All 3s in GCSEs. Feeling hopeless.

[eyespartyparty]

I haven’t slept or eaten much since. Colleges are all closed due to the weekend/bank holiday so I can’t confirm DS has a place anywhere to do anything. I just feel like screaming. All his friends have done great and will all be going to their chosen places in a couple of weeks and I am just avoiding speaking to anyone or leaving the house as I can’t bear to keep repeating it.

Guilford College also do higher education- no undergraduate level 4 courses. These are validated by a university.

Just to make things complicated they have called both processes of getting any course now “clearing” but they are different pages. Did you book through this or the higher education one

My two both did BTECs and for different reasons were told they could start at either L2 or L3 depending on their results.

The L2 just gives a sort of foundation year in the subject and can be done alongside resits in English and Maths. You can have 3 years education at this level so a L2 year is fine.

Lots find A levels hard and move to BTEC after one year too, so it's absolutely normal to be doing a L3 at 17 - 19.

Another one just adding to the positive side...DS is starting a L2 course and maths resit. It's by far the best thing. I was well prepared though...expecting him to do worse than he did actually (mostly 3s). He knew we had plan A, B,C depending on results and was ok with that. It's hard when SM and friends are all celebrating great results but try to stay focused on your DS. I teach secondary...pushing a not academic kid into A levels does them no favours ..not when there are viable alternatives. Hope you get him sorted.

OwlsR - thank you v much for the link, yep I booked through that one and have some appts lined up for him on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Thank you for all the positive stories, I’m going to be in a much better place to talk to him about everything.

I used to work in a sixth form. Level 2 BTEC route with re-sits is a super common route. And most kids move onto Level 3 after a year. Many really benefit from both the additional academic preparation and time to mature as individuals. Three years at sixth form is very common and really works for lots of kids. Good luck to your son.

I agree, it’s really common, colleges plan for it, there’s an established route and we send students to university after doing level 2 to 3! I wish it was more widely known about as it would take a lot of stress off some GCSE students. Some kids just need another year and that’s fine - and at my college they get extra support, closer pastoral links just for level 2 students, trips etc just for them, and they get to know the teachers better so when they come to level 3 they feel much more confident and settled at college.

It might just be our locality or social group but I feel like we weren’t given any options other than A-levels or L3 Btecs, as if everyone just assumed they’d all sail through with no alternative possible.
Nobody from school has contacted me which I find a bit sad considering his predicted grades, didn’t they notice he didn’t get close?? But it’s a big school and it probably doesn’t work like that.

Now he’s home we’ve spent a long time looking through options today and we have a plan in place. He’s got some clearing interviews lined up and phone calls to make in the morning when colleges open again. I might sleep tonight for the first time since last Wednesday 😬

Honestly he will be fine most level two courses want three grade threes at least if he completes that successfully he should go on level three the year after
Level three courses is still an acceptable qualification for many university courses if that's what he wants or he could look at apprenticeship, s .

The school won't have contacted you because it was a bank holiday weekend. Someone might be there today. We were given an email address to contact about resits.

However, I think your son's situation needs a more fundamental review as he was so below his mocks and expected results. I can't believe they won't look at it. It wasn't just one or two subjects, it was all of them. It could be that the results have been completely misreported to you.

I hope the appointments went well today and you’re both feeling more positive about the future.

Honestly A levels are not for everyone. I totally get it when you are surrounded by people who “just missed out on a 9” but luckily the world is made up of a whole variety of people thank goodness! My autistic DS is enjoying BTECs. Did L2 and now L3 Applied Science and coping well. Repeated his English gcse and got it second go. I am as proud of him as my DD who finds academic work easier. If anything I’m prouder of him because it’s been so much harder and he’s shown real courage and resilience to get where he is today. Honestly do not lose heart. He will find his way x

I got good GCSE results and went on to do a levels. I hated it. Did the first year, got my a/s levels and left
i went to agricultural college instead and did a national diploma then a foundation degree and then a BA hons degree top up
there’s plenty of other ways

How did you get on today?

He had an interview today and got a place at college to do resits of 4 GCSEs.

He handled it all great and is pretty excited to get started - he is still disappointed but this is a light at the end of the tunnel that he can work hard this year and hopefully be back to where he wanted to be - either do a Level 3 at the same college or apply to any of the ones he didn’t get into as long as he gets some better grades.

Phew. What a nasty journey the last few days. I honestly have never felt that level of anxiety, I felt like I was just in a whirling mess.

You have all been so kind and helpful, I have something in my eye now.

This is great news. Fresh start and this should be an opportunity for your son to rebuild his confidence. After my step-son spectacularly failed the first year of his A levels, I think he felt left behind for a bit, but regained his confidence at college and is now doing very well.

best of luck to your son.

Sometimes people need a knock back to realise they need to put the effort in to get what they really want. Not part of the plan but in the grand scheme of a whole life a minor blip.

Glad it went ok and he is reasonably happy with his next steps.

Good news OP. Good luck to your DS for his resits.

Oh that's good tbh I didn't know you could resit four GCSE,s ,all the local colleges to.me only allowed students to resit Maths and English, I was able to resit some GCSE,s bit that was in the early 90,s
Good to hear it's still an option for some.

My DD failed hers ten years ago, I still remember how upset I was about it. I felt lost and like I had failed, when all I have ever done is my best. She enrolled on a BTEC level 3 course (she got old-school Ds and Es) but hated it and dropped out. Some of her mocks were A*. She had mental health issues, in year 11, before that 99% attendance and doing well. She's happy now, but not really achieving much with her life as yet. But, it's always possible to go back to studying.

If she got Ds and Es she didn’t fail them.