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Teenagers

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

Original poster

Disappointed with DS A level choices

113 replies

Bagamoyo1 · 08/09/2021 00:48

I know I’m being unreasonable, and I know this is a first world problem, but I can’t help it. I wanted to post to see if others can share experiences and stop me feeling so down about it.

DS has just started year 12. Since year 7 he’s been good at French and really enjoyed it. From the start he knew he wanted to do French A level. He’s just started his courses (day 8 today) - French, history and geography.

He’s moved schools for 6th form (his original high school don’t have a 6th form), and he’s just announced that he’s hating French, and wants to give it up. He says it’s harder than GCSE, and he’s just not enjoying it, and can’t face 2 years of it. He wants to switch to sociology.

I can’t help thinking he wants to change because lots of his friends are doing sociology, and it’s basically way easier than French.

I’m worried he’ll regret it. Rightly or wrongly, sociology is seen by many as an easy (and therefore less valuable) option, and I honestly think that once he’s settled in his new school, he’ll find the French more manageable. But obviously he doesn’t have that luxury - if he’s going to switch he has to do it asap.

I haven’t let on how I feel. I’ve just said he needs to think carefully, talk to the teachers, and do whatever he feels most comfortable with.

But how can I stop myself feeling so disappointed? He got a distinction in French some GCSE work, and was a shining star for the whole course. He’s been naturally gifted at it since day 1.

I just need to find a way to feel positive about all this.

OP posts:
PartridgeFeather · 08/09/2021 01:13

Sociology definitely not an easy option, pairs very well with History, will help his writing, critical thinking etc.

French unlikely to be that much use by itself if he's not planning on working with languages.

HarebrightCedarmoon · 08/09/2021 01:16

I think it's more important to do an A-Level you will enjoy than one you think you ought to do. If I had my time again I wouldn't do French A Level. I did really well at GCSE but there was such a gulf between GCSE and A Level that I never quite forded the gap, and I didn't enjoy it at all, and ended up getting a C which meant I missed out on my first choice of university.

PermanentTemporary · 08/09/2021 01:16

Argh. Could he start sociology as well and keep going with French for at least a term?

NotMyCat · 08/09/2021 01:20

He can always do it in future, I get you might be disappointed but it's not a "I can never do this again" option

If it helps, I told my dad I was going "studying horses" after I finished my GCSEs. This did not go down well Grin and we compromised
I had to do 4 A/S levels of his choice and pass them and if I still wanted to go then I could go at 17. He picked law, English language, psychology and sociology thanks dad
I went to study horses at 17 Wink but you've never seen anyone as proud as when I finished my BA hons degree (business management with equine studies)

HarebrightCedarmoon · 08/09/2021 01:21

Plus there are lots of ways to learn languages these days. The way it is taught here in schools, progress is absolute glacial. Learning Spanish as an adult in evening classes we absolutely rattled through it and learned so much in a much shorter space of time. It's much better to actually also spend time in a country to pick up the language.

TheHouseIsOnFire · 08/09/2021 01:22

Same as Harebright. I got A in french for GCSE and a C at A level. I still can’t hold a conversation I’m French and when I visited family who lived out there and had to go to hospital I needed my aunt with me to translate as my 9 years of “my name is Xx and I like swimming” was apparently not much use there!

Both of my DCs have done sociology at GCSE and they have some really interesting projects and discussions around the subject. In terms of a rounded education and critical thinking it’s a great subject and not an easy one by any means. I imagine at A level it will be really interesting and the fact that he’ll enjoy it will make it even more useful. Nobody really cares what subjects you study at that level, and he has other more academic ones to show that he’s bright. His grades will show that he’s worked hard regardless of what subject it is.

TheHouseIsOnFire · 08/09/2021 01:23

I still can’t hold a conversation in French FFS autocorrect sort your life out!

adeleh · 08/09/2021 01:24

He can’t really know yet that he hates it, can he? It’s quite a rich syllabus these days with interesting set texts. I think it would be a real shame to ditch it after a week. Languages develop a wider range of skills than most other subjects. Of course it’s harder than GCSE, but he’ll be supported and shown how to do well over two years.
That being said I do agree that pupils are likely to do better in subjects they really enjoy.

Plumtree391 · 08/09/2021 01:25

@PartridgeFeather

Sociology definitely not an easy option, pairs very well with History, will help his writing, critical thinking etc.

French unlikely to be that much use by itself if he's not planning on working with languages.

I agree.
NotMyCat · 08/09/2021 01:25

@HarebrightCedarmoon

Plus there are lots of ways to learn languages these days. The way it is taught here in schools, progress is absolute glacial. Learning Spanish as an adult in evening classes we absolutely rattled through it and learned so much in a much shorter space of time. It's much better to actually also spend time in a country to pick up the language.
I had a music teacher who was french. She taught me by only speaking in french, and when you're 5 and need the toilet, you pick it up quick!! Total immersion basically I moved to a school age 13 that had German as a compulsory GSCE and they had all been doing it since age 11 😩 so I had 2 years to get to GCSE level. Did the same again, my mum found a German student and immersion again
WhereTheWildlingsLive · 08/09/2021 01:26

Another one here who excelled at GCSE French and was swamped at a level - it's a massive leap, and if he's not planning to study it at uni it's a pointless ordeal. Sociology a level is really fascinating!

adeleh · 08/09/2021 01:27

Also there’s no guarantee he’ll enjoy Sociology - what if he finds the same thing? That it just feels too different from the GCSE?

HarebrightCedarmoon · 08/09/2021 01:58

Your mum sounds brilliant @NotMyCat. Smile

WolfFleeceSpotter · 08/09/2021 02:03

Putting up my hand to say there is a huge gap between GCSE French and A Level. You have to study French Literature. The books we read weren’t that interesting, and I hated it.
Sociology is going to be a very important subject for the world in years ahead, but I have not once found learning about Ugolin, the spring and Jean de Florette of any use in my adult life.

Etinox · 08/09/2021 02:08

@PartridgeFeather

Sociology definitely not an easy option, pairs very well with History, will help his writing, critical thinking etc.

French unlikely to be that much use by itself if he's not planning on working with languages.

Tosh I’d discourage him very strongly. A Level languages are massively understudied, he’ll stand out at University application stage. Having an A Level Language is a massive boost.
Can you bribe him. I was disappointed in the first few weeks of A Level Eng Lit and my parents sent me off to London for the day to see a play at the Young Vic. Probably my first trip to London alone. I remember every detail of the day. Skiing in Cloisters? 😂😉
Teenageromance · 08/09/2021 02:16

Your son is absolutely making the right choice. ALL that will count for most universities and their courses is the grades he gets not the subject. I’ve been through this with 2 children now and on results day all universities care about is the number of As and Bs. One did A level French and it’s a hard A level and would be torture if you didn’t love it.
Sociology is a much better mesh with the other subjects he is doing

LittleGungHo · 08/09/2021 05:31

My sister did A Levels that she hated and had a significant drop in grades compared to GCSES all because my Dad pressured her to stick with it.

In reality you need A Levels to get to uni or a job to be as high as possible to get ICAS points, unless he wanted to do a French degree.

BabyRace · 08/09/2021 05:50

basically way easier than French

It's only easy if you know the answer. Sociology involves a lot of critical thinking and it's quite tough, especially if he didn't do it at GCSE. French A level is more studying culture, writing essays about government in French. It's a completely different way of studying and lots of students don't get on with it.

I'd be proud of your son for taking control of his choices and not farting around for the next two years before he leaves with a U grade.

LizzieBet14 · 08/09/2021 06:07

I found the gap between GCSE and ALevel French huge & therefore struggled and hated it.
Unless he had originally planned a career in languages then let him swap. Life is too short to be miserable.

Seventimesaday · 08/09/2021 06:36

I found ‘o’ level (yes, I’m that old) French, German and Spanish really, really easy. Studied French and German at A level and found them hard. You do have to enjoy the subjects, I actually had to STUDY to pass them, whilst O level, I just walked through with no revision at all.
I’ve not used either language since, other than holiday. I would think Sociology would be a much more useful subject.

Glitterbiscuits · 08/09/2021 06:46

Have you heard of 'facilitating subjects' for A level choices?
These are the subjects that Unis hold in high regard for applications for most degrees.

www.theuniguide.co.uk/advice/a-level-choices/six-things-you-need-to-know-before-making-your-a-level-choices

One of my DC did A level French. They talked a lot about things like social issues and watched some quite hard hitting French films.
They didn't know the words for knife and fork though!
They did well but really put some effort in, making flash cards, using things like DuoLingo etc

It's early days to make a swap though. How long do you think you could give it before changing? Another couple of weeks might make a difference

Original poster
Bagamoyo1 · 08/09/2021 06:48

Thank you everyone, it’s really helpful to read other’s experiences.

It’s so hard with teens isn’t it, to understand fully their motivations. DS has always taken the path of least resistance, hates to challenge himself, aims low so as not to risk humiliation - it’s just his personality (and being a late August birthday doesn’t help). I just don’t want him to have any regrets, if lack of confidence is making him bail out too soon.

Oh for a crystal ball!

OP posts:
Skyla2005 · 08/09/2021 06:52

I would see french as a waste of time tbh unless he wants to live there

Joystir59 · 08/09/2021 06:54

Is he 18? An adult? Stop pecking his head a out this and let him go with what he feels interested in. He is doing the work after all, not you.

Original poster
Bagamoyo1 · 08/09/2021 06:56

@Joystir59

Is he 18? An adult? Stop pecking his head a out this and let him go with what he feels interested in. He is doing the work after all, not you.
He turned 16 less than 2 weeks ago.
OP posts: