did well in Spanish at GCSE with a) good teachers and b) lots and lots of rote learning of scripts teachers had basically written.

Spanish should be his best A level since it is his only A* but he isn't enjoying it he doesn't enjoy much

Piggywaspushed · 02/10/2017 17:53

Why did you suggest a science , out of interest?

Original poster
Dancergirl · 02/10/2017 18:33

Why did you suggest a science , out of interest?

Dd vaguely considered Biology at some stage and she did very well in Science at GCSE.

OP posts:
Original poster
Dancergirl · 02/10/2017 18:34

What is meant by the census?

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 02/10/2017 18:36

But she did just as well in Spanish?

There must be a reason she herself has come up with Spanish and not a science, is the reason I ask.

The census is the submission of numbers to the DfE / funding people for sixth forms. I think that's a red herring though as she would be swapping subjects, not dropping, or leaving.

unfortunateevents · 02/10/2017 18:54

I believe Biology is considered the most difficult Science A level so your DD needs to think carefully before she changes to that subject. As for being too late to change, she needs to speak to her school urgently. At DS's previous school, the deadline was last Friday, in his 6th form college the deadline was middle of last week.

ifonly4 · 02/10/2017 19:06

Tell DD to go in and ask if she can change subjects as she isn't enjoying history and for this reason doesn't feel she'll enjoy it and will struggle to get the best grade she can. Then ask if she can do a taster lesson in a couple of subjects.

DD has had mixed feelings about her new Sixth Form and her old school agreed to give her a taster day which lessons in all her subjects, so if you don't ask you don't get.

SoPassRemarkable · 02/10/2017 19:08

I thought chemistry was meant to be harder than biology?

Though I guess it depends what the individual prefers. Dd is doing biology but it's her favourite science and the one she's best at. Don't think she would manage chemistry or physics.

SayNoToCarrots · 02/10/2017 19:18

I'm an A Level biology teacher. We've been teaching three weeks and already completed biochemistry, which is a fairly complex topic that underpins the rest of the course. Most other exam boards start the same way.

Biology is not necessarily harder than the other sciences, but there is a lot more memorisation, and so missing a whole topic often leaves a student really struggling.

I have to admit, my heart would sink if I found a new student in my class tomorrow.

Original poster
Dancergirl · 02/10/2017 19:21

The census is the submission of numbers to the DfE / funding people for sixth forms. I think that's a red herring though as she would be swapping subjects, not dropping, or leaving

I presume that doesn't apply to independent schools?

I don't actually think she wants to do a science anyway, it was just a suggestion by me.

piggy she got an A in Spanish and a B in History and she thinks she worked harder in History!

OP posts:
Gizmo79 · 02/10/2017 19:22

I remember physics A level being the worst, I did all three sciences plus maths.
Obviously I am oooollllddd now and it probably has changed drastically, but the ones I found that had less of a jump were Biology and Chemistry.

TeenTimesTwo · 02/10/2017 19:42

DD1 did AS Spanish having got a B at GCSE. She did really well on the oral but bombed out on the written paper which was partly due to lack of work but mainly due to her dyspraxia.
The topics were a lot more interesting than GCSE. A lot of grammar and vocab to learn. In the second year there was going to be a set book as well as learning more about culture and stuff.

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