How’s your year 12 dc coping with A’levels?

Youcancallmeval · 16/10/2021 09:44

Mine is in y11 but we are having similar issues with lots of tears due to the huge amounts of homework. We had an A level open day at school yesterday and I'm really questioning if it's the right route for her, if she can't handle the pressure now. She is in the top set for everything but claims to not understand anything and is just losing the plot. As am I now a bit! So sorry, no advice, wrong year group, but same situation.

ihearttc · 16/10/2021 22:13

Mine has a huge amount of work to do but is loving it so far. Actually had an open evening for my Y6 DS2 this week and got accosted by DS1’s teachers telling me how pleased they are with him.

He has really matured these last 2 years so I’m hoping a levels will be the making of him.

jeanne16 · 17/10/2021 07:28

Did the school miss out a lot of the gcse syllabus? This happened in lots of schools when the exams were cancelled. She may have large gaps in her knowledge which will have made the transition much harder.

PaterPower · 17/10/2021 07:41

My eldest is in Y13 and sits her actual exams in the summer. She found the transition from GCSE very difficult too and she was also top set at that level and got very good results.

If you can afford it, we found that hiring some extra tuition in her weakest subject was helpful. It’s not magically turned her test scores from a B to an A, but it’s helped her confidence a lot, which has helped her keep going.

Also consider allowing her to drop from taking the extra paper (sorry, I’ve completely forgotten what it’s called - but the one where they research and write an essay on a subject) if her school will allow her to. IMHO it’s just more stress at a time when she doesn’t need the extra time pressure.

MoiraNotRuby · 17/10/2021 07:45

My Y12 has good days and bad days. Is very private about the actual work. But hates how strict school is and wishes he had gone to college. Tbf I can see his point. The school 6th form has become quite draconian and it used to be more laid back. Just taking it one day at a time here. Hope things improve for your DD OP.

whiteroseredrose · 17/10/2021 07:46

I'm so sorry for your DD.

The step up to A level has always been hard - maths is often picked out as a prime example - but this year must be even worse.

Unless the A level syllabus is going to be tweaked there are going to be a lot of DC with gaps from GCSEs on top of the usual jump up.

You've said college so I assume she isn't at the same place that she took her GCSEs - so DC will have had different experiences.

When she is feeling calmer can you broach going to talk to her teachers and see if they can help with strategies for her to catch up? She can't be the only one in this situation.

GoodnightGrandma · 17/10/2021 07:49

I think my DS did better in his GCSE’s because of the way they were assessed, than he would have done if he’d done it the usual way. So now he is struggling, and wants to swap one of his choices at this late stage.
I’m worried it’s all going to get fucked up, and that he’d have been better doing BTEC’s.
I still think there’s the possibility that their education will be affected yet.

MarleneDietrichsSmile · 17/10/2021 07:52

My y12 is finding it hard

Was predicted 9s for gcse, got the 9s, now he feels “dumb” and struggles

lollipopss · 17/10/2021 07:52

My daughter has found the jump to A levels hard despite it being her favourite subjects. Workload plus long journey to college each day is hard going but she is enjoying it.
Like someone else said, her school only taught to grade 7 for GCSE so she has lots of gaps but hopefully will catch up. I think all year 12s must be feeling the same it's really hard for them.

maofteens · 17/10/2021 09:15

My Y12 is at a new school in a new area and an hour long commute by train - she was at one five minutes walk before. The social adjustment has been much more difficult- not knowing where to hang out between classes or have someone to chat to, not having someone to sit with at lunch (she now skips it), what are the right clothes to wear...
As for the work she's always been studious, and has started to pull all nighters as even though she is a good writer, it takes her a very long time to do her essays. The work load has not been too bad in a couple subjects yet, but her history teacher is a dragon and grades their notes! Plus she has to volunteer and do a couple extra enhancement classes as well as the EPQ. The two hours a day commute is also really cutting in to her down time but she's coping. It's tough, and we have had a couple tearful evenings, but more about the move than the work.

VerbenaGirl · 17/10/2021 09:18

Definitely talk to the school - maybe her Form Tutor, Head of Year or Head of Sixth Form (depending on who seems the most approachable) - they are sailing unchartered territory post-Covid and should welcome this being flagged up and hopefully provide support. Also, my DD is in Y13 now and didn’t do so well in Y12 - but things do seem to be coming together a bit more in Y13 as she’s finally understanding how bits of the topics fit together. Things that seem overwhelming now will fall into place with time. Her top tip has been to use study periods / non-timetabled time to really crack through homework, so you’ve got time to go back to teachers to ask, talk to other students or do a bit more independent learning when you don’t understand something. A levels are a big step up and take a bit of getting used to, but it’s early days.

AliMonkey · 17/10/2021 09:20

For first time in her life is finding school hard - not consistently so but definitely a big step up for some topics, less spoon-feeding from teachers and also sometimes overwhelmed with too much work. She has settled more now into spending at least some of her free periods working and that has helped.

AlexaShutUp · 17/10/2021 09:30

Mine seems to be fine so far - happy and doing very well in assessments. However, she thinks this is partly because she did further maths at gcse, so that's helping with her maths and because her gcse chemistry teacher taught the gcse syllabus with preparing pupils for a-level very much in mind. She said that a few other kids seem to be struggling without those foundations.

It's still early days yet so I think it's normal to have a bit of a wobble at the beginning but keep a close eye and definitely talk to the school if you're concerned.

TangoWhiskyAlphaTango · 17/10/2021 09:38

@Flumpflume

After the rocky time they had over the last 2 years DD did well in her GCSEs and was looking forward to starting A’levels. However she’s completely gone to pieces and we’ve had tears every night. She had a lot of work set by the college over the summer which she tried her best with but she’s feeling overwhelmed and finding the subjects she was excelling in at GCSE really hard. They’ve just had tests and she’s not done very well which was a shock as she did brilliantly in tests in the subjects in year 11.

I have a year 13 DD who was very similar this time last year. First set of exam results were not that good for her (she got 9s in her A-Level subjects at GCSE level) and she was really tough on herself for not doing better and finding it so hard. I think it takes time for them to settle back down and readjust to a higher level of learning. She had Christmas off and went back with a clearer head. She did proper mocks the latter end of last term her results showed she was back on track grade wise.

inferiorCatSlave · 17/10/2021 13:17

Okay so far -seems to be doing well in assesments but the college was aware many schools feeding in didn't teach entire syballus and may even have sat different exam boards.

Been a bit of an issue with maths but she asked for some support - from us and her teacher - books extra questions and we'll see how she did on recent test. She also did try and do soem bridging work over the long summer.

I think letting her move from the school 6th from helped remotivate her - there's been social changes to navigate as well.

inferiorCatSlave · 17/10/2021 13:20

I think we also spoke fair bit of what a jump we'd found GCSE from A-levels so maybe she was prepared a bit.

Flowersintheattic2021 · 17/10/2021 20:44

Can she maybe just change and do let's say btec Nat diploma health studies. Lots of jobs and tbh easy. I did it and then did my nursing. But she could also do social work etc

Titsywoo · 17/10/2021 20:57

DD is ok most of the time - finding it a lot of work particularly with the art based subject but we talked early on about planning her time and it seems to be getting easier. She has a mini meltdown once a week about not having time but she does often leave things a bit late in the day. Friendships are proving harder but she had a lot of problems socially at secondary too.

She is becoming much more independant and found a part time job this week without any nagging or help from us. Will be good for her confidence!

I'm so happy she moved from school to college though. Her school were so disorganised and the difference has been amazing - the teachers are clear and concise so she always knows what she needs to do (sounds like that should be the standard but for example art at her last school was a joke - no guidance whatsoever!).

Iamsodone · 17/10/2021 21:23

I have an all 9s at GCSE DC who is finding A levels hard ! they have 4x A levels including maths and chemistry, plus a research project. I don’t think DC has particularly gaps in knowledge, can’t tell for sure though.
I see it as a significant step up, plus 4x subjects and the research project is a quite a heavy workload. Hoping DC will recharge over HT and adjust.
Good luck to all.

maofteens · 18/10/2021 13:09

Oh yes those 'frees' are supposed to be study periods and my daughter is amazed at how some kids just seem to socialise! It's really helpful to be near a library and few distractions (like TV, kitchen, bed) to crack on with work.

Neversaygoodbye · 18/10/2021 13:16

My DD is at 6th form college and so far so good. She loves the freedom to be herself compared to secondary school and is enjoying all her subjects. She feels this is partly because she had more choice in choosing subjects she was interested in and two of her A levels are brand new to her. Her English Lit class is very small and there's much more discussion based teaching which she is enjoying as it's less intimidating in a small class.

Hellohah · 20/10/2021 08:20

DS seems to be doing OK.
He is struggling with one of them (History) because he's not an essay type subject student, but he chose it because he loves it and it really interests him.
I pushed him during his GCSEs and it backfired (he did fuck all), so I made a conscious decision to leave him to it at college. He came to me and asked me to read his History handouts and talk about it, as he feels that this will help him, so I'm proud of him for asking for help and that he is starting to understand his limitations.
The other 2 subjects, from tests so far, he seems to he on track and is enjoying them without needing to do any extra work, the homework is manageable (he is still last minute though with that).