Advice for Year 11s...

So there will be year 11s across the country receiving their GCSE results this Thursday; some will be extremely content with their results and will attend the sixth form of their choice... however, there will also be students that will have not done quite as well as they were hoping/expecting. Therefore, I thought that I would write a blog as a bit of advice for all year 11s that will be attending sixth form this September.

To start with, sixth form is not what you expect... many students expect it to be two of the best years of your life – especially your school life, which it is. However, it really isn’t as easy as people make it out to be. Although it will be fun and you will make potentially life-long friends; it is a LOT of hard work. It isn’t just the odd essay and piece of coursework that you will write once and hand in, hoping to get an A! It is a period of redrafting tens of times, staying up late at night on a school day to re-write an essay that you  have already written seventeen times. It is a time where you have to sacrifice so much: friends, sleep and even food at times. It is a time in your life where you will have to be completely focused if you want to achieve your ideal grades.

Subsequently, A levels are completely different to GCSEs – when you are studying GCSEs, you can revise the night before and still probably get an A or a B; if you do that in A levels, you will undoubtedly achieve an ungraded. I’m sorry if it sounds harsh, or if it sounds like you are not going to work – but, it is completely true... as someone that is currently experiencing the troubles of A levels, I can tell you that they are NOT easy; and they really aren’t for the light-hearted. If you are not 100% committed, you will not get the grades that you wish to, meaning that you most likely won’t get into the University that you want to. Yes, it is harsh and upfront – but it also incredibly true and realistic.

My best advice to you would be to make sure that you stay on top of your work from day one – it is extremely daunting to begin with, and you will feel like you have been thrown into the deep end; however, I can assure you that you will get used to it in no time at all. You will honestly feel like you have been studying this intensely for your whole life. Just make sure that if you do not understand something, you ask you teacher – because at the end of the day, that is what they are there for... it is their job! Moreover, make sure that you are studying the subjects that you wish to; the first couple of weeks of year 12 will be an induction; therefore, if you find that you are not enjoying your subjects or have a problem with one of them – make sure you tell someone, usually your head of year; because it is their job to make sure that you are happy and have everything that you need in order to be successful!

In addition, this is going to sound so harsh; but, make sure that you are friends with the right type of people – if you are friends with people that you know are quite harsh and disruptive; then you are not going to succeed. I apologise for being so abrupt, but it is true. If you ‘hang around’ with people that are not pro-education and are just there for the ‘banter’ or so to speak, then you are not going to succeed. You need to be around positive, supportive people – people that are going to help you achieve what you wish to, not people that are going to hold you back and cause you to underachieve because you are too busy ‘partying’ and going out with your friends.

Honestly, these next two years are going to be two of the most important years of your life; so, please, please do not ruin them. Work hard and make sure that you are receiving all of the help that you need and deserve – because you do NOT want to regret it on results day. Additionally, make sure that you have a goal in your head... whether it is results day or getting into a university of your choice – just make sure that you really want to achieve it and do your best to work towards it. You are going to have to make sacrifices, so make sure that your dream is going to be worth it in the end.

If you are unsure of anything at school, make sure you tell someone –whether it be someone else in sixth form, maybe the year above you; your teacher or one of your parents – just do not sit and suffer in silence... because if you want to achieve you are going to have to sacrifice blood, sweat and tears – but, I can assure you, if you work hard...it will definitely be worth it in the end!!!

Good luck and make sure you try to enjoy it – when times get tough; smile, breathe and think responsibly and in a mature manner. I hope that you all achieve the grades that you wish to and do whatever it is that you wish to do in the future.

“May the odds forever be in your favour.”