My DD failed her GCSE miserably

[bassmonsteruk]

Hi all,

My DD didn't get a single pass in her GCSE exams. She got all 3s which caught us off guard and now we're not sure which way to turn. She's not academic but she got 5 when doing past papers in maths, English and science. She's had private tuition for all 3 subjects for the past year and a half. Her school does not allow resits.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you.

Really easy.
My granddaughter is really bright but not academic.
She failed English in school, retook it in college while doing her BTEC and has failed it twice more. Luckily she won’t be under any pressure to try again.
She has left college now with very good grades in her chosen BTEC course.
She has started her own hairdressing businesses and works part time in another job while she builds up her client base.
Her driving instructor has told her to book in for her test after only 3 two hour lessons.
Some people are just not built to study.

My DS last year didn't pass his GCSE's as well as he hoped and got a 3 in English Language. His results meant he couldn't stay on at his school to do the A-levels he wanted and school said they couldn't help him. I was gutted for him.

He joined his local technical college to do a BTEC course, but not the course he wanted, but he transferred to another college for BTEC courses, resat his English language in November (after tuition) and got a 5 (2 marks off a 6!)

It has actually worked out for the best. He's at a really good 6th form college and I think it has worked out much better than him staying on at school doing A-levels which I think he would have found too difficult.

I'd say get her on a technical college course that she'd like to do and she can resit her Maths and English. She could do BTEC business and another subject. Doing a double and single award BTEC is equivalent to 3 A levels anyway.

You're making yourself look not very bright by asking this. Surely you understand that people can be bright, clever, intelligent without being traditionally academic?

This was my DD a year ago. She wanted to stay for 6th form. She was never a A grade person but you needed four C grades and she really thought she had done it. On results day all of her friends got into 6th form, she didn't and was basically told she'd have to go to college and that was it. She broke her heart for a good while. Now she is about to do her second year at college. Yours would have to do something similar to mine I expect (BTEC/NVQ Level 2).

This happened with my son about 10
years ago. My son has just purchased his first house with no help from me. Next week my son and his apprentice are currently fitting a new heating system and boiler in my house.

I know a few people who aren't bookish or academic but could run a business with their eyes closed and are very savvy in so many ways.

Likewise I know some incredibly academic people who have little common sense, cant put a matching shirt and tie together, and are techno phobes.
Just had my brother in law stay with me ...leaves doors, windows, gates open at night and seems incapable of turning a light off too....he is in his 60s always been the same . A high achiever, runs circles round the university challenge and quiz show participants, a whizz at crosswords....but when it comes to basics...utterly useless ...he is the kindest most decent man ever...which is why I can forgive alot of his foibles !

Oh so you think people who don't do well in exams are all thick @Clearoutthecrap ?

Quite often things come naturally to bright children throughout school but once they reach a level where they have to study to succeed, they simply can't as they are not used top applying themselves. They find structured learning difficult as they have never needed to take part in it before. Many 'bright'young people fall into this trap. Those who apply themselves from an early age and are disciplines even though they may not be as naturally clever, do better in the long run.

Please be aware that apprenticeships also require Maths and English passes, alongside being able to cope with years 2- 4 (higher level study) for roles such as electricians, mechanics and it is important to realise they often require study at A level (and beyond) standards. It is useful to look at the UCAS site, as it now contains a wealth of information on careers, apprenticeships and not just on university pathways.

Please be aware that apprenticeships also require Maths and English passes, alongside being able to cope with years 2- 4 (higher level study) for roles such as electricians, mechanics and it is important to realise they often require study at A level (and beyond) standards. It is useful to look at the UCAS site, as it now contains a wealth of information on careers, apprenticeships and not just on university pathways.

Absolutely. “Bright” doesn’t fit neatly into one academic-shaped box with exam ribbons. Some people are brilliant problem-solvers, quick thinkers, or wildly creative — but put them in front of a three-hour essay on The Tempest and they’ll wilt like week-old lettuce.

Academia measures a very narrow slice of intelligence: memory, written expression, exam stamina. But being “incredibly bright” can mean spotting patterns, thinking laterally, navigating tricky situations, or coming up with ideas others wouldn’t imagine. You can be sharp as a tack and still find biology flashcards soul-destroying.

So yes, it makes perfect sense. The kid who can dismantle an engine, design an app, or talk their way out of any sticky situation might not be racking up A*s. That doesn’t make them any less bright — it just means school isn’t the best lens to show it.

Not everyone’s brain is built to perform tricks for the exam circus. And thank God for that.

“Incredibly bright but not academic” just means their brain’s too busy running circles around life to waste time doing tricks for exam boards.

My son's got two 3's between them, we weren't surprised but we had already investigated vocational courses. They're doing Motor and Carpentry at a local college, we went today and they were enrolled - although they will need to retake English and Maths.

There's a lot more opportunity for education nowadays, it's not a fast-track to a dead-end job. I'd recommend looking at colleges. If she's never been academic, while I agree not to "write her off" as some have suggested, I also think that A Levels are not going to be for her, not now, possibly in a year, but quite possibly not.

I would seriously suggest getting her papers and ask her teachers to review the scripts and marking. Examiners can make mistakes. Now that they give you the total mark achieved you can see where DD sits against the grade boundaries. It cost money but if you review and grade goes up the fee is waived. Plus be aware of the cutoff dates for reviews to be requested.

After DS completed his GCSE's we took the results as read. Subsequently discovered students in his class had papers reviewed/remarked for subjects where they didn't perform to expectations. In one subject every student who had a review went up at least one grade, with many getting a double jump. Same thing with his a couple of his other subjects, although that was a mixed bag in terms of improved grades. In retrospect wish we'd had some of his papers reviewed.

What does she actually want to do job wise? If she has any idea? Those aren't A level subjects that leap to mind for a specific course. I think you need to work if she failed due to ability or effort or both. It sounds like she tried hard but it was a stretch and she kept missed out. I got good GCSEs but did nvqs and later on one evening class A level and got into uni as a mature student. My wife got what was then D-Gs then 20ish years did care and got nvqs then later did a pre access course with functional skills maths and GCSE England retake and then an access course. She now has a 2:1 degree. We both did uni for a specific job when we were ready and vocational study was a really good start (my wife was also diagnosis with autism along the way which explains some of the changes). Unis not for everyone and can be a waste of funding done too soon

Easily, my brother got one GCSE, but managed a chain of shops, later getting a Law Degree.

Very bright, not initially academic, until many many years later.

I really wish I'd gone down the trades route but my mum had a real chip on her shoulder about not having a degree herself and heavily pressured me and my siblings that way - I have struggled to find my way in terms of a career and hated university - I developed severe anxiety from the experience 😬 The way to do well in life career wise (and be happy) is to find something you can learn to do well that you enjoy, that people will pay you for, and then stick at it. I know a lady who specialises in electrolysis and has a waiting list, I'm fairly sure she doesn't have to count the pennies!
In hindsight I'd have stayed away from A-levels (surely only really worth it for maths/science/geography?) and BS Arts qualifications.

I’d be getting on to the tutor if this is a big shock.

My goodness I am amazed at your lack of knowledge to ask? Some people ace exams others have astounding skills to build or invent or create. Academic means being able to fit in a learning mould for particular subjects…life and talent isn’t like that. I went to a grammar school was gifted passed exams without trying, all very easy ..couldn’t rebuild a machine for toffee but have friends who are geniuses but not academic. They are incredibly bright just not academic.

@Clearoutthecrap
“He's incredibly bright but not at all academic”
How can he be incredibly bright but not academic?

Speaking as an academic (uni lecturer), academic achievement tests a very specific set of skills, ones that map onto those acquired in the context of a very middle class education and are therefore valued by those who have experienced this type of schooling. These skills are neither universally valued nor an index of 'intelligence' per se.

I'm the other way - academic, but driven by a huge reading habit and the ability to sit still for lengthy periods with a stack of books, papers and my laptop in front of me. Raw intelligence doesn't have much to do with it and in some areas, I'm hopelessly lacking. I don't have a CSE or O'Level in maths, (I didn't even take the exam) because of a maths block the size of the Shard and I can't draw - my attempt at a wasp larvae in biology had my poor teacher in hysterics!

All is not lost. School wasnt for me and I had mediocre GCSES. I was bright but just didn't do well in a school environment. It happens.

I went to college, re did math and an accountancy course and now im a finance director.

Some people just don't do well in the "sit down and take this test to prove you're clever" environment.

Doesn't mean they aren't smart.

This makes no sense.

I agree it was more important for my mum that I went to university because she felt she should have had the opportunity (she wouldn’t have got in).

Given the absolute shit show that is student loans I would definitely be looking at other institutions for training like military, police or large trans-nationals I.e Disney, airline etc so you build experience at the same time

That makes perfect sense to me. What don't you understand?

@bassmonsteruk speaking as someone who is writing up my PhD thesis, but doesn't have anything in maths - not even a CSE (I left school pre GCSE) I'd suggest your daughter gets her maths and English squared away as soon as she can. Not having a pass in maths has held me back in some respects and given the competitive environment of much further and higher education, I think it would be a far bigger problem now.

After school (mine didn't have a sixth form) I enrolled at an FE college for O' and A' Levels and I thrived in the more grown-up atmosphere. Eating lunch with engineers and people doing various day release courses was great. It really opened the world up for me. College offers a stepping stone between school and whatever comes next, whether it's work or university, which you may not find so easily in the traditional school environment.