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Original poster

GCSEs 2018 (14): the aftermath

997 replies

mmzz · 17/06/2018 10:45

Following on from www.mumsnet.com/Talk/secondary/3275972-GCSEs-2018-13-Untwisting-our-knickers-lucky-for-some

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EllenJanethickerknickers · 30/06/2018 11:29

On a lighter note, it's DS3's birthday today, 🎉🎈🎉 16 at last. He's with his dad this weekend and they're taking some friends to Thorpe Park. I think The Inbetweeners has inspired him!

Oratory1 · 30/06/2018 11:49

Agree can be useful to do more than thre if you may change tack or if one is FM which makes your combination too narrow.

Also a good point that the epq is probably more useful in terms of what you learn from it (research, writing skills, referencing skills, self discipline) than whether it ‘counts’ for uni. Also can be useful if you have a real interest in something related to your possible future course but different enough fro the a level syllabus

Oratory1 · 30/06/2018 11:51

Also depends on what else dc do. Ds wants to stick with 3 and no epq as wants time for extra curricular - he found the competing time pressure of revision and drama/music extra curricular frustrating in year 11. And gets more tired than others due to dyslexia etc

Original poster
mmzz · 30/06/2018 12:12

The selective sixth form in question included FM in their only do 3 comment (with an EPQ and an extra AS level, plus the STEP papers etc).

One of the parents asked about doing 4 full A levels, taking the extra one privately, and was told flatly No, it's too much. Find another school if you want to do 4.

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Original poster
mmzz · 30/06/2018 12:19

Changing course from a numeric degree if you do maths, fm and physics is extremely difficult. 15 feels very young to me to commit but such is the English system.

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Original poster
mmzz · 30/06/2018 12:21

Have a great holiday, cubscout!

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Teenmum60 · 30/06/2018 12:24

Just popping in and had a little catch up...lovely to see Prom photo's and here about Uni open day's etc.
DD's Prom was last night and I think everyone had a lovely time (piccy attached)...also proud mum moment this morning with letter in post from school to state DD had received a Yr11 award too - sadly we are away for Prize giving..
Busy week ahead...NCS induction PM today, nieces 21st tomorrow - 3 day induction at back up school, Wimbledon and Warwick Uni Lab day...then thank goodness its holiday!
Hope everyone's DC are managing to relax now and hope everyone with health issues are improving too...

GCSEs 2018 (14): the aftermath
Original poster
mmzz · 30/06/2018 12:26

Wow teenmum, that's a stunning dress. Very pretty girl!

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TerfTerf · 30/06/2018 12:54

teen gorgeous dress! And an award as well. What a lovely way to end Y11. Good luck with NCS too Thanks

Stickerrocks · 30/06/2018 13:40

Teen wow! Hope NCS goes well too.

DD is taking 4 at the induction days from maths, history, politics, Eng Lang & Economics. I think a lot will depend on her final results in August, so no decisions about 3 or 4 until then. At least she knows where she is going.

Oratory1 · 30/06/2018 13:49

I guess its a very maths focused school then mmzz. They know what they offer and do it well and if its not want you want you go elsewhere !! It is early to be so specific but some DCs (often medicine or maths) specialist do know that early

KingscoteStaff · 30/06/2018 14:05

DS is going to start with Eng, Hist, Philosophy and Politics. I think he will probably drop one at the end of year 12.
I know 3 is enough, but DS isn’t sure about the two ‘new’ subjects and wants to hedge his bets for a bit.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 30/06/2018 14:14

mmzz, is it your DS who wants to do maths, FM, physics and ? chemistry? If my DS1 hadn't decided early on in Y12 that he wanted to continue with maths, dropping CS (in his case,) might have been a bit limiting. But for maths or physics degrees, FM is really, really useful. Less so for chemistry. If he decides chemistry is actually his thing it would be a tricky decision whether to drop FM or physics, but I think I'd go with staying with physics in that case. It would maybe make chemical engineering a bit easier to get into.

My DS1 wants to get into software engineering as a career but decided that CS wouldn't be as useful as maths as a degree subject. Maths opens more doors than CS and doesn't hinder you getting a job in software.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 30/06/2018 14:16

And teen, what a lovely dress on your beautiful DD!

TerfTerf · 30/06/2018 14:56

DS's friend is taking maths FM physics and chemistry, it's a really normal combination locally, even at schools that recommend only taking 3. His school doesn't demand an EPQ but some students might be 'suggested' for it, I assume only those who can cope with workload.

DS's sixth form on the other hand say EPQ is compulsory and timetable a slot for it every week of Y12. After talking to Oxford Admissions, and trying to read between the lines it would seem sensible to do EPQ related to your prospective degree, as it seems you can then use it as a central focus/talking point for personal statement/interview. Does anyone have different views on this? Useful to know this stuff before DS launches into a children's lift-the-flap book which no economics tutor is interested in GrinGrin

LooseAtTheSeams · 30/06/2018 15:07

Teen your dd looks lovely - and you must be so proud of her award! StarWine
Given DS's track record with coursework, I'm more scared of the EPQ than a fourth A level! We'll see, though...

Aragog · 30/06/2018 15:08

Beautiful, teen

TheThirdOfHerName · 30/06/2018 15:15

TerfTerf at the demonstration interview we attended on Thursday, the tutor said he has been interviewing Oxford applicants (to study psychology) for twelve years.

In the Q&A at the end, a prospective student asked him whether having an EPQ was beneficial for an application. He had never heard of it.

I think the skills they learn in doing the EPQ would be useful once they're at university (especially for essay subjects) but it didn't sound as though his department would be taking it into account for the application itself.

Original poster
mmzz · 30/06/2018 15:30

EllenJanethickerknickers he wants to do maths, FM and economics. He will be doing maths, FM, physics and an AS in Economics if he goes to the selective. If he stays at his current school, he's down to do the four to full A level.

He isn't so keen on physics but I think its because he didn't connect with the teacher, or the teaching wasn't good or something.

A few weeks ago when it came to revising for the physics GCSE paper 2, it became apparent that DS had somehow memorised and learned how to apply the formulae, without understanding the basics of the concepts eg "Exactly what is electromagnetic induction?" So, I had a frantic couple of days trying to find YouTube videos that explained it for him.

He liked Chemistry and Biology until the taster day. History would have been interesting but his dysgraphia would have deterred him from taking it further after A level.

He has ended up with Physics because he's good at maths and everyone says the two go together. We're hoping that he'll like it better when he has a different teacher / he's no longer being taught to the test. It is not ideal, but there wasn't a better option.

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Oratory1 · 30/06/2018 15:32

I think the higher your go (Oxbridge/high tariff maths and science courses) the more they are just interested in excellence in their field ie stellar results in that subject and being able to discuss it, and nothing else (EPQ, D of E etc), matters. DD2 took everything extra curricular (and she had plenty) off her Cambridge personal statement in the end so she had more room to discuss issues relevant to her course.

For other courses and for job interviews later its helpful to have something to single you out and to talk about and there are uni's that lower offers for EPQs (but whether the effort is worth it is a question).

I agree though that they (EPQ and extra curricular) are useful in themselves from what the DC learn from them.

On another point if you are starting a fourth A level to try it (which makes sense) why is there a fixation on dropping it at the end of year 12 - why not a term in, say, when you know whether what your top three are - unless of course the wrok load is fine and yoy think you might keep all 4

Oratory1 · 30/06/2018 15:41

If he ends up getting interested in economics mmzz then I guess the matsh and FM may be useful. Some Economics courses and economics disciplines are very maths heavy

BlueBelle123 · 30/06/2018 15:50

Oratory completely agree about what you say on the EPQ, I was about to write similar (although you have explained it far betterGrin) I would add the EPQ does carry UCAS points so if you are aiming for a Uni which asks for points on entry then it could be worth considering, as it wouldn't be a waste of effort. Infact at DS's school this is the reason they are keen on the EPQ.

Teen beautiful dress and DD.

BlueBelle123 · 30/06/2018 15:55

I'm not going to worry about the whole 3 versus 4 A levels until 23rd August when things will probably be alot clearer Smile

Oratory1 · 30/06/2018 16:06

Ah good point Blue Belle !!! DS is still fixed on three but I need to remind myself we may need a rapid discussion about which three

Oratory1 · 30/06/2018 16:07

Good to have time to reflect on theses things and chat about other issues without trying to squeeze a conversation between revision sessions or worry about distracting them