Mumsnet Talk

My ds (year 11) is severely dyslexic. He currently gets extra time for exams, and that is the only additional help.

He is taking 12 GCSEs including the 3 sciences, Maths, English, Spanish.

He is predicted A* for 11 subjects and B/C for English.

He wants to study Engineering, and hopes to take Physics, Maths, Further Maths and Product Design for 'A' level.

I presume on the UCAS form there must be somewhere to put about being dyslexic. Will the lower English GCSE grade be held severely against him? Or will the strength of the other grades counteract as he has at least (hopefully) pased GCSE english?

I interview for chemistry and we just check they have grade C English and grade B maths at GCSE, we don't really look at the rest unless it's offer day and the cendidate has narrowly missed a grade for our offer. We mainly look at predicted grades and AS grades sometimes looking for how realistic they are based on GCSE prior achievement.

Oh good, for years I've been saying just ensure you at least get a C in English and concentrate on everything.

I've then started to panic myself that that wasn't enough.

Thanks for the reassurance, that just having the C grade is enough.

I recently contacted Imperial which (with UCL) ask for a B in English, and they said they will consider someone with only a C if they know they are dyslexic.

DS yr11 is similar to your DS op although not so severe, but does get extra time in exams. He is now interested in doing engineering at Southhampton and , he did not mention dyslexia or sld and they said they were only required a C in english at gcse. They wanted a Maths and Physics at A level