What are you doing to support your lacking-in-direction, lackadaisical 15/16 year old for post GSCE choices?

My DS did a modern apprenticeship . Started A levels but dropped out after first year . His apprenticeship was in business admin, but within the company he also got experience in their sales department and warehouse . It was absolutely the right thing for him because whereas he coasted along at school and barely attended college, he became really motivated by being in adult company and in the workplace - really discovered his work ethic .

During the year of the apprenticeship scheme there is one day per week either on the job training or a day at college and an NVQ at the end . DS company kept him on and he's been there 5 years now .

Gah! This is my 15 year-old DS Y11, but he has pretty poor predicted GCSE grades (we're talking anything from 2-5 based on his last mocks, with a bizarre 7 for English as an outlier), no interest in school whatsoever, no motivation to revise for the next mocks in October, absolute refusal to have any sort of tutor, and 6 months or so until actual GCSEs.

Absolutely no idea what he wants to do other than "not school", but every possible path suggested to him is shot down.

I know this sounds like every Mum talking about their little soldier, but he's actually pretty bright, well-spoken, erudite, personable, all that jazz. Just can't be arsed to do the academic work.

I get it, it's not for him, but unfortunately it's not how the world works, and we're at a bit of an impasse. I have no idea what to do next.

We have seriously contemplated moving to Scotland and just shoving them out to work. I want to go there anyway, so it might be the perfect excuse.

We have two of these so you have my sympathy - so similar in fact you could've stolen one of them.

One thinks he'll join the army and doesn't even want to do a trade - just rough it in the field and hope to rank up...

The other one tends to want to do whichever apprenticeship we suggest. No direction. No ambition.

They both have plenty to say about what they don't want to do, but have put zero effort into investigating what they do want to do.

I time wasted doing A levels so I won't be encouraging that, and it's pointless without
decent academics.

I think I was similarly lost tbh, but the college course I wanted to do was very expensive and my grades slumped too much for uni - I was part time working and having too much of a social life.

I think try and steer towards apprenticeships if you can, or military with a thought process behind it.

My son is year 11 and doesn't want to do anything after GCSEs. He definitely doesn't want to do a levels, I've found a couple of BTech courses nearby but he said they "don't really interest" him..he's muttered about apprenticeship but I can't see him actually applying!

What do you do with a non-academic 16 year old who genuinely can't find anything of interest to study within his abilities? He enjoys maths and science lessons but isn't predicted high enough grades to do them for A-level (and I don't think he would cope with A level, it's not about lack of effort!)

I've no idea what he will do!

I have no bloody idea.

Ds is in Y11 and is intelligent...and was originally predicted A*'s across the board for GCSE (we're in Wales, still the old number system here).

His 3 science GCSEs in Y10 (45% of final grade) he got 3 A's. Which is great...but lower than he was capable of. And his practice papers he's doing in all subjects at the moment he's coming out with just scraping A grades too. A grade lower than his teachers keep telling us he should be getting.

Sounds crazy to be 'concerned' about him getting A's I know 🙄 And before anyone thinks I'm the high maintenance mother from hell, all he gets from us is huge well done type messages. But it's symptomatic of his personality because he's always, always tended towards laziness, from being a toddler. This far he's smashed school because it's come easily and naturally to him but he does bare bones of homework or revision. It's like pulling teeth trying to get him to do ANY exam prep at all, he'll just delay it, pretend to do it, not do it, thinks whatever will be will be and is totally unconcerned.

The jump from GCSE to A Level is so massive I just cannot see for one minute him putting in anywhere near the required effort. He's not driven enough. But he's not interested in anything else either, he's meh about A Levels, apprenticeships, meh about everything after Y11. He's so laid back he's almost horizontal and doesn't have plans or dreams or particular passions about anything. Content and funny and lovely but you'd swear he was constantly stoned (he's not 😂😂).

So I've absolutely no idea, I'm just hoping he really surprises us and gets a bit of oomph about something soon (anything!).

Has he looked at apprenticeships, they are not all in trades.

hahaha I repeated myself somewhat in that post eh! It's all great @pissyrascal

My DD btw did well at Eng lit but would have been a total failure at PE A level. Just about where her strengths and interests lay, not that she is more academic than your ds (nor indeed her brother)

Woah PE A level is not less academic though. Neither is media. If you mean "A levels that my DS would enjoy and do better at" then that's great, and more than valid.

But your comparison of PE (less academic) and biology (more academic) or media and Eng lit won't fly. And there is a media teacher on this board who would agree with me.

If he would enjoy and succeed at PE and media then that's great and best of luck to him.

yes @clary I know all Alevels are challenging but for example my ds loves sport and enjoys GCSE PE so may end up doing that, but I think he'd struggle at biology. He is also quite enjoying media studies GCSE and could maybe manage A level media studies, but would struggle with English lit, for example

There aren’t really any “less academic A levels” tho @pissyrascal. Even more practical ones like DT or music are quite demanding, and there is a lot of written work on business or economics.

Colleges offer lots of interesting options tho - how about a BTEC in business admin - could lead to decent employment.

Watching with interest. We’re in Scotland so a different education system but our youngest cherub has an average to poor set of Nat 5s and is now repeating one and doing 4 Highers in S5. No interest whatsoever in school and struggles a bit academically - loves sport though. We’re looking at the apprenticeship or armed forces route, but in what I don’t know. Doesn’t help that DH, the elder DCs and I all went down the university route - I do feel for him.

My ds is exactly the same, just into year 10 so not got predicted grades yet but I think it will be 5s and maybe the odd 6 at best. Any conversation about future possibilities leads to him getting stressed and angry. I think a combo of btech and some of the less academic A levels is probably going to be the best option but probably not for uni entry. Just to gain a couple more years of maturity and thinking time and it also shouldn't then close off too many options.

Hi OP – if he is predicted mostly 5s the A levels are probably not for him – especially if he wants to be out of the classroom.
There are lots of options that are not a practical trade – hospitality (not only making food), business admin, healthcare to name a few. What are his skills? Is he good with people – front-of-house might be a good role and can lead to great things.
Look here at roles with Compass for example
www.compass-group.co.uk/jobs/early-careers/

Apprenticeships are not easy to get but worthwhile. Places like doctor’s surgeries run them for reception/admin roles for example. Or yes, a BTEC in an appropriate skill may suit.