Re-doing year 13

[tipsandtoes]

Hello,
My dd18 has really struggled with her mental health over the past couple of years.

She's missed a lot of school and whilst bright, we are pretty sure she won't be able to sit her a-levels this spring.

What are the options. If she wants to sit her a-levels next year, where does she do them? She has been at a school that goes through to the end of year 13, not a college so I don't really know how the other institutions work.

Who do we approach about her and where would she study?

Ask her current place about staying on. Lots do another year where my DS went.

There is a third year of optional funding.

If she's not actually sat the a levels she can redo.

Redoing the year at her current school is generally best as matching up exam boards can be very difficult

Talk to the school.

Talk to the school. If they won't, speak to local FE colleges.

For me personally I can't think of anything more depressing than having to redo Yr 13, if she's missed a lot of Yr 12 then she may struggle even if she does Yr 13 again. It has been very rare for someone to redo Yr 13 at DS's school, I only know of a couple of kids over the last few years.

I think moving forward is always the best option, getting out of school is often also the best thing for mental health IMO. I would say look at doing an Access course or consider a foundation year at uni if she could get on one of those unless she is really keen to do another year of A-levels and thinks it will be enough for her to catch up.

I think look at where she wants to go after school and work back from there.

So if she wants to go to university, or a training course, find out what they would need to accept her onto the course. This might be a foundation year or work experience or a college access course.

Theres lots of people who don't complete a-levels for medical or other reasons so it's a fairly common situation.

I think she would struggle mentally with staying at her school with the students from the year below. She feels like a failure as it is.

I'm pretty sure foundation years are only for those with a-levels so if she doesn't sit this year they won't be available.

We will look at the local college and see what they say. Or take a year out and earn a bit and get her mental health and confidence up and then do an access course maybe

Access courses have an age restriction.

We fell foul of this.

Many require you to be 19 or over.

Yes I think it is 19. But that's ok. There is no rush. Who provides access courses? Where do you go?

What did you end up doing in the end?