GCSE tutorial colleges

[loopyloo123]

Does anyone have any experience of these? DLD, Ashbourne, Westminster Tutors, Albemarle, Collingwood.

[beachyhead]

We did Justin Craig over Christmas, a three day course, doing Maths in the morning and Physics in the afternoon. Maths wasn't great, but Physics was great. We are doing another one at Easter.

They have centres all over the place, and you just ring and they try to schedule the subjects you want....

[loopyloo123]

I'm thinking of full time study there though, instead of doing year 11 at his school.

[loopyloo123]

Thanks. My son would be attending year 11 for GCSEs. For several reasons but a fresh start and more focused study than he is doing at his local comp where he is underachieving and not motivated. I hope he won't find being the youngest a problem though. I worry that the majority of students are 16+?

[flow4]

It depends on his personality and his reasons of course; but if your DS is one of the many teenagers who hate school, then you may find an FE college suits him better. A lot of kids under-achieve because they are 'activist learners' - i.e. they learn through doing - and school teaching style does not suit them (i.e. sitting still and listening). A tutorial college will be more of the same.

An FE college, on the other hand, will also offer more practical BTEC courses, and will put him through English and Maths GCSEs at the same time if he needs them.

A merit or distinction in a level 3 BTEC is accepted for university entrance... (A friend's son, for example, did the course my son is now doing a few years ago, and graduated last summer with a solid 2:1).

My son under-achieved quite badly at school (and was in trouble a lot) but is now on a BTEC course at our local FE college.

[flow4]

Oh sorry, cross-posted. I don't think an FE college will have him if he's under 16. I don't know whether a tutorial college would either... Have you checked?

[flow4]

And my previous post should have said "and is now thriving..."

[SW9Mum]

I know this conversation was a while back but I am looking for central London tutorial colleges for sixth form for my 17 year old. She has severe depression and cannot cope with mainstream school. But she wants to get her A levels and is very bright with good GCSEs inspite of her condition. Is a tutorial college the right environment, given she has already missed a couple of years of school and will be starting AS levels at 18?

[Whyjustwhy]

Sw9 mum
You might get more response if you start a new thread re your dd in the secondary education topic. I think a lot of posters don't read the full thread when they see it's an old thread, so not many will see this & respond

[notquiteruralbliss]

We found DLD didn't work at all for DD, having chosen it because she wanted something non school like where she could focus on the gaps she needed to fill before taking GCSEs. She hated it and switched to somewhere much less structured.

It might well work in the situation you are in OP as it sounds as if your DSs needs are different. They do a full GCSE course in a year, starting again from scratch, lots of drill and compulsory homework etc etc.