Year 13 A-levels 2021 - general support thread?

[CeaseAndDesist]

I can't find a general support thread for parents of brand-new year 13s who will be taking A-levels next year - is there one?

If not, would anyone like to join this one?

Hi Baaaahhhhh - DS is asking for a deferred place. He was planning to anyway, although we have heard all the rumours that it is harder to get deferred. Now he is hoping it might be an advantage, with medicine places going to be at the premium they are for 2021, or at least, maybe not the disadvantage others have suggested it generally is. If necessary he will reapply next year (although that means sitting the UCAT again, and he really found that quite stressful enough to do once).

NotDonna - DS was planning to go overseas, including spending significant time with DGPs, volunteer for an ambulance corp, hopefully work a bit etc. If Covid is not sorted by then though, he will struggle to get into Australia where the DGPs live, even with an Australian passport (which he has). It is completely impossible to go to Australia at the moment (did you see the article about the family sleeping a Heathrow, because they can't get home). Still, he is hopeful that they will manage to sort it in a year.

That’s interesting baaaahhhh. Another mum also suggested us to do. But the medical school don’t allow re-sit A level results but my DD is also thinking of gap year now 🥴
Not sure how it’ll be 2022 🤔

Ds school have advised them to submit ucas next year too. I think this is partly due to less places being available (esp in courses like medicine/vet), no predicted grades from school (no online learning or tests done at all in year 12 or to date) and the general uncertainty. It does make sense but then it also seems like an extra punishment for those who really want to press on and get on with life. Ds has also been sent a survey about home technology so expecting learning to be online only very soon. This will be a nightmare for ds as he does better with classroom learning.

I would say the problem with applying post A Levels is they will be up against the year below many of whom got spectacular GCSE grades as they were CAGS.

My dd is planning on doing a foundation course in art to try and cipher which art direction she wants to go in for degree. There’s a good one run at a local college but that means UCAS application will be put on hold a year and do they get any support doing it like they would at school. Saying that school aren’t exactly helping us with this. Everything seems up in the air. She’s been told she doesn’t have a timed art exam next year it’s all going to be coursework. I invigilate at a different school and I’ve been told they are planning for November mocks.

I think in normal times I would have suggested that ds takes a year out as he also lacks "clarity". However, I suggested that he apply, and see what happens. If he has changed his mind in a year's time it's not the end of the world. He could see what was in Clearing or wait a year or two. He's a lifeguard and has been told that casual shifts are now available, which he wasn't expecting, so he might be able to get back into that and do it in the medium term to earn some money while he works out what he wants to do with his life.

As for the personal statement, he's looking at two different but related courses so it's quite difficult tailoring it to fit both. One course asks for slightly lower grades than the other. His college will predict one grade above summer assessments, which were BBB, but I don't think he will get AAA - more likely AAB, probably BBC at worst (assuming exams and not teacher assessments, then all bets are off).

Just had an email, confirmed covid case in Year 13, all Year 13s asked to stay home tomorrow and do remote learning, while they work out who it was that the child in question was in close contact with. Apparently those who were not deemed close contacts from Year 13 will be allowed back in school on Friday, and those that are have to self isolate for 14 days since the child was last in school. Of course the whatsapp groups are going bananas with everybody trying to work out who it was and whether they might be a close contact.

bimkom That's a pain, but at least they are being sensible and following the rules for close contacts, and not making everyone stay at home or insist on tests. Hoorah for sanity. Hope your DS isn't a cc.

Haha! I've found you!
Dd's sixth form are doing blended learning for September, one week in college, one week at home doing live lessons online. Will see if they keep doing it next month or whether it all ends up from home.
It's so hard doing a-levels, epq, ucas, personal statement all with this uncertainty and lack of face to face contact. Dd is really unmotivated and is doing the bare minimum but no revision at all. Also really anxious and panicky
Her college do continuous assessment with exams each half term. Her predicted grades are A*AB but her current actual grades are ABC so lots of work needed as she wants to do psychology which ask for silly grades. She knows which courses she likes the look of, mainly asking for AAA-ABB but struggling to find a couple of slightly lower insurance choices. The lower ones seem very much lower BBC-CCC....

@gleegeek I don't know much about psychology degrees but if you sort the Guardian league table by average entry tariff that might throw up a few options for you.

www.theguardian.com/education/ng-interactive/2019/jun/07/university-guide-2020-league-table-for-psychology

Several around the 130ish mark have BBB as their published entry requirements.

Good luck.

Hi gleegeek

CeaseAndDesist Hi there, can we get his thread moved over to Higher Education. I asked MNHQ but they won't move it without you asking. I think we are missing some posters who wouldn't look here for Year 13.
Thank you .

Being back at school is making such a difference to my DS. He's much more motivated and finally starting to think properly about next year. His school have been really good and they are all back with a full timetable of face to face teaching. Have everything crossed they stay open.

He's decided to do a Geography degree to keep his options open. I think that's the right decision for him so that's good. Now just to decide where to apply!

Morning all! How are we today?
@bimkom what a pain in the arse-hope he can go back very soon
My DS school had first positive covid case within 2 hours of opening. Luckily not DS year group but just waiting for him to be sent home-however no one can get tested here anyway so maybe won't be until that fiasco is sorted!
What's everyone doing about visiting uni's this year? We have put aside a couple of hours this weekend to go through various economics degrees and figure out if that's what he wants to do! He has discounted Oxbridge-his GCSE's won't be good enough and his predicted A levels are 2A*+1A.

@nancypineapple Your DS predictions are great so he can apply wherever he likes!
Are your DCs receiving predicted grades AND ‘working at’ grades? I’m concerned that if it goes to CAGs they’ll get the ‘working at’ grades but if they sit the exams there’s a chance they’d make the predicted grade.

Hi Baaaahhh there’s a few threads aren’t there? But yr13 is still secondary I guess. I’m happy wherever it is. Just happy to have a thread!!

Thanks @NotDonna-I am still in disbelief with those predicted grades as he's a lazy bugger and his gcse's were a mixed lot of the highest and lowest grades depending on whether he found it interesting.He said that lockdown actually helped him study as there was nothing else to do!
I'm not sure if his school are doing working at grades-he doesn't really tell us much!

Checking in and following with interest. Waiting on predicted grades here, and trying to visit unis with no open days

@Notdonna My DD has received predicted grades ABB and working grades A/B, B, C/B. She's working really hard and I am hoping she manages to stay well as missed large parts of school last year due to epilepsy. She has just completed a full assessment with an educational psychologist as epilepsy has affected her working memory and processing sped. It also looks as though she's always had dyslexia but managed as she had learnt to read by memory and shape but I think it has now become an issue and doing history hasn't helped. I'm hoping when her report comes back next week that with intervention and her work ethic she'll be fine.Also, hoping that they all can stay in school as very happy back there on daily basis

Well done to your DD working so hard frog. A lot of dyslexia isn’t noticed until very late especially with bright DDs apparently. Let’s hope some strategies are put in place for her!

@pistachioicecream thank you so much! I hadn't realises you could look like that, it will help enormously

Email tonight, we have a confirmed Covid case, in Year 9 though. Entire year group off, until they are told otherwise by PHE. Are deep cleaning all the Year 9 areas tonight. DD said loads of students have colds at the moment, although many are wearing masks, which is thoughtful.

So, here we go......and hope.

There’s bound to be a lot of this isn’t there baaahhh? Are they sending work home for those yr9’s?

Well we have been emailed to say that DS is not a close contact, and can come back into school tomorrw. Apparently (according to DS, the school is revealing no more than this) the case is among the humanities students, so the science/maths crowd are all back (until the next time, probably).

Kind of nice having him home again, for the day. I think a day here and there would be very tolerable, it the potential of weeks and weeks that is so dire.