h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

They don't want to restrict choice, Kat, but it's the only way of getting the timetable to work. The 6th form timetable has to be written by the end of June and fit into the timetable for the rest of the school. They will have surveyed Year 11 to find out which combinations were likely to be needed and drawn up their blocks accordingly. It looks as if you want to do a combo that no one else had indicated an interest in. Of course, when the Year 11 kids start Year 12 they'll all have changed their minds and everyone will be complaining about how stupid the blocks are. It happens every year.

Huuuummm okay then, that does seem reasonable really. I'm just having a hissy fit.

So do you think that it will be likely I can pick up the economics AS next year? And will 2 Alevels and 2 ASlevels count for the same as 3Alevels and 1AS or not? And if I have to do Alevel Maths will you be nice to me and not laugh?

And it says
"Please bring your draft Record of Achievement to the interview"

Obviously this is something the kids have been working on in form time or something...but I haven't done one since year 9! So now I don't have one...and I don't remember any of it. I mean how am I going to remember what societies etc I was in two years ago? Sorry...I'm calm really.

Ignore the thing about the record of achievement. They're just trying to con their Year 11 into believing at was worthwhile writing the thing.

If you want to take something, write something more like a CV. All they want to do is to find out something about you, your achievements to date, your likes and dislikes.

I'm not sure what is driving your subject choices. Can you tell me what you've got in mind for when you've finished your A-levels or is that too personal a question?

Geography followed by (hopefully) a Masters in Geographical Information Systems.

In reality I want to do maths because it's something I know I'm not automatically good at and can coat through. I want to prove to myself that I'm actually intelligent rather than fluking everything, which is how I view all my achievements to date.

A friend of mine did her PhD in GIS. She's working in Tokyo at the moment, staring at land usage patterns from above, or something.

Let me have a think about it.

Ok, I've had a think.

I think you should fill in Eng Lit in Block 1, Maths (statistics) in Block 2 and Geography in Block 3.

I know KerrAvon said do Maths (mechanics) and she's right to say that statistics can be very dull in the wrong hands but statistics is the much better option for your career plans.

Fill the form in to say statistics now and change your mind in September if the teacher is dire.

When you get to the interview, say that you had hoped to be able to do geography and economics and see what they say. It's unlikely the deputy head will have had time to set the timetable in stone yet so it could be that they can still move economics into a different block.

If pushed for a Block 4 choice, go for Media Studies. It's a doddle. You could get a A in it now.

Remember that nearly everyone else in your year will have changd their minds about their subjects, so don't feel this form sets anything in stone. It's just a starting point for negotiations.

Phewf! Thank you! That sounds reasonable and sound and has struck a worry off my mind so now I can devote the next....hour to worrying about going to the psych

Do you think I should explain on a note attached to the form that I've been out of school for two years or just write on the form that if they have any queries about any of the info they can call me on....?

The more information you give them, the more they will be able to help you. It's a good school, they're going to care about and for you right from the start. Tap into every source of help on offer and, above all, trust them.

Good luck with the psych .

Just wanted to agree with everything Amy said, especially the bit about taking the statistics type of math.

I've bunged the envelope in the post, with a small note attached saying that if they have any queries to call me. That I got my GCSEs two years ago at BHS, that I took one year out for depression and that I missed the next year because I broke my leg right at the start of the year. I said what subjects I was originally doing for AS, what I was predicted erm...that all? Oh and that if my being 18 was a problem then please call me and I would appreciate any advise they could give if it was a problem.

So that's done with now.

That sounds good to me .

Thanks, Mikey .

I've just got this fear...so I'm going to share because I'm sure someone will be able to tell me about it.

I have consistently failed interviews for the past two years...very consistently. So now I have to have an interview to get into this 6th form...and I realise it's very unlikely that I'll fail...but I failed everything else. Do you see what I mean? Like some sort of predisposition to fail at interview. Although I know I didn't use to. I did all that regional debating and public speaking stuff!

Oh dear *walks round and round in a small circle of worry*

If it's like the interviews they do here, it's not really an interview to tell whether you're to be admitted or not -- it's an interview so that they can get to know you, and help you make the best decisions for your schooling.


Mikey (who really is working, btw)

I get anxious about interviews too.

Try to think of this as just going to a chat with someone just like Amy the Ant. The people you are going to see are just like me. I may well have been at college with some of them. I may even have taught with a few of them.

If you were coming to see me about entry into one of the schools I teach in, what would be my agenda?

I wouldn't be judging how 'good' you are. My major concern would be to make sure I really understood your needs and wasn't doing you a disservice by allowing you to start the courses you've chosen.

If I thought I would be doing you a disservice by letting you start, I wouldn't reject you. I would help you find a more appropriate path.

You aren't going to be on trial. Tell the teachers at the school all about you and what you want to do and let them help you.

First day of charity shop stuff today! Stood on my feet for 6 continuous hours and have found my left leg has swollen to a larger size than my right leg is now, and as Mikey can testify that's possibly quite an achievement!

I learnt how to use the till, but refused to actually do it because I want to learn the codes first so I don't have to check each one. And I did lots and lots of tagging and labelling. I always wondered how those plastic things got on clothes! And umm what else? They were impressed by my use of initiative and enthusiasm on my first day...which may say something about the people they usually have

However I haven't died, although every single part of me is exhausted and I feel constantly as if I'm going to burst into tears and have done all day...but still I did it!

Oh and I got my hair cut by the way. Although I reckon that however it is hurt it just sort of morphs into the same sort of thing eventually

*arrives far too late to be of use to man or beast, as usual*

No you aren't...you can comment on the fact my leg is still swollen or that even my eyelashes are tired but I can't sleep for reasons I won't go into because *someone* will have a go at me, or you could tell us what you have been up to, or you could go and look at all three of my entries in PR

Oh and I didn't mean to say 'however my hair is HURT'...although....

I couldn't sleep last night because there were bloody crows arsing about outside my bedroom window at 3 in the morning, for some reason. Sorry you leg's still bad, but your eyelashes being tired? Is that possible?

I've been working all the hours Nuggan sends, as usual, today got panicky because someone has nicked all the games for the camps out of the education box over the winter. So I've been laminating adjectives and making rainbow chips tonight. I keep telling you, we do things differently down here First camp is Friday and I'm getting edgy. The first of the year always goes perfectly for the simple reason that by the time you get to it you've freeted so much you haven't got any nails left. Or something.

Might get to PR shortly....