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AIBU?

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AIBU to discuss GCSE and A-level realities with my Year 8 daughter?

111 replies

roughtrenches2 · 13/08/2026 22:30

DD is still young so I am aware this might sound a bit crazy. She is going in to year 8. So will pick her gcse options at the end of year 9. She is adamant she knows what she wants to do and has done for a long time but I don’t think realistically she is going to manage academically what it requires. Her friends older sister was talking about her GCSE choices the other day when I realised how much daughter has her mind set on this path. She soon told everyone what she was choosing for GCSE because then she could do her chosen A levels science ( biology and physics )

The issue is maths ! She is very science motivated and has done amazing in science this year BUT she will not get the maths grade required to do any A level sciences.
when do you start nicely having these conversations with your children without it sounding like you are being evil.

she has had a very turbulent start to education which she had done incredible considering but to catch up in maths would be a real task that will take a lot to get to a grade 7 she would need. I’m not sure if she even knows she would need a 7 in maths. Do I just let her go ahead and think this is the plan and dream until she finds out later on that it will be unlikely ?

sounds silly being worried about this now but I don’t want her to get crushed later on either.

OP posts:
deetss · 13/08/2026 22:46

noblegiraffe · 13/08/2026 22:42

Are you sure she would need a 7 in maths? My school only requires a 6 in maths to do A-level Physics.

What sort of maths grade is she headed for? What did she get in her SATs?

Grade 6 maths needed at my kids' school too.

roughtrenches2 · 13/08/2026 22:45

noblegiraffe · 13/08/2026 22:42

Are you sure she would need a 7 in maths? My school only requires a 6 in maths to do A-level Physics.

What sort of maths grade is she headed for? What did she get in her SATs?

She will have to attend her 6th form ( for many reasons ) and yes only let you do science if grade 7 in maths.

she scored 98 I think in maths sats. However she only attended primary school a very little amount as she was undergoing significant treatment.

OP posts:
Catza · 13/08/2026 22:45

Of course you don't "just let her go ahead" and dream but you also don't tell her she is not going to get the maths grade she needs. You tell her that she can achieve her ambitions but this will require getting her maths grades up and give her time and resources to do so.

SatansScrotum · 13/08/2026 22:45

I'd just support her for now.

The worst that will happen is she will pick something she likes but might struggle for grades.

If she picks Geography, she isn't going to suddenly like Geography. Even if she gets top marks, she's not likely to pursue it.

If she does science and doesn't get high enough marks, at least she knows she tried and you supported her.

Just get her some revision and practice papers so she's prepared and let her work it out for herself.

ChocolateCinderToffee · 13/08/2026 22:43

Is her maths teacher sny good? I had a very bad one, then a good one and that made all the difference.

noblegiraffe · 13/08/2026 22:42

Are you sure she would need a 7 in maths? My school only requires a 6 in maths to do A-level Physics.

What sort of maths grade is she headed for? What did she get in her SATs?

roughtrenches2 · 13/08/2026 22:42

SueKeeper · 13/08/2026 22:39

You don't just let it build until there's nothing she can do and then it's a big disappointment. There are two things I'd do just now:

  1. Throw everything you can at getting her caught up in maths
  2. Any time she mentions physics, casually say something like "I'm surprised you like physics when it has so much maths," so she can put this together herself

yes we work a lot on building maths. We really do and it stresses her out so we have to do it at a pace.
at the moment she is mastering in all 3 sciences, securing in English but still working towards in maths.
the underlying skill is there but she missed most primary school education and so the catch up in maths is really really taking its toll.
Her end of year 7 exam scored was 50 and 48 percent.
that was with a lot of revision.

OP posts:
NotAnotherScarf · 13/08/2026 22:40

Is there a chance to get a maths tutor...if she's great at science then one to one maths might bring her on

CBAwithallthethings · 13/08/2026 22:40

It’s great she has high aspirations, don’t dampen her interest and enthusiasm. She will realise the different options as she progresses through school. At this point I would just say fantastic and what can we do to help with that.

SueKeeper · 13/08/2026 22:39

You don't just let it build until there's nothing she can do and then it's a big disappointment. There are two things I'd do just now:

  1. Throw everything you can at getting her caught up in maths
  2. Any time she mentions physics, casually say something like "I'm surprised you like physics when it has so much maths," so she can put this together herself
LondonKara · 13/08/2026 22:34

There's still a long way to go. The conversation you should be having at this point is "here's what we can do to get your maths to the level it needs to be to pursue your ambition of studying science", not "your maths isn't good enough so give up your ambition".

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