When the time comes for your child to start considering their A Level subjects, they will likely be feeling a mixture of excitement and nerves. It’s quite an overwhelming time for young people and they will certainly need all the support their can get from their parents. With this in mind, you may be wondering what you can do to help. Here are some tips from a prep school in Somerset.
Communication
Make time to have an open and honest conversation with your child about their education and what they want to achieve in the coming years. Ask them which of their GCSE subjects they enjoyed the most and whether or not they are interested in taking up a new subject that hasn’t be an option in the past, such as psychology or sociology. Remind your child that studying something just because their friends are studying it or they like the teacher is not a good enough reason, and it may make things harder for them in the future. Don’t be afraid to revisit this conversation on multiple occasions and make sure your child knows you are there for them to ask any questions or just be someone to turn to should they need to.
It’s also wise to communicate with your child’s school, as they will be able to give you helpful advice and help guide your child in the right direction. Just like you, they have your child’s best interests at heart and want them to succeed, so make the most of their knowledge and understanding of the process.
Future Plans
Consider your child’s future plans in terms of their next steps after A Levels and what they’d potentially like to do as a career. Then you can help them by looking into the qualifications they might need for that particular job or the entry requirements for certain universities. Doing this research with your child or even on their behalf will mean that they have one less thing to stress over, and it will help them to determine which A Level subjects are most suitable.
Laura x