Are A Levels impossible for dd now

[coffeelover3]

So we moved from another country. DD just turned 17. She hasn't done any GCSE's. I tried to get her into a school, but they wouldn't take her as she is too old to start the 3-year GCSE programme. So she's enrolled in a College, and she's doing Maths & English (language) GCSE and she's on a Diploma in Art. She's not that happy though as 'to put it politely' and with no intent to disrespect anyone, the others in her class are students who have failed GCSE, as well as some 'long term students' ages 19-22 with possible learning difficulties.
She really 'should' be doing A levels now, but no college or school seems to allow that without GCSE. I've tried to get advice from the College but obviously they don't know dd, and what she is capable of.

What I want to know is, Are A-levels not possible for her now?

Should she try and do some more GCSE's online?
TIA,

Does she have any overseas qualifications? If so there is a tool the College should be able to access which will give their equivalence to UK qualifications which might open up more choices. sorry, I can’t remember what the tool is called.

I've tried to get advice from the College but obviously they don't know dd, and what she is capable of.

She needs to talk to the college herself and explain what qualifications she actually has from the country you moved from.

However first she needs to work out what she wants to do long term e.g. a degree, apprenticeship and in what area so she can explain to the college why she wants A level.

GCSEs are normally a two year program in the UK. Some sixth form colleges or HE colleges offer GSCEs as a one year accelerated course. Maybe she could do that, if you move quickly. She could take maths, English plus whatever subjects would enable her choice of A levels.

This is a tricky thing because most other countries don't have qualifications equivalent to GCSE, they just have a leaving qualification at 18.

That said though considering she's the right age it doesn't seem right. Which country have you come from?

There are colleges online that do a levels (online) might be worth checking out, think they are a few hundred pounds but doing one might be worth a try

Are you near an adult learning g college like City Lit?

Or use an online school like Inter High.

Or night classes, studying independently and entering as a private candidate, or a private 6th form if you can afford it. They are usually more flexible.

Our local college has a programme specially for students who have come from abroad without GCSE's that leads to A levels.

Some private schools will take international students for A levels if they are deemed academically capable.

A levels naturally come after GCSEs in this country. She will need maths and English GCSEs at least to get onto A level courses. She will need those GCSEs to get most jobs in this country even if she has A levels. If she hasn't got any overseas qualifications then she needs to get her head down and get those qualifications no matter who she is in a class with. If she is as intelligent as you think she'll have no problem and will be able to move onto A levels when they are complete.

If she’s on a level 2 course and doing her English and Maths then the best advice is to stick it out for the year, as finishing this will give her the passes needed to access A levels - not everywhere but certainly this is a recognised route on to level 3 qualifications in my college and many are prepared to be flexible. A sixth form college will have a different student profile to a FE college and if she can back this year’s work up with evidence of work done abroad she should be able to talk to someone about accessing A level courses next year. I do enrolment and we talk face to face with all students and the rules (put in place for good reason) are flexible for individuals where we feel it’s appropriate.

@RedRumTheHorse

I've tried to get advice from the College but obviously they don't know dd, and what she is capable of.

She needs to talk to the college herself and explain what qualifications she actually has from the country you moved from.

However first she needs to work out what she wants to do long term e.g. a degree, apprenticeship and in what area so she can explain to the college why she wants A level.

Erm, no her Mum needs to do it.

Most colleges wouldn't speak to her or take her seriously without also speaking to her parents/guardians because she's a child.

OP, can you set up a meeting and you all go in for a chat? What does she want to study ideally?

College? An FE college not a sixth form?

They, like all schools, should have the book (blue book?) of equivalencies. I have taught enough international students to know that it works well, sometimes.

Many colleges have separate English and Math courses for international students to gain the minimal pass grades needed, as that makes everything else far more easy down the line.

If she has no international qualifications then she needs to conrinue witht he courses she is on or look at Adult Edcuation courses, once she is 19.

The college should have a named member of staff who has the book of equivalencies. Usually working in part of the Information Systems dept - they do all the funding work and tend to know such stuff! Ask her tutor, head of year, head of department and/or someone in student services. Your DD could do all of that too. Keep pushing. The good news is she has a place, so they will want to keep her within their system!

Thanks - they've put her on Level 1 of the diploma.

Yes I've told her to keep her head down and get the Maths & English done.

She doesn't have any quals from Ireland - she didn't do what they call the 'Junior Cert', for lots of reasons, also because it is lower than GCSE and not used for anything in Ireland. She would have been starting the 2-year Leaving Cert this year.

I cant find a local college that does more GCSE than just Maths & English. They all say that because of the assessments they have now, it's not feasible??? Maybe I should try and look harder. I've tried all the obvious ones.

I think I'll email the careers office myself - she talked to her tutor, and she kinda dismissed her and just said she would need to get over 80% in everything to be considered to 'skip ' a year of the diploma. Which scared DD - but I think she would get that, based on her previous year grades. but I am her mother lol.

Erm, no her Mum needs to do it.

Most colleges wouldn't speak to her or take her seriously without also speaking to her parents/guardians because she's a child.

Not in my 20+ year experience.

She is in post compulsory education and can make these decisions for herself, just as she would have signed up for the course herself. She has ownership. She can allow her parents to help her, but most colleges would speak to the paretns and then have another meeting with the student to check that they are doing what they actually want to do!

If you can afford private then you will find a school to take her out of year for gcse or straight in A level. It's about the worst time to move into the UK. She must be fairly miserable. Is there any chance of her going back to Ireland?

Why doesn’t she do more GCSE’s now?

Eek - no. Level 1 is a very low standard. It's the level that young people with either learning difficulties or who are not capable of GCSE's do. She shouls at least be doing Level 2.

Are there any other schools/colleges in your area?

I think she needs to get real and grow up a bit, I’m sorry op. What does it matter what the other students are like or why they are there, she has no qualifications at all and is doing two GCSEs when most kids do ten. Even if it’s not her fault that’s the situation she’s in.

I’d be having stern words and asking her to get her head down, or she’ll struggle to get any form of employment past min wage when she’s older.

I cant find a local college that does more GCSE than just Maths & English. They all say that because of the assessments they have now, it's not feasible??? Maybe I should try and look harder. I've tried all the obvious ones. That's because that is all they automatically get funded for at her age. Once she is 19 she can try for the Adult Education courses.

If she is on a Level 1 course they will have assessed her, and, if as you saym she has no previosu qualifications at all, L1 is all they can offer, at her age! If she has been told how she can 'skip' a year she needs to do that!

Having said that, they could offer her assessment in Functional Skills Maths and English as well, just so she gets some certification. I've put students through assessment and the exam in very quick succession if appropriate. It gets the college additional pass rates, can be done at any time with very little tuition and is more likely to get her a pass grade than GCSEs if she has no pervious experience of them - and carries some equivalence to GCSEs, no matter what spin the government is currently putting GCSE grades!

If they don't help with that have a look at your local Adult Ed provider - sometimes found in supermarkets believe it or not - like Skills Direct.

www.learndirect.com/category/english-maths

If she can get minimum 5 gcse passes this year it will open up more choice next. Level 2 courses are gcse equivalent. Alternatively could she find a place to do IB ?

The problem is that many things aren't being offered this year because of corona. There was a huge problem this summer with students who had studied privately/home schooling not being able to sit exams, and having not assessment.

That said, next year will hopefully be better- there are some online schools or academies she could join, they do cost money and there is online scheduled teaching every week, but they cost a couple of thousand or more.

I would ask for a meeting with the College and more info about what the plan is. You've moved from Ireland, not halfway across the world, and they must at least be slightly familiar with the educational set-up there and/or be able to assess the level that your DD is at.

Is the idea that this is a "transition" year, to get the English and Maths quals done and some Art "for fun"? And then to move on to 2 years of A level courses subsequently? If she is 17 this year she would normally be in UK Yr 12 / College Yr 1 so this would mean taking an extra year in sixth form which is not that unusual.

But I wouldn't be accepting this without a very clear plan - your DD should be able to access education for the next 2 years in which she is still of compulsory education age, and if she has the academic ability to study for A levels, she should not be prevented from doing so by the lack of GCSE when she was not in the country and able to sit them.

She could home Ed and enter a levels as an independent candidate? Or could you afford an online school like interhigh?

Could her school in Ireland provide some sort of reference saying what she was on course to achieve there? If they can say that they would have expected her to take the leaving cert and do well, that might convince a school or college that she is a realistic A-level prospect. Try all your local sixth form providers and explain the situation. There are plenty of students who arrive from overseas or have been home-educated, and they don't always get turned away from A-level study. If it's a case of application forms requiring GCSE, you need to contact the school/college direct to discuss.

She's probably best sticking out this year to get the maths/English (which are well worth having), so she starts A-levels at the start of September next year, rather than playing catch-up. That gives you plenty of time to talk to A-level providers.

One of our local sixth forms put out bridging packs for this year's starters, given that they finished school unexpectedly in March. I think those revised the important bits from GCSE and helped bridge to the A-level. It might be well worth asking if your local providers have anything like that which they could let her have by way of preparation.

Another alternative is to bypass A-levels and look at the Open University, which does not require A-levels or GCSEs.

My niece moved to the UK from the USA at 16 and went straight into A levels. They asked to see her high school transcripts but that was it. I suspect it's your dad's age that is the problem rather than a lack of GCSES.

Yes, I know school 6th forms that would have taken her, but there would have had to be some sort of evidence of ability level from previous school. It's a bit too late for anyone new to be taking her now. Is there a bigger 6th form college where you are who you could ring today?
Census (for funding) is on Thursday, so you need to move super quickly.