HELP, y13 walked out wants to study A levels from home

Check about NEAs. Submitting by Christmas sounds very early for the English Lit (but good from your perspective if this is true!).

History is worrying. For context, my DD had very patchy history A Level teaching (teacher was off sick, then one left and they got to about a month off the exams with a huge chunk of the syllabus not taught) and had to do a lot independently but (and this is a big but) the school did recognise that this wasn't great and chucked in a lot of revision sessions close to the exams and spent a lot of the time they did have working on exam technique and what was expected to get good marks - on the basis that this was harder for the students to work out themselves than just learning content. I do not think DD would have done as well as she did if she had left at Christmas and solely worked independently, due to missing out on all the extra targetted stuff. But you may be getting this through your tutor.

I don't know if it's the same for all exam boards, but my DD had to choose her own History question. (As in, she could choose anything historically related, as long as it met approved criteria).

Talk to the school and try to keep them enrolled, maybe with a reduced timetable as Plan A. I wonder if your DC would agree a compromise like doing one or two subjects in college and the rest from home with a tutor. School will be used to students being EBSA and are unlikely to chuck an A grade student out early doors if they keep handing in whatever they need to. NEAs, curriculum coverage and exams will be so much easier with current school. I'd suggest keeping the reasons to MH in discussions with school rather than the quality of the teaching.

Also going into college regularly, even for just one subject, would make it easier for your child to attend for the actual exams. This might make sense to them as a reason to keep going in. Maybe also, if MH allows, raise the idea that tolerating a lesson you are not loving, taking what you can from it, is a study skill they will need for uni. Some lecturers will be poor, some units will be compulsory and not their cup of tea. Keeping "in the room" will be important at undergrad level.

At this age they can be very black and white and plump straight for one solution as the only possible one. Other ideas include dropping out for this year, working on recovery and rejoining in Sept (6th forms should all allow a 3rd year for this reason) or asking for adjustments to homework load. Also I would try to plant the idea that 2 runs at Y13 is completely fine, whether that means staying in school this year and doing own retakes next year if needed, or trying it on their own this year and retaking with a taught Y13 (online school?) next year if needed.

I have some sympathy for your child. We get a similar moan from DD that with all the pre-learning she has to do, actually going to the lessons feels like the least valuable part of her week. But she knows herself, that she only does the learning because of the structure and work set by her teacher. On a bad day she frames it that the lessons are the "price" she pays for that structure, which she absolutely relies on. Going it alone might be a sensible plan for some students, but it won't be right for everyone. You know your child best - would they plough through the curriculum independently or procrastinate and get depressed? I think these particular subjects are some of the hardest to do with no teaching, and the hardest to be confident that an A grade in class will translate into an A grade on exam day.

I would look to maybe meet DC half way and try to agree a reduced timetable with school that still keeps them on track to sit their exams there. (Also is this PowerPoint etc a distraction when they should be doing their NEA?! DD's Eng is already handed in and Hist is due in next week!)

I share your pain, but I think your DS might actually be realising his limits and that school is impacting his MH. I have had EBSA with my dc (the three autistic dc). My y13 is currently on 80% attendance because they just cannot manage every day. They have an EHCP, have previously had a fair bit of time out of school during GCSE. They understand their MH well now. School seem to be ok with it has they are predicted a* and A.

it’s worth having a talk to school. I would say they would be resistant. Otherwise and exam centre is a good call.

MH has to be the priority here.

It sounds like your child has done their research well.

• If they are going as an external candiate, make sure they have properly factored in the costs associated with that, and whether the test centre requires them to take lessons with them first.
• Check whether school would require them to pay for exam entries they are no-longer using. I would expect they would.

You/DC need to speak to whatever exam centre you use about the NEAs. The arrangements vary centre to centre, and not all centres offer qualifications which have NEAs. For example, for English lit and History A levels, Tutors and Exams require candidates to be working with one of their partner distance learning providers or approved tutors. This will be an added expense and you would need to find someone with availability/willing to take DC on so far through the course.

The NEAs for History and English Lit will have to be marked by the school. Will they both be handed in before Christmas?

I think you need to get to the bottom of why your DC wants to leave school. Obviously mental health takes priority, but if going it alone without the right guidance results in doing less well how will that help with your child's mental health?

I agree.
DD did her STEM subject A level around an hour and a half away, somewhere not accessible by public transport and her practicals 2 hours away.
Luckily I am SE so could take her but we actually stayed in an Airbnb for the practicals and I drove her to the exams with a very early start and hung around nearby.
Also, she is very bright and absolutely knew her subject BUT still did badly, research afterwards suggested it was purely down to not being drilled in exam technique for that specific exam

What kinds of costs did they factor in? I work with a group of exam centres to assess my subject; they are very good and can accommodate all kinds of requirements - an A level in history (for example) is £670 for an on-time entry (entry by early Feb) so three similar would be more than £2k which is quite a chunk.

I would speak to school asap to see what, if anything, can be agreed wrt to the YP sitting exams on minimal or zero attendance.

My DC took an a level privately. It is do-able but you may need to travel some distance.

I would be concerned about exam technique in your shoes. It's not enough to know the content you need to be able to tick box the markscheme and that's where the teaching really does help.

Is your DC considering university or do they not know future plans?

How can DC have presented you with the financial costs if they haven’t researched exam centres? Exam centres don’t all charge the same amount. Some may also be fully booked for some subjects/boards. This is especially the case if DC needs access arrangements.

Hi I echo look into exam centres asap before de reg , locally we have had quite a few centers reduce the numbers of private candidates or not offering them the spaces at all this year not all offer a lot of special arrangements if he has any e.g a separate room. Also pls be aware child benefit will stop and potentially any others you get for him as he will be seen as not in full time education and once de regested he will get no support from the school

Are they planning uni? Has that application and reference been done?

Good point
What are the subjects?

Do any of their choices involve NEAs? If so, how would they be marked?

Do you receive child benefit or similar which may cease if they leave ft education or training?

The school may have already paid for the exam entry, so taking the exam may not be an issue.
They may want your DS to take the exam as a private candidate as however bad they think the teaching is they may not do as well as they think without it.

"They" are 18. I would let the adult crack on and just reiterate that I won't be picking up nor admin, nor costs, nor any responsibility if it goes wrong.

I'd agree with pp. Set clever teen the task of finding exam centre and booking.