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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

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Original poster

Poor dd is staying at 6th form for an extra year

15 replies

Sarkyharky · 13/04/2018 22:58

She did so badly in her AS levels that she wanted to change her subjects. She is taking one a level this year, all her peers will be taking their three then leaving. She'll be doing two more (different subjectsl in 2019. She's predicted ABB now, whereas she was on for DDB before.

She's going to find it so hard when her friends leave

OP posts:

TheSecondOfHerName · 13/04/2018 23:10

Can she start trying to develop friendships with some people in the year below, in preparation for next year?

It will be difficult for her this September, when her current friends are moving on and doing new things, but remind her that in just over a year (when she has her A-levels) the difference won't matter any more.

She is lucky that her school/college was able to accommodate this.

Imfinehowareyou · 13/04/2018 23:13

I did this. I made a whole new group of friends and also got to visit my other friends at their uni's which gave a great taster for uni life. I got on with my work too as I finally understood that I needed to!! She will be fine.

aubergineterrine · 13/04/2018 23:15

My dd was in the same position at the end of AS. It was hard when her friends left, but she knuckled down and worked hard in her final year. She exceeded her A level grades and secured her first choice university. She will graduate this Summer. It was a tough lesson at the time but it's all worth it in the long run.

upsideup · 13/04/2018 23:16

Presumably she's doing the other AS lessons with the year below whilst doing te A level lesson with her current year group? So she will make some new friends for the next year then and actually spending more time with than year group already.

Imfinehowareyou · 13/04/2018 23:17

Forgot to say that I wasn't the only person from my year to stay behind. She might find that some students like me don't get the required grades and need to resit.

Original poster

Sarkyharky · 13/04/2018 23:17

Oh it's great to hear that others have done this. The good thing is that she's now studying a subject that she loves and wants to to do at uni. The school were brilliant, not sure they'd do it for all students?

OP posts:

Original poster

Sarkyharky · 13/04/2018 23:19

upsideup yes she is, and she's friendly and polite anyway, but the teacher in one subject said she sits alone and doesn't really join in with the others.

OP posts:

vivavivaviva · 13/04/2018 23:20

It's rare, but not super rare. They can access funding until they're 19, so it suits the school just fine.

Original poster

Sarkyharky · 13/04/2018 23:22

She will need to do something else next year, either extra work experience or an epq. She can't just do 2 a levels. She could do a As in photography as a random filler rather than an epq but I think she wants to do the epq

OP posts:

ChilliCheeseMama · 13/04/2018 23:24

This happened to me and looking back, I'm so glad it did. It made me make friends out of sixth form at places like work (who I'm now still friendly with 4 years later!) and I actually just cracked on with the work in lessons because I had less friends to piss about with.

I got on with everyone and just kept my head down really and got great grades! Might be a bit crap at the time but honestly so worth it in the end :)

yikesanotherbooboo · 14/04/2018 07:59

My DS should have done this but wouldn't be persuaded.
His best friend( at another school) did it. He made new friends, kept up with his old ones and improved his grades and options a lot. It worked fine for him.

Stickerrocks · 14/04/2018 22:45

Could she do a vocational qualification alongside the EPQ which she could turn to her advantage and use to earn some extra cash when she goes to uni? Everything from AAT accountancy qualifications to Health & Social Care qual8f8cations seem to be on offer at our local 6th forms and the colleges actively encourage students to take them.

On another note, my DN spent an extra year at 6th form. It did her the world of good to get away from the year group that she had been part of for 11 years and gain a new group of friends.

Kindofhush · 19/04/2019 18:24

My poor daughter has just been diagnosed with gladular fever so is going to do an extra year as she just isn't capable of doing her A levels this year. She's worked so hard, predicted good grades and had 4 offers to study medicine so she's absolutely gutted

Hercules12 · 20/04/2019 11:24

Ds did this and I was worried but he wasn't. He kept himself to himself and met up with friends during the university holidays. Not making new friends was fine and meant he focused 100% on work. He ended up with good grades and met people of all ages at university.

rooibostea · 20/04/2019 12:09

I did this, I concentrated a lot more, got great grades, got a part time job, it was much better for my self esteem overall.

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