28 A levels - why!?

Author
Discussion

Steve Campbell

Original Poster:

2,192 posts

175 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Is it even possible to do 28 A-levels - and what's the cost? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-68319370

I was reading this article and thinking….. what for !? I understand there might be an academic challenge….so do 8 (double the norm). If I was the parent I’d be concerned for the mental well being and balanced life style rather than encouraging this ridiculous task.

Nomme de Plum

6,141 posts

23 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
I'd ask why not?

We rarely question the effort some young people put in to excel and sports of one sort or another and even across multiple sports.

Good luck to her.


turbobloke

107,822 posts

267 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Some tech subjects are £200/entry at A-level, the cheapest are around £100 with £150 not untypical.

28 x £150 = £4,200 and no qualifications were harmed in the calculation. It would be extremely unusual for a state school to pay for more than 4 so that's a reasonable bill for the parent(s). It's their money and apparently the student's choice.

bitchstewie

55,192 posts

217 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Nomme de Plum said:
I'd ask why not?

We rarely question the effort some young people put in to excel and sports of one sort or another and even across multiple sports.

Good luck to her.
This.

It's a bit weird to me but I wasn't particularly academic.

Each to their own assuming she isn't being pushed too hard by her parents smile

Cotty

40,320 posts

291 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
As the story says hobbies and a life outside the classroom are important to maintain.
When you read stories like these, the kids never seem to have any freinds and similar parents.

turbobloke

107,822 posts

267 months

turbobloke

107,822 posts

267 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Cotty said:
As the story says hobbies and a life outside the classroom are important to maintain.
When you read stories like these, the kids never seem to have any freinds and similar parents.
It looks like she's taking them in batches, which makes more sense and will be practically possible given all the timetable clashes that 28 would entail.

The gov't data represents A-levels taken at one sitting in 2022.

toasty

7,784 posts

227 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Cotty said:
As the story says hobbies and a life outside the classroom are important to maintain.
When you read stories like these, the kids never seem to have any freinds and similar parents.
Sounds like it is her hobby.

Steve Campbell

Original Poster:

2,192 posts

175 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Nomme de Plum said:
I'd ask why not?

We rarely question the effort some young people put in to excel and sports of one sort or another and even across multiple sports.

Good luck to her.
I guess that’s my point…the why not would be that in order to succeed in the task she will need to live, sleep, breath A levels for 2 years….which can’t be healthy for a teenager. Where is the social balance ? I do think the sport analogy is a good one, though you would expect an elite athlete to have success in their sport. Taking this many A levels has zero impact on the academic future of the child. She’d be better focussing on fewer and A* across the lot…..with a social life that will bring advantages in her future adult life.

CrgT16

2,113 posts

115 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
It’s a bit excessive. I have done 4 in my time but that’s because you had to do all of the subjects at A level to complete school irrespective of you wanted to go to uni. Not harm done.

Not bad to study English, maths, chemistry, biology to a level standard and not that difficult either

Cheib

23,764 posts

182 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Steve Campbell said:
Is it even possible to do 28 A-levels - and what's the cost? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-68319370

I was reading this article and thinking….. what for !? I understand there might be an academic challenge….so do 8 (double the norm). If I was the parent I’d be concerned for the mental well being and balanced life style rather than encouraging this ridiculous task.
I’d guess it’s probably as a result of parenting…quite possibly from a very young age.

Kids don’t come out of the tin like that…….

Extreme behaviour in kids (whether good or bad) quite likely the result of parenting.

Nomme de Plum

6,141 posts

23 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Steve Campbell said:
Nomme de Plum said:
I'd ask why not?

We rarely question the effort some young people put in to excel and sports of one sort or another and even across multiple sports.

Good luck to her.
I guess that’s my point…the why not would be that in order to succeed in the task she will need to live, sleep, breath A levels for 2 years….which can’t be healthy for a teenager. Where is the social balance ? I do think the sport analogy is a good one, though you would expect an elite athlete to have success in their sport. Taking this many A levels has zero impact on the academic future of the child. She’d be better focussing on fewer and A* across the lot…..with a social life that will bring advantages in her future adult life.
It is her life not yours. Your attitude seems very judgemental. I see first hand how some youngsters train for their particular passion. It is a 24/7 lifestyle to become in the top 1%. Should these young teens be banned from such dedication? In fact some start much younger. I suspect this girl knows her own mind and has decided to challenge herself. It is not for us to judge her.

What she chooses to do after this is also entirely her choice and nobody else's. We should be celebrating her choice not trying to belittle it.

I hope her parents are supporting and encouraging whilst never dictating.

biggles330d

1,660 posts

157 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
The O/H is a head and often runs up against parents who think more A levels is a good thing. Her arguement is that given a fixed amount of time and resource, its probably better doing fewer in greater depth to gain better understanding, than more and have to skim across the top. Parents often judge the school and say this is wrong, pointing to opportunities for university. They don't seem to get that universities don't actually ask for many A levels so you could have 7 - 10 - 15 - 28, it wouldn't matter. What would benefit the kids are that the A level grades they got were excellent ones and that is more likely to come from studying a fewer number and properly understanding the subject and achieving better grades as a result.

28 A levels is stupid. She might be a bright girl but they'll mean nothing much at all a few years into her career. Her intelligence will get her far, but she may well find her people and soft skills are where she's lacking and that would hold her back far more than not having enough A levels.

Cotty

40,320 posts

291 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
biggles330d said:
28 A levels is stupid. She might be a bright girl but they'll mean nothing much at all a few years into her career. Her intelligence will get her far, but she may well find her people and soft skills are where she's lacking and that would hold her back far more than not having enough A levels.
I agree, also some careers have their own exams and qualifications. I have a few of the insurance ones, not ACII, but in the end my experience counted much more than what exams I passed at school. You mention people and soft skills, I got on a lot better with outside contacts and clients because I was prepared to go out and have a drink or dinner, my collegues didn't for various reasons and their relationship with those people suffered.

PositronicRay

27,534 posts

190 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
I heard a radio interview with her yesterday.

She comes across as sharp, intelligent, focused and a well balanced achiever.

Good luck to her.

jurbie

2,375 posts

208 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
She popped up on Times Radio earlier this week saying how the education system doesn't cater for gifted pupils like herself. She said that she doesn't need teaching because she can just read up on a subject and absorb everything. It sounded like all the exams was just her way of dealing with the boredom of not being challenged at school.

Mr Pointy

11,855 posts

166 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
turbobloke said:
Some tech subjects are £200/entry at A-level, the cheapest are around £100 with £150 not untypical.

28 x £150 = £4,200 and no qualifications were harmed in the calculation. It would be extremely unusual for a state school to pay for more than 4 so that's a reasonable bill for the parent(s). It's their money and apparently the student's choice.
I suggest any parents with horse/pony mad daughters can only dream of bills as low as £4,200 a year.

272BHP

5,815 posts

243 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
I originally thought it would make her CV stand out straight away but I am not so sure now.

I think if that one came across my desk it wouldn't make the first cut if I wasn't aware of the BBC article.

28 A levels? laugh

Kev_Mk3

2,944 posts

102 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
Best get used to the term "over qualified then" I guess

ChocolateFrog

28,698 posts

180 months

Saturday 17th February
quotequote all
I heard the interview too.

It's driven by her mum (obviously).

They bash through them consecutively focusing on one at a time. Think she said it takes a couple of months each, which could be wrong as that clearly doesn't work timewise. Although she could have been bagging them for years.

As long as she's happy, wants to be a neurosurgeon apparently.