Failing Y13

[schoolquestions]

DS is not coping with Y13, his mental health is falling apart and he has attended 2 days out of the last 3 weeks. He’s very able and has a Cambridge uni interview this week and is predicted 3A stars but also has an EHCP. He can’t organise himself and I honestly don’t think he’s ready for uni but my more pressing concern is the fact he seems to be crashing out of Y13.

I know there is an option for repeating Y12 if that goes wrong, is there the same for Y13? Can he just repeat that year? We have an appointment at school next week but I’m panicking slightly and trying to assuage my panic with planning. Ultimately I know it’s up to him though.

He won’t go to the dr, engage with CAMHS, or talk about it at all.

With an EHCP DS can be funded until 26 if necessary. You should ask for an early review of the EHCP in order to secure more support for DS.

In the meantime if DS can’t attend school the LA still have a statutory duty to provide anything specified and quantified in section F.

What support is DS receiving at the moment?

See it as can’t engage rather than won’t, and if DS had the proper support and the professionals adapted the way in which they work he would be able to. For example, if DS can’t engage with traditional therapies what about indirect therapies that don’t rely so much on directly communicating feeling verbally e.g. art therapy, animal therapy, gaming therapy.

If DS can’t cope with school then EOTAS is an option.

Is he having trouble with the work/exam pressure, or with the idea of picking a uni and leaving home?
He should be able to repeat yr13 if necessary, but does he realise that he doesn’t have to go to uni straight away? If might help if he knows he only has to do his best with the A levels, and then decide next steps after that.

Our state school runs a y14 tailored to the needs of the kids in it - ie some are repeating y12, some picking up y13.

I echo a PP that maybe a year out between school and uni might take the pressure off.

As DS has an EHCP, if you do go down the year out route rather than a traditional year out look at a bespoke package. This way DS keeps the EHCP and the support you can secure via that such as therapies, mentoring, equipment other resources.

Honestly
Mental
Health is
More
Important. He is
Young. Let
Him put uni aside
He
Can defer a year
Maybe
Top
Uni and 3
Prediction of
As
Just
Too
Much pressure

Can resit at college also at
Any age.

Does he go out with
Mates? Drinking drugs? Game
A lot? Could
There
Be
Another distraction or just stress.

No
Idea why
Phone doing this!!

You’re all telling me what I have told myself. It’s the not getting out of bed or engaging that’s worrying me. He’s desperate to go to Cambridge but I do wonder if he’s really a bit daunted by it and not sure he’ll manage uni. At this rate I suspect it might not be an issue anyway!

I'd tell me your proud of him and if he wants to take pressure off and wait your behind him.

Schools prob putting thumb screws on them all now so they look good

Just let him know your proud and he has time ahead of him if he needs it. Take a part time job and save some cash for when he feels ready. Experience also counts for a lot in life.

If DS wants a break from A levels and to work instead I would push for a supported internship or supported apprenticeship rather than a ‘normal’ part time job, so that the EHCP remains in place.