Son did terribly in GCSE’s

[Kat29]

My 16 year old got his GCSE results yesterday and they were awful. Everything was at least 2 grades below what he was predicted. He only passed 4 although that did include maths and English. All his plans have to do A-levels are in tatters, as is his confidence, and my confidence in my parenting ability. I just don’t know where to go from here. School didn’t care, they were too busy taking photos of their high achievers so no help there.

I think that the exam system is in a mess. The reason I believe this is that kids mature at different rates and definitely more so if they have SEN. Yet we push kids through at the same rate, something they do not do in other countries.

Also, some people are really bright but not good at exams. We seem to have no means of capturing intelligence in that way. Should those kids be left on the rubbish heap? How awful that OP’s son feels like rubbish based on his performance of a few days as opposed to over all the years of school!

There are access courses that offer a pathway to university in the meantime and some universities go more on coursework etc.

One day there will be sufficient Ai to be able to routinely test kids in an official but informal way to gather the results over the entire year as opposed to results from one or two days. This will be a fairer system as there were so many people who crammed but had little long term memory of anything they studied. Equally there were people who were competent in the subject long term but suffered high anxiety.

There are kids for whom a level 1 course is all they can manage and slow progress to level 2. To denigrate those kids is also shocking. There are many reasons why people are at that level eg low working memory etc It’s not the kids fault and they need support to he steered into finding fulfilling roles. Also some of those kids can do far better but did not get the right support in school. My DS was not expected to get much in the way of qualifications when aged 12/13 but I taught him hugely at home as education was difficult to access with a shared PA. We were told to lower our expectations, I didn’t and he even got a B in one A Level - the school caught up and realised he had potential when he was about aged 15 and did their best for him in Post 16. Also that the thing. Having enlightened teachers and a Post 16 director made a huge difference. So people please don’t call people ‘thicko.’ It’s a shocking term.

Also, some people are really bright but not good at exams. We seem to have no means of capturing intelligence in that way. Should those kids be left on the rubbish heap? How awful that OP’s son feels like rubbish based on his performance of a few days as opposed to over all the years of school!

We did, we used to be able to include BTEC, OCR etc Level 2 qualifications. Now the government can decide if they will include them or not in any particular year.

My son completely failed , went to see the head of the sixth form and he promised to get my son to uni. He did 3 years in 6th form, because it was his choice. He went to uni, got his degree, now has his own clothing business. Don't give up on him.

One of my DD's didn't get good enough GCSE's to do the A levels she wanted at the local college. We hoiked her out to the private sector and she did resits and A levels there.
One son scraped into the local sixth form college and did a BTec whilst resitting, he did fine and ended up at university a year late.

Hi OP. I think there were a lot of disappointing results yesterday and the school support system not helping your son here to appreciate his options. Hopefully a chat with a good guidance counsellor either at the school or independently will help him to know what steps to make next. Best of luck. And as other posters have pointed out - it might be an opportunity to consider other routes. Chef Tom Kerridge made a funny post yesterday on Twitter about his terrible GCSE results - and he is a massive success.

OP I'm so sorry to hear that.

As a story of success I failed all my GCSES miserably. School wasn't my thing.

I went to college and I'm now a finance director. It was a harder slog than if I went to uni and took me a bit longer but I'm there.

Hugs to your son. It's not the end. He can still do anything he wants to do.

I would recommend looking at apprenticeships. He has Maths and English so he will qualify. It is a great way of getting qualifications, learning on the job and earning at the same time. Some really fantastic schemes running. We have loads in our workplace and I am always super impressed by the calibre. Many go onto to have great careers within the company..passing some of our graduates on their way up!

I think it’s bad how much pressure is put on kids doing their GCSE’s, it’s really not the end of the world! I’ll give you 3 examples of my family and friends, who all went down very different roads..

My brother was not academic and didn’t do well in his GCSE’s, he went on to do bricklaying, he now has his own building business and makes a lot of money!

My friend failed his GCSE’s, went to work odd jobs for a few years, decided to resit exams at college, then went to university!! and now has had great jobs in schools!

My fiancé, didn’t do great in the main subjects (English, maths and science) he went on to do an apprenticeship for a race car company, started at the bottom, is now head of research and development for that company, and they have paid for him to do an engineering degree which he is now doing (age 34).

Apprenticeship’s are one of the ways forward I believe. I don’t know what interests your son has but get him round some college open days and look into apprenticeships. See if he can get some work experience in places he is interested in which will look great on his CV.

One thing I will never forget is when I started college after finishing school, I was having to do key skills maths and English alongside the college course. I questioned why we had to do them as it had only been about 10 weeks since I’d sat my GCSE’s… she told me it’s because the GCSE’s aren’t as strong anymore…. A few weeks after I’d got my results!!!!! Bear in mind I did ok in both maths and English at school!

He will be fine! They will be a distant memory before you know it!!!!

Also check out LinkedIn for inspirational stories of those who didn't do well academically and gone on to do really well in their careers...think Richard Branson!

Someone’s probably already posted something along these lines, can’t be bothered reading nine pages. I did ok at GCSE, flunked a levels to the point of having to do a gap year to redo them. Did a bit better next time around, went to a bog standard uni and then found my academic side. Now in a six figure job and everything has turned out great. Far better he messes up now than further down the line. So much time ahead of him to make it right. I’m sure you’ve done what you can as a parent, it’s just sometimes things don’t go to plan. Go again and he’ll turn out alright I’m sure.

This isn’t the end of the world at all. I get booklets through the door all the time with free courses for under 19’s at local FE college. If he has English and Maths, don’t worry about the rest unless it’s specifically needed for a career in mind. Do a foundation course in his specific interest and he’ll flourish.
Uni isn’t what it used to be. I certainly wouldn’t encourage my kids to go. I didn’t need my degree or masters in the end to get the job I do. People do just as well getting on the job training and working up from there.
He sounds a hard worker so there’s still ample opportunities for him out there.

That must be so upsetting.

What I kept saying to my son who is also awaiting his GCSE results… it’s not the end, you can always fix and change the results at college, it just means your sons education is taking slightly longer, that’s all.
Sending love your and your sons way 💐💙

I had to resit my A Levels (Biology) althought I achieved the required geades for Uni as others did better then me they got the places. In the end made 0 difference. In fact was the beat thing ever I retook Biology and worked part/full time. I went to Uni with full bank account and left with 0 debt. And I was No.1 candidate out of 100 when applied for my first job. It made 0 difference what my GCSEs were or that I took another year to get higher grades and no one cared.

My brother was going to do A-Levels, he also got 4 GCSE’s including maths and English, he did a BTEC in business at college and is now studying sport and PE at uni with a foundation year to go into teaching eventually. We also found out he is actually dyslexic too so has got on a lot better now he has the support he needs he was upset on results day but now 5 years on he doesn’t even think about his GCSE results as he was still able to get to where he is! So please don’t be worried there are always options!

My son got his A level results and was totally baffled too. He was predicted all As but got 3 Bs. I am obvs mega proud of him as any parent wd b, but he is gutted he often got As or A* in marked work and tests, so he is baffled as to what happened. If we pay to have each paper marked again, they can either upgrade, keep grade the same, or down grade. It's quite a risk tho isn't it. I feel for u and yr son. It is a blow when the predicted grades are not what they end up with.

I’m sorry he didn’t get the results he wanted.

My DD is very bright but cannot cope with exams so always gets lower grades than her class work.

Your son has many options still.

There are many different college courses available.
He can then do an access course if he wants to/needs to.

There are also apprenticeships and T levels.

Look at local colleges and what courses they offer.
Then have a quick Look around each campus.

What A levels did he want to do?

I achieved the then top grade gcse in all my exams when photo calls and inflatable balloons weren’t a thing. Fast forward 35 years and every school seems to celebrate just their top achievers. The pressure is ridiculous. I really fear for my own DS. This peacocking of children should stop. Schools have a lot to say about the evils of social media until such point as they afe
using it (and their pupils) for their own publicity.

Oh my lovely im so sorry you feel like this, firstly please dont doubt your parenting because read your post back...thats a great mama. I think theres so much pressure on our kids at 15/16 to pass and know what they want in life, iv worked in secondary schools years now, with sen children who find school hard let alone exams and the pressure that comes with it. Iv always told my own children aswel as my sen children....gcses dont determine your future and its ok to not know what you want at 15/16...but i do understand about a level entrys because my sons gf didnt get what she needed but she spoke with her parents to her chosen school for sixth form a levels and they did work a way around it, but please remember hes only young and he has passed the 2 mains english an maths an 2 others, please talk with the school/college and see if theres anyway of working something out or another way that may take a little longer but still allows him to do the subjects he wants.
As for the teachers....i see that too and its disgusting but thats your boy....you tell him its ok you are still proud of him and you will be by his side to help him explore every avenue to ensure hes happy ♡
You are a great mama and he did his best....but dont be too hard on him there are ways around things my lovely xxxx

Back in the day when I was 16 I would have thought this was the end of the world. But If I had my time to do again I wouldn't have done A Levels and a degree I would do an apprenticeship in the area I wanted to work- I wasted years on getting a good degree (which was very interesting , and i loved) but discovered immediately it would not help me at all getting a job, still less building a career. There is lots of help for youngsters who have fallen of the exam waggon these days-perhaps a specialist technical school or an apprenticeship.
After my degree I spent nearly a year out of work then desperately took the first job I could and got trapped in a field I hated. I was thirty before I jumped of that rollercoaster and retrained for my dream career (making costumes for stage and screen) I am coming up to retirement having done that ever since.
Don't despair, it may be a blessing in disguise-good luck.

6th forms have to offer fairly under the Admissions codes. So they may as of today be "full". But we have a number of students not show on day 1 (which for us this year will be 2nd Sept 2024) and several who drop and go back to their old schools.So places come up quite quickly. So stay in touch with the school - things may go in his favour.

You can request to have his papers remarked beaut x

This might not be the case, but some schools in the past have ‘over egged’ or been too lenient on their marking of their results on their own end of topic / end of year tests, so come the GCSEs their target grades and students awareness are off the mark. Encouragement to keep going yes, but needs to be real so they know where they are.

How were their mock GCSE results? Sometimes if their grades are good in mocks I hear the real thing can dip, and vica versa. Some schools now offer 2 sets of Mocks. This can sound daunting but can give a good indication of progress and maintenance.
Two grades though, I am so sorry.

Are any close to call so to ask (pay) for remarking?
Apprenticeships are a lot better than they used to be, I know people who have gone on so well and are being paid very handsomely.

I wish your DS (and you all) encouragement, luck, wisdom and tenacity.

He doesn't have to re-sit and his current school. Communicate with the school and make clear he is not accepting the grades in the papers/subjects that were not up to what they should be. Taking a year to re-sit and re-group will set him up better in the long run than pushing forward to A levels in a limited choice of subjects which may not set him on a preferred path.

It happens. My friends son was predicted high grades for his a levels and he got Cs and Ds even the school were shocked - but they’ve all calmed down and he’s going to re sit
from experience (my own) be careful how you talk to him - he will be feeling bad enough and it could cause lasting knock of confidence

This might actually have done him a favour! At the moment it doesn't feel like that but once he and you have calmed down, sit down and ask what really 'floats his boat'. Children get lead by schools in to the uni route which isn't right for most children. Good luck.