18 year old only has 2 GCSEs - private exams?

[Cocacolathanks]

Hello! Posting on behalf of a friend for advice.

Son just turned 18. Due to certain life events, he only has Maths and English GCSEs. Grade C for both.

He's ready to return to education (inspired to go to university one day) but they have no idea where to start. These are the options so far:

1. Do a BTEC at college
2. Get 3 more GCSEs privately then do A-Levels at 19

To do A-Levels, he has to do 3 more subjects privately. Has anyone does this before - what board should he go for, any recommended subjects, the costs included...?

He's been offered BTEC Computing Level 3 at one college so he can do that for free and not incur extra costs, but he's keen on getting A-Levels next year.

Another issue is that if he does A-Levels, he will be over 19 so would have to pay for them as well. They can probably afford so it's not too bad if that happens.

Just looking for advice and experiences - any private students out there? He's interested in maths/computers/physics type subjects.

Thank you!

My son for various reasons didnt do well in his GCSE this year but I'd going 3 x BTEC at 6th form.
Apparently this would give him enough points to go to uni albeit not a RG one but opens more options than I realised l.

Sorry* is doing - should have proof read

I’d go for the Btecs. There is probably more continuous assessment and less final exam stuff (don’t know about that subject but certainly the case with Business).

Thanks for the response so far. BTEC is definitely a good option for many people and it can work, I will pass that on to them.

However, if he wants to go for the GCSE A Level route, how can he go about doing so? Private online tutors? Which exam board? I am of course doing lots of googling but I wanted to hear actual experiences too, some tried and tested options

Sorry but it isn't incredibly unlikely he would be accepted at any College on to the type of A Level courses he is thinking about. Cs at GCSE in Maths and English would not be enough even with 3 more GCSEs. At our College only students who average 6 (Bs) are accepted onto the Science and Maths subjects - they prefer As. Plus some of those fail. I would suggest BTEC in something like Engineering whilst doing a GCSE in science if possible.

he-exams.wikia.org/wiki/HE_Exams_Wiki

If your friend's son signs up for the BTEC course, would the college also be able to offer him tuition for (and/or the opportunity to sit) a further three GCSEs?

Even if they can't, they should be able to advise him and his parents on other routes to gaining additional GCSE qualifications, which he might be able to manage to study simultaneously.

Alternatively, do they live in an area which has any colleges offering a fast-track "five GCSEs in one year" course the he might be able to enrol in?

It sounds like a BTEC would suit him really well, I would follow that route - it will lead him to university if that’s the path he chooses.

What does he want to do at university? For some degrees, he will need A lvls, for some a level 3 BTEC, will be fine. Also, depending on what he wants to do, he might be able to do an Access to HE. I would suggest he thinks about what type of job he wants, then works backwards to identify what qualifications he’ll need.

Take a handful at college.
I actually enjoyed my time on that more than my uni years xD

I honestly wouldn't even attempt A Levels with only a C at GCSE.

Unless they hardly revised and a C was a mark they got without any effort, they will likely fail A Levels

If he's insistent on attempting those A levels he needs to do Maths, Physics and one other GCSE next year at college (I'd also suggest one further subject). Unless he gets at least grade 6, preferably 7+, in Maths though he won't be able to do the A level the following year.

The following year he could do an Access course (loan for fee, but not repayable if he then goes to uni) or if does well at GCSE take A levels. He'd have to pay fees and find a college to study at - some do A level evening classes. Science A levels have a practical component so not really suitable for self study.

Term starts next week so he needs to get a decision made quickly.

He should pick based on his strengths and what he would enjoy.

FE is cheaper than private tutors or online.

www.gov.uk/further-education-courses

It's never too late .

To put things in perspective, he was living in a developing country most of primary and secondary school (but he’s British, just a long-term but temporary move).

He then came back to the UK and had one year of secondary school left. The school said okay just do Maths & English GCSEs because you haven’t got much time. He got graded with a 4 in both subjects. C grades.

The other possibility would be to consider the Open University, which doesn't require A-levels and is used to people coming to education without formal qualifications. He'd be best starting with an Access course - he might qualify for free funding. www.open.ac.uk/courses/do-it/access

So he has decided he WANTS to do GCSE and then A Levels.

Has anyone got advice on tutors, online schools, private organisations that would help with this? Thanks!

Hi OP - do you know why your friend's son wants to do A-levels rather than a BTEC? Is it because he thinks or has been told they are 'lesser' qualifications?

My DS was a bright but lazy student. He got 10 GCSEs but nowhere near the grades he was capable of getting. It was a huge shock and wake-up call for him.

His 5's and 6's were not enough for A-levels, so he switched schools and did a level 3 BTEC instead. It wasn't something he ever would have previously considered, but it's been the making of him. He matured, improved his critical thinking skills and discovered a real passion for learning. He got top grades, which carry the same UCAS points as A grades at A-level. He's now studying his dream ('solid') subject at a RG uni.

My advice would be to work backwards.
If he really wants to go to uni, research which ones he'd like to go to. Look up the subject he wants to study, find out the entrance requirements (in UCAS points).

Once he knows how many UCAS points he needs for the uni course he'd like to do, he can then look for courses to get him there.

Like my son, he might find that not only will a BTEC get him a place on his desired subject at his first choice uni, he'll enjoy the subject more than A-levels and feel better prepared for uni life.

I wish him well.

People are trying to guide you on what is best for the child, which isn't necessarily the same as what they want. What are his longer term aims, does he have a career path or degree subject in mind? A 4 is the equivalent of a low C, not a good pass and many employers expect a 5 as a minimum. Is he capable of more?

There has been some very good advice for your friend on this thread. I think he needs the most practical approach. Firstly if he starts this year (next week) what if Covid impacts on exams again - maybe unlikely but he would be better in a further education college rather than working privately - just in case. Secondly it isn't easy to pick up extra GCSE's - also science with the practical element - more complicated. He would be better at least trying the BTEC - for the study and also the social aspect of college.

I really agree with @goldierocks
What does he want to do? Does he have a university course in mind? Btecs are fine. I also know people who mucked up their GCSEs, went to college to do Btecs, excelled and went to a top RG university. A levels aren’t needed. There’s no need for him to waste his time doing A levels in many cases.

Make sure you look into the age limit for fee paying properly. I did an Access course at 23 for free because I didn't have previous level 3 qualifications so this may also be the case for A Levels.

why does he want to go down that route? Chances are he will have to go private - which is expensive - as most colleges don't offer a GCSE only course (although they are out there but normally aimed at kids who SAT GCSE but missed the grades)

A BTEC will get him where he wants to be a lot quicker - 2 years rather than 4 - but it's up to them I guess

I would worry about isolation as well - studying online at home - does he not want to be with other young people?

For tutors have a look at Ranstad - online schools - I've only got experience of one - www.nisai.com/

I know that you are looking at GCSE / A-level route but I just wanted to say that I had no GCSEs, went to college at 18/19 did Access to HE and GCSE Maths and English at the same time. Did higher maths as part of my access course, then went to university to do Mathematics but with a foundation year (so 4 years instead of 3) so that route is possible, people on my foundation year were going into computing degrees too.

I'd encourage him to to do a Btec in a subject he enjoys. Both my DS did this. They did badly in most of their GCSEs as they just weren't interested. They went to college and did a Btec Extended Diploma, alongside GCSE maths resits. Both did really well. DS1 is at uni now, DS2 has a full time job.

If he didn't do well as GCSE, it's likely he'll really struggle with ALevels.