Year 9 options - any advice?

[Guest55]

Currently AS is half an A level and taken at the end of Year 12. Then to complete the A level you study A2 in Year 13 and take the A2 exams.

All this will change from next September for some subjects and the following September for the rest.

http://www.edexcel.com/Aboutus/press-ro ... pdate.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Minesatea]

http://www.theguardian.com/education/20 ... el-reforms

At present A levels are made up of two parts AS levels, usually sat at the end of year 12, and A2 sat in year 13. When Mr Gove was education minister he announced changes to the a levels so that the AS result would no longer count towards the A level but be a stand alone qualification. This will affect the current year 11 onwards. However Labour have said that they will reverse this if they win the next election and Cambridge University are also very anti the reforms.

[ahap]

I see, thanks both. So DS will be doing GCSEs and then A levels in yr 13 and no more half courses for him or the current yr 9 ers in the future for now. But if government changes then we have to find out whether the half courses have come back.

[Guest55]

I think it will be too late to reverse the changes ... options will have been chosen and offers made to current Year 11s. I don't agree with the changes but feel they are inevitable.

[Stressed?Moi?]

I cannot believe I didn't think of looking on the school's website!!! On the January entries of the school calendar there is a Year 9 "Futures Day" (whatever that is) and a Year 9 Parents Evening on that day also. Hopefully all will be revealed then. She has lost a fair bit of confidence at the moment (arghh, friendship groups of girls) for various reasons and believes her grades are slipping because of them. I'm actually looking forward to her December school report to be able to show her that she is doing better than she thinks. Alternatively, I will have to speak to the school if she isn't progressing well. I think all of this is building up, and options are at least something she would be able to control.

All the talk of A Levels is sending shivers down my spine (deep breath SM; it's years away!).

Thanks again - interesting stuff.

[ahap]

DS's confidence had gone a bit downhill as he was feeling like the new kid on the block for a while. He seems to get a bit familiar with the surroundings and everything now so hopefully everything will be all right. Revision is still done at the last minute for anything, he keeps postponing and just flipping the pages of his note books is his style at the moment. DS seems to have a lot of subjects in his mind for GCSEs but I feel they'll be too much for him, he keeps saying, I'll do that, oh! I'll do that as well, I like that, I think I'll do another 2 privately, and this and that. Of course I am happy with his enthusiasm but who is going to do the studies I wonder.

[Stressed?Moi?]

Feeling your pain ahap . I came across a website called National Careers Service which seemed really helpful - maybe worth a look? She received a top mark (finally) for an essay she took pains to write which has boosted her confidence massively. It came in the nick of time as she seems a bit happier. Her mates are finally settling down and are going through a good phase - it won't last but at least it's a break! Hope things work out with your ds - the enthusiasm balance really is a tricky one.

[ahap]

That's a very useful site SM, thanks. I am thinking if he does about 11 subjects it'll be enough, but I think a chat with his teachers and those useful meetings will help him in deciding. In my days in a different part of the world we did 8 subjects and everyone had to do all except there was choice between commerce/home science, then art/music. My choices were commerce and music . That's it. But schools nowadays have a lot of subjects and it is mind boggling.

[Stressed?Moi?]

I agree. I did English(Language and Literature), maths, biology, needlework, RE, geography, typing (RSA 3). DD thinks it's funny but she is so jealous. I can't help thinking that whilst we are making kids masters of all trades, we run the risk of them being masters of none. I feel sorry for them as they don't get enough free time to be kids. I'm certainly glad I was a kid when I was.

[ahap]

What I did in those days were Maths, 1st Language & Literature, 2nd Language, Science -(Includes Botany, Zoology, Chemistry, Physics), Religion, Commerce, Music and History & Social Studies-(Includes Geography, Social science and all sorts -we were the first year to include history) Before that History was taught in the middle school (yr7-yr 9) under Social studies. We didn't have any course work or anything like that. We had plenty of time to do sports, play or read novels/books and had time to do homework where we could research on our text books, and relax or do whatever. Our school opening times were 7.25am (Sun rise-approx: 6 am daily) to 1.30pm so had plenty of time for after school activities if you like till 3.00pm. Some teachers just left to our own devices, so we had to do revision at home. Some teachers went though revision in class after they finished the syllabus for the O/Levels and did past papers. Some children who thought that they would not get high grades for them got them for those subjects. That was how it was there.
I think DS has settled now in his new school. Some of his classmates and his teachers have been supportive. Hopefully he will get used to the routine of doing homework as it is quite a lot compared to what he was used to. His revision or practice was to a minimum as he is sort of a laid back person. I think Maths is DS's forte but he seems to be okay in other subjects too according to his report but we'll see. If it is to be consistent then he needs to learn to revise and put a bit more effort in his work or it will turn out to be a very different situation.
Parents are supposed to support them with their revision according to the school by making the environment suitable to study was one point I can remember. Will they be doing revision in schools before the exams?