Can you move sixth form at the end of year 12

What about https://www.tlevels.gov.uk/students/subjects/marketing

what is he actually interested in?

As he is saying he doesn’t want to be at school does he have any alternative?

He has a fledgling business, could he give that a go for 6 months and see if he can make a go of it?

If he does then great, if not then he can look into alternatives to Alevels starting next September. He might prefer working part time and studying part time. Having a routine of a job might give him the structure he needs to go to bed at the right time.

You seem very rigid in your thinking that it is Alevels or nothing, dismissing BTECs as below you/him. Which is outdated, snobby and utter rubbish! Given he is failing Alevels, you need to relax your expectations and look at alternative paths. There is no right way through life and he has to find what works for him (not you!),

Advice and information should have been circulated at least 2 weeks before the AR meeting.

You need to look at what is detailed, specified and quantified in F. If this is not being provided, you should speak to the school and LA. Ultimately it is the LA who is responsible for ensuring F is provided. If it isn’t, it can be enforced. Although this is only possible if the provision is detailed, specified and quantified in F. It can’t be enforced if it is vague and woolly.

Even if the LA maintained as is at the Y12 AR, the EHCP should have been amended for phase transfer to post 16 at least.

It will help you to learn more about EHCPs and SEN law. IPSEA and SOSSEN’s websites are good places to start.

Would DS be willing to try melatonin?

What does he say? What was his contribution to his AR? It all starts with that really.

Was the necessary updated advice and information not circulated prior to the AR meeting?

Has DS ever had some specialist careers advice from someone with SEN experience?

What support is in the EHCP currently and was/is it being provided?

I would encourage DS to remain in education. That doesn’t have to mean formal courses like A levels of a BTEC. You could look at a supported internship. Or an EOTISC package that is bespoke to DS - these can include lots of things, but if DS enjoys gaming, there are lots of gaming APs and it could include some mentoring and supported work experience as well as some therapeutic input.

Is DS taking ADHD medication? Does he take melatonin?

Can I ask what is it that's going wrong for him? Is he not attending because he is scared of failing? Or is he avoiding something else? Is anyone giving him support in his revision, or is that all down to him?

Yes, you can move... but A-Levels are not the only way to get into university or a lot of jobs. There are more vocational routes that are more inspiring than sitting in a classroom. I have both A-Levels and went back to do a more practical City & Guilds course... which served me better, I got higher grades, and would have been more likely to get into university with the equivalent of an A/B than I would with my A-Level results.

@Springhare76 I am sorry your DS is struggling so much. It really sounds as tho he is not engaging with his courses at all. If he got a B in French at the end of year 12 he must have decent ability (even if French is his mother tongue, a B grade needs work and knowledge). Yes, what does he say about it?

What is his ultimate aim? It sounds to me as tho university, where you need to be very self-motivated, may not be a good choice for him (which is fine). So maybe he should look at getting a job?

It’s tricky, as if he drops out now he has nothing to show for 18 months in sixth form. OTOH it doesn’t sound as tho he stands a chance to gaining A levels at all, having missed so much and with Us in his mocks.

The options I guess are:

• Drop out now, try and find a job with his GCSEs
• Continue with his current course with a new attitude and make a big effort to catch up to where he was in September, with a view to taking A levels in the summer – but bear in mind that this might end with UUU (and in fact the sixth form might refuse to enter him for the exams)
• Drop out now and look for a new course to restart year 12 in Sept 2026 – his EHCP as I understand it means that will still be possible. It would need to be something that really engages him tho, and it sounds as tho the A levels he would enjoy are closed off to him bc of his GCSE grades, so he might need to really have a careful look at what was on offer

I have to be honest and say that the first one sounds like the most practical option. If he later wanted to go to uni, there are access courses available which could be an option him. But there is nothing wrong with working and there are plenty of roles in society which don’t need a degree or even A levels. An apprenticeship might be an option as well.

Sounds difficult. Does he have any ideas?

With the EHCP he could stay on in education eg to do a BTEC, but that only really works if he attends and of course now he is probably too late to switch for this academic year.

What does your DS say?

Not sure about moving and going into year 13 at a different sixth form. I don't know of any teens who have done this, but that's not to say it can't be done. Could you contact the sixth form your dc would be interested in moving to and ask them?

The problem is that another 6th form would have to cover the same topics in the same order with the same exam board, and that is vanishingly unlikely.

It would be far better to either get tutors in to bring him up to scratch or restart year 12, either at the same place or elsewhere.

He should be able to restart year 12 elsewhere, assuming there are spaces and the sixth form/ college agree. I know of teens who have done this, due to poor end of year results.
Not sure about moving and going into year 13 at a different sixth form. I don't know of any teens who have done this, but that's not to say it can't be done. Could you contact the sixth form your dc would be interested in moving to and ask them?

Let's just say that a Distinction at BTEC is much more highly regarded and will take you a lot further than a C or D at A level is ever likely to.

So I suppose it depends if you think your DS is likely to be getting those top grades at A level in 9 months time?

If he's not suited to the way of studying on a BTEC then I would also gently suggest that university is probably not his future path as they are far more alike than A levels and university.

Hey @Springhare76 high grades in Btecs will get you into most unis (not COWI I guess), so I'm not sure about A levels being "much better regarded".

Does he plan to go to Higher education?
If he wants to turn a C at end if year 12 into an A grade he will have to work very hard. Not sure really what want from this thread but moving him to do year 13 and finish A levels in a different setting (which I feel is the only option you would be happy with from your op, but your mist recent post contradicts that anyway) will be challenging, especially as we are now in Sept and term starts this week.

Btecs are perfectly well regarded and for a candidate looking at lower A level grades, will certainly be fine from that PoV.

If your ds won't work at a Btec tho, then that's not the best idea for him.

What does he plan to do tho? If he doesn't get the grades his school requires, it's going to be very difficult for him to move to a different setting and pick up at the start of year 13. Does he really want to stay at a school he hates doing subjects he doesn't enjoy (your words)?

It really sounds as tho a new start would be better, but obvs it's not our choice, it's yours and his (and to some extent his school's). All the best to him.

They might have done that in the past but it is now not allowed -- as a matter of fact, it probably wasn't then... (see as pp said, the St Olave's case).

https://www.nelsonslaw.co.uk/removing-sixth-form-students/

Given this is a recent statement from him could it be more back to school nerves rather than a major problem with the school?

You are very anti BTECs, which are far from a daft idea. A level 3 BTEC is equivalent to an A level and as a previous poster has said the more frequent deadlines can really help a lower motivated student as they get much more immediate feedback. Why are you so opposed to them?

Assuming this is not an independent school, they cannot force DS out because of his results. See the guidance @MarchingFrogs linked to and the St Olave’s case she mentioned. It would be unlawful.

With an EHCP, moving placement before the start of term is highly unlikely. You would need an early review of the EHCP. The LA may or may not agree to an early review. If they don’t, you don’t have the right of appeal, you would need to either wait for the AR or request a reassessment of need (which does have the right of appeal if the LA refused). Even if the LA agree to an early review and they agree to amend, your preferred would need to be consulted.

The school could request an early review. However, if it is your preference, the bar for the LA not naming it is high. And the LA doesn’t need the college to agree.

Moving from Y12 in one institution to Y13 in another isn’t straightforward. Even if the new sixth form offers the same subjects, the timetable might not allow that combination. In subjects that have choices within the specification, the new sixth form may not do the same options. And things may be taught in a different order.

With an EHCP, funding isn’t limited to 3 years. The EHCP can continue until 25, or 26 in some cases, if necessary.

Is DS receiving all the support he needs? Does his EHCP need amending regardless of placement?