School careers night

newyddion said:
tripple science is tough, obviously if your kid is an absolute beast in science.. then go go it.
saying that, if your kid is smashing science then they are probably smashing maths too.. pretty easy to pick a levels and even uni after that.

I think there are some very underrated subjects that are often dismissed because they involve a different way of thinking and style of learning. Art for instance can be seen as a cop out by a lot of parents.. if your kid has an interest in a creative field it can open up a lot of doors. also it involves creative thinking and teaches a different kind of problem solving. Creative thinkers are well sought after in the business world.

Music as well can be seen as a throw away by parents.. if your kid has a passion for it, then it’s better to spend time doing that than getting swallowed up in the mountain of writing that doing history and geography. Music is said to aid mathematics as well for those that struggle..

Business studies can have practical real world applications for those looking to go self employed or even start up their own small business.

I’ve found art to be the most useful in college, uni, working life and I was strong with maths and science.

My eldest was strong in English and Humanities, he did music to reduce the workload and improve his grades elsewhere.. which worked.

My youngest took RE against my advice.. ended up changing to Engineering because his mates were doing it! Lol.. fully supported that.

If your straight As then single science, Engineering, IT and a foreign language would appear to open a lot if doors for you (Physics Teacher)

Engineering around the world appears to draw on Teesside talent somewhere along the line.

If they do have an idea of what they want to do.. support them fully and back them as much as you can. Whatever it is.. if they want it and stick to it and dedicate themselves to it, then it will happen.
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I worked in a school for long enough and my wife is a careers officer.
 
Norman_Conquest said:
I worked in a school for long enough and my wife is a careers officer.
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So you wouldn’t heap triple science on a kid that struggled with it or suggest a language despite a kid having no interest in it?

I’m a fan of humanities but then it depends on where the kids interests and abilities large are..
 
newyddion said:
So you wouldn’t heap triple science on a kid that struggled with it or suggest a language despite a kid having no interest in it?

I’m a fan of humanities but then it depends on where the kids interests and abilities large are..
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I haven't said any of that and my reply above was more about you preaching to the converted.

What I did say is without knowing more about what they are interested in and their predicted grades, it is hard to suggest what they should be taking. If a student was capable of completing triple science and a foreign language, then I would suggest this route, if not, then you would steer them away from this area of learning.

Picking options is hard for any student and it is made harder by us parents projecting on them what we think they should take. Options come in blocks and picking one subject could prevent them from doing another subject that they like or want to take. It can become a minefield for them.

You also need to take into account that a student's week in school will also have the core subjects English, maths and science that every student needs to take.

Regarding art(s), if a student is interested in art(s) why not steer them in this direction? It can open up so many doors for them and know of many students who are working in this field.

I have a very good friend who I first really met when we worked as welders together. He was a brilliant artist but his father insisted he got a trade. He returned to his art in his 40's and now runs a successful gallery in Middlesbrough.

I left school with next to no qualifications and became a welder, I hated school and didn't try and would have certainly been on the spectrum if tested. After an accident in my 40's, I went back to college and university and became a qualified counsellor. I worked for Connexions as a careers advisor, went on to work with young offenders and later headed up a very successful behaviour unit in a secondary school. At the age of 16, if you had said to me that I would one day work in a school, I would have laughed at you.

Not many students know what they want to do in life when they are picking their options and that is why it is good to pick subjects that are transferable.
 
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in my experience the more you steer your children towards something, the less likely they are to do it I would also say schools are buggers for projecting the attitude that choices at 14-16 define your whole life, to me that's a really detrimental attitude to so many kids. Every subject has its merits even RE , they all have to take the core curriculum so for the rest my advice its let them do what they feel they enjoy, have an interest or a talent for.
 
Norman_Conquest said:
I haven't said any of that and my reply above was more about you preaching to the converted.

What I did say is without knowing more about what they are interested in and their predicted grades, it is hard to suggest what they should be taking. If a student was capable of completing triple science and a foreign language, then I would suggest this route, if not, then you would steer them away from this area of learning.

Picking options is hard for any student and it is made harder by us parents projecting on them what we think they should take. Options come in blocks and picking one subject could prevent them from doing another subject that they like or want to take. It can become a minefield for them.

You also need to take into account that a student's week in school will also have the core subjects English, maths and science that every student needs to take.

Regarding art(s), if a student is interested in art(s) why not steer them in this direction? It can open up so many doors for them and know of many students who are working in this field.

I have a very good friend who I first really met when we worked as welders together. He was a brilliant artist but his father insisted he got a trade. He returned to his art in his 40's and now runs a successful gallery in Middlesbrough.

I left school with next to no qualifications and became a welder, I hated school and didn't try and would have certainly been on the spectrum if tested. After an accident in my 40's, I went back to college and university and became a qualified counsellor. I worked for Connexions as a careers advisor, went on to work with young offenders and later I head up a very successful behaviour unit in a secondary school. At the age of 16, if you had said to me that I would one day work in a school, I would have laughed at you.

Not many students know what they want to do in life when they are picking their options and that is why it is good to pick subjects that are transferable.
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It’s so tough for kids at that age! At least like you say life happens.. welder to artist etc
Whatever the kid is good at and wants to do should be encouraged imo
I went to an options night and bumped into the parents of a kid I coached.. (not the sharpest tool in the box) they were after him doing single science etc and he wanted to do PE instead.. they thought it was a complete waste of time! This kid wanted to be a footballer, a coach, a pe teacher or a physiotherapist! Pretty good choice for him imo.. plus it’s a lot more involved that just having a kick about with your mates, there is a science element to it and can feed into other subjects.

I guess the point I was trying to make is that the workload needs to be taken into consideration, one type of working and learning could result in a burnout.. English, History, Geography… essays after essays etc and a lot of the subjects that are often dismissed or undervalued by parents can actually much more beneficial than they might think.

School is hard for kids and it’s easy to forget that, parents just want the best for their kids and they might think that means pushing them into science, engineering, IT but if their kid has no interest or ability then it will end up doing more harm than good.
 
newyddion said:
So you wouldn’t heap triple science on a kid that struggled with it or suggest a language despite a kid having no interest in it?

I’m a fan of humanities but then it depends on where the kids interests and abilities large are..
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I don't think you get the option of triple science unless you're good at it.
 
Join the Royal Navy and spend as much time away from this desolate Isle as possible. Learn trades, personal skills, communicate with other communities and learn about the World...

...is what I would tell myself if I were choosing my options post-16 again and not to go into a Level 2 NVQ in Business Administration which resulted in nothing but a wasted 24 months.
 
FatFrank said:
Join the Royal Navy and spend as much time away from this desolate Isle as possible. Learn trades, personal skills, communicate with other communities and learn about the World...

...is what I would tell myself if I were choosing my options post-16 again and not to go into a Level 2 NVQ in Business Administration which resulted in nothing but a wasted 24 months.
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In fairness there's plenty of other careers that can offer travel and experiences without needing to join the Navy
 
Blf said:
If he's going to uni ask about support for them while they are away. My lad said he found it hard being in halls even though he knew 2 lads from his college. He never mentioned it to us but said he nearly came home in the first month. Settled after that especially when he moved into a house with his mates.
Options...if he's any good at Maths he can't go wrong. It's led to my lad going into a career earning money I couldn't imagine and I used to get good wages.
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Hey,

My lad is very good in maths and more than good enough in English and science (so far).
What exactly did your lad ever up going into, if you don't mind me asking.
 
newyddion said:
tripple science is tough, obviously if your kid is an absolute beast in science.. then go go it.
saying that, if your kid is smashing science then they are probably smashing maths too.. pretty easy to pick a levels and even uni after that.

I think there are some very underrated subjects that are often dismissed because they involve a different way of thinking and style of learning. Art for instance can be seen as a cop out by a lot of parents.. if your kid has an interest in a creative field it can open up a lot of doors. also it involves creative thinking and teaches a different kind of problem solving. Creative thinkers are well sought after in the business world.

Music as well can be seen as a throw away by parents.. if your kid has a passion for it, then it’s better to spend time doing that than getting swallowed up in the mountain of writing that doing history and geography. Music is said to aid mathematics as well for those that struggle..

Business studies can have practical real world applications for those looking to go self employed or even start up their own small business.

I’ve found art to be the most useful in college, uni, working life and I was strong with maths and science.

My eldest was strong in English and Humanities, he did music to reduce the workload and improve his grades elsewhere.. which worked.

My youngest took RE against my advice.. ended up changing to Engineering because his mates were doing it! Lol.. fully supported that.

If your straight As then single science, Engineering, IT and a foreign language would appear to open a lot if doors for you (Physics Teacher)

Engineering around the world appears to draw on Teesside talent somewhere along the line.

If they do have an idea of what they want to do.. support them fully and back them as much as you can. Whatever it is.. if they want it and stick to it and dedicate themselves to it, then it will happen.
Click to expand...
Hi
Really good point on the work load of 'run of mill' courses. Triple science has been mentioned but now sounds like a lot of work! I take it as single science is either chemistry, physics and the other one I can't think of?
 
Hey

Alot have mentioned the workload and selecting a subject with less learning or writing, would you put PE in that category? He does like PE , although he had said it's 60% theory?
 
pdhmobile said:
Hey

Alot have mentioned the workload and selecting a subject with less learning or writing, would you put PE in that category? He does like PE , although he had said it's 60% theory?
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PE is not an easy subject, It’s a bit like a sneaky science, but it had the benefit of being relatable.I would say choosing PE to avoid football as the standard is ridiculously high to get a decent grade. Consider joining a club in a lesser subscribed sport/activity to get to that county level. It might be a bit of a chew on to pull your kid away from footy, but speak with his PE teacher and make it a comprise on him doing the course. More likely to hit a high standard doing rounders (other sports are available) he might already do something that could count towards his final grade.

Business Studies might be a nice one to throw into the mix, the coursework is quite relatable and if he excels in maths.. that will work well also.

PE, Business Studies.. and maybe an IT related subject if he’s not doing the single sciences.. employment opportunities are our there and depending on his IT proficiency and interest there could be relatable elements to that as well.
Engineering is another one which would be decent and offer a different style of learning with potential job opportunities at the end of it.

Depends what the school offers really.

No interest in art?
 
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