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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

Advice please following GCSE's. What next?

35 replies

GianinaC · 31/08/2025 00:38

My DD didn't get what she hoped in her GCSE's, she passed them all with 4's and 5's and a 6s. The 4's were in maths and sciences.

She really is adamant she wants to do A-Levels in the subjects she got 5's and 6s in but most 6th forms and colleges have slammed the door shut due to the 4's.

The other option is an extended BTec but the only option is a college that really isn't great IMO and out of the area.

I am struggling to know what is for the best. The cynical part of me feels the schools and colleges set the bar high so they can have a bigger certainty of success. She was literally marks away from 6's in the subjects she got 5's in.

I guess I have two questions.

Are A-Levels so hard that a 5 and 6 means she will likely fail?

Are Alevels going to help her more than a Btec extended?

Back when I did A-Levels (and passed), they just let me do them regardless of my poor GCSE results. A different time and perhaps they were easier then.

Everyone goes back next week, and it's been hectic. I wish they had the results earlier.

I'm not sleeping worrying about it.

OP posts:
TeenToTwenties · 31/08/2025 07:32

50mins (is that door to door) is pretty standard in my area of Hants where there are no school 6th forms and everything is colleges. My DD's journey by bus is 1hr with the walk to the stop.

In my opinion, good grades (Distinctions so eg DDD or DDM) at an Extended BTEC would be better for uni than Ds and Es at A level.

Not much point looking at options off the table.

Compare options still on the table:

  • Has a teacher checked the scripts of the 'just missed a 6' grade 5s. Is it worth paying for a review? Would that re-open some colleges who have said no.
  • Is there anywhere who would let her do the A levels with her grades she has? What is the distance? What is their track record (lower input grades tend to lead to lower output grades on average)
  • What colleges are there within 90mins door to door. What is the best course at each? On a Level 3 with no resits she may only need to travel 3 days a week compared with possibly 5 for A levels (because timetabling is easier for BTECs)
  • There is a whole BTEC thread on this board, have a read. BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26 | Mumsnet

BTEC/T level/other vocational 25/26 | Mumsnet

Hello all. My DS will hopefully be starting a level 3 extended diploma in September (assuming he gets the grades). I know very little about BTECs havi...

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/5391936-btect-levelother-vocational-2526

LottieMary · 31/08/2025 07:26

If she wants to do drama, sociology and history she really needs at minimum 6 in essay subjects - English lit, RS, History.

Also depends very much on how she got her 6s. If it was hard work and she hated it, then A levels aren’t for her perhaps. We often accept our own students with lower grades if we know them, their grades unexpected but they work hard etc. BUT those I accept onto my essay based subject with a 6 are much more likely to get C/D. They can outperform that but statistically less common.

if she likes drama/ sociology could she find more creative breca, the coursework elements may also help her greatly

BunnyMcDougall · 31/08/2025 07:22

Gently….speculating on what a particular 6th form’s entry requirements should/should not be will not help you secure a place for DD this week. Maybe she could have worked harder, but it’s done now and you need to find her a spot somewhere where she does meet the minimum requirements. Sharpish. Even if you don’t like the “vibe”—the students who get to be choosy on “vibes” achieved higher results.

Octavia64 · 31/08/2025 06:55

Colleges are a bit like universities.

they have different entrance requirements.

as other have said, maths, sciences and MFL a levels you really do need good gcse grades in those subjects to do them at a level.

drama and sociology should be doable with her results. History is a challenging a level. Did she do history gcse and if so what did she get? If not then did she do another essay gcse (eng lit maybe?)

Daschund1 · 31/08/2025 04:47

GianinaC · 31/08/2025 01:21

I guess this has been my confusion as some have said a minimum 4 in English and Maths (not near us but on a google search) and 5's in the subjects, so I was confused why there was such a huge difference. As you say some say 7's.

Show quote history

Yes. DD sat her A levels this year. These are maths and sciences.

Original poster
GianinaC · 31/08/2025 01:21

Daschund1 · 31/08/2025 00:55

DD's average 6th form wanted 7s and preferably 8s at GCSE for the A levels she took this year. I think she'd struggle.

I guess this has been my confusion as some have said a minimum 4 in English and Maths (not near us but on a google search) and 5's in the subjects, so I was confused why there was such a huge difference. As you say some say 7's.

OP posts:
Original poster
GianinaC · 31/08/2025 01:16

clary · 31/08/2025 00:53

What subjects did she want to take at A level? In maths, MFL and science really a 7 is advisable or a student risks the likelihood of a very low A level grade (D ort E) which is not going to get them very far. Often in this situation a qual like a Btec with continuous assessment can be better.

It does depend; did she work really hard at her GCSEs and achieve or even exceed expectations – or did she do much worse than expected eg bc she didn't work hard enough, missed a chunk of the exam, had some kind of challenging circs? If the latter, that would be something that could be changed (eg work more, work on exam technique or obvs circs will hopefully be better) so A levels might be more feasible. If a 4 or a 5 (even a high 5) is the limit of her abiity then A levels will be a real struggle. A 6 would usually be acceptable tho (except in very high-achieving schools).

Btecs can get her to uni if that is her aim. Did you have a plan B or just the school A level option? How far away is the college? Does she have a provisional place there? Is an apprenticeship an option? https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

It's drama, sociology and history A-levels.

Much to me annoyance she didn't work as hard as she should. And now I have to stop myself saying told you so, but she knows this herself as she is gutted.

The plan B was a BTEC but she is getting conflicting advice. The college is like 50mins away, doable but also it felt like a meat market where people are forced to go. That was the vibe. Maybe I need to keep looking for an alternative.

OP posts:
Daschund1 · 31/08/2025 00:55

DD's average 6th form wanted 7s and preferably 8s at GCSE for the A levels she took this year. I think she'd struggle.

clary · 31/08/2025 00:53

What subjects did she want to take at A level? In maths, MFL and science really a 7 is advisable or a student risks the likelihood of a very low A level grade (D ort E) which is not going to get them very far. Often in this situation a qual like a Btec with continuous assessment can be better.

It does depend; did she work really hard at her GCSEs and achieve or even exceed expectations – or did she do much worse than expected eg bc she didn't work hard enough, missed a chunk of the exam, had some kind of challenging circs? If the latter, that would be something that could be changed (eg work more, work on exam technique or obvs circs will hopefully be better) so A levels might be more feasible. If a 4 or a 5 (even a high 5) is the limit of her abiity then A levels will be a real struggle. A 6 would usually be acceptable tho (except in very high-achieving schools).

Btecs can get her to uni if that is her aim. Did you have a plan B or just the school A level option? How far away is the college? Does she have a provisional place there? Is an apprenticeship an option? https://www.gov.uk/apply-apprenticeship

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littlemisspickles · 31/08/2025 00:45

My daughter struggled with A levels, despite strong GCSE results. In some subjects there is quite a leap. Whilst it's understandably upsetting and frustrating, when colleges turn students down it is because they feel that students will struggle and if accepted, they would be setting them up to fail. I would look at BTEC or T levels.