News of non-dancing children.....

[sarahw]

Lisa that sounds very stressful. You couldn't do any more to help him....

[taxi4ballet]

Currently watching the Paralympic swimming trials in Glasgow with bated breath and everything crossed, as friend's DS is competing. He's just swum a personal best in his heat, and has qualified for the final tonight   

[LinMM]

Brilliant achievement! Hope he gets through!

 

 

Lisa I'm surprised that knowing Sean's position the school he was placed in didn't help a bit more.

 

Given that with SATS tests coming up the children might not be following their normal routine for a few weeks.

 

Does he have to be assigned to a particular class? I'm sure they could have placed him with a different class for a while.....it's good to get experience of different age groups anyway.

 

I really hope he can be persuaded to just try to hang on there and complete this course even if doesn't go back next year. That action of finishing something is just so important psychologically I think. Sometimes children won't listen to mum or dad. Is there another relative/ friend who could help out in this respect?

[JulieW]

Can't believe I started this thread three and a half years ago. My daughter has just finished her 3rd year exams and is now classed as a 4th year vet student, and we'll be going to get first graduation (assuming she's passed!) in July. Two more years to go...

[Legseleven]

Wonderful news about your daughter, Julie!

[Lisa O`Brien]

Brilliant achievement! Hope he gets through!

 

 

Lisa I'm surprised that knowing Sean's position the school he was placed in didn't help a bit more.

 

Given that with SATS tests coming up the children might not be following their normal routine for a few weeks.

 

Does he have to be assigned to a particular class? I'm sure they could have placed him with a different class for a while.....it's good to get experience of different age groups anyway.

 

I really hope he can be persuaded to just try to hang on there and complete this course even if doesn't go back next year. That action of finishing something is just so important psychologically I think. Sometimes children won't listen to mum or dad. Is there another relative/ friend who could help out in this respect?

Hi Lin. The students had to choose and organise their own placements. Being in a school isn`t actually relevant to his Health and Social Care course. The only relevant placements are normally in old people`s homes. He did a placement at an old people`s home and absolutely hated it,even though it was more relevant. This is his fourth placement,and his second one with children. Apart from the old people`s home the first placement he did was as a Support Worker at Cuan Mhuire Addiction Centre in Newry [his late father`s second home,sadly]. Again,that placement wasn`t really relevant to his course,but he was still able to write up and "make" it relevant , if that makes sense. The college never once said to him that these placements were unsuitable and to find something different . But the course co-ordinator,when I was speaking to her a while ago said Sean having "Support Worker working with adults with alcohol and other addictions" will leap out at employers a lot more than "Working in an elderly people`s Home" will. I guess it might be because so many do Nursing and Care Homes on courses like this and not many choose to work with alcoholics and drug addicts,which is probably seen as far more challenging. Just been looking on his Primary school`s website,and I notice their school year ends on 30th June. The college term ends on 3rd June. Sean is in a class with 6 and 7 year olds. I`m sure his first thought will be to say "Right that`s me,thank you very much ",[in fact I KNOW that`s what he`ll be thinking] the day his college course finishes. But the Headmaster of the school [it`s a tiny school] is lovely and he is going to counter sign Sean`s photos and form so he can apply for an Irish passport next week. I think I might suggest to Sean that he ask if he can stay on at the school for another few weeks. It wouldn`t do any harm to get more experience,and i`d imagine the school would look favourably on Sean`s keeness to stay on even though his course had ended. Little things like that could be helpful if asking for future references from people ! 

[Lisa O`Brien]

Well it turns out he`s already way ahead of me on that one,and had every intention of asking if he could stay on at the school after his course has finished. He said there was no way he would just quit once his course had finished,and that he wouldn`t treat the school like that. Could it be he`s starting to show a bit of maturity?

[JulieW]

That's great news Lisa!

 

My daughter gets her degree results tomorrow. Her mark doesn't have much bearing on her final vet degree in another 2 years' time, but she's worked really hard and it would be lovely to see her get a great result (I don't think we need to worry about her not passing as her marks so far should carry her through, but it's still nerve-wracking!).

 

Her tutor has nominated her for a graduation award/prize for all her extra-curricular/charity stuff. So happy for her even if it goes to someone else, she's chuffed to bits to be nominated.

 

Youngest son has 2nd year exams starting this week. He seems a bit stressed but he doesn't have too many so hope he'll be OK!

 

And eldest son seems to be having a good start to his personal training career with some lovely clients. He's happy that he's getting more confident at it all the time (and already earnt more than he did as a dancer lol!)

[JulieW]

Thrilled to say she got a first for her BVMedSci (Batchelors in Veterinary Medicine and Science) :-)

 

She's thrilled because she lives with a bunch of the brightest students in her year who were on for firsts and as much as she'd've been happy with a 2:1 she didn't want to be the odd one out in the flat ;-)

[Lisa O`Brien]

What lovely news,Julie. Many congratulations to your clever daughter.

[Fiz]

I saw this on Facebook last night, Julie. Please tell her how thrilled I am for her. My ex dd got a high 2:1 and I suspect she really wanted a First. It's a real achievement.

Edited May 12, 2016 by JulieW
Edited to remove name

[Huddsballetmum]

Congratulations to your daughter JulieW.  A first in Veterinary Science is a real achievement.  Hope the next two years go as well for her!

[rowan]

Opinions wanted!

One of my children, now doing AS levels, wants to leave school. She's finding them tough and is in danger of failing one of them completely. If she fails any of the AS levels, she won't be allowed back to start Yr 13 for the three A2 courses. She's not very academic, but did pass all her GCSEs, nine academic subjects, with mainly Bs, but also three A/A*s.  Even if she does pass the AS's, Yr 13 is going to be tougher, and she doesn't want to carry on. I had always thought that going down the BTech route would be a better one after GCSEs, but she wanted to do A-levels. Would it be better to pull out now after AS levels and start a BTech course in September at a sixth form college or hold out through the A2 Yr13 with some (probably not great) A-levels to her name (if she's allowed back)? She doesn't perform well in exams (she has chronic health issues for which she is treated in hospital and which seem to flare up at exam time) and she says she doesn't want to go to university - doesn't want to sit any more exams. The Level 3 BTech options I've looked at don't seem to be particularly appealing either.

 

It seems quite common that children leave after AS levels (a third of children do, according to nationwide statistics) so I'm curious what they do next. A friend of mine's son left his school after not getting good enough AS grades to continue into Yr13, and then did an extended BTech Level3 at his local sixth form college instead and has now starts at a Russell Group university on the back of it in the autumn - so that seems a good outcome.

[Lisa O`Brien]

I think if she doesn't want to carry on with the A Levels it's pointless her doing so. Judging by the amount of work that's involved I would imagine it's not something you can do half heartedly. Not if you want to achieve high grades,anyway. Does your daughter have any ideas what type of work she would like to do in the future? 

[Lisa O`Brien]

BTW BTEC [stands for Business and Technology Education Council] offer their courses in a wide variety of subjects at most colleges. The BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma is equivalent to 3 A Levels. The A Level grade equivalent is dependent on the  triple grade you are awarded. For instance my son was awarded the triple grade Distinction  Distinction Merit. This is equivalent to A Levels grades AAC.

[Harwel]

I know of a few youngsters who have dropped A'levels after the first year and then gone in to take extended diplomas and have all thrived. Not all kids are exam/academic minded and the diploma set up suits them much better.

[Lisa O`Brien]

With the Level 3 Extended Diploma you also have a mandatory 200 hours work experience as well. A different placement each term. Not many A Level students can say that.

[aileen]

I thought that AS Levels had largely gone or were optional. I am aware that A Levels in some subjects are a big jump up from GCSE, chemistry in particular. You can easily find out what university courses will accept by way of qualifications other than A Levels by going onto the individual universities' websites and checking their admission requirements. However, your daughter has said that she doesn't want to go to university. That may be a temporary view because she is feeling down about school and exams. University courses vary a lot in terms of the percentage of exams versus course work. Some have a surprisingly high (to me) element of course work. Perhaps this might reassure her if the problem is really the stress of exams as opposed to academic study in general.

[Moomin]

She will be under a lot of pressure at the moment so maybe not the best time to make a decision? She did very well in her GCSEs, could you get her a tutor to help her? If she has health problems could she apply for any special conditions for the exams? Personally I didn't find the second year of a level much harder than the first year although if she doesn't understand basic concepts it's obviously going to be tough. I think she will find things easier with a levels but depends on how unhappy she is. Does she have an idea of what she eventually wants to do?

[Moomin]

The coursework element of my degree was assessed practicals which were essentially mini exams under controlled conditions and there were a lot of written exams, far more than a level but there will be a lot of variation depending on what sort of subject interests her

[rowan]

Thank you. BTEC, not BTech! (I knew there was Technology in there somewhere!)

 

Part of the problem I think is due to the revamp of the syllabi this year, removing the coursework/ in-class assessment work in favour of final exams, and also the textbooks and revision books (for some subjects) hadn't even been written or published until well after the school year had started. Also, the exams this year have been brought forward by quite a bit, giving less time all round. We won't make any decisions until after the results are out and then we'll see. If she passes them all, she'll be able to drop the awful one for A2s, and then at least she'll have a choice. She has friends at local independent schools who haven't even been allowed to sit some AS level exams because they've been predicted a D grade in them, which I do find quite shocking. Mine is at a comprehensive, so has a bit more leeway. But at the moment she's adamant about not continuing. 

[aileen]

Yes, wait and see how she gets on and review your options then. It's not a good time to have a discussion about her academic future. That doesn't stop you from discreetly doing a bit of research regarding alternative qualifications and university and college courses. She may do better than she expects and decide to carry on with A Levels. I suspect that the threat of having having to leave school hanging over her is making her feel really anxious and negative about school. I don't see why she couldn't have dropped the subject which she is struggling with. Universities only ask for grades for the subjects being taken to A2. The subject which is dropped seems to be irrelevant.

[meadowblythe]

Some good advice from Aileen above.

 

Whilst I wouldn't mention it now, there are plenty of degrees you can do without sitting an exam, depends on the subject.   They are no easier, just different.

 

The situation on AS levels is pretty fluid in most schools right now.  Various courses are linear/modular and different schools have different policies even within that.

 

The cynic in me sees an element of cost cutting ...

 

Meadowblythe

[Lisa O`Brien]

Some good advice from Aileen above.

 

Whilst I wouldn't mention it now, there are plenty of degrees you can do without sitting an exam, depends on the subject.   They are no easier, just different.

 

The situation on AS levels is pretty fluid in most schools right now.  Various courses are linear/modular and different schools have different policies even within that.

 

The cynic in me sees an element of cost cutting ...

 

Meadowblythe

I didn't know there were some degrees that don't have exams. I had always thought ALL did. [You learn something new every day !] 

[meadowblythe]

whilst I would hesitate to post a link from the telegraph under normal circumstances

 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/9700573/No-exam-university-courses-fuel-rise-in-first-class-degrees.html

 

I would, however, dispute that assertion that non-examined degrees are less hard to obtain.  Stephen Fry allegedly only attended two lectures in 3 years at Cambridge - he would never have been able to do this and pass if he was working on a coursework basis.

[Huddsballetmum]

BTEc's are an excellent qualification and the Level 3 extended diploma is equivalent to 3 A levels.  Be aware that the BTEC is changing and will be come exam based over the next 2 years dependant on which subject, it may be exam based by September 2016.  I don't believe that it is an easier option to A levels, however it is more suited to those learners who learn best by engaging and undertaking a role rather that purely academic study.  There is funding available for those learners who already have a full level 3 and if your daughter passes 3 AS levels then she will have a full level 3.  I would talk to your local colleges.  They tend to give better career advice and guidance than schools.  (biased as I work in FE!!)

[porthesia]

Non-dd finally passed her driving test last week.  I'm now getting greyer by the minute worrying about her driving on her own, although she does still want either DH or myself to accompany her to work in the rush hour and then driver her car back and then the reverse in the evening.  I'm also not a fan of her car but I suppose it will mean a decrease in the mileage on mine!

[Lisa O`Brien]

BTEc's are an excellent qualification and the Level 3 extended diploma is equivalent to 3 A levels.  Be aware that the BTEC is changing and will be come exam based over the next 2 years dependant on which subject, it may be exam based by September 2016.  I don't believe that it is an easier option to A levels, however it is more suited to those learners who learn best by engaging and undertaking a role rather that purely academic study.  There is funding available for those learners who already have a full level 3 and if your daughter passes 3 AS levels then she will have a full level 3.  I would talk to your local colleges.  They tend to give better career advice and guidance than schools.  (biased as I work in FE!!)

At my son's college they have found out that for those starting the Health and Social Care course in September from year one, it is changing to the Foundation Degree. It's the same level as the HND, but will be worth two years of an Honours Degree. The HND is supposed to be too, but for some bizarre reason BTEC didn't include enough modules in the course for it to be worth two years of a degree. Unfortunately his course cannot change halfway through from the BTEC HND to the Foundation Degree, so they feel they have been given the thin end of the wedge.

[rowan]

Thanks, all

 

Well, the wretched exams are done now, so we shall have to wait and see. I'm not actually so bothered if she doesn't go to university in a year's time, or even ever. She is definitely someone who wants to get out into the world of work. At some point she might change her mind and might be able to go later when she works out what she wants to do and what she needs in order to be able to do it. For now, it's just a matter of getting some sort of level 3 qualification, whether they be A-levels or something else.

[Huddsballetmum]

Thanks, all

 

Well, the wretched exams are done now, so we shall have to wait and see. I'm not actually so bothered if she doesn't go to university in a year's time, or even ever. She is definitely someone who wants to get out into the world of work. At some point she might change her mind and might be able to go later when she works out what she wants to do and what she needs in order to be able to do it. For now, it's just a matter of getting some sort of level 3 qualification, whether they be A-levels or something else.

There are so many more choices now for Higher Apprenticeships at degree level which might just satisfy your daughters wish to go to work whilst gaining her degree at the same time. If you look on the apprenticeship website there might be something that takes her fancy.   I don't envy young people nowadays as there are so many  options and if you are not sure what you want to do it's hard.  Saying that I never imagined when I left university with my Media degree that I would ever end up working in a Further Education College managing funding and exams.  Life is a series of twists and turns and I think young people need to be made aware of that these days, rather than feeling that their first decision is their end destination which is preached at schools around the country.

[Lisa O`Brien]

The post has just been and it was a letter from Sean's college. He has received 6 Merits and 2 Passes for his first year on his course. Big relief that he will be able to continue into the second year now. The college is now closed for the summer, but he is continuing on with his placement at the primary school. He has been invited to accompany them all on an outing to a theme park called Funtasia [think that's what it's called] in Drogheda just outside Dublin on Monday. Sean had a dream the other day that he was protecting his class [6 and 7 yr olds] from a zombie attack ! I think he'll quite miss them and the school when the term and his placement comes to an end on 30th June.

[Hull]

I would imagine there are many of us who have dancing and non-dancing children receiving their AS or A Level results today.

 

Hopefully everyone has received the results needed to further their education or gain employment.

 

And we do this all again next week for the GCSE results …..

[Pups_mum]

I'm very proud of my youngest who took part in his first cyclocross race yesterday, and whilst he didn't win anything I think he (and indeed all the other kids) deserves a medal for getting round the course in what can only be described as extreme weather conditions. I checked the wind speed on the met office website afterwards and it was literally gale force winds, accompanied by driving rain - I found watching to be challenging enough! I overheard one of the adult riders saying it was possibly the toughest conditions he'd ever cycled in, so I was chuffed that the only negative thing that my 10 year old said as he stood in the changing room dripping freezing cold water on the floor was that he wished he'd worn long fingered gloves!

Unfortunately, from my perspective anyway, he says that he definitely wants to do it again. I suspect I am soon going to be longing for a warm, dry dance studio or theatre. But those days are over. Dance Mum is dead...long live frozen, mud covered Bike Mum...