Y11 2025-26 Results Day and Next Steps

Ah thanks for the new thread! I just posted this on the previous one but for those unsure of remarks I put it in with my friend chat gpt and it made it a clear decision for us.

@Anonymousemousesthat sounds immensely stressful for your dd. We’re definitely not a stem family but everything I’ve read says avoid maths alevel unless really able and confident. There is a poster on mn @noblegiraffewho regularly gives advice on this.

Thanks all, she absolutely will NOT do politics. She is doing English Lit and sociology and an essay based EPQ extension, she said she doesn't want another essay based subject.

I have posted on Noble's thread, where she said not to take maths A Level unless you get a 7.

She did REALLY well on the masses of higher tier past papers I gave her. Her mistakes tended to be not including all the formula (she has a habit of not showing the workings if she has worked it out quickly in her head), or showing all the working - including the correct answer - but not putting the answer in the box separately. She works too fast and forgets these simple steps.

She sounds similar to my dd - English literature, history, sociology, psychology (one gets dropped at half term) plus essay epq.

Is there maths bridging work she can focus on over the weekend to “trial” it?

A few worries from DD today after a happy day yesterday. She is down to do just Science (Physics & Biology) and Comp Sci A levels. However, not planning on doing Maths as she got a mid 7 and not particularly enthusiastic about it. Worried that a science / computer science path with no maths might be limiting but she's so much better at those subjects (8/9s) than maths. No option to start 4 and drop 1 at her college so I'd be wary of her starting maths and then struggling. Not sure uni would be for her anyway (she thinks it would be but I'm unsure!) so perhaps it doesn't matter. Any advice on this?

At DD’s school, you can’t take physics A Level without doing A Level maths. According to the A Level brochure this is because 40% of the A Level Physics assessment is utilising maths skills that far exceed GCSE maths.

If she is determined not to do maths A Level (and I don’t blame her if she doesn’t love maths) then I would rethink Physics, personally.

What a queen 👑 @FatLarrysBanned - congrats to your dd!

yeah agree @BeasKnee - physics without maths is unusual (one person did that in DS2's cohort but all the other physicists took maths).

Also is she planning a comp sci degree? They usually ask for maths A level rather than CS as such. Might be worth checking a few possible universities to see if that is the case with the kinds of levels she would be aiming at.

Here's Warwick for example looking for A star in maths https://warwick.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/bsc-computer-science/#entry-requirements

OK that's very toppy - here's Southampton wanting an A in maths https://www.southampton.ac.uk/courses/computer-science-degree-bsc#entry but here's Newscastle https://www.ncl.ac.uk/undergraduate/degrees/g400/ favouring computing and not asking for maths so there is a range.

Daughter off to a boarding college next year (first time boarding so very nervous how it will all work out 😬). If she doesn't like it, she will have to move to Germany with me and the only option will be for her to do A-levels online (as all international schools near us do the IB which she doesn't want to do and her German is not good enough to do the Abitur).

She chose the boarding college over moving to Germany as she thinks she will have no social life if she's at an online school and the college she is going to has a reputation for being very fun 😬 (it's connected to a university and is very sports-focused). I'm very nervous about her being led astray with boys and all that stuff.

Mine will be doing A levels in Sociology Media and English at her first choice inner city sixth form. She’s a great fit for these subjects and takes after me in her academic choices. Exciting times.

Thanks for the new thread. Just looked at DS school’s results. It’s a non selective state school and their results are ridiculously high this year. I guess the group pulls some students up. I can’t say I thought the kids exceptional but there you go

@BeasKneemy DS is doing exactly the same A’levels as your DD. His college offer core maths which is half an A’level (AS level?) to support science students who aren’t taking A’level maths - is this a possibility? For us it’s perfect, obviously a more work but it also carries UCAS points.

My dd is doing all essay subjects and was firm on the epq too but is now toying over core maths to support psychology. I’m a bit nervous though as she only got a 6. I’m on all ears for anyone with intel on it. When are the exams? I know it’s worth less ucas points than the epq but the content is useful for real life maths.

So many amazing results on here. My DD has signed up for A levels in Chemistry and statistics with a vocational course in applied science which is A level equivalent. Results means she is a bit restricted and will have to resit Eng Lang after a grade 3 disaster. My question is does this look like a good mix, she is unable to do 3 A levels because of the grades in other subjects. Maths was a grade 6, as was Chemistry. Any advice appreciated. She is very science focused and would be looking to do some sort of science at uni.

My eldest did an EPQ and the extra points got her over the line for uni, she also said it really helped her with referencing needed for her degree. Can’t comment on the core maths.

God, bit terrified about DD not being allowed her choices now reading about others not being able to do their preferred combinations.

Originally put in 4 choices: geog, bio, maths, physics. Had already half decided to drop maths and physics but results confirmed it (7s rather than predicted 8s).

Filled out school form Thursday afternoon with geog, bio and chemistry (which she only got 6 for so doesn't qualify BUT was a only few points off and had godawful teacher). Back up choice Latin (bit random but got an 8 and enjoyed it). Asked for a call back to discuss but hasn't heard anything at all. She'd like to start 4 and then drop one. Aargh.

Also want to ask them about mark reviews. Was 1 mark off next grade for bio, and a few marks for chem and physics. Think it's worth trying for bio and also chem to try and get the 7.

Thanks, I'll get her to find out about that. It sounds familiar so I think college do offer it. She's really not an essay student at all so it's hard to know what she would swap to if she didn't go science route. But so many posts about maths scare me off encouraging her to do it, I can't remember name of the maths teacher poster but I think her posts suggested that if you are level 7 at GCSE (no further maths) then very unlikely to get a good a level grade.

Core maths is compulsory for certain subjects at our sixth form if you're not taking A level maths.

A stressful couple of days as DS didn’t achieve what he wanted 6555544 and is now coming to terms that 6th form at his current school is not an option which means leaving his mates etc despite having been top sets, triple science etc

now looking at college options for BTEC but not certain of a place yet

he only got 5 in math and 4 in English where he had been hoping for 2 grades higher (and solidly producing 6 and5) so that limits options

I actually think college could be good for him but so disappointing that he’s not achieved his potential and his next 2 years will be very different from what he had planned

i know learning to accept accountability, deal with set backs etc are also good life lessons - I just hurt for him right now

I’m sorry for your ds that he feels so despondent but he passed everything! Is he really close to any grade boundaries for remarks particularly the essay subjects as easier to find extra marks.

Is he able to still do the same or similar subjects at the college? I bet once he’s there and settled he’ll have a great time.

This is the poster @noblegiraffe

Thanks - he loves physics (the 6) but everywhere needs a 6 in maths as well

he did fail a couple as he was doing 11(!) but I’m not to worried about those.

engineering BTEC will suit him I think

My DD now has her college place confirmed for a UAL extended diploma in Art and Design. She is happy but now that the reality has set in, she is very nervous about going to a college where she knows literally no one. She did it before starting secondary and it was ok in the end but took a long time to make friends as most were in groups from primary. She’s worried the same will happen again. I’m trying to say it’s a small college and much more normal at 16 for people to head in all sorts of different directions and turn up not knowing anyone. Is anyone else’s child going somewhere where they don’t know anyone at all in the whole college not just on their course?

DD’s school does core maths in year 12. They recommend it for lots of science courses, including psychology and geography, if you aren’t taking maths a-level. Having looked at it, most of the same universities that drop an entry grade requirement with an EPQ do the same for core maths.

Personally I think core maths would be a better move for DD, as does the school, but she is completely set on doing the EPQ. She’s already had to change 2 of her a-levels because she got a 5 in maths so wasn’t allowed to take biology or psychology (now doing geography and politics instead) so I think the sense of being in control of her own choices is important enough to let her go ahead.

@BeasKnee i think @noblegiraffe is primarily discouraging maths from a grade 6 . She does have a thread again this year if you search for it . Pretty sure she shares some data . Will share if I can find it again

I would imagine that a 7 with the risk in mind and a plan if help is needed is very different to sailing in with a 6 and no idea how hard it’s going to be