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Six form admission

15 replies

Tee12 · 27/08/2023 12:04

Hi, I need a bit of advice regarding a GCSE student with pass grades e.g 3 and 4. Is there any school accepting children with these grades for six forms?

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 27/08/2023 12:07

Some 6th Forms will accept them for retakes (or colleges will as standard).
They can do one year for retakes and if they then get the needed grades for a two year course (A-levels, T-Levels, Btec etc) they can do that.
Teens are entitled to 3 years of 6th Form/College up to age 19.

LIZS · 27/08/2023 12:11

Unlikely to be accepted for a level 3 courses (A level, btec, t levels etc) but some will offer resit of English and Maths gcse(or Functional Skills) alongside level 1/2 courses. Try a further education college as they tend to offer a broader range than sixth forms. Are there any Additional Needs affecting study?

Hellocatshome · 27/08/2023 12:13

Do they want to do A levels with those grades? Did something happen to mean their GCSEs aren't really a good indicator of their ability? If they got 3s and 4s and that is a good indicator of their ability I think they would struggle to get a decent grade at A level. You could look at colleges for alternatives which are just as valuable as A levels but perhaps more suitable.

I say this as someone's whose DS got a 3 and the rest 4s and 5s and I wouldn't have advised him to do A levels if that was the route he was thinking of.

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TeenDivided · 27/08/2023 12:14

3s & 4s you need to be looking at colleges offering BTECs/T-levels.
Might be best to start on a 1 year Level 2 BTEC resitting English/maths if needed, then progressing on to the 2 year level 3 BTEC/T-Level.

loads of chat about such things on the Secondary Education board and also Further Education board.

ciakace · 27/08/2023 12:26

Normally you can’t do a levels with anything below a pass ( A 4) some sixth forms will just deny admissions as they won’t be at the level 3 which a levels are. Some sixth forms will offer a year of resists, the local sixth form here you resit maths and / or English alongside a finance certificate and a btec, to get you more qualifications before moving on.

reluctantbrit · 27/08/2023 12:50

The two 6th forms DD applied had not only a 4 in English and Maths as standard for general entry, none of the courses involving essays or science would accept anything below a 5 or even a 6 in English or Maths plus a 5 or 6 in the subject as GCSE level.

A-Level courses are significantly harder than GCSEs and lots involve coursework as well.

DD's friend has two 3s but not in any subject relating to her A-Level choices so she was ok to apply.

Bluevelvetsofa · 27/08/2023 13:15

Probably best looking at college courses.

LittleBrenda · 27/08/2023 13:19

Here's a photo I took of the required grades at the sixth form dd is going to.

Six form admission
Six form admission
Tee12 · 27/08/2023 13:49

reluctantbrit · 27/08/2023 12:50

The two 6th forms DD applied had not only a 4 in English and Maths as standard for general entry, none of the courses involving essays or science would accept anything below a 5 or even a 6 in English or Maths plus a 5 or 6 in the subject as GCSE level.

A-Level courses are significantly harder than GCSEs and lots involve coursework as well.

DD's friend has two 3s but not in any subject relating to her A-Level choices so she was ok to apply.

Thank you so much. It's giving me a bit of hope. Mine got 4s in her area of subject for six form but in English is 3 so she's happy to retake in November but school is refusing to offer her place. Is there anything I can do further. Also I'm not sure which centres are offering retake,do you have any ideas about it? Many thanks

OP posts:
TeenDivided · 27/08/2023 13:53

Any further education college will offer retakes of Eng Lang & Maths.
unless there are massive extenuating circumstances, you shouldn't attempt A levels with GCSE grades 3/4. You are setting up for failure.

A 4 is just a pass at GCSE. A level is a big step up. Why would someone just scraping a pass at GCSE do well at the A level? Most doing A level will have at least a 6 in the most relevant subjects.

See https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4881724-exam-data-nerdery?reply=128737087

Needmorelego · 27/08/2023 14:05

The school should be giving you information of alternative educational places (local colleges/other schools). That's incredibly poor if they haven't.

titchy · 27/08/2023 14:15

You posted yesterday didn't you? She's only got 3 GCSEs at grade 4+. She absolutely isn't ready for A levels. You are setting her up to fail which she will. Everyone on your other thread said she needs to do a level 2 course, BTEC maybe plus a couple of resits. Then look to try level 3 next year.

Cantthinkofadifferentname · 27/08/2023 14:27

My kids non-selective insist on 5 in maths and English, plus a total of 40 across 8 subjects for 6th form

reluctantbrit · 27/08/2023 15:56

Tee12 · 27/08/2023 13:49

Thank you so much. It's giving me a bit of hope. Mine got 4s in her area of subject for six form but in English is 3 so she's happy to retake in November but school is refusing to offer her place. Is there anything I can do further. Also I'm not sure which centres are offering retake,do you have any ideas about it? Many thanks

To be frank, I don't think a 4 in her chosen subject is a good start. I would definitely look at other areas plus the re-sat.

MumofSpud · 27/08/2023 20:29

A grade 4 at GCSE level, although a pass, is too low to study the subject at A Level
The jump between Year 11 and Year 12 will be too much - and on top of that she has to do a retake
Stop thinking about sixth form and A Levels - she needs to look at Btecs along with retaking English
She will still be able to go to Uni with good Btec results

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