Help!

Discussion and advice on Sixth Form matters

Moderators: Section Moderators, Forum Moderators

Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Help!

Post by Looking for help »

My son is in year 12 , studying AS Levels.

My OH has been given a new job which means relocating to Europe. Huge excitement. However my question is would we be able to transfer my son to an international school where he could complete his A Levels as he will have finished y12 by the time we move ?
Or if not, and he is considering this as an option ( weirdly if he had said no, we wouldn't be moving)- taking the IB.

Has anyone done this sort of thing ? Will it have an impact on his application to university ? He is expected to get all As at AS Levels, so we don't want to cause problems later on.

Thanks for any advice.
hermanmunster
Posts: 12817
Joined: Fri Sep 15, 2006 9:51 am
Location: The Seaside

Re: Help!

Post by hermanmunster »

suspect will be tricky to transfer to another school doing A levels anywhere at this stage as boards and even modules chosen within boards vary between schools - doing IB definitely an option but of course means doing year 12 again.
Looking for help
Posts: 3767
Joined: Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:12 am
Location: Berkshire

Re: Help!

Post by Looking for help »

Thanks Herman, he is up for that, I'm not sure what I think about it all, tbh.
It's an opportunity also, he is unsure what to study at university anyway. Was always going to be doing medicine, but isn't so convinced anymore. Looking at the syllabus of the IB, it looks much broader which might give him more options.
I am concerned though that a university will wonder why he has taken three years over 6th form and that may damage his chances there as well.
Amber
Posts: 8058
Joined: Thu Sep 24, 2009 11:59 am

Re: Help!

Post by Amber »

What a great opportunity for you all. Personally I think that it would be best to repeat Y12 and do the IB. The advantages of moving and living in a different culture will outweigh any academic disadvantage. Your son will have a run of top grade AS levels and can pick slightly different subjects for the IB to ensure a good spread. His personal statement and references will make it very clear what has happened and he can make the most of the new opportunities he has to make his PS really stand out.
Good luck - it's a fabulous chance!
Justinterested
Posts: 65
Joined: Thu Dec 11, 2014 11:16 am

Re: Help!

Post by Justinterested »

It would be a great shame to uproot him and to find that the new job doesnt work out for some reason. I think it is always wise with a job relocation for the employee to test the water for at least 6 months before moving all the family. Time in year 13 is so short it will be over in a blink and so I would stay put and let him finish off his education with OH renting/hotelling for a while and then seeing from all positions if relocation is the right thing to do .
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Help!

Post by ToadMum »

There is a helpful section on The Student Room regarding the attitude of the various UK medical schools to resits and other circumstances wrt admissions,

I would agree with Justinterested that if you could cope with being apart until your DS finishes year 13 it would probably be best for him. Not that I agree with what appears to be the increasing inflexibility of some universities (not just their medical schools) with regard to non-standard sixth-form experience, but it would be unfortunate for your DS to find himself excluded from his chosen course having made up his mind what he really wants to do and where.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
scary mum
Posts: 8841
Joined: Mon Mar 15, 2010 3:45 pm

Re: Help!

Post by scary mum »

Not that I agree with what appears to be the increasing inflexibility of some universities (not just their medical schools) with regard to non-standard sixth-form experience, but it would be unfortunate for your DS to find himself excluded from his chosen course having made up his mind what he really wants to do and where.
Why would increased flexibility be wrong? Real life happens and I think it is good that the universities acknowledge that. In addition LFH says that her son is slightly undecided anyway, so doing the IB abroad would give him longer to consider his options and a broader education. My DC will have taken 3 years to do A levels for health reasons - this has not affected offers from universities (although admittedly not the top tier universities). I would say go for it, great experience (don't suppose you fancy telling us where it is so we can be jealous?). Nice to "see" you again LFH.
scary mum
KB
Posts: 3030
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 3:28 pm

Re: Help!

Post by KB »

How soon does your OH need to move?
Would DS be able to finish year 12 & do his AS exams?
Having top grades at AS rather than ducking out midway might be helpful because it will demonstrate he was on track & didn't need to refo year 12 for academic reasons.

I guess is depends if OHs job move is long term or just a couple of years. If its the latter and DS wants the experience of living abroad then not much point him staying for year 13 & following on later.
Otherwise is there an option of him boarding or staying with friends for term time of year 13?

Other option might be to look at private tutor ual college that would support him doing A2s. Whether that would work depends a bit on subjects & DS study style. Assume he's doing sciences?

If there is an English school that does A levels rather than Bac then different boards may not be an issue in most subjects if he is prepared to fill any holes by working to catch up over the summer.
I would say the biggest issue is that it will probably take a while to settle at a new school in a different country and that combined with year 13 could be too much.

Has DS contacted any admissions officers to get a feel of their attitude to starting Bac after year 12? My instinct is that while it might shut a few doors it would not shut off all opportunities of top class offers. However he might find those offers are very high.

Such a tricky decision. Personally if DS exams are the only thing holding you back then I would help him gather all the information so he is aware of options and likely consequences and then allow him to make the choice.

When we had an opportunity to move abroad some of our DCs were very clear they didn't want to pass up the opportunity to finish their education in the UK at a particular school ( that they had worked very hard to get in to) so we didn't go. However our option was not somewhere with a good education system.

Whatever you decide, don't look back :)
ToadMum
Posts: 11946
Joined: Wed Jan 18, 2012 12:41 pm
Location: Essex

Re: Help!

Post by ToadMum »

scary mum wrote:
Not that I agree with what appears to be the increasing inflexibility of some universities (not just their medical schools) with regard to non-standard sixth-form experience, but it would be unfortunate for your DS to find himself excluded from his chosen course having made up his mind what he really wants to do and where.
Why would increased flexibility be wrong? Real life happens and I think it is good that the universities acknowledge that. In addition LFH says that her son is slightly undecided anyway, so doing the IB abroad would give him longer to consider his options and a broader education. My DC will have taken 3 years to do A levels for health reasons - this has not affected offers from universities (although admittedly not the top tier universities). I would say go for it, great experience (don't suppose you fancy telling us where it is so we can be jealous?). Nice to "see" you again LFH.
Sorry, I'm not sure whether I have been misunderstood here or whether I'm misunderstanding your response? The attitude of some universities being that 'we have enough applicants who fit the perfect three or more high grade A levels taken straight through in two years pigeonhole so we don't need to consider those who have done something differently (for whatever reason), thanks' is what I do not condone at all. Nor do I believe that one should only want to go to a particular university for its 'name' rather than its suitability for the course one wants to pursue. However, given that the OP's son is very close to achieving university entrance requirements by the normal route it would be a shame inadvertently to restrict his options.
Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read.Groucho Marx
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: Help!

Post by Guest55 »

LFH - my thought would be to ask him whether he wants to finish A levels here. Is there a friend or relative he could live with for nine months to complete the courses?

If he intends to go to a UK uni then this may be a sensible option, albeit you'll miss him like mad.
Post Reply
11 Plus Mocks - Practise the real exam experience - Book Now