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

AS Level - poor results - what next??

37 replies

jewel1968 · 28/08/2017 20:30

My DC got AS results BDD. Was hoping for ABC. Wants to study psychology at Uni. They are dyslexic and exam results can vary wildly. Had very little support over the years with their dyslexia. My question is is there any hope that they will get into any Uni as I imagine the predicted grades will be very much in line with AS levels. What practically can they do now? If they were to get specialist dyslexia support and if the level of effort increased I believe they may get decent grades next year but would that make any difference given uni offers are based on predicted. Any advice very much welcome.

OP posts:
Original poster
jewel1968 · 29/08/2017 15:02

Thanks. I thought a teacher would want more than promises. We did request some of his GCSE papers for that very reason. We have yet to receive them. Handed the school the form and cheque too.

Very interesting what you describe about extra time. I had no idea. He us allowed to use laptop in class but it is not practical for some subjects and physically it is not practical much of the time. I don't think he always gets extra time during inyear tests. Again due to practicalities. Agree a SEN meeting is required. Thanks again...

OP posts:
Malbecfan · 29/08/2017 14:38

If your DC can use a laptop in exams, the school has to be able to show evidence that it is their normal way of working. In my school, each subject team has to send a copy of an assessment completed on an exam laptop to the SENCO. If a student is allowed extra time, in their assessments/practice questions, we ask them to change colour or note on their laptop. We then mark the work up to the extra time and add on the extra marks they gained in their extra time to show the value of it. This too is copied and sent to the SENCO. I annotate mine with e.g. 47 marks - grade D in normal time. An extra 8 marks gained in their 25% extra making 55 which s grade B (numbers/grades complete fiction here).

We have been told that if we are unable to supply this evidence, parents will be notified and the student may well lose the right to the extra time/laptop.

If your DC is allowed to use a laptop, I would suggest a chat with the SENCO and exams officer as soon as they are back at school to put interventions in so that it becomes their normal way of working.

noblegiraffe · 29/08/2017 14:27

As a teacher I wouldn't be impressed by 'I plan to work harder', I'd expect the student to get their AS papers back, identify their weak areas, then come up with a timetable of extra work with regular deadlines by which certain topics should be reviewed and resources (e.g. Revision guides/videos) that would be used.

Original poster
jewel1968 · 29/08/2017 14:15

Thanks for responses. His plan is to work 'his ass off' and he has already disconnected his PS4 to limit distraction. He gets extra time and can use a laptop in exams. He doesn't use laptop in class tests or in classroom so using a laptop is an irregular experience and usually at times of high stress (exams). He can excel and can score very highly but is inconsistent. I suspect stress of exams can cause his dyslexia to worsen. I imagine grade prediction is difficult for teachers given his inconsistency. Over the years he is usually described as one of their most able pupils but it does not always follow that exam results will match. Deeply frustrating for all concerned. I am hoping for holistic approach and perhaps something in school reference that explains the background.

What sort of plan does a teacher want to see? I imagine they want detail. Is a plan something he could work up with the senco?

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 29/08/2017 09:38

party sorry, you're right, it's complicated. Most AS's don't count any more. The main subject that still does this year is mathd. Others are:
accounting
ancient history
classical civilisation
design and technology
electronics
environmental science
film studies
further mathematics
geology
government and politics
history of art (A level only) 1
law
mathematics
media studies
modern foreign languages (Chinese, Italian, Russian)
music technology
philosophy
statistics

Then a handful more obscure ones next year.

DumbledoresApprentice · 29/08/2017 09:36

Depends on the subjects as there are still some modular AS Levels left. Maths and Government and Politics were both still modular I think. Most are now linear and decoupled now though.

partystress · 29/08/2017 08:58

Noblegiraffe I am confused (not for the first time!). My DS did two ASs this year and thinks they absolutely count towards his A level grade. He ended up with A and C in two papers, giving a B overall in a subject he needs an A in and so is planning to resit as he needs 320 UMS overall to get an A and it's pretty challenging to aim for 90 in each of next June's two papers. Have we misunderstood the system?

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 29/08/2017 08:43

What are the entry requirements for Psychology at various universities? Anglia Ruskin University, for example, requires 96 UCAS points or two A Levels. That seems eminently achievable with those AS results?

What special consideration does he get in his exams? - extra time, laptop, reader, scribe?

The predicted grades should be done holistically rather than based entirely on AS grades.

noblegiraffe · 29/08/2017 08:35

Schools don't have to predict the same A-level results as AS, especially as they now don't count towards the final result. If your DS thinks he can do better then he needs to come up with a plan of action to improve his results, present it to his teachers and then enact it.

Original poster
jewel1968 · 28/08/2017 21:24

But with predicted grades most likely based on AS levels I don't think any university would make an offer. And my understanding is that you have to have a firm offer in order to go through the adjustment process. Likely they would have to wait another year. Deeply frustrating.

OP posts:
Original poster
jewel1968 · 28/08/2017 20:39

Thanks. I had hoped that might be an option. It would be an incentive to work hard.

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 28/08/2017 20:36

If you do better than predicted so want to try for a 'better' university/course, there is a process called 'adjustment' you can go through. Don't know anything more helpful though.