Finishing Y11, starting A-level in September – Time for a little Relaxation, Reflection and Thoughts

By Idris Musty | June 15, 2019

For those just finishing Y11 and starting A-level in September

Time for a little Relaxation, Reflection and Thoughts, now that the exams are over

Now that the GCSEs have come to an end, there is a sense of relief for both the young person who has been at the centre of it and also the parent(s). Whilst relaxing and reflecting, before starting to think about what lies ahead, one of the questions to ask at this stage is “what does this all mean?”

For the teenager, irrespective of how they feel the exams went, it is a significant stage of their life as they have gone through the first major tests – particular for the GCSE students as this is the first major examination they have taken and it has long-lasting ramifications.

It is important to first of all celebrate at least a little and, in most families, the child has probably been promised some sort or reward, which, in most cases, will be after the results of the exams are released in August.

For now, some of the emotions that may be going on in the minds of parents could be

  1. What do I do with him/her all summer?
  2. How often do I have to stock the fridge as it will be empty quite quickly in the next couple of months as teenagers eat a lot!

The period between now the end of August – when the exam results are released, provides many opportunities for growth and I am speaking not in terms of physical but rather emotional and psychological development. When I think back to my days, one of the activities that I indulged myself in after finishing my GCE O-levels was to read a book a day. I never believed it was possible to read one whole book every day, but, when I finally got started, I surprised myself. In the end, it was a fabulous learning curve for me, as I exceeded my own expectations. I’m not talking here about an e-book but a fleshy book, made of paper, one you can smell and open its pages… I think it is probably more challenging for young people these days to read, as there is so much distraction – with social media, computer games, iPod, iPad, PS4, TV and all sorts of ways they can entertain themselves; sadly, reading a book is perhaps the last thing on their minds.

Below are just a few recommendations I’d like to make in terms of how teenagers could occupy their time after finishing their GCSEs or A-level and as they await the results.

  1. Spend time to relax and reflect, whilst looking forward to the future with optimism
  2. Read books
  3. Do physical exercise to get fit
  4. Learn something new – like a new musical instrument, a new sport or other leisure activity, interpersonal skills such as public speaking or a new skill of some sort
  5. Those just finishing Y11 – spend time thinking about the next stage of your education – your A-level choices or other equivalent qualifications – see more on this by visiting pages shown on the links below
  6. Those just finishing A-levels and going to university – spend time thinking about the next stage of your education, such as degree course choices – see more on this by visiting pages shown on the links below
  7. Get a job! However, remember that you still have years of studying ahead of you and that this job is only temporary, as it is easy to be tempted and start considering not going back into full time education. This is something you may live to regret
  8. Do something outrageously fun! Be adventurous, but not too dangerous!

see more on this by visiting one of the links below

I wish you a very enjoyable summer and please come to our Masterclass presentation on 6th July.

 

The Masterclass event on 26th July 2019

During this event, I will be sharing with you many tips, ideas and good practices that I have observed in the last three or so decades as being instrumental in helping successful students and their families.

At this event, we will have a well-known public speaker – Mike Southon – a best-selling author of several books, including the Beermat Entrepreneur. Mike has interviewed Richard Branson, has appeared on BBC and has also written columns for the Daily Telegraph, Financial Times and Mail on Sunday.

We will also be launching our new, mainly online-based programme – Excel iLearn.

  • a Personalised Online Tutoring programme which delivers high quality and cost-effective online teaching for GCSE and A-level students, utilising bespoke, personalised feedback from qualified tutors, ensuring each student receives relevant feedback and advice
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