Unless I have missed it. I can't find a thread for A levels 2021 so I thought I would start one.

My Dd is 4 and a half weeks into her first term in 6th form. She is taking 4 A levels (against advice), Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Maths. So far she says she is keeping up with the work and says it is not as hard as she was led to believe it would be and about a quarter of the spec between her subjects overlaps but is just looked at with a different perspective which apparently is helpful. I know the head of 6th form is going to talk to all who have opted for 4 A levels in the next few weeks to check that they are all coping. Some of Dd's friends are taking Five! I was ambivalent about Dd taking 4 but she was determined and still remains so. She is enjoying the subject matter and feels she chose well.
The beginning of 6th form hasn't been the easiest of transitions in other ways. Dds school intentionally separate friendship in tutor groups and none of Dds friends are taking the same subjects as her so she is feeling a bit isolated except at lunch times. The 6th form centre is allegedly a place of horror and is so noisy that it is best avoided. It sounds as though the part animals amongst their cohort have purloined the space. Things are beginning to settle down a bit now and Dd is getting a bit more relaxed and getting into a routine.
How is everyone else finding this transition?

My daughter started 4 (always with the intention of dropping one as she knew that she only would need 3 to get where she wants) but she dropped her 4th last week and is feeling much better about her workload.
She's doing History, Politics and English Literature. She's loving History and Politics; she likes the books she is doing in English Lit so far but I think it's not as interesting a subject. Plus she has an NQT as one of her teachers which has caused a bit of anxiety.
The workload is definitely a step up. They have "transition assessments" next week and she's already recognising the fact that it's going to be "interesting" (stressful!) to move from getting top marks throughout KS4 and probably not having the same experience in year 12.
She too is missing her closest friends who are all doing sciences and it has been slightly more difficult for her than she would have expected. They are expected to help in younger classes which she's really enjoying though and I think she's finding her feet now.
She's also started looking at potential courses at university (having decided what she thinks she wants to study) but hasn't considered going on open days yet (I saw the other thread about that). My DH said that open days are mainly in the summer term. Has that changed?

I am in for the ride on this thread.

DS experience is so different to above. Hated his GS and despite getting the grades to study 4 A levels at GS has moved to a different school environment. He is doing three A levels - all new subjects and is absolutely loving it. It is a pleasure to hear him talk about subjects (& school) with a passion.

He has thrown himself into the new environment - volunteering for various things and getting involved in things he would not have touched at GS. Teachers are described as "real people with proper conversation"!!!!

The Sixth Form Common room at the moment appears to be one giant game of UNO but expected to settle down after half term. Only about 10% of students are "new" to the school so this relaxed area is giving DS a chance to get to know others.

In comparison his friends who have stayed at GS are feeling jaded "nothing has changed", "just got get through these two years" etc.

No idea what is post A level - DS has always said work but based on his GCSE results is considering Uni.

Nice to have a 2021 thread - thanks Eccentric.

That is scary having an NQT for A level. I haven't heard about any transition assessments at DDs school what exactly are they? My Dd is still adamant about doing all 4 of her subjects. She may change her mind later. It sounds as though your Dd is doing a hardcore mix.

I am really glad to hear it is going well.

Quite a few Uni's have them in October. The next lot seem to be in June-ish.

DS2 seems to be getting on okay. I'm not sure if the school has deliberately mixed the 'staying on' boys up (I think he said he didn't really know anyone in his tutor group, but I may have misunderstood), but he seems to have made friends with a couple of the newly-joined girls, one of whom takes all the same subjects. He is taking Art, Maths, Physics and English Literature to AS (the school still does them), but will drop one for year 13.

Wednesday afternoons are 'enrichment', or whatever they call it; DS2 could have a couple of free hours and count his 'young leadering' with Cubs as the session's volunteering, but he has chosen to stay in and join the embroidery group .

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Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx

Thanks for starting this thread - I’m in! My eldest has just started studying for A Levels in Maths, Further Maths, Physics and Computer Science and is loving the fact that his timetable now only contains his favourite subjects! DS has checked out the syllabuses for each exam and is pleased to see quite an overlap. He has also started talking about Uni, I suspect these next two years are going to go very quickly!

I got the title wrong - they are "induction assessments" in each subject. I think they are just to gauge where they are/how they are doing at this stage. In dd's case they are timed essays but I'm guessing they're different in sciences for example.

My Dd says they started having tests on all new material from the second week Arghhh. It does seem to be pretty full on. Especially on the homework front. I am hoping that the same as every other year that will calm down a bit once they are further in to the year. The teachers at Dd school always seem to start off with mega enthusiasm and give masses of work. As the term wears on and they become busier and have less time for marking work the work reduces substantially.
Dd is also enjoying purely doing the subjects she loves most but is missing the variety and her friends that are all doing humanities, drama, English, RS and Languages.
Dd is struggling to find quiet areas to work in her free periods. The library is not always open. Apparently the 6th form Centre is like **** on earth. She wonders how those that spend their free's there chatting are able to keep up with the work. I am wondering whether she is maybe doing too much? She seems to work at school during every free and is working at home for 2 half days at the weekend, and about 3 eves a week so approx 18/20 hours on top of the classroom hours. What are your DC's doing?