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Original poster

Post GCSE choices for the non academic child

52 replies

jo1166 · 23/07/2018 14:09

My son's school ( he is going into Yr 11 in September) has told us that he will not be accepted into their sixth form for A Levels. He may scrape through with half a dozen GCSEs at Grade 4 or 5 , if he's lucky he might get a 6 or 7 in Drama or Geography and he is dyscalculic so won't get Maths, he works hard but is not an academic; the school require students to have at least a 7 to be able to study for A Level. The problem is he has always seen himself going on into 6th form with his peers and it's a shock. He is a gifted actor, a member of the NYT, and he is good at sport. To be honest the academic slog of A Levels probably doesn''t suit him but what other choices are there out there?

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 23/07/2018 15:40

Vocational courses, such as BTECs or an Apprenticeship.

Vocational courses can be at Level 3 (A level 'equivalent').
But if GCSEs aren't quite high enough they can be at Level 2 whilst retaking Maths & English.

There are Drama BTECs and also Sport ones and all sorts of other things. Extended Diplomas are the 'equivalent' of 3 A levels and if you do well enough (e.g. Distinction-Distinction-Merit) they can be enough for a related course at University.

Apprenticeships can either be all work based with time for study, or more likely day release to college. With an apprenticeship they get paid (~£4/hr) but you lose child benefit. Depending on where you live, there is of course an issue of travel to work. Apprenticeships are all year round - so no long holidays.

(DD did a BTEC at college, and is now doing an unrelated Apprenticeship).

Soursprout · 23/07/2018 14:16

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.