What subjects to choose?

overpeck · Post by **overpeck** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:24 pm

Glad to hear that LFH 4 is doing ok.

Thanks for your comments our eldest is definately inclined to do the opposite to what we suggest. You really do have to go carefully... You are quite right there are a lot of other choices out there in the big bad world not necessarily wrong! I just hope we can guide her in a way that she wont regret or blame us! later on.... My OH and I both left school at 16 so we want to be sure she doesnt waste her ability/talents.

delta · Post by **delta** » Fri Oct 23, 2009 11:56 pm

Thanks for the replies and yes, I agree it's a personal choice but a shame it has to be made so early in my view. I have friends with dcs who have clear strengths which makes the choice a bit easier, or with definite ideas of future careers etc. This isn't the case with our ds and I think it's sad that in some way this is seen as a negative where in fact being a good all-rounder should be a positive thing.

We have looked at online prospectuses and it seems that at certain universities they have quite specific A-Level requirements - e.g engineering at Oxbridge specifically asks for maths and further maths if your school offers it (which ds's does). I'm interested in the view that Geography might be a soft option? I've never heard this before?

Looking for help · Post by **Looking for help** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 10:08 am

Hi delta,
I don't think Geography is a soft option, I'm surprised others think so.
I have to say my children were quite lucky, it was an easy choice to drop some subjects, as they were obviously better at others

What I would suggest is fairly similar to what I advised overpeck above, you can make decisions just now, but if your son changes his mind, there is plenty of time to opt for other subjects. Between now and next September a lot can happen in his life to give him a direction to follow.

overpeck, I hope your younger daughter is getting on OK at her new school, too -sorry I meant to ask last night but my computer crashed as I was typing.
LFH

overpeck · Post by **overpeck** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 1:02 pm

Hi Delta I dont think Geography is a soft option it is a nice conventional option in my opinion that also keeps your options open.

I also think it is a shame that unless your child knows exactly what they want to do ie sciences, maths etc it is not necessarily seen as a positive I remember when my oldest was choosing her options for GCSE the comments were well it wont matter what she picks as she will do well in whatever she chooses three years down the line she is a little confused and not sure she or we made the right choices...

Thanks LFH youngest has settled in well, made friends, joined clubs and also made the top set for maths which has been a real confidence boost for her after all the troubles with the 11+ appeals etc. I am so glad we appealed if anyone is reading this out there trust your instincts.

another mother · Post by **another mother** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:38 pm

We've now been round various sixth forms and despite initial and obvious attractions

, DD has almost ruled out moving to a boys indie (hurrah - couldn't afford it which she completely understands) - she still wants to see the two state options (though we have no guarantee of getting in to either) but I sense that like several of her close friends, now they've really thought about the pros and cons of moving- and had a very good sixth form evening at their own school - it's looking less attractive. At the start of term only the 'uncool' appeared to be staying (in fact we were wondering how the school was going to manage a huge exodus!) - but the very infectious excitement at the prospect of leaving is now dying down a bit. Along with other mothers, I've tried to keep my opinions to a minimum! (very hard in my case!)

Re AS choices - As a result of tramping round various schools we've seen a number of presentations on all the subjects she's keen on - which were c 9 and now down to six! And also got an idea of how they vary with different boards. One of the best pieces of advice was to go and look at the folders of those in year 13 doing the subjects you are interested in. She's done this and it has helped narrow the field, as has talking to sixth formers at school. It's given her a much clearer idea of what would be involved; with most subjects it's a very different experience to GCSE and with others - economics and hist of art - she's got a much better idea now of what she'd actually be doing - though still can't choose since they'd be very different experiences!
Really good teachers make such a huge difference; if she stays where she is, she knows who will be teaching some courses (eg in history) and that is also determining which century she's going for.
Also looking at the numbers doing the courses - if only 2 people are choosing clas civ - which was on the list- that's possibly too few. One teacher said she thought the optimum was between 6 and 12 - any smaller and there wasn't enough diversity of input.
Having had various people say don't take on too many 'essay' based subjects however, a really impressive teacher said to her, that if that was her strength and she enjoyed it of course that's what she should do and not to just go for spread! He was all for complimentary combinations! So no clearer there!

She thinks she wants to read English, but is also interested in history, int relations, politics.. we were told if she was thinking of doing politics at uni there was no need and it was possibly a disadvantage to do the alevel. And having talked to students and staff she has definitely dropped that option.

another mother · Post by **another mother** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 2:44 pm

ps you are right Overpeck to tread warily. They are reaching the point where they must make the choices for themselves - what is nice is when they ask your opinion because you haven't given it yet (but I do find that a struggle!)

overpeck · Post by **overpeck** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 4:41 pm

Dear another mother
I too am trying to keep my opinions to myself (also hard in my case)
The first college we went to I hated but managed to keep my feelings to myself. The next day (after a restless night) I asked my daughter if she liked it and if she had the choice to stay where she was or go there which would she choose and she said she would choose to stay where she is so that was the required result.

We have looked at 2 more this week and both were good options, her dad took her to one and I took her to one so it was good to get some input from him too. Unfortunately due to work it is hard for us all to go together.

We have one more that we are going to look at - my OH will probably take her as it is Kingston and I dont know Kingston too well.

another mother · Post by **another mother** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:01 pm

Overpeck you are really lucky to have good sixth form college options - there really aren't very many round us. DD would much rather go somewhere where everyone is starting new, rather than joining an existing cohort. And I think that would be preferable.

Am deflecting my desire to intervene into chatting to others whose DCs have moved for sixth form - socially on the whole seems to be ok - except sometimes it's SO OK in terms of parties/distractions etc that grades have suffered. The fact AS's come along so soon, and before DCs are necessarily settled, does get mentioned a lot. My DH thinks it would be mad to move - I've had to tell him to quieten down so he doesn't push things that way! Perhaps perversely quite like seeing DD standing up for her right to at least look at all the options!

delta · Post by **delta** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:28 pm

Thanks. It must be hard trying to choose subjects as well as deciding whether to move schools although I can see going round the various open days must give you much more info about what's involved in the various courses and really make your dc give it more thought. I really like the idea of talking to sixth formers and I'll encourage ds to do this. They also have various lunchtime talks given by sixth formers and others which I think would help him to see what's involved but I'm fighting his apathy at the moment

And I totally agree that the teachers are one of the most important factors of all and given lack of any other means of making a decision might become the most crucial.

Another mother - some of ds's friends are also thinking of switching for sixth form but like your dd, now the reality is kicking in it seems more of them are dropping the idea. It's certainly true that the AS year moves really fast and there isn't much settling in time. I think unless you have a child who is unhappy and/or their current school really doesn't offer what they want, it's probably best to stay put.

overpeck · Post by **overpeck** » Sat Oct 24, 2009 5:37 pm

We live 5 mins walk from a main line train station so that helps I also think that by the time they hit 16 they are capable of travelling further by public transport. We have had a 5 years of a 9 mile journey 2 days a week she travelled public transport (train and bus) and 3 days I took her as I got a part time job close to her school. This enabled her to gain confidence and responsibility and not get used to mummy or daddy ferrying her everywhere. However now that I have two kids at the school to pay for 2 kids on public transport for 2 days is more than the petrol so I have been driving everyday. There should be a system where you can 'bulk buy' tickets and use them when you need them as a season ticket wouldn't work for us.