‘Star’ GCSE pupil flopping A Levels - Advice?

Consider autism in addition to ADHD. Her story sounds a lot like my teenage years, and a lot of other girls who fell under the "gifted and talented" umbrella, while also being described as anxious, daydreamer etc.
My brain is currently fried due to the day from hell so I cannot put enough thoughts together to make any helpful suggestions. Just everything about your post screamed neurodivergent at me. Sending love and I hope the pressure eases soon ❤️

My ds got half way through his A levels courses & got to the stage he just couldn't go on. He left & spent 2 years doing other things like his political campaigning, being a trustee for a charity before applying to do a degree with a foundation year, he is now half way through his first year on his degree & loving it. There are different ways other than A levels.

I'm a secondary school teacher.

I was going to say your daughter sounds like she has Autism/ADHD from your first post, and then read your update about the ADHD pathway - I wouldn't be surprised if she is also autistic, to be honest, as girls in particular are so good at masking.

Year 12 is a slog and a huge shock to the system. A Levels are far more challenging than a degree, I would say - and the leap between GCSE and A Levels is huge on a cognitive level. So it isn't unusual for students who have aced GCSEs to slump and struggle. Your daughter is doing the three most heavily essay-based subjects at A Level, all of which require independent thinking and a huge amount of knowledge acquisition. English Literature (my own subject) is incredibly challenging at this level - the leap from GCSE is enormous - so the fact she's getting an A in that is very promising. Digging into what's working in English may help understand what's not working in History and Politics. Is it a teaching issue, is it a content issue, or is it the memorisation of the facts that she won't be needing to do as much of for English? Does she naturally find it easier to write in the style required for English, and find it more challenging to write in the required style for History/Politics? Understanding why she is able to be successful in one subject and not the others can reveal a lot about how her brain works and what's motivating her right now.

The low grades in History and Politics could be down to the executive functioning skills required and the quite rigid style of essay writing that she may be struggling with processing. There is a nuanced difference between the style of writing required for English compared to History and Politics, and she's clearly struggling to understand what that looks like, as well as probably struggling to retain the amount of factual content she's required to learn.

It is too late to change subjects now and still be able to continue into Year 13, so your options are:

1. Hit the pause button. Drop out of school, have some time to rest and recuperate, and then make a new plan for next year. A more vocational course (BTEC, T Levels, IBCP) might suit her better, or a different combination of A Levels, or an apprenticeship. Going to college rather than school might also be the answer.
2. Stick with the current A Levels, but once she has her official diagnosis, get support in place for school - extra time in her exams - and executive functioning coaching. This often makes a huge difference. She needs help with understanding how to study for her specific subjects. She's getting an A in English Lit - which is harder than History and Politics on a cognitive level - so she is intellectually capable, she's just not working in the right way to be able to cope with it. With support, she should be able to pass and then move on to the next phase, if she can handle studying these subjects that she doesn't actually like for another year.

Whatever course of action you take, it will depend on what she is able to cope with, what she wants to prioritise, and whether she sees any value in continuing with her studies at school. Lots of students and parents hate the idea of retaking the year, but every student I've taught who has done it - for various reasons - has had a really positive outcome.

Good luck with it. I know it's so hard when they're so stressed and it can be difficult to know what's best to do, but be led by her - don't force her to continue if it's really not right. Some kids can power through on the proviso that's it's short term pain for long term gain, but for some that short term pain leads to mental health issues and real distress that really isn't worth it.

I'd make an agreement that she completes the year and tries her best but explore other options for next year. It may help to take the pressure off a bit.

It is a lot of writing based subjects but perhaps it's better she finds this out now.

She could look at either switching at least one subject or doing a college course instead.

If she completes the year it gives her time to consider whether university is for her. Rather than history she might prefer something that bridges science and humanities like archaeology.

And if that's not the path she wants then a more vocational course is better.

Reassure her that it's not the end of the world to make a mistake and a year is nothing but as most of her options won't start til September, she is as well sticking it out until then.

I did well at GCSE but found A levels hard and uni even more so. I realise now (after my son’s diagnosis) that it is highly likely I have ADHD and this is why I found it harder to self
motivate to study beyond GCSE.

I’m now a teacher and doing well but it was hard going to get here.

It sounds like you're doing your best to care and support her. I wonder if some time out to totally relax over Easter might help, so she can recharge. I also wonder if just taking time out, doing some work experience, re evaluating and starting fresh at college in September might be the best option.
If she wants to give it a real shot, have you tried a tutor? You can do it via zoom to ensure its a specialist for each subject, at A level and they're normally amazing. I was a bit similar to your dd -- although when I did A levels it was modular so it was just 1 module of history I got an E for. She got an A in English, so she's obviously all over that one. Which maybe suggests it could be the teaching and her engagement with the other subjects? Is she enjoying the English teaching/subject as well as doing well in it?
I luckily got a change in teacher (I got an A */9 in new money in history gcse) and went from an E in my first a level module to a high A by the end of the courseeven with that blip still on record. I think the teaching makes such a massive difference, because it isn't just learning the information like for GCSE, its learning how to argue, discuss, debate and answer the essay questions the right way - its such a different technique to GCSE and if she's used to just "learning" info, its a real change in style. I think a really good tutor might be able to turn your daughter back onto the subjects and help her perform too. I also have adhd and if the teaching doesn't grab me, I zone out or find it really hard to focus and then it all mounts up and becomes overwhelming. If she wants to see it through I'd give a professional a go, who can work 121 with her, see where it's not working and focus their teaching around her needs and then see how it goes.

I could have written this about my DS in Year 13. He aced his GCSEs too and has always enjoyed school - in fact has been quite the ‘goody goody’ but similarly has really hated 6th form. Just everything about it. Hasn’t enjoyed his subjects and struggled with motivation for them. Quite a lot of his friends moved to other colleges after high school and his timetable doesn’t also fit his remaining friend’s timetables so I think there is some element of the social side not being how it was, but he just says he doesn’t enjoy being sat in a classroom anymore. Unfortunately his 3 subjects are very academic and not at all creative which I think doesn’t help. Together with the fact that for his career path he won’t be going to university so I think he’s not feeling that sense of needing his A levels to get into a much wanted course.
It is disheartening to see him unhappy when he has always loved school but I guess it’s not for everyone. It was kind of refreshing to read such a very similar post. We have done our best to support him and got an online tutor to help with one of his subjects as we thought that may help as I think he’s just feeling overwhelmed with it all.

Do you by any chance have an IB School
or College near you? Still challenging but more breadth plus a project element. A Levels are hard and can be boring. My DS was exactly the same and started afresh at college.

This happened to me at Uni, I had picked the wrong subjects for me. Essay writing just became a chore and with ADHD it is so hard to organise yourself or focus when something feelsbso huge and overwhelming. However if she got an A in English all is not lost!

I completely failed my Year 12 exams and ended up with 4 As at A Level. I had been bright and had managed GCSEs without stress, but didn't actually know how to study and was not from a fmaily who had any idea of study techniques. I actually met friend whose dad was an academic and she taught me how to study. I could easily of flunked a levels without her. I got the idea and concepts but just didn't get what I was supposed to do. I was a bit like this at Uni too. I felt like I'd just not 'got' a ket bit of info although I've always enjoyed the actual learning part.

As an alternative my nephew has just got a degree apprenticeship with one of the Big 4 companies after completing a T Level. I think A Levels being the prestigious qualification are on the way out. One of my former A Level students is now 24 and earning way more than me. She bought a flat in central Manchester. She was a really bright students (As at A Level) but chose not to go to Uni. Your daughter is obviously bright but maybe the A Levels apthway isn't for her--but that doesn't make her a failure by any means.

It’s point where lots of girls who managed /masked with adhd fall apart.

Today’s teenage girls are incredibly hard on themselves and increasingly feel the pressure of expectation. Add in adhd /neurodivergence and they’re like a cauldron of anxiety waiting to boil over

My DD was a straight A student until she got to 6th form. Her attendance was fine as was her classwork but she made an awful mess of AS's and her A levels, just scraping the 3 D's she needed for her course. She got to university however and fell in love with study, ending up with a 1st Class degree. She was always mature, sensible, responsible but picked the wrong subjects for 6th form. However she turned it round and has done brilliantly ever since.

Poor thing. Anxiety can cripple your ability to study, learn and do exams. Is counselling an option? Restarting year 12 could be possible

So, at least she's doing well in Eng Lit. so celebrate the positive. The combination of the 3 subjects is challenging her so can she change one of the subjects to a less essay based one? If she's a natural at French or music maybe she can make up the lost ground and not need to start again in Sept? I've no idea but it would be a shame if a bright girl was defeated so early in life but there are other routes to success. 6th form college may have a different style and provide a fresh start. She doesn't like maths but could she grin and bare it to get a non essay qualification in the bag? What about a tutor?

I stayed on at sixth form and hated every second of it - got e’s in all my mocks, despite having always been in the top thee in the year in all subjects (except pe!) before then. Had about a 50% attendance - weirdly ended up with all b’s - I studied, politics, English and history - and went to uni which I also hated. Dropped out and got a job in accountancy even though I hated maths at school (although good at it). Studied via day release and loved it - passed my exams and have had a good career so far. Maybe vocational is the way for her.

You could have been writing about my daughter, who is now in y13. She aced GCSEs, all 8s and 9s, but really struggled with the new style of learning at A level, anxiety sky rocketed and felt really down, was getting E's in tests. Then came a diagnosis for ADHD and autism, which she had masked for years. GCSEs were easy as they are mostly spoon fed, whereas A levels require more independant thinking and focus which she struggled with. Now however after stabilising on ADHD meds and a move to a different college, she is doing much better and is getting Bs. In hindsight I think she should have dropped one of her subjects and replaced it with something less academic to take some of the pressure off. She is doing Chem, Biology and Maths and has decided to resit this year to give herself the best chance of getting the grades she wants for Uni.

Sounds exactly like my own DD, currently in Year 11 and on course to do really well in her GCSEs. Naturally very bright but very hardworking too, takes part in everything in school.
She's got a place at a good 6th form college to do A levels but she also auditioned for a performing arts college as that's her real passion. We never thought she'd get in but she did so I think she's going to go. Follow your dreams and all that. The Level 3 Extended Diploma will still get her into most universities.

Were there any discussions about alternatives to A levels? Could she switch an A level to Drama or Dance?
Is it a friendship thing? Y12 can be hard and a lot of girls get boyfriends or girlfriends then.
Burnout? Sounds like she worked really hard for her GCSEs.

Your describing my DD. She hated A levels and dropped out by october half term. She secured a level 3 apprenticeship in a solicitor’s and got a level 3 in business admin, they kept her on and she did a level 4 shes now in the NHS at band 4 in their legal/finance team theres scope to be put through an apprenticeship degree next year. Or shes considering applying for law. But at 20 shes now earning just shy of 30k so its worked out ok in the end even though its not the traditional academic route.

I was fairly similar, OP! I once read that A-Levels aren't a leap of faith, but more of a giant leap for mankind, if that says anything at all...

I know of a few people who, after the first year of A-Levels, decided that it wasn't for them. Some went into full-time work, others went into the army, did apprenticeships, or to colleges to do BTECs and City & Guilds qualifications. I made the mistake of sticking with A-Levels (family pressure), got poorer grades than expected, went to university (much easier in comparison), and eventually went to college as an adult... where I got Distinction grades in everything, and would've been in a much better position to go to a better university.

A-Levels aren't for everyone, and it's not a complete disaster if she fails them. She might just have to take a different route to university, if that is her dream, but she might find something else of interest along the way.

She sounds anxious and depressed. I am not sure the A levels are really the issue, though they are clearly the focus.

Although A levels are a massive step up, grade 9s at GCSEs aren’t that easy to obtain, and generally translate to at least a B at A levels, more usually an A or A*. Definitely not fails.

I think I would target the anxiety and depression rather than the actual studies. I am sure, if she recovered her confidence, she could do fine at A levels

I recently took my 19 year old to a National Apprenticeship Show. He hated A levels, despite being bright and did very poorly. I was blown away at the opportunities, most of which only required Maths and English grade 4s. All kinds of jobs from engineering, fashion, accounting, media, MI5/MI6, civil aviation authority, consultancy, to name a few.

I would keep an eye out for apprenticeships as they are published. I think this might be a route for her to follow.

GCSE's you can get through and do well at without doing much if you are naturally clever, whereas that is just not the case with A-levels.

I would say to her that she's fine though - she just needs to get her head around what they are looking for in the exams and practice, practice, practice - but most of all she needs to go to all her lessons. The one thing for sure that will hold her back from doing well is not going to her lessons, it's not like GCSEs, the rate they go through things is fast and they don't go over and over it - she needs to be there to have a chance.

She needs to take a breath and give herself a chance too though I think. She is doing 3 subjects with a lot of writing and it's a lot to take in. A-levels are shit (IMO) and they're hard - much harder than a degree I think - but if she can just get through them then they will be out the way and she can move on.

The alternatives aren't very attractive really, repeating a year, doing different subjects, doing BTECs - especially if there's nothing particularly she'd rather do. Instead I'd encourage her to be less harsh on herself, remember she is capable and that she can do this and lower her sights for now and aim for B's/C's rather than A or A stars in History and Politics. Remind her that she's done really well in her Eng Lit.

I'd imagine she's been totally thrown by the huge step up from A-level and her grades have been a shock after everything coming so easily - I remember being the same as a fairly clever all rounder - but she just needs to get her head down and plough through. Suggest she puts everything into it until the end of the year to see how she goes with her end of Yr12 mocks. Then you can assess the situation again. But the one thing she really, really needs to do is to go to her lessons, I can't emphasise that enough.

Neurodivergence? (And before anyone decides to be sarcastic about this, I am mentioning this as a possibility to consider, I’m not saying definitely or even probably ND. I agree with many of PPs’ suggestions).

My DC2 was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD after A-Levels. We knew DC2 had issues with anxiety and the school even ran some
screeners for a range of issues, including ADHD, and the results of those were all normal.

My A-Levels went tits up and I was one of the top-scoring pupils at O-Level. It turns out, I also have ADHD. I asked my psychiatrist about this and she said it would have been due to poor executive functioning. I think pretty well everyone with ADHD has problems with this. I would think that essay subjects could be particularly demanding of executive functioning.

I hope you get to the bottom of things. It sounds like your DD is having an awful time.