Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

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

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

DH wants DC to reconsider A Level choices.

78 replies

NameChangeyForThis · 25/08/2022 19:46

DS got his results today. We are all very pleased, but DH wants DS to reconsider his A'level choices. Although it is ultimately up to DS, DH usually is quite influential on him. Just asking here for advice.

His A'level choices are:

Maths (got 9 at GCSE)
Chemistry (got 9)
Music (got 9)
Philosophy and Ethics (got 8 for RS)

RS was actually one of DS's strongest subjects but he came out of the exam saying it was a stinker and there was a high scoring question on there they hadn't even covered. Of course, he is happy with an 8 after the exam.

My DH thinks my DS can end up at a very good Uni. All his other GCSE's were 9's. His Ad Maths was an A. My DH is now saying that if maths is his thing, perhaps he should be doing A'level Further Maths, even though he doesn't want to do maths at degree level. This would make his A'levels; Maths, Further Maths, Chemistry and Music. My DH also thinks that since RS was one of, if not his strongest subject, he feels uneasy that at A'level he could end up with good marks in Maths and Chemistry, but on the day, if the Philosophy exam is a stinker then he could end up with a grade that stops him getting into a good Uni.

I know that an 8 is a very good mark, and this is a first world problem, and I feel a twat for asking. However, before my DH steamrolls my DS into changing, I thought I would ask MN for opinions as there are some well informed people on here.

OP posts:

DisforDarkChocolate · 25/08/2022 19:49

I think your husband is putting too much pressure on your son.

Azandme · 25/08/2022 19:52

As a teacher in FE having seen plenty of young people steered (steamrolled) into choices their parents wanted, rather than them - and all too often their engagement and subsequent results dropping because they aren't doing the subjects THEY wanted, there is only one question that matters...

What does DS want?

His future, his life - if you want him to really engage with his studies and be happy, it has to be his choice.

Bigoldmachine · 25/08/2022 19:55

Please don’t steer him into something he doesn’t really want to do… he will just end up unhappy! Far better he chooses the subjects he enjoys the most. He will give it his all then!

Willdoitlater · 25/08/2022 19:55

I think it would be helpful for your son to draw up a list of post-A-Level options he fancies and work backwards from their entry requirements. His current choices are a bit of a mixed bag, which might be just right, or quite unhelpful depending on what he decides to do next. If he's not sure, he could think in terms of maximising his number of options.

Greensleeves · 25/08/2022 19:55

I think your DH should butt out. He had his chance to make his choices - it's your son's turn now. Be a sounding board, be available to discuss and support him in exploring options if HE wants to - but neither of you should be saying "I think you should do X".

BigFatLiar · 25/08/2022 19:58

Dies he have any idea of what he wants to do in the future? If he does just make sure he doesn't block znh pathways.

DottyLittleRainbow · 25/08/2022 19:59

My mum went all out to try and get me to change my A-level choices based on what she thought I should do. Bribery, went on at me constantly, etc it was horrible.

I didn’t give in but I was so upset and have never forgotten it.

titchy · 25/08/2022 19:59

Sounds like him doing FM is a bigger risk, unless he lives and breathes maths, which presumably he doesn't as he's not intending to do a maths degree.

Given that he got an 8 despite missing one big question that would suggest he got very very high marks for the rest of the paper, and that given a bit of familiarity with past papers in terms of how to tackle questions so he doesn't run out of time, he'll nail A Level.

Berthatydfil · 25/08/2022 20:02

Maths and further maths may not be considered as separate A levels - I know they aren’t treated separately for Medicine. So unless he wants to do a maths degree there’s no point.
However and more importantly it’s your DS that will be studying these subjects every week for 2 years not your DH. A levels are hard enough with subjects you like and enjoy.

Unless it’s a requirement for his proposed degree then he should study what he likes and enjoys and will engage well with over the course of the next 2 years.

MadameMinimes · 25/08/2022 20:02

I’m a head of Sixth Form. It always ends badly when kids are steamrollered into doing subjects they don’t want to do.
i know you said DS doesn’t want to do maths at uni, but is there a chance he might change his mind? Or that he might apply for some other course where having three rather than two STEM subjects will matter? If so, he should really think it through, but it should still be his choice. My heart always sinks when students tell me “I wanted to do X but my parents said I have to do Y”. Kids always do better when they are studying things they want to do.

dribblewibble · 25/08/2022 20:04

It's not your DH's life. He should let your DS decide.

shiningstar2 · 25/08/2022 20:06

When it comes to A levels I think it is generally best to let the student decide. It is an intense 2 years and there are many reasons why very bright at GCSE students drop out. Even when they've chosen, inevitably there are parts of each course they don't like and the temptation is to drop the course. If someone else has chosen the subject this is more likely. Universities these days like a range of A levels. The days of having to specialize in the sciences or the arts are long gone unless he is aiming for medicine.

Discovereads · 25/08/2022 20:07

Unless you love Maths, don’t take FM at A level. Quite often the things we are best at, we don’t like enough to do 40hrs/week for 40yrs. The most important thing is to choose something we are good enough at and would enjoy spending most of our lives doing.

Youve said only what your DH thinks DS should take, but nothing about what DS wants to do?

An 8 is more than enough to study at A level. It’s the same as the old A*

Since he’s across the board all 9s and 8s which is extremely good, he should really be given freedom to choose the A levels that will support the Uni course/careers he has in mind. Your DH should restrain himself.

Dotcheck · 25/08/2022 20:09

MadameMinimes · 25/08/2022 20:02

Agree

Don’t force your child into doing something he doesn’t want to do

jackstini · 25/08/2022 20:10

Let your DS go what he wants
2 maths subjects would be hideous unless he absolutely adores it

rnsaslkih · 25/08/2022 20:10

Lots of people who obtain 9 at GCSE maths will
struggle with further maths. I have two friends who both have ds who got grade 9 in maths gcse and then had to fight their way through further maths a level with difficulty. If further maths is not your ds’s own choice, then it is a big mistake imo.

erinaceus · 25/08/2022 20:11

If the student takes maths and further maths, they are doing a lot of maths. Particularly if your DS takes A level chemistry as well he will literally spend at least half his time studying maths.

Whilst a 9 at GCSE is an achievement not to be underestimated, I think a student can achieve it without being particularly mathematically talented, whereas to get a good grade at FM A level I think the student needs a degree of mathematical talent otherwise it will be very hard work and pretty tiresome.

Maths, FM, Chemistry and Music is a very mathematics-heavy combination. Maths, Chemistry, Music and RS sounds more interesting! If your son is aware that for RS he needs to keep his exam technique in check, he should be okay.

DPotter · 25/08/2022 20:12

Music is a huge commitment - presumably he's studying at least one instrument so there could well be grade exams as well or at least lots of practise

Like all others are saying - get your DH to butt out. It will be good practise for you to be telling him this now so he can also butt out for degree and uni choices as well.

TeenDivided · 25/08/2022 20:13

I did a maths degree. I'd say don't do FM A level unless he loves maths.
He clearly doesn't love maths that much as he'd be wanting to do FM already.

Anothernamechangeplease · 25/08/2022 20:17

Your ds sounds intelligent and capable. And therefore able to make his own informed decisions.

I would definitely encourage him to think about what he might want to do at university and to research what subject combinations might be most useful in that regard, but he needs to make the decision about what he wants to do. It's his life, and he will have to do all of the hard work.

Original poster

NameChangeyForThis · 25/08/2022 20:24

DS's favourite subjects are Chemistry and RS. He loves the debates and essay writing of RS, but chose Philosophy and Ethics over the RS A'level.

I think Titchy has it right. He came out of the RS exam gutted, saying that there was a big question they hadn't covered and he ran out of time. So I think you are right that he did well in the other questions.

Initially he chose Maths, Further Maths, RS and Chemistry. Then after consultations with the school he changed it to Maths, Chemistry, Philosophy and Music. We were advised to include an essay subject and that a creative would also really benefit him. Given the music interest he has, I think he will want to keep doing the 4 A'levels, whereas all his friends have picked 4, with the intention of dropping 1 when they work out what they like best. We were told that whilst his maths is very good, he would struggle to get a very good Uni place, as there are many maths genius' vying for those places. DS at this moment in time, thinks he wants to do a degree in Chemistry, and he was advised that it's not that popular a course and so if he got decent A'levels he may have a better chance at a good Uni for a degree in Chemistry.

OP posts:

Quartz2208 · 25/08/2022 20:24

Your DH has an awful lot of opinions about a decision that isn’t his doesn’t he.

he needs to back off I agree if he wanted to do further maths he would know, the fact he hasn’t and has chosen that set seems a sensible decision that suits him. It is his choice and as a parent your DH has to respect that

the horrible question can happen in maths just as much as any other (if not potentially more!) Your DH is taking a ( happened in R/S) and without any evidence wrongly extrapolations that to a concern about Philosophy. A different subject/curriculum/level of exam

redskyatnight · 25/08/2022 20:27

DS gets to choose. Your DH's logic is faulty anyway - DS could have a stinker of an exam in any subject he chooses and do less well than expected - and getting an 8 is hardly doing badly anyway!

He's likely to keep more doors open with RS than FM.

Snugglemonkey · 25/08/2022 20:27

I was pushed into Maths and Further Maths. I hated both, made it to Christmas and dropped out of both. Against all advice I picked up sociology, which I had never studied before and had obviously missed up to Christmas of. I got an award for achieving the highest points in the exam board, so it worked out grand. A lot of needless stress though!

Original poster

NameChangeyForThis · 25/08/2022 20:28

Music is a huge commitment - presumably he's studying at least one instrument so there could well be grade exams as well or at least lots of practise

No grade exams to do. He is grade 8 in 2 instruments and has grade 8 music theory.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2 3 4

Swipe left for the next trending thread