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Original poster

Can you do a levels if you fail gcse?

65 replies

Maythelordopen1 · 09/03/2020 15:38

As the question states? Posting here for traffic...unless there is a better board??
Friend is moving to the uk and her DS is going into GCSE year ( he is bright but obvs not in the know of the exact GCSE curriculum so to speak) so if he fails them can he just move on and go ahead with a levels?? Thanks.

OP posts:
HoneysuckIejasmine · 09/03/2020 15:40

Would depend on where he wanted to study and how understanding they are.

MadeinBelfast · 09/03/2020 15:43

If he's bright he should do ok even in 1 year. It may be possible for the school to enter him for fewer subjects than the other students so that he can use the extra time to catch up. The school may have to make arrangements for him to catch up on any compulsory assessments that were done in year 10 too.

Mumof1andacat · 09/03/2020 15:43

A friend of mine moved to the uk and she would of been in year 11 so she was put in to year 10 so she could do the full gcse syllabus. GCSE grade are still asked for by employers so they might still be needed. I couldn't do my a levels without my GCSE. I wont of had the required grades to do the courses.

ooopsupsideyourhead · 09/03/2020 15:43

Some schools/colleges might accept similar qualifications should they be able to access an independent version (I.e. not one devised specifically by teachers/a school but perhaps a government OR exam board) of the curriculum covered AND independent (same criteria) of evidence of achievement. “Might” being a very skeptical word...

Probably have more luck agreeing to enter Y10 rather than Y11 - but even entering y10 at this point in the year is difficult.

Good luck to them!

Itscoldouthere · 09/03/2020 15:44

Most schools require you to have a certain grade at GCSE before you can take A levels, what that pass is will depend on the school but many want a B in the subject you want to take (sorry don’t know what that is in new number grading system)
In some schools to get into sixth form they also want B in English and maths although some schools would be happy with a C.

TWD89 · 09/03/2020 15:45

Realistically if he isn’t academic enough to pass GCSEs then he has no shot at A Levels. The only exception would be underlying circumstances that meant a failure was completely out of the ordinary.

But sixth forms here won’t accept anyone for A Level if they don’t pass the GCSE.

mauvaisereputation · 09/03/2020 15:49

It strikes me that he should absolutely not go into GCSE year. He should go into year 10. It would be so stressful for him to take and fail public exams as soon as he gets here. I think she should push hard to put him into year 10.

sockittome123 · 09/03/2020 15:50

I doubt it, but what he may be able to do is a level 3 course at college in whatever subject he wants to do. That is the equivalent of 3 A-levels (I think).

Original poster
Maythelordopen1 · 09/03/2020 15:53

So HANG ON...why are employers interested in gcse results?? Surely a levels and anything above them trump them?? And if a child in the uk misses gcse exams(sickness reasons etc) then that’s it?? They cannot do a levels??

OP posts:
Oysterbabe · 09/03/2020 15:53

It wouldn't have been allowed at my school, they had minimum grades required in the subjects you wanted to do at Alevel.

ElsieDear · 09/03/2020 15:55

She should start him in year 10 so he starts the course at the beginning. Solves all the problems. Or can he stay enrolled abroad and apply straight to A levels here if it had foreign qualifications.

ooopsupsideyourhead · 09/03/2020 15:57

Employers are interested in GCSEs because not everyone takes A-levels, or equivalents.

Also, because our curriculum allows young people to specialise more than most other countries. So, they could do Physics, Maths, chemistry and biology so their GCSE English would be evidence of their capability to write at length outside of a scientific style - or, they could take French, English, History and Music and their GCSE in maths would prove their capabilities there...

Pentium85 · 09/03/2020 15:58

Unlikely because if you can’t pass GCSEs I highly doubt you’ll come anywhere near to passing an A Level.

Employers are interested because your A Levels might be science based but won’t show your ability to speak and write English, but your GCSEs will

mauvaisereputation · 09/03/2020 16:00

If children are sick for exams then the school’s predicted grades are used to decide a mark I think.

Original poster
Maythelordopen1 · 09/03/2020 16:01

So they don’t HAVE to do English and maths at A level??Confused
Where we are you have to do English and maths at leaving school exams!! Along with at LEAST 4 others Confused

OP posts:
mauvaisereputation · 09/03/2020 16:02

Er ok, but that doesn’t help your friend’s son does it?

xyzandabc · 09/03/2020 16:03

You say she is moving, so not actually moved yet. Some GCSE exams will be happening in the next few weeks or have already happened (art, drama, pe, tech, music, etc etc). The rest start in around 8 weeks time. There is absolutely no point in him trying to even sit them this year.

I imagine most schools, even state schools would put him in to year 10 so he sits GCSEs next year and has a fighting chance, though even then he will have missed 1/3 of the course.

My advice would be to contact the schools she's interested in and see if they will accept him in yr10.

If he's already sat national exams in his own country and has certification then maybe A levels next year could be an option. Again talk to the school, they all have their own entrance criteria.

ooopsupsideyourhead · 09/03/2020 16:03

No, they don’t. But, the GCSEs contain more breadth than many (most?) people will need to use in their future work/studies.

I have more issue with the fact that children as young as 12 never study art/music/technology/a language/history/geography again!

Original poster
Maythelordopen1 · 09/03/2020 16:04

@mauvaisereputation obvs I have sidetracked!!
Ok well I’ll pass on the info.... 😬

OP posts:
VickyEadieofThigh · 09/03/2020 16:06

So they don’t HAVE to do English and maths at A level??confused Where we are you have to do English and maths at leaving school exams!! Along with at LEAST 4 others

That's as maybe, but in England (Scotland is different) the exams taken at age 16 are mostly GCSEs, of which English, maths and science are generally compulsory.

Taking A levels usually demands at least 5 passes at GCSE and almost always in the subject to be taken at A level (exceptions are 'new' subjects such as Psychology). Passes of at least grade 5 or 6 (in some subjects, even higher and depending on the school or college) are usually required.

eosmum · 09/03/2020 16:06

Moving from Ireland? it's a completely different system. Might be better to go back a year and start from there.

Original poster
Maythelordopen1 · 09/03/2020 16:06

If he's already sat national exams in his own country and has certification then maybe A levels next year could be an option. Again talk to the school, they all have their own entrance criteria

I’m thinking this might be an easier option for him...the English system sounds like it “pigeon holes” them (for want of a better term!) VERY early!!

OP posts:
Original poster
Maythelordopen1 · 09/03/2020 16:08

@eosmum YES!! I mean here if you fail your junior cert it has no bearing on whether you sit your leaving cert...in fact the junior cert doesn’t really count for much!! 🤣😬

OP posts:
underneaththeash · 09/03/2020 16:09

When are they moving and which year group will they be going in to? If he's already 15 and they're moving this academic year, a school wouldn't take them. She'd be better home schooling for a few months and then he could start doing GCSE's at college the following September.

Where are they moving from?

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