Not allowed to do Maths A'level....with an A

This is after results day... did he not know the course entry requirements beforehand?

Our DD is moving to a different school for sixth form because her school had some very lax requirements for A level, so moving to a grammar one - all the sixth forms she looked at gave a prospectus with things like 5As at GCSE and min A in subject choices alongside a min of 6 at both Eng and Maths (unless subject choices where a 7 was required)

Our local superselective required much higher grades - including an 8 in Maths to take it at A level and a 9 in Maths to study further maths,

our original comp - A-C in subject choices, no further maths offered.

There are a lot of different schools around with different entry requirements for courses - an that is before even taking colleges into account.

If a school is only accepting A* students to do maths A-level then it isn't a very good school.

If your DS wants to be an engineer then he needs to find another college without such ridiculous entry requirements. If he wants an excellent grade at maths A-level then he needs to work his socks off from the start - students who fail at maths A-level mostly do so because they don't realise that for all but the best mathematicians, the bulk of work will take place outside of lessons. Lessons are for teaching the concepts, independent time is for getting to grips with them and practising them. Nothing like GCSE.

And yes, he needs to brush up on his algebra right now. Before he starts.

As a secondary school maths teacher, I can understand why the school is saying this. An A grade at GCSE could be as low as around 66%. If your DC got 66% at A level, that would be a C grade. Added to that the A level is significantly harder which is where the D grade prediction comes from.

Having said that, one has to ask where the 'value add' from the school is. I would say if your DC worked extremely hard to get the A at GCSE, then A level is not a good idea. If he didn't do much work to get the A, then he could possibly manage A level. The question then is will he really work hard over the next 2 years. At the beginning of Y12, all the pupils and their parents swear they will, but not all maintain this.

My final comment is for your DS to think about how good his Algebra is. I find that is quite a good indication of success at A level. Can he easily solve difficult simultaneous equations, surds, functions etc without help. If he can honestly say he can easily do these, then A level maths will be fine. If he can't he will struggle.

The more I think about that, the more shocked I am. The assertion isn't even true. This is pure self-interest from the school (and extreme caution).

Please tell him not to take it to heart. They're wrong, they're out of line and he really should vote with his feet.

Its been 15 yrs since I did A level maths but I got a C after getting a B at GCSE. I wasn't the hardest worker and I would say your DS would be fine.
Is the head ouright refusing or is it advise? It sounds to me that the head is more worried about the league tables then your sons education...

Wow. If he genuinely wants to study engineering the school is preventing his progress to protect their results. It is worth asking to see the Head and making your feelings clear. No one knows how your son will perform at A level. There may well be a correlation between the two but that does not prove that your son will not do well! He may not do well, but they cannot say categorically that he will not.

Who's experience shows? I would be demanding that he be let into the class. If engineering is his dream I am sure he will work hard.

Aren't maths grades numbers this year?

My dd had to get a 9 to do maths and further maths despite passing with an A* a year early. They really can be picky at some of the 6th forms

I agree, go somewhere else.

If engineering is his dream, that is no reason at all to give up in it at 16, is it?

Sounds crazy. I'd leave for college if at all possible.

That's an extreme policy.

Have you considered a last minute shop around for a place elsewhere?