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Original poster

Redo gcse or continue with a levels

36 replies

oishidesne · 21/09/2024 20:26

DD did GCSE's this year with aspirations to study maths physics and chemistry at college. Her maths grade is a 6, college says she can do statistics, economics and another subject instead. These a levels are completely different to the science based ones she envisioned. She was top in maths all her school years but something happened in the finals and she messed up.

Is it wiser to take a year out and redo her gcse to maintain maths or should we accept the a levels suggested by the college?

As she is cannot do maths, she cannot do physics.

She doesn't know what she wants to do for a degree yet.

I feel she is limiting her options by taking the subjects offered by the college. There are no other 1 year courses she can do with the 1 gcse math retake so it will be a difficult year...

OP posts:
Darkflames · 21/09/2024 21:32

She’ll get funding for three years at sixth form so could start the suggested A levels while resitting maths. Then if she gets a higher grade after start A levels again with her chosen subjects.

Or look for another sixth form that will offer her her subjects with her current grades.

clary · 21/09/2024 21:31

oishidesne · 21/09/2024 21:28

Hi thank you for ur replies. She was 30 marks away from the next level so not worth remarking. She did well at Mocs (7).

Oh wow so depending on board (I just looked at a couple) she was only just over the boundary for a 6 - just a few marks off a 5. No I wouldn't advise maths A level unless you know she did something drastic (like missing out several questions bc she didn't see them)

Original poster
oishidesne · 21/09/2024 21:28

Hi thank you for ur replies. She was 30 marks away from the next level so not worth remarking. She did well at Mocs (7).

OP posts:
clary · 21/09/2024 21:27

Maths A level with a 6 is tough as I am sure you are aware OP.

But the science grades are a lot better – was there some specific reason for the 6? Yes, have you recalled the papers to a) have them checked and maybe b) see where she went wrong?

What I mean is, if she missed out a whole section or timed it badly and didn't finish, that won't mean obvs that her mark goes up, but it might show that she could or should have done better. Does that make sense?

You say she was top at maths - what was her expected grade? If there is some simple reason (also maybe being ill on exam day, that kind of thing) that then can be avoided going forward, and in fact her maths skills are good, could you or she try talking to college and explaining? I take it the setting is not where she did her GCSEs so they don't know her ability?

Edited to add: @Mummyoflittledragon a 6 in maths at GCSE, especially if that is the top of the candidate's ability, is not a good start for A level. Same for MFL IMHO. Linear qualifications require a better grounding than a 6 suggests.

Mummyoflittledragon · 21/09/2024 21:24

Also, have you asked how close your dd was to getting a 7 in maths? You have a few days left to get a remark.

Mummyoflittledragon · 21/09/2024 21:23

My dd is 16 and has just taken her GCSEs. If your dd is set on taking maths and physics, I would get her to resit maths. It is only a year at the end of the day.

Is there no other college or 6th form, which will take her for A levels for these grades? That is quite a high expectation for state college. Around here a 6 is enough.

Cyleed · 21/09/2024 21:14

Have you requsted the papers to look at?
Did she actually do better on mocks?

Perhaps get her to do an old set of papers to see if she wouod do better?

However, i did bio, chem, maths and got c,d,d (before A stars). With Bs at gcse on all of them.

Original poster
oishidesne · 21/09/2024 21:02

Even if she retakes her gcse maths?

OP posts:
pocketpairs · 21/09/2024 20:53

Honestly, with a 6 she may struggle with maths and physics A level, unless there was an external factor that impacted her on the exam day / period, so might be better to follow Colleges advice

Original poster
oishidesne · 21/09/2024 20:51

Chemistry 7, physics 8

OP posts:
JaffavsCookie · 21/09/2024 20:51

What did ahe get in chemistry and physics?