Worried about GCSEs

[alevelbtec]

I can't sleep at night as worried about teen dd and her results. She failed all her mock exams except English. I want her to do A Levels and go on to University like most of my family but I don't think she will be able to. I am really panicking about her future. AIBU!? I think it's effecting me more, she pretends she's ok or maybe she isn't I don't know.

The schools where I live are often asking for 6s for A-level. It's not just getting some 4s these days. If she wants to do hairdressing, then she doesn't need to go to Uni. She could go to College who may be happy with 3s. If you're worried that she's failed and yet she revised and did her BEST, then you need to realise that maybe she isn't someone who's be happy doing A-levels or Uni. Don't push her to set her up to fail. It sounds like you want her to do A-levels but she'd be glad to have got 4s in English and Maths. Be happy with what she does get and manage that. Unless she wants to do retakes, she needs to take her own path.

dupliavte

3's would mean resitting GCSEs, but they could be done with a vocationalcourse

Apologies for incorrect grammar. I’m
a secondary maths teacher who teaches maths to a high level - I am expecting to have students get A-level results that take them to the top universities tomorrow. I’ve taught for over 30 years and was trying to give helpful advice regarding GCSE results.

Is this post real? Kids would have already applied for their place on A levels and been accepted or not, and had a careers appointment at which they'd have been told the options for the grades they were likely to get.

I knew how my kids were performing against their target grades on several reports each year during school. Mock results didn't vary much from what had always been predicted, except for youngest having a mental health crisis. If my kids hadn't been expected to pass enough for A levels I'd have known about it beforehand.

If this is a real post and your child genuinely has no idea what to do after results, if the grades are lower than you hoped they can take their results slip into a college and ask if any courses have space for them. Course staff will be there to interview for the spaces they have left, and some students will change level or course, so the 20th is the best day to get something sorted. People do go to uni even if they start on level 2 btec or even level 1 sometimes. Or maybe she'll really enjoy doing hair at college if they have space for her. Apply now?

She is 16 and whilst, ideally, it would be better if she banked some decent GCSE results right now - it’s not the end of the world. There are so many more options these days and I personally think apprenticeships are an excellent choice, earn while you learn and get a trade. Theres always options to take GCSE’s again later on or different further education courses, BTEC’s etc. Stop stressing, and support her no matter what the outcome is.

Ultimately it's what your DD wants to do. I can't see if you've said what her desires are. I went to uni because it was expected, my family who went the vocational route are earning the same as me (in one case much much more, as he went into motor vehicle maintenance and has ended up working in F1).
My DP is just finishing his medical degree. It's his third degree, he has over £100k in student debt, and it's keeping him awake at night - he doesn't like the debt anyway, but starting income is low and he will take a decade or more to get into a better paid role, but even so the student loan payments will reduce his pay a lot. Plus it's for 45 years.
I would support DC if they want to go to uni, but there's so many better options. DS is looking at BTEC Level 3 in creative subjects like fashion and art, it's equivalent to A-Levels if he then wants to go to uni, or he could then start work.

How did your daughter do OP?

as expected mostly 3s a couple 4s

How does she feel about that?

If 4 in maths and English Language she won't have to re-take.

If they are the 3 I think she has to re-take rather than do the funcational courses.

I'd look at local college corses if you haven't already - see what they can offer her.

not great even she hoped shed do better!

Probably looking at a level 2 course plus english/maths resits if needed in that case.

Not fails but the 3s are below a standard pass. Did she get 4s in maths and English? What are her offers for level 3 or a levels? My son had his college offer ready in the winter term of his yr11.

She will get on a level 2 course with those grades can do a level 3 next year.

Did she pass English or maths? Some courses only require English language and don’t care about maths so if she passed that, she should be ok on those. They resit them anyway and she could always do functional skills if she keeps failing it. Don’t worry about a levels, not everyone is academic and that’s ok.

With those grades she’d be looking at something vocational. Absolutely fine, we’re all different with good reason! Where would the world be without hairdressers, nail technicians, beauticians, plumbers, builders, electricians, retail workers, air hostesses, waiting staff, farmers and so forth. You don’t need GCSEs to be any of those things.

I hope she got what she needs for the course SHE wants to do next and that you can support her with her next steps even if it's not the plans YOU had.