How to help your teen plan for their next steps after GCSE
So, your teen now has their GCSE results and is thinking of their next steps. Maybe their plan is to stay on at their current school for sixth form.
Your teen might be thriving at their school. If this is the case, that’s fantastic.
But if your teen is anything less than thriving, it might be worth helping them to consider the alternatives.
Every year in September, I receive a number of requests for coaching from Year 12 students who are feeling deflated.
Why?
Mainly because they are feeling a bit “meh”. Sixth Form hasn’t quite lived up to their expectations. The teachers are the same. The lessons are the same. The school is the same. The friendship issues are the same. And they are feeling bored, demotivated and frustrated.
Generally speaking though, most of the teens I see who are feeling this way have one thing in common: they had not considered that they had options and choices after Year 11. They had simply assumed that they would pick a couple of the subjects they did well on at GCSE and stay on at school.
Why might your teen benefit from a change of scenery?
Reason #1: They want a clean slate
Teens start secondary school when they are still children. Your 16-year-old will now be creating their adult identity – the person they want to become.
But they may feel constrained by the “box” they were put into at a young age and the labels they were given – “the shy one”, “the clumsy one”, “the geeky one”.
Your teen can become whoever they choose to be. But sometimes it is a whole lot easier with new people who don’t keep reminding you of the time that you (… insert excruciatingly embarrassing incident of choice).
Reason #2: They want to expand their social network
Leaving school to go to college or changing schools can seem like a daunting prospect. Teens often think about what they stand to lose, rather than what they stand to gain.
Rather than worrying about having “no friends”, it is far more helpful for your teen to imagine doubling their friendship circle. It is likely that your teen will remain close with the people they have been with at their current school (if they were real friends in the first place) whilst also meeting new and interesting friends who will expand their horizons.
Reason #3: They would benefit from links to industry
If your teen has their heart set on university, it’s important for them to do their A-levels at the place where they feel they can get the support to get the highest grades they are capable of. This will vary depending on which subject they are studying and it is always worth looking around a number of different schools and colleges to see which one is best suited to your teen in the subjects that are important to them.
The same is true if your teen wants to do an apprenticeship. However, schools and colleges will vary enormously in their offering. Some will have work experiences built into the courses and some won’t. Some will have links with specific industries and some won’t. It is always worth checking this out before choosing.
Reason #4: They want more freedom
Some teens find it reassuring that if they do not complete homework or turn up for a lesson, they will be chased by a teacher. If this is your teen, school is a good fit for them.
However, some teens simply want more freedom – to choose what to wear, to plan their own study time, to make their own choices. If this is your teen, it could be worth exploring college options.
Only your teen knows what will work best for them.
Reason #5: They want to take ownership of their future
Having choices is super empowering. Even if your teen looks at all the options and CHOOSES to remain at their current school, this is far more empowering than simply continuing blindly along the same path.
By helping your teen to see where they have choices now, you will be setting them up for also seeing where they have choices in their future. This will inspire and motivate them to take ownership of their lives.
If you think your teen would like some additional help to consider their options for September, book in for a 15-minute complimentary chat.
