To ask for stories of DC who messed up in year 12 but pulled it back in time for A levels

[monumentalup]

My DS has messed up in one of his subjects in end of year exams a getting much lower grade than any of us expected. He’s absolutely gutted and determined to work hard over the summer and beyond to try to make the improvement he needs to. It’s been really stressful and made him realise how much he wants to do the course he wants to after school which is good. Has anyones DC done this and managed to recover things.

My daughter didn't do as well in her GCSE's as predicted. She took a year

Not my DC but I did this at 17. I got more or less straight Ds/Us for AS levels in year 12. Was the shock I needed and finished with AABB end of year 13.

Sorry. Pressed post before I'd finished.
She took a year out after school to work and went back to college to do A levels after that. She did brilliantly,got herself a place at UCL and has just completed a Masters. If he's happy to put in the work then definitely,he'll be all good.

What did he get?

How do you improve a grade - did he get a predicted grade for UCAS that he’d like altered somehow - not sure how it works

He got AAE and needs AAA. UCAS grades haven’t been set in stone yet.

They’re doing more tests in October

Yup, total fuck-up to gaining a 1st at uni. Incredible turnaround. It can be done if they're willing.

My dc are now in their 20s but between them and their friends, most have had a setback at some point between GCSE's and gaining their degrees and/or professional qualifications. At the end of yr12 it's not the biggest disaster and certainly a good opportunity to evaluate if they are on the path they think they want to be on. Sometimes they just need to give themselves a bit of a kick and sometimes they need to change track. There is ALWAYS a Plan B (C, D, E....)

I failed two of my AS levels and had to retake alongside the two A levels I could continue with in year 13.
I then got a full scholarship to do a science degree at a good uni and am quite comfortable now in my early 30s!
He'll be fine, I think the shock of me failing made me realize I had to actually put some effort in!

Different circumstances but a bit of a positive story:

I did really well in year 11 and 12. Great GCSE grades and AS levels.

However, when it got to year 13 I became quite poorly. My attendance was around 40% due to having lots of time off due to the illness.

I had to drop a subject as I just couldn’t cope with the work. I had to re-sit year 13 as I didn’t have enough UCAS points to go to university. I was gutted. Felt like a failure. Most of my year were off to uni and I was stuck re-sitting with classes full of people a year younger than me. I felt really silly and sad for a long time.

However, I worked my socks off, picked up an extra subject (wasn’t an A-level, more like a BTEC which was all coursework based, no exams) and managed to get enough UCAS points to go onto a foundation degree. The extra year also gave me time to work part time and save up.

If your DS works hard, asks for help, accepts help and guidance from his tutors and takes every opportunity given to him I’m sure he will absolutely fine. He needs to remember that grades aren’t the be all and end all of life. There are so many gateways to so many careers.

I wish him the best of luck x

DD got D’s and E’s in her GCSEs. Went straight to college to do a BTEC Level 2, in a subject she loved which we wouldn’t have encouraged (Music as wanted to be a singer!) but knew she needed to do it to be motivated, passed it with merit, then did Level 3. Passed with distinction, then got a 2:1 degree in a totally different subject. Now has a career in London in a big 4 firm.

Very proud that she turned things around (albeit with a lot of support).

I teach sixth form and he has time to turn it around. I'd recommend he gets detailed feedback (assume these are teacher marked mocks). Over the summer ensure he gets all his revision notes for Year 12 in order. Practice AS papers. UCAS predicted grades arnt generally done till Dec time so his Oct exams will be very important.

Teacher here with Alevel teaching and tutoring experience.

Yes but only with complete honesty about why the grade was low and a robust plan to change it.

I went from a D to an A in one subject at a level in one year but I did have private tutoring

Thanks for the posts it gives me hope. We’ve decided to get him a tutor to try to work out where he’s going wrong and hopefully get him back on track.

DD needed an A in maths and not getting that grade (D in one assessment)
Thought of a tutor but she did Uplearn - online paid platform with tutorials and work on all modules for the exam board. She did about 200 hours on it and got her A
I think it may be more suitable for maths/sciences though

Not DC but myself back in 2015/2016

AS = DEEE in biology, maths, French and chemistry

A LEVEL = BBC in biology, French and maths.

My attendance in first year was 40% and I didnt revise. In second year I actually worked.

DD dropped out at the end of year 12, found herself a job as a TA in a special school and now, at 32 has a degree and is a qualified teacher.