DD hating 6th form

[BigSandyBalls2015]

Did well in GCSEs, passed 9 (possibly 10, waiting for a remark).

She admits herself that she was surprised as she didn't work very hard at all, went to the revision sessions at school but did very little at home. School has always been somewhere to socialise and have a bit of a laugh for DD.

So for 6th form I did suggest that perhaps A levels weren't for her as they would require a lot of studying, harder to wing it. She insisted she wanted to stay on at her school, refused to even look at vocational colleges, I went on my own.

Now third week in, she hates it. She's bored, has no friends there, very unmotivated and has already had two days off sick.

What do we do? There's bound to be an email from school soon requesting a meeting. Is it too late to contact other colleges?

Shouldn't be too late but you will need to act fast. Colleges are more laid back than sixth forms and might allow a swap depending on how much ground has been covered in lessons on her chose course. Get her to look into courses and ring up the college to enquire asap!

A couple of fe colleges near us are still advertising but you'll need to act quickly. What does she want to do?

She has no idea what she wants to do as a career, likes the idea of uni but that's more to do with the partying I think.

I'll ask her to ring colleges today then, thanks.

Has mentioned working with animals or children.

Is she still at her old school? She says she bored, would she want to swap any of her options? DD has just swapped from biology and RE, has catch up to do, but says she's loving it.

It won't do any harm to contact colleges, that way she knows what is available to her and if she there's anything she'd prefer. At this stage, I'd say to do a course/subjects that interest her and not worry too much about the future.

My DD got a scholarship and bursary for a private school out of county. We've had two weeks of messages as the other girls didn't talk much (not just to her but eachother), was hating biology, the element she went there wasn't quite what she thought. Last night was hopefully the turning point, she was totally positive for the first time in two weeks. I can't say this is the case for your DD, everyone kept telling me it was early day, but maybe your DD might be happier in a few days.

The other thing you could look at is apprenticeships that way she can start earning money too.

It also gives her a year so if she feels its not for her she can restart at college next year when she's a bit older and had a time out to think about what she wants to do.

Sandy For some reason I think you are in Hants (or maybe just because of your user name?).

You are getting late to swap colleges so if she is going to move you need to get on and make enquiries.
If you are near me, then Animals would be Sparsholt. Children would be Eastleigh or Brock or apprenticeship.
But just read she has stayed on at her school, so maybe you are nowhere near.

She can do 3 years at sixth form, so she could continue for this year, whilst working out what she really wants and then 'restart' elsewhere.

Or drop out and do an apprenticeship if she can find one that suits.

Or just get her head down, and realise things may take time to settle in 6th form?

My personal experience is that to thrive at A Levels a child generally should have a good clutch of B's at GCSE. If not, she is not enjoying them, and has a chance to do a more vocational course, then go for it. As others have said many kids take 3 years to complete sixth form so all is not lost either if she stays and things don't work out.