Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Poor AS results - am i giving dd the right advice?

36 replies

Mosschops30 · 18/08/2013 19:58

Dd wants to do a history degree, she knows everything there is to know about history and really enjoys studying it.

She has spent most of the AS year fannying about on FB and twitter, talking about sherlock or dr who and enjoying life with her friends. So despite getting As and Bs at GCSE she got 2 Us 1E and 1D at AS level

I was furious, having just done a degree and a pgdip i know about how hard you have to work and for a year i spent one day of my weekend in the library on top of lectures and day study or i would never have got through it, but she just cant seem to grasp it. Weve had lots of tears but i know the same will happen this time next year. Also she had to change school for Alevel and i dont think theyre that supportive.

So i think she should leave and do 3 fastrack A levels at college at work her arse off for the year so she can get into Uni. Shes picked 2 different subjects to do at college but obviously wants to do history and says their course looks great.
Is this a good idea or not? I cant see any point in her staying in the school and wasting time

OP posts:
cricketballs · 18/08/2013 23:09

I also did my A levels in one year and unless you are committed its not ideal; but just because she wants to go uni the same time as her peers doesn't mean that its the most suitable path for her

Original poster
Mosschops30 · 18/08/2013 23:03

I'm pushing because she wants to go to Uni at the same time as all her peers, I worry she'll be left behind.

I did my a levels in a year at college, it was ok and I'm no academic genius

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 18/08/2013 23:01

I don't think that someone who only got As and Bs at GCSE and who failed her first year of A-levels dismally would get very good grades out of trying to do a two year course in one year. She doesn't have the ability, and she doesn't seem to have the work ethic.

Bin this year, change college by all means, but take two years to do a two year course.

Unexpected · 18/08/2013 22:58

But if she didn't work this year and you already think she won't work next year, what is the point of moving and doing fast track A levels? Why will she suddenly start to "work her arse off"? Do you think she is capable of fast track?

cricketballs · 18/08/2013 22:38

why are you pushing for fast track? She can have another 2 years at college to resit at the normal pace, if she struggled this year, then trying to fast track will only cause more stress.

My DS had a disastrous Y12, went from A/B at GCSE to UUUE at AS as he wasn't mature enough to cope with college. He has since enrolled in a BTEC National course and the difference a year makes, plus the different teaching/assessment method has suited him far better and he is going into his 2nd year with distinctions.
We know from research despite MN that the vast majority of universities accept BTECs so whilst he will be 12 months behind his school peers, he is now on track with what suits him

gillviola · 18/08/2013 20:52

My Ds is in the same boat regarding grades but his college have been really supportive. He is going to begin his AS year again, taking only 3 subjects at AS rather than 4 (one of which will be a new subject for him). He is really keen to do this and thinks that the change of subject will suit him. We thought about resits but as the whole point of resits is to improve the grades, we didn't think that resitting AS at the same time as A2 was the best way to do this. We are trying to stress that the extra year will give him the opportunities to do things such as Dof E gold and taking his Grade 8 - both of which he is really keen to do - so hopefully he will be able to see the positives. He has 'taken it on the chin' and is really positive about next year. I hope it lasts.

Original poster
Mosschops30 · 18/08/2013 20:33

The school wont let her resit her Us.
I also think that she wont get the support she needs there.

She hates her history teacher which is sad because its her favourite subject.

OP posts:
Caitycat · 18/08/2013 20:09

Yes I think that's a very good idea. It will give her a fresh start and new staff who won't have pre-conceived ideas about her. There is no point in resorting something you get a u in and many schools would not allow her to return with those results. This seems like a positive and sensible decision but she must go into it with a determination to succeed if she doesn't want a repeat of this year's results.

curlew · 18/08/2013 20:08

No winter resists any more. The only way is to resit alongside a2s next summer. Which is a very, very big ask.

Could she repeat the year? A couple of kids at dd's school are planning to do this- not sure how it works, though.

Spottypurse · 18/08/2013 20:04

My results in LVI were rubbish. I'm very glad we didn't have AS levels. Can she resit?

Mabelface · 18/08/2013 20:02

Can't she resit? It's not unusual for kids to piss about in the AS year, getting a huge shock when they get their results.