GCSE help please

[Claw3]

Have posted this in secondary education too, not sure where the best place is.

Ds 16 received his GCSE results, he got 9 C grade, including the basic English, science, but failed math with D.

He had hoped to stay on in 6th form to study sociology, psychology, politics and drama.

Now it gets a bit complicated. He did 2 'taster' days in school and was told C grades or above would get him into 6th form for these courses.

He then went into school to pick up his results, found out he had failed math so was not eligible for politics. This was crossed off in front of him and ticks put beside sociology and the other 2. He was then told to come back on enrollment day to enroll on the other 3 courses.

When he went to enroll, he was told he couldnt do any of the courses.

6th form went back to school last Thursday and Friday ds received a phone call from a friend asking why he wasnt there. Ds told him he failed to get into 6th form. Friend tells him his name was called on the register for 6th form.

I phoned the school and they told me, it was a mistake and that he needed B grades for the courses.

Sorry this is a bit long. But my questions are

1. Does this sound right?

1. Can ds re-sit his exams?

You need to ring school and see if he can go into 6th form to resit some exams. At our school there is a few who are retaking year 12 because of bad grades and I don't see why this would be any different.

There is really no point in asking here, because no one can answer for the institution you are interested in.

It is pretty common to require a minimum of B grade to study for A-level though. if your DS has all Cs, then the future departments will not have much confidence in his ability at A-level.

He should be able to enrol at college for GCSEs.

Thanks very much abouteve, i will do that.

I should have checked this out sooner. Ds was given inaccurate information from the school and assumed he would get a place.

If he cannot resit in 6th form, do you know of any other options?

As the last poster suggested he could try at a college of FE if school won't let him sit GSCE's again.

sorry x posted with MmeBlueberry.

Thanks for your help.

Another college. Does your area have 6th form colleges?

He would need to re-sit maths and may find A Levels a bit of a struggle with those grades at GCSE. Maybe a combination of AS levels and a vocational qualification is the way to go?

Fivecandles, i will make enquiries about other 6th forms as well. I know of a couple, but not sure if they allow students to resit.

He is a bright boy, but had a couple of very bad experiences last year, which affected him quite badly and interfered with his studies.

He feels sure that he could do much better (and so do i)

I will ring the school and ask about resits and some advice of where he might be able to resit.

He is feeling quite down and disappointed tonight, so i told him if anyone would know mumsnet would!

Thanks.

If the school are aware of the exceptional circumstances and how they affected his GCSE grades, they may be willing to be more lenient in their entry requirements.

Really no point at all in retaking the C grade GCSEs. Just the maths. Most 6th form colleges accept students with 5+ GCSEs at C grade and above. He should be fine with 3 AS Levels and GCSE Maths resit or a combination of vocational and AS and maths GCSE.

Different schools have different criteria for their admissions to 6th form.

some say 5 A*-C with Bs in the subjects you want to take at AS others are more demanding and want a certain number of points based on each grade attracting a particular score

Was there nothing in the prospectus about the entry criteria?

I would look at the FE college, they are still enrolling in my neck of he woods (kent) and if A levels aren't his thing then he could consider something vocational. Colleges do loads of different things.

You might find he can start A levels while retaking maths

Justgetting, yes the school are aware of the circumstances, one of the incidents happened on the school premises. Thats a whole different thread!

Fivecandles, thank you so much. I will certainly find out about other 6th forms.

Eatyourveg, we are in Kent! I tried to take a back seat and let ds do this for himself, a mistake on my part. Ds is more academic than vocational to be honest.

When i phoned the school i was told B grades, although ds did say that one of his friends received a C grade in drama and is on the course, presumably because the rest of his grades were B's.

As many people have said different places have different criteria but to be very blunt, the results your child has achieved suggest he would struggle on a levels. Has he considered another route eg. Btec which could be more appropriate

Bulby, we have looked at different courses etc and ds is adamant that he could and will do much better, this is something that he really wants to do. I havent pushed him into this at all.

We will try a few different places and see what options are available to him. As a parent all i can do is let him try i think.

Thanks everyone, this is the first time i have posted in education and you have all been very helpful.

Just read their 6th form prospectus and there is nothing about the entry criteria.

Although they work in partnership with 2 other schools and it does say "partnership 6th is an inclusive and non selective organisation"

the FE college in west kent does A levels as well as vocational courses.

This comes straight from their website

"For AS Level, you will need five GCSE passes at C, including Maths and English, as well as one grade B. Other relevant qualifications can be discussed at interview. If you have grades A and B at GCSE, or a strong overall GCSE profile, we will encourage you to study four AS courses. To progress from AS to A2 you will need to gain at least a C grade in the AS subject studied."

ps hundreds retake maths whilst starting other courses at my college, you need to get down to your place and talk to them about the various options

Eatyourveg, i phoned West Kent this morning, ds has an interview for a A level sociology and media and film studies course tomorrow. He meets their criteria and can resit his math while doing the course.

Tomorrow is the 2nd day of induction, he will join the induction and have an interview some time during this.

He couldnt do psychology as he needed a B in English Language and he only has C.

But still this package sounds perfect for him. He cant wait to start.

Thank you so much for your help

He won't be in my english class then but I might see him in the canteen.

Hope the interview goes ok and he enjoys it. The value added for the A level courses is the highest in the college. Stick his GCSE scores through the college ALPS system and you can work out his predicted grades.

I wish him well

DD2 went to 6th form college and they asked for 5 A-C grades, She actually got 4 and a half A-C's ( she did an RE short course that was the half). Anyway she spoke to the colleggge and talked to them about her Grades. They gave her a place As her A-C grades were in Subjects she wanted to do at college, They also asked her to do her GCSE Maths again at colege. Anyway she finished college with 2 A's and a C at A level and is now in University. Speak to the school and also look at colleges.

eatyourveg, do you work there or attend!?

My step son is also doing a public services course there!

Small world, i shall tell him to look out for Miss eatyourveg

mumeeee, your dd really well. What is she studying at Uni?

Ds feels that he could do so much better. Last year a couple of things interfered with his studies and really he did well to pass any exams at all.

We had to get a restraining order on another student and eventually move house as he lived in the same street as us.

I work there for a few hours each week

What level PS is your step son doing? I have been covering induction with the Level 2s and 3s this week!!

Yes small world indeed.

Level 3, group 4 so you must have seen him at some point, he has been in all week!