Missed college by one grade, what can we do now?

[treesandrocks]

My DD spent some of the last year and a half in hospital and missed a lot of school. As a result she passed 4 GCSE's and failed the other 4 all with grade 3's. (She was originally expected A's and B's before she got ill.)

So her existing school won't keep her on. The college where she intended to go need 5 GCSE's so that's out too. We're stuck with what to do now.

The hospital school where she took her exams were supposed to apply for special consideration but it looks like they didn't, which is a pity as it might have increased one of the grades to a pass. Too late now.

We can't find out if any of the marks are close to the grade boundaries for a possible remark as neither her school or the hospital school are open until September and not answering the phone now.

Do we have any options as it seems everyone has turned their backs on DD?

[clary]

Have you gone to college to ask - they must have a registration day (today most likely). My DC got E in English when he needed D and college were fine about it.

Sorry your dd has had a tough year.

[Zoflorabore]

Hi op, sounds like your dd has had a really tough time, try not to panic.

My ds got his results yesterday and his college enrolment was today. Luckily he got what he needed but a couple of his friends didn't and the advice from college was to go anyway and speak to them.

Ds just called me to say that he's enrolled on his A level courses, one friend has been
accepted onto their chosen course due to mitigating circumstances and one friend who pretty much failed everything and was devastated has got a place on a course too.

Colleges all around here are open this week and next for enrolment and advice.take dd, her results and go to the college and ask.

Very best of luck.

[hoxt]

Definitely go into the college and have a proper talk with them.

[Chivers53]

I agree with others to speak to the college, I would be surprised if she was so close if they wouldn't let her in, unless they're heavily oversubscribed.

[TarragonSauce]

Certainly talk to the college tutors. They may be able to exercise some flexibility, or it may be possible for her to re-sit one alongside the course. Level 2 and Level 3 BTECs are 3/4 days per week, so there is certainly timetable room. On a Level 2 course there are usually a few students re-taking their English/Maths alongside the BTEC.

[catndogslife]

Sorry to hear that OP.
Was it a sixth form college your dd applied to?
My dd went to a sixth form college and they would let you take A levels if you hadn't achieved a "pass" grade in either English or Maths but if you hadn't passed both subjects then you had to retake level 2 / GCSEs to top up your grades.
My understanding is that pupils can have 3 years funding post-16 so taking an extra year to resit GCSEs before moving to A level (or level 3 equivalent) may be a good idea. It may boost her confidence more to start with better grades closer to the ones she should have achieved if she hadn't been ill rather than to be aware that she has a much lower starting point than other students at the very start of the course.

[BonnesVacances]

Pretty mean of her school not to keep her on, if they know she was in hospital and missed a lot of school. Getting those results after being in hospital for 18 months is a great achievement. Well done to her!

Your best bet is to try to get her on the courses on the basis of a) Look! This is what she got in spite of her health issues, and b) her expected performance, ie potential based on her Y7 CAT scores, and attainment just before she got ill. You basically need to show them that they have a grade 7-9 student really, it was just circumstances, ie health, that stopped her getting this in her GCSEs.