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

You can apply on results day just find something he is interested in

What are his results likely to look like op? Did he work for them?

You could see if you could get him some experience between now and September, over the summer. Even if it’s just the odd week here and there. Might help him find what he wants to do.
He’ll have to ask though, it helps if you know people but they’ll definitely look fonder at a kid asking than if you do it for him.

Well he needs to do something & as firms like mine have been fielding loads of calls & applications from young people desperate for an apprenticeship for months now I wouldn’t bank on one of those.

the majority of colleges are online application forms. He needs to find something he is interested in and apply. Be aware that unless you let the child benefit know where he is going in Sept your CB will stop.

I work in a college.

Apply online, or look up open days so he can chat with staff. Go with him if you think he needs it. Don't leave it till results day - decent courses will be full by then.

We have people begging for places with "literally any course will do" on the last few days when parents realise they'll lose benefits if their kid isn't signed up.

Oh dear.
School shouldn't have let you slip through the net.

Schools aren't broken up yet, so you could contact the school and ask to speak to his old form tutor, or the head of y11 or careers advisor and ask them to help you.

What grades does he expect? Does he expect to pass English Language and Maths?

Grades 6-9 he could do A levels, though it sounds like he doesn't want to.

Grades 4+ he could probably do T-Level or a BTEC Extended Diploma. These are both level 3 qualifications, ie at the 'same difficulty/level' as A levels.

Grades 3-4 a one year Level 2 course, resit maths/English if needed then progress to level 3.

Grades mainly 1-3 then a 1 year level 1, followed by a 1 year level 2. Resitting maths/english as needed.

'Dunno' is not a good enough answer. Look at the options and think about his ability and interests. If he is practical is there a trade such as plumbing or motor mechanics. Or there are things like hospitality, health and social care, business, computing. What does he rule out straightaway? What is left?

How to apply. There will be forms on the college website, it us as simple as that. If needed get a friend or family member or old school to help you. Or phone the college and ask to speak to admissions

thanks everyone for replying xx i’m reading all this and trying not to panic 😞

he’s into tech n games mostly. always on his xbox or messing with his phone. i did ask him about doing something with computers but he just shrugs n goes “maybe” 😕 i think he’d like something hands on not just sitting in a classroom all day again. he hated school.

i didn’t know about child benefit stopping if he’s not in anything – no one told me that! will defo try and get something sorted. i’ll look on the new city college site again, saw stuff like IT and gaming course but not sure what level he’d get into. don’t know what his grades will be like tbh… think he tried a bit but not loads.

might try ringing the school before they break up like someone said. thanks again xx

You apply online.
Find some courses, some colleges and go online and fill out the application.
Late applications aren't unusual.
You could also ask the school careers person for advice.
Sounds like an apprenticeship might be best?
What are his predicated gcse grades?

An apprenticeship may not work out if he's not enthusiastic. 'Dunno' isn't a great start...

What grades did he get in his mock exams? What grades is he predicted in school reports? That should give you some idea what sort of course he can apply to. The course offers will be conditional on him achieving the required grades.

You need to make it clear to him that sitting on his arse all day playing with his phone isn’t an option.

Great post from @TeenToTwenties setting out the options. An apprenticeship is another possibility but I agree, without more enthusiasm that might be a no no.

Did you think progression was automatic, or only decided once you see the GCSE grades @TiredButTryin5x ? Not blaming you, just wondering where you and your DS saw him going.

It sounds to me as tho a college course that is more practically based might be better than a more academic path. My DS, also not a fan of school, did catering and it was very hands on – could that be of interest? Or yes, maybe some kind of computer-focused course. There are courses on offer for all levels of ability (DS1 started with a L1 course as his grades were E-C at GCSE).

What kind of PGs did he have? Is he likely (be honest) to pass maths and English? If not then he will be retaking both of those (offered at most colleges IME.

I would have a look online with him (if he is so uninterested that you need to support) and see what appeals. He has to do something so he may as well pick a course he will enjoy.

No idea if this is near you but here are some IT courses - there is a L1 course and a L2 course, depending on his level (mostly as Teen says assessed based on GCSE results).

You can apply to these courses online by the looks of it
https://barkingdagenhamcollege.ac.uk/find/careers/digital-it

I’d use his mock grades to decide what level course to apply on.
My son got 5-6 in all his GCSEs and he did a level 2 course. Level 2 means GCSE in difficulty. He wasn’t sure what to do but as it was a 1 year course, I felt confident that I could get him to stick it out if it wasn’t quite right. It turned out he loved it and achieved a qualification and apprenticeship starting in September.

The hardest bit is getting him to agree to a subject. There was some classroom lessons and assessments on Ds’ course but he saw that as a small price to pay to end up with a qualification to prove he studied something at college. He loved being treated more adult than at school and for the first time ever studied for assessments without any prodding.

You can do the paperwork after results day but I’d get him to research the subject now. There’s so many practical courses at college and plenty of videos online where people talk about what it’s like to study that subject and work in the industry.

I would imagine IT and gaming courses to involve a lot of classroom time. My ds loves to game too but knew that sitting at a desk and being at a computer all day didn’t suit his personality.

Have a look at places like Access Creative in London - they do e-Sports and Games Design.

Lots of really fun interesting things he could do.

Get on the phone and organise for him to go and look round in next couple of weeks.

He has to be in education or work from 16-18. If work, then it's 4 days working and 1 day a week in college studying for an accredited qualification.

DD had a big change of plans after exams ended in mid-June, and I had to ring round like crazy and sort out a Plan B - she was accepted onto her top choice within a week (had to interview for them all).

Just because someone likes gaming doesn't mean they will be suited to a games design course.
I like reading, but would be hopeless at creative writing.

I read your other thread. It's terrible his school has just left him to his own devices and didn't give any guidance m
The rule in England of "Must be in Education, Training or Employment between the ages of 16-18" is fairly new and confusing for many parents who just left school at 16 and got a job.
He needs to understand he has to be doing something or you will lose money (the Child Benefit) so you won't be able to afford to pay for his phone etc.
That might be the motivation. Money.

This. Loving, empathetic but boundaried. “I get that you don’t know but you need a placeholder while you think about it because otherwise the money I use for your Xbox and phone are gone. Pick something and I will help you apply”. NOTE: not doing it for him, helping him do it.

I agree with PP that a computer science/gaming etc. course is not a great shout. They are competitive for jobs and lots of parents think because they like consuming the product they can make the product. I like Greggs sausage rolls but I don’t want to make them.

I also read your previous thread - and my feeling is that you yourself really need to be in touch with his school urgently. Firstly to confirm whether they really have just abandoned him without a plan. And then to get their active assistance in guiding him through applications (if they genuinely haven’t done so already).

This isn’t your problem to solve. He needs to take ownership of his own future. I say this as someone who tried to “organise” her own child who then dropped out of college two weeks later.

Would he go back to school and ask for some
help?

He’s 15, @Stephenkingsbiggestfan…

FFS he’s a child - of course it’s his parents responsibility to solve. Obvs involving him, but not leaving him to it. Cost he’ll do nothing.

So because it didn’t work out for you….

He needs to decide though and he isnt deciding