only three GCSEs?

[Marshallstreet]

Home educated dd is on a path to only gain three GCSE’s (if she is lucky).

She has been working extremely hard to get in to a selection of academies abroad for a certain activity (so sorry for being vague but it’s a small community so would potentially be outing). It turns out she has been waitlisted at all of them, against expectation, and it is overwhelmingly likely that she won’t have a place come September.

I know I have failed her by not making her take her academics more seriously but please understand it has been a very difficult situation, where she has this specific plan of what she wants to do, and enough aptitude to be seriously considered for places in these academies. She has had to be very focused on developing in this area and things have been incredibly intense, so we decided that she could go for it, as it couldn’t wait for later, while academics can always be caught up on.

Things are not great right now and we have to salvage what we can. She has one gcse from
last year which she took one year early, and is doing foundation maths and one additional subject now. I think the best she can hope for in her second subject is a 6 or 7 and she’d have to have luck on her side for that.

For September, could she go to school for a levels with only three GCSE’s? I am guessing no? Would she have to repeat year 11? we could home school a levels and provided she does well in those, what effect would her poor gcse outcomes have? Would employers and universities have an issue with it, if she does have good a levels?

It’s a bit late now. She’ll likely have to go to college to do a Btec. Shocking. This is why home schooling needs to be strictly vetted. They shouldn’t just allow anyone to play teacher.

No he has taken three humanities a levels

one of his GCSE’s was English, one was in humanities (which allowed him to study humanities as a’levels)the other is design

and he retook maths gcse in the first year of doing his a’levels

its not all doom and gloom for children who don’t do as well just want the op to know that

@Marshallstreet lots of people are trying to help.you in this thread but you haven't answered basic questions such as which 3 GCSEs is she taking? That's important because if she isn't doing English and Maths then her options will be more limited.

Why are you only considering A levels rather than other routes? As others have said, A levels will be very demanding for someone who has not got a strong academic background, no matter how bright they are.

It’s unfortunate you didn’t think of back up plans but no point beating yourself about this now. Just consider which steps would be most beneficial going forward.
Does she have a specific area she wants to study? Your options are probably sit some more GCSEs next year then go on to A levels. Or apply for nvqs or btecs and do a couple of more GCSEs next year at the same time. Some colleges can do a three year pathway which means your dd could sit some GCSEs while in the first year, possibly.
Contact colleges and see which route would suit your dd better.

I only have 5 GCSEs (I dropped out of school)- English lit and language, history, maths and drama. I did an access course at college followed by bachelors, masters, PhD at LSE and post doc at Oxford. Nobody has ever asked about my GCSEs, it’s the least relevant thing about my education. When I applied for uni they only cared about my level 3 qualifications.

The only thing I would say can be restrictive is if you lack an English and maths GCSE within certain fields e.g primary school teaching. Generally for secondary and FE there will be some leeway because you specialise by subject so maths for example won’t be vital whereas primary covers every subject. She can always retake those or do functional skills at any point and the government covers the cost of it.

I’ve known a few families who have taken the same route with their dc as you, in these cases because their dc were pursuing dance training. I couldn’t have done it, both of mine went to vocational school and if they hadn’t had those places I wouldn’t have done the homeschool/training route. I think it places too many eggs in one basket, and doesn’t help them think about the ‘what next?’ for after the career ends at whatever point that might be - and some of their friends have had career ending injuries very early.

However, what home education does mean is that you’re not on a time table, she can do extra GCSEs for as long as she wants and follow them up with A levels if that’s the route she wants to go. Just because she doesn’t have a place at an academy now doesn’t necessarily mean that she won’t get one in the near future, especially if she’s been waitlisted. I completely understand the ‘end of auditions’ feeling of panic though and this is why you need a solid Plan B (and C, D.E…) now. Talk it through with her. There’s no rush to have education done by 18.

The OP is concerned at how to achieve the next step and seeking guidance. She is not saying it is a mess.

The advice to go and talk to local colleges os all kinds is sound. There she will find staff who will be keen to tailor options to suit her DD's goals. That is their job, and in my experience they do it well.

The sixth-forms of mainstream schools will require at least 5 gcses at grade 4+ and will usually ask for at least grade 6 in the subjects that are being taken on for A-Level. However there are a lot of colleges that will be more flexible and some will offer a combination of level2 (gcse equivalent) and level 3 (a-level equivalent) study.

Is the area of your child's main endeavour something that isn't offered at all in the uk? You mentioned applying to overseas places but it would be unusual to go abroad for study at age 16 - were you planning to go with her or would she be boarding?

Obviiously a different subject but there may well exist an equivalent kind of thing in the area your child is interested in. There's a college of drama and performing arts near us which offers both L2 and L3 qualifications in things like Dance or Musical Theatre Performance. The Level 3 qualifications are open to pupils who have at least 5 GCSEs including maths and english, but they allow you to start the course if you just missed one out of maths or english and they give catchup/revision lessons during the first term and you retake the missed exam in November and hopefully pass. Once completed the Level3 qualifications carry the same UCAS points as 3 A-Levels and there are significant written elements to log learning and progress which are rigorously matked. Those that aren't functioning at the Level 3 standard (entry requirements to have 2 gcses of grade4+) can do a Level 2 qualification in the same topics and the qualification counts as 3 GCSEs in combination with maths and english (either gcse or functional skills) which they study in parallel. The building next door - a run by the same umbrella organisation, offers equivalent qualifications in Sport. Something like this may exist within the UK for the thing your dd has ambitions in.

If it doesn't exist, another possibility would be an online school like kings interhigh or similar which offer flexible schooling that can fit around other endeavours (eg pursuing high level sports or performance) - they would be fine for your dd to join the gcse cohorts "out of age group"

If she’s done poorly home schooling for GCSEs, what makes you think doing home schooling for more difficult A levels will achieve?

I think people are focussing too much on the home ed. I went to school with an extremely talented athlete who was expected to be picked for the Olympics team and so spent the whole of Y10-11 training and didn't achieve much in the way of GCSEs, but subsequently wasn't chosen and then had to deal with a) crashing disappointment and b) not having qualifications to do something else with.

In the end they took GCSEs at a local crammer doing a 1 year course. Their athletic training stood them in good stead for the persistence needed to do that! And then went on to A levels and degree (and still played the sport at a very high level, just not Olympics). @Marshallstreet it might be worth looking at one-year GCSE courses at local colleges or schools near you to see if that is an option.

Can she not do an “access to” type course at a local college which includes maths and English GCSE or equivalent? The type adult learners do if they don’t have the appropriate qualifications to go onto university (usually a vocational course).

I don’t see this as a monumental disaster if you have sufficient resources to pay for this? More a delay in achieving XYZ.

Later on perhaps, they are for 19+ learners. Under 19s are funded to take level 2/3 courses, some of which are vocational and practical like Sports Science, others more academic like Applied Science. A full Level 3 is equivalent to 3 A levels. Some level 2/3 courses may complement her ambitions or offer an alternative route into a related career.

Why does it matter who teaches them if they failed them? Surely those teachers should be held to higher scrutiny and account if parents should be.

Are you a home educator?

I'm a HOD who teaches A Level in a school 6th form. I'm afraid I wouldn't accept your DD onto my course due to the following concerns:
Lack of evidence that they can successfully complete an exam specification
Lack of evidence that they can successfully sit multiple exam papers
A potential inability to manage the school environment without it significantly impacting their MH.

I'm afraid I'd also offer limited support for completing Y11 because we cover most of our spec in Y9 and Y10 so DD would only be joining us for the active teaching of two units out of the six, revision and mocks. Unfortunately, I wouldn't have the capacity to create a bespoke 'reteach' of the entire spec and would consider that this is something the LA is responsible for.

I'm a HOD who teaches A Level in a school 6th form. I'm afraid I wouldn't accept your DD onto my course - but colleges will and will likely serve her better. Their courses tend to be better tailored to the individual and they are better at the sort of flexibility that this girl needs. They will find a way or guiding her towards A-levels (if that is what is needed) by doing some groundwork - but A-levels might not be the right route for her at all. There are3 so many other options.

It would seem 3 GCSEs is the best case scenario

Can you look at colleges to do something vocational related to the thing that she loves? For example if it was sport then she could do a btec in sports science/coaching etc rather than be thrust into an academic route that might not be suitable? Depending on the btec and level she can also use for entry to university. there’s also t-levels now as an alternative to a levels. many colleges have different qualification levels for entry depending on what GCSE results she gets.

OP the legal requirement is for her to pass Maths and English language. Some sixth form places will take them to do courses for BTEC whilst doing a GCSE resit. She might be able to do an A level in her strong subject alongside resit or BTEC but you are going to have to pick up the phone/do open days and work it out.

There's no legal requirement, do you mean entry requirement for college courses?

Agree, school is probably not suitable, she'll get much better support and options in a college and can still do A Levels or equivalent if she wants.

Forget the home education aspect. It’s really impossible to advise without knowing what she wants to do and what GCSEs she’s going to sit. You need to find a goal and work backwards. There are options, but it would be much easier for people to set out possible paths if they knew what she was looking into.

Exactly this. OP how have you allowed this to happen?

Would you say the same to all the parents who sent their children to school and then they only passed 3 GCSEs?

Don't know what this DC has been through that they needed to be homeschooled and only have 3 GCSEs. I assume one is maths, the other 2 are the Englishes?

I mean what A-levels can they even take? Maths and double English isn't the best A-level combo.