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?

Well if he had a careers talk and one by a local bobby this afternoon then yes I must have seen him and possibly talked to him aswell!

And I wasn't the one with the sore throat shouting!

eatyourveg, lol i will ask him when he gets in.

Other ds has just phoned to say he didnt get on the course and is on his way home, because he didnt have the right qualifications.

Someone from the college phoned me back yesterday and i was told that he needed 5 GSCE's any subject, but had to include English Lang, which he has, so im a bit baffled.

I told the person what qualifications he had and he said that he met the criteria and to come along for induction and interview today.

Sorry another question ds has 2 BTECs level 2 in PE, he was told this is the equivalent of 2 GCSE's, is that not the case?

why has he got 2 Btecs in the same exam? Was it a double award?

Not sure what has happened with your other ds but have looked at the college website and see they don't do Sociology in the same pathway as Media and Film studies, think of it as option blocks, you choose a main subject and pick 2 or 3 others from a choice of about 6

Sociology main comes with English lit or lang, geog,hist, ICT maths and Government and Politics

It can also be done under the psychology pathway

Media and film comes under the English pathway but sociology doesn't.

Prospectus is at www.wkc.ac.uk/images/pdf/a_level_brochure.pdf

Did your ds get a B for something? If not that may be why they said he didn't meet the criteria.

there is an open enrolment session on saturday morning, I would go down there with him and ask them just what courses they have available for your ds with his qualifications.

Ps If he is worried about you going with him, I can tell you from having covered several sessions in the last fortnight, the majority of boys come with their mums, the girls have tended to come in groups with all their friends

Eatyourveg, im not sure to honest. The school told ds 2 BTEC's are the equivalent of GSCE's. But this is obviously not recognised by a college, confused him a bit (and me!)

Anyhow the package, was package 2 and was sociology, media and film studies. I was told 5 GSCE's, a must in English Lang at a-c, would meet the criteria on the phone.

Obviously given the wrong info on the phone as ds didnt meet the criteria when he got there. He sat through a whole day of induction, only to be told at the end he didnt meet requirements!

He got a B in adult literacy and math (this was in addition to English Lit and Lang, which he got C grades in, but i understand only counts as half a GSCE)

I have found another course at a different college, where it clearly states the requirements, which ds definitely meets. I have left a message for someone to phone me back and i will attend this interview with him, if the application isnt too late. Fingers crossed. If not i can come with him on Sat. Thanks very much for info.

Oh asked dss, he wasnt in that class today

Thanks again.

Glad you have found somewhere with clear admissions criteria. Good luck with the interview at the other college, sorry it didn't work out at wkc

Thanks eatyourveg, ds is now enrolled on A level course at college, i went with him and it is closer to us too, what a relief!

Thanks for all your help and good luck with your students too, you must have nerves of steel :)