Y11 2025-26 Results Day and Next Steps

[UncomfortableSilence]

We can use this thread to continue our discussions for now.

DD's drama teacher is requesting her paper back but she hasn't said if she feels it should go for a remark yet

DD was very close to the next grade up and as it is one of her favourite subjects wants to go ahead with it, but obviously we have no idea if it will make any difference. This was AQA

@Roseyposeypie I was reading a thread about this on the WIKAU FB page earlier today.

I think the consensus was that It's ok for uni - there were examples of people going to RG unis, e.g Warwick & Durham, with 3 A levels including FM. But schools don't like them doing just 3 to start withbecause if FM becomes too hard, they can't drop it so the advice is generally to start 4.

But I know the workload is a lot. DD has started 4 (not FM) with the view to dropping one and is already saying she needs to decide sooner rather than later as she's worried about the work, and I think seeing everyone else with more free periods.

@Stowickthevastdd’s sixth form all start with four and have to do at least three weeks before dropping which I think is sensible. Dd was set on her top 3 out of the four but that has already swerved after two days!

@makemineadecaf at her old school, they had to do 4 for the first year so she was always in that mindset.

But in her new school, only the FM people seem to be doing 4. Like yours, her view on what she may drop seems to be changing each time she has a different class and teacher. Slightly worried she'll stick with English as it's got most of the cool girls in!

Thank you and fingers crossed for her!

The reading list would be great, yes please. I have a few economics books knocking around from my own studies but that was quite some time ago.

I haven't actually spoken to DS's sixth form at all about his subject choices. I'm worried in case he can't hack FM but the only other subject he's interested in is Physics, which doesn't look much less intense. They're having a parents information evening this week so I will find someone to ask.

@Stowickthevast That’s a good point about what if he starts to find FM too difficult. He got a 9 in maths and distinction in FM GCSE but I do worry about it.

@NotDarkGothicMama
I think the reading list was with the intention of broadening horizons rather than just directly for the course:
• Can’t We Just Print More Money by Rupal Patel
• Economics: The User's Guide: A Pelican Introduction by Ha-Joon Chang
• Cracking Economics by Tejvan Pettinger
• Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything by Levitt, Steven D., Dubner
• The Undercover Economist by Tim Harford
• The Euro by Joseph Stiglitz
• Capital in the Twenty First Century by Thomas Piketty
• Doughnut Economics by Kate Raworth
• GDP: A Brief but Affectionate History by Professor Diane Coyle

There was also a list of films which I thought was fun:
• The Big Short (2015) – biographical drama-comedy film
• Margin Call (2011) – drama film
• Rogue Trader (1999) – biographical drama film
• Boiler Room (2000) – crime, drama film
• Wall Street (1987) – drama film
• Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room (2005) - documentary
• Inside Job (2010) – documentary

I'm planning on taking DD to Birmingham open day in November to see a campus. Then hopefully a London subject specific one at some point (we're in London) before the main summer ones next year. Want to spread them out, narrow down if she's keen on campus/city and maybe inspire her with different subject talks as she doesn't know what she wants to do.

Thanks @Roseyposeypie!

DS is also keen on Warwick so we'll go and see that one in October. He's only ever visited Cambridge and Oxford so I'd like him to take on board that there are other very good options.

We’re booked for Southampton, Nottingham and Birmingham over the next couple of months. I’m excited! Dd is keen on a specific course but I’m hopeful that we’ll do a few subject talks.

DS now has a bit of independent learning but it’s all things he has done for fun for years anyway. It’s read the FT, listen to politics podcasts and the today programme. Hopefully they’ll be something more soon as he is not sure this is work yet, but early days

DD hasn’t spoken to school about changing options yet, which means she’s supposedly doing the subjects she’s thinking of not doing today. Will see how that’s gone when she gets home

i do wonder if some of it is about free periods as others have said. I’m guessing she’d prefer to have the same ones as her friends and she’s so easily influenced in that respect.

Just had AQA English Language GCSE review back, up 4 marks so enough to get the grade she wanted! Sorry meant to post this on the other thead but was too excited.

We did get positive news!! Thank you for your support at the time.

Thank you MrsHamlet for your advice. We submitted a retrospective special consideration and my teen has found out today they have been awarded extra marks which have taken them to the next grade 🙏

Hooray!!! So pleased to be helpful.

Congrats! We had Physics reviewed but was told no change to the grade (only needed 1 extra mark!).

Congratulations @Imaginingdragonsagain

When did you put English in? I requested on 24th August but still waiting to hear back. Was that both papers? I've only put paper 1 in so far so will check paper 2 if it doesn't get any marks.

Think it was about the 25th @Stowickthevast Fingers crossed you get the extra marks you need.

Sorry @Crispsandwich25 frustrating to be so close to the boundary.

We’ve just submitted our fourth subject for review. The other three all went up so would be fab to get a clean sweep!!

Good luck @makemineadecaf We’re tempted to do 1 more but think we’ll quit while we’re ahead. Can I ask what subjects your reviews were in?

Have you been putting both papers in @makemineadecaf ?

I'm over thinking whether I should have just done both at once.

Someone on another thread went up in one and down in the other – so no overall change @Stowickthevast so that is always the risk I guess.

Definitely not! Only one paper. The school have told us which to do each time.