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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

A Level options

32 replies

crazycrofter · 31/07/2022 20:06

I’m after some objective advice please. Ds is starting sixth form at a new school (in a new area) in Sept. He’s bright (currently at a grammar school), but not particularly academically minded, much more interested when he can apply things in real life. He has ADHD and gets extra time and rest breaks for exams. Despite this, he generally doesn’t finish (except for Biology and Business as far as I remember from his GCSEs).

He doesn’t think he wants to go to uni as he wants to get out and earn money but he’s interested in a degree apprenticeship. He’d like to be self employed one day! He struggles to study for extended lengths of time and all his GCSE revision was done in 20-30 minute chunks. He writes very well but is very slow. He’s even slower at reading… I have no idea what his results will look like as until his actual GCSEs he never did sufficient revision. He’s also really into fitness and weight training.

He would have done PE, but as he doesn’t have an approved sport for the practical he’s doing single BTEC sport instead. He is also doing Business A Level. Out of the possible options for subject 3, he’s narrowed it to History, Biology and Criminology (WJEC level 3 diploma). He’s very good at history, capable of a 9, but not finishing has previously brought him down to a 7. He really enjoyed History - but did have a superb teacher. He’s done combined science (his choice) but found Biology the most interesting and easiest. I thought he might find Sociology or Psychology interesting (and so did he) but they’re in the wrong block - but Criminology includes aspects of both. I’m struggling to know how to steer him. He says he’ll wait til results day and make a snap decision then 😬

OP posts:
butterflyflutterby123 · 03/08/2022 13:37

Whoops should say dd did aqa bio. Don't know if ocr have an essay but check

crazycrofter · 03/08/2022 14:15

Thanks, apparently OCR don’t have the essay.

Biology would open up some healthcare professions like physio - I was maybe thinking this might suit him and he could also do say a fitness training qualification and go private, offering both? He really enjoys training /advising other people on fitness and diet, weight training etc.

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TheTeenageYears · 03/08/2022 14:24

Have you heard of bionic reading @crazycrofter? I hadn't until a few days ago but have a look and see if it might help DS. Could be a game changer if it works for him and might make the subject choice easier.

thing47 · 03/08/2022 14:25

I’m not sure how ds would get on with the plant stuff but he’s definitely interested in human biology

DD2 was the same @crazycrofter . Her A level class asked their teacher if they could do mostly human biology and ultimately they did very little on plants throughout the 2 years.

Basilthymerosemary · 03/08/2022 14:55

crazycrofter · 03/08/2022 14:15

Thanks, apparently OCR don’t have the essay.

Biology would open up some healthcare professions like physio - I was maybe thinking this might suit him and he could also do say a fitness training qualification and go private, offering both? He really enjoys training /advising other people on fitness and diet, weight training etc.

Could he do sports science instead of biology? That way no plant biology and a much better fit for physio/training in the future?

crazycrofter · 03/08/2022 16:58

@Basilthymerosemary he's already doing Sport BTEC as one of his other options.

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crazycrofter · 03/08/2022 17:03

I’ve had a look at lots of physio courses and most will accept either PE A Level or the extended Sport BTEC, but maybe not sure about the single one.

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