College help pls - nothing sorted for my son yet 😔

[TiredButTryin5x]

hiya, soz if this is in wrong place. just really stuck n don’t know who to ask.

my oldest ds is 15 (16 in aug) n finished gcse’s last month. we didn’t apply anywhere yet n i didn’t realise it had to be done already. school didn’t explain stuff too well or maybe i just didn’t understand it 😔

he’s not keen on 6th form n doesn’t wanna do loads more exams. he likes practical stuff more but don’t know what job he wants yet. i looked at new city college n saw some courses but not sure how to apply or what ones would suit him. he says “dunno” to everything i ask n just stays in his room all day.

i feel like i’ve let him down. just want to help him get on track. has anyone been through this? can we still apply or is it too late now? we live in romford if that helps xx

To be fair
i think he doesn’t probably have any choice and he knows it
his results will be dire

There are choices though, even for level 1 courses.
The level can be sorted after results maybe, but the direction needs to be considered now.

What are his friends doing? I suspect he has his head in the sand because he must be aware that friends will have had college interviews and taster days by now. So finding out their plans might be a start to get him talking. He sounds possibly overwhelmed? There’s a lot of choice and boys especially can tend towards shrugging and looking like they don’t care when actually they’re paralysed and don’t know where to start. It isn’t too late - it sounds like he’s not going to be aiming for a really competitive type of course so there will be places in September but as a college teacher I’d say the most important thing is that he WANTS to do it. He doesn’t need to love it but he does need to want to do the course because students who have been forced on to or every talked into courses nearly always drop out or do badly.

And yes, even if he’s bombed all his GCSEs there are still choices, and things that might be more appropriate and motivating for him.

What choices?

He needs to get out of bed first

@Justwaits Well of course he needs to get out of bed! But even from his bed he needs to be encouraged to engage in his future.

As a PP pointed out, child benefit will stop, so the OP can use that as a stick. He has to do something otherwise his phone and activities won't be paid for ....

There are lots of L1 courses that will have spaces and be accessible. If he needs to retake GCSEs in maths and English to aim for a grade 4, the college will facilitate that and he won't be the only one by any means.

Op and her DS need to take a look and find what will be of interest. I agree he needs to want to do it otherwise I suspect he won't.

Ah there are previous threads… tedious.

I work in an FE college in London. We do some pre-enrolment but most of it for 16 year olds is in the days after GCSE results day. He might be suited to a multi-trades/ construction course, or hospitality maybe? There are IT, media and gaming courses, or sport.

I think that that is quite an assumption that the college will facilitate him. Colleges will assist whether there is a student displaying at least a whiff of motivation or desire.

if they don’t see this, they very reasonably arent going to “facilitate” a 16 year old doing a bloomin thing.

My advice?

Some people aren’t cut out for learning. Whether that is in a college environment or an apprenticeship.

op, he’s spending all his days in bed, he’s got zero plans and he’s going to fail his GCSE’s.

in your shoes, I’d be saying that I’ll pay for his phone etc until the end of the summer and then…. I will be paying for nothing aside from him living here and food. I would be encouraging him to get a job. Realistically it will be a very menial NMW job, and that will be if he’s lucky BUT he will be working, earning and living.

OP, if your ds isn't cut out for more classes and exams, has had enough of the classroom for a while, you could call around all the trades locally and see if anyone will take on a trainee, even if only casually.

Try plumbers, plasterers, roofers, locksmiths, landscape gardeners, especially those that have been in business a long time. If he can find something that he enjoys, then that might motivate him to go back to college after he has a little experience, to take a practical course.

My ds spent last summer working for a slater, and if he fails his exams his backup plan is to take a course in roofing.

There are lots of possibilities but you need to bang on doors and hit the phones now. Expecting a 15 yo to do it on his own is asking too much. He needs you to give him a little push in the right direction..

you could call around all the trades locally and see if anyone will take on a trainee, even if only casually

if he can’t be bothered to do that himself, then no point.

https://www.ncclondon.ac.uk/apply-now/

This is how to apply to New City College, He needs to have something planned, and then if something better comes along the plan can change.

@Justwaits I meant the college will facilitate retakes of maths and English if needed - they are set up for that.

I don't see where the OP says he is going to fail all his GCSEs btw, unless on another thread?

Oh come on, I think a safe assumption based on this thread and the other

I just think the op should be saying job by end of summer or I stop paying for phone

and he just tries to find any job

What are his predicted grades? I’d look at local colleges/dchools. Some have more vocational qualifications (nvq/diploma) but really he needs tobe involved. You could check if there’s any open days left and go together which may help.

@Justwaits I've not read the other thread. @TiredButTryin5x hasn't said on this one what his PGs were so I don't want to assume. Anyway even if his grades are in the range 2-3 there are still college options as I and others have pointed our.

I agree with this. I love eating but would be crap chef.

People who apply for apprenticeships will have started applying in September 2024 and they are very competitive.

Wow, that's pretty negative. Most teens that age would be overwhelmed by the hugeness of any decision, and a complete lack of experience.

He still deserves as much support as anyone else, whatever his exam results.

OP, don't take any notice of this. Think about what your ds likes. You say more practical things, so try everywhere - look in local papers, talk to everyone you can think of who might know of an opportunity. Half the difficulty with teens is getting them started.

Haul him out of his room and spend an evening going through the courses available at the local sixth form college. Make him understand he has a huge amount of choice. Building trades, mechanics, hospitality, chefing, landscape gardening.

Good luck.

The college will probably have a careers team and they should be unbiased. They'll talk to him to find out his interests and help him apply.

Ring the college. It isn't too late, hell probably just end up on 5 weeks probation at the start of the course as he hasn't gone through the usual onboarding process earlier so is viewed as a bit of an 'unknown entity '!

Maybe read the other thread the op has started

“hauling him out his room”

is not realistic.

Those saying he should "get a job" - he is still 15 (summer birthday)
Many companies won't employ a 15 year old.

Get him to sit the morrisby test and have a morrisby careers interview. Then look for apprenticeships based on this information.