Changing an A-level?

[TortoiseshellTom]

My Y12 DD is doing Eng lit, history and biology A-levels.

Although she got a 7 for GCSE biology, she is finding this subject at A-level incredibly difficult. Admittedly I don’t think she’s worked as hard as she could have but in her first report she’s been predicted an E! Obviously I know she can turn this round to some extent but she just seems to find it an enormous struggle. Her brain is obviously much more wired towards the humanities and she’s regretting not taking sociology or Art.

She told me this weekend she thinks she’s going to fall or do v badly and it’s sapping her confidence and diverting her focus from her other two subjects. She wants to go to uni though she hasn’t decided on a course yet - but obviously 3 A levels is the normal requirement.

Has anyone’s child successfully switched courses at this late stage? I’m going to ask to meet with her teachers to discuss a plan but I’m feeling really worried for her.

It is an unusual combo but she initially wanted to do psychology at uni, which needs one science.
Funnily enough I also did biology plus two humanities at A-level - I had to work at it but I did well in the end.
Feeling so frustrated at this, just wish we’d addressed concerns earlier.

I would be amazed if her college allowed her, there is no way she could catch up on the work before exam time.

I'm a Biology teacher and do some part time tutoring on the side.
Grade 7 at GCSE students are capable of achieveing much better than an E - to be honest, rarely an A or A*, but a B should be a reasonable, aspirational target.
There are a few possibilities to what is going wrong. Firstly, is she putting the hours in? I would be expecting at least 5 hours a week of independent study to review and recap what has been covered in class. Most students don't get anything close to this in written tasks, the rest of the time needs to be made up from own notes and exam questions. Some students think they are doing enough hours, but sitting in the library with friends whilst studying generally equates to 30 mins of actual work for every hour sat there. I usually assess my tutees for this by asking recall questions - if you know most of the answers, you're putting the hours in. If you don't ...
The next issue is exam question practice. They need loads of - Biology A level is basically another language of key terms, exact phrases and knowing how and when to apply these. They need to use the mark scheme carefully, and especially look at the guidence column to note the examiners comments. Students are often far too generous with themseleves when marking their own work.
Thirdly - this bit is really hard - she needs to work out how the topics link together. Which key phrases in this new topic have we met before? What did they mean in the previous topic/what phrasing did I have to use there/how can I now apply it, alongside new information?
There is time to turn this around if she is in Year 12, but clearly what she is currently doing is not the right method. Your first point of call is to help her diagnose the problem. Her teacher should be able to help with this too. I honestly love it when my own students ask for help - it means they care.

That’s not the case for most colleges

The absolute key for A level biology is past paper questions and lots of them. Marking schemes for biology are very tight - she needs to know the exact language and answers that they’re looking out for. Passive revision strategies (eg: writing notes) are not enough.

Agree with @fishandchips85

January exams are the wake-up call time for students who haven't been studying hard enough, or in the right way. At the start of September as a (maths) teacher I will always tell my classes that they should be doing an hour of study outside of school for every hour of lessons that they have. And they 1) don't think that we really mean it and 2) don't do it.

One of the problems is that it's an entirely different way of working at A-level to GCSE, but they only know what they did at GCSE and it led to them being successful, so why wouldn't it work now? At GCSE they do pretty much all the required work and practice in lessons, with some homework that reinforces understanding and recall.

At A-level, they do three subjects and have lots of 'free' periods because now it's different. Lessons are mainly for delivery of content, and time outside of lessons is for working on understanding, practice and recall. Students often think that if they do the homework that is set, then that's enough, even if the homework only takes an hour of the 4-5 hours they are 'expected' to do. But the rest of the time is supposed to be spent getting your head around the material, and practising using it. If they don't understand something in the lesson, then they should be looking in textbooks, YouTube, other resources. There is too much content to get through to spend much time in lessons on consolidation.

Is she doing enough work outside of lessons?

My DS dropped Chemistry Alevel after a year - got an 8 at gcse ! He was predicted a C with very hard work but this dropped his grades too much for university choices . Switched to sociology- had to teach himself the first year and catch up over the summer then joined in at year 2 .. he got an A. So sometimes it worth doing if you are prepared to take on a lot of learning yourself .

Did the school not give any feedback that this was far from going well?

The question that should get asked and often doesn't is if a child takes this A level subject coming in on a grade 6 from GCSE what is the typical grade they come away with? I think parents and students should be walked through this document
https://www.cambridgeassessment.org.uk/Images/735630-144.-progression-from-gcse-to-a-level-2021-2023.pdf

Agree

We would allow this, subject to timetabling constraints. Or we'd put her back into year 12 and have her start again.

No, I don’t think she is. She’s keeping on top of her other two subjects and enjoys them. Biology is v hard for her and now she’s feeling unmotivated - I suppose I’m wondering if it’s worth her going all out for maybe a C at best or switching to something where she could get an A with very hard work.

Has the school not raised this before?

I work in FE and usually they need to continue with the A Levels they have chosen now and look at changing it for the following academic year if they are able to. That will mean an extra year at college. There is a grace period of changing subjects each year but it's only until something like the middle of October.

I think you have to talk to her Biology teacher.

There could be some fundamental concept that she is not getting to grips with and maybe they can suggest how to improve in that area. Or maybe she needs a bit of tutoring ?

That said, my DCs did all sciences and maths and both said biology was hardest. Never got to the bottom of why. So I'm not 100% sure whether most people think that or whether it was something else like for example the Biology teachers weren't so good.

It's quite late to be starting a new subject. There's only about a year to 13 months from now to finish the syllabus.

Physics a level overlaps with maths quite a lot.

so if someone is doing maths a level and physics a level for a chunk of it they are being taught exactly the same material.

chemistry a level equally has a lot of calculations a d methods in it which if you are doing maths a level it makes it a lot easier.

biology has a lot to memorise.

Is there any possibility of changing to a Btech? My DD started with biology, and swapped to Btech Health & Social. She got a Distinction star which most universities accept as equivalent to an A star (yes, this includes most of the RG).

I studied psychology and I would say biology is absolutely essential for a rigorous course in psychology. It's actually a very NatSci heavy subject if taught and studied properly https://www.psychol.cam.ac.uk/study/ugadmissions/ugcourses
I'd take an extra year of A level biology in your case.

It would be a very very strong candidate that could embark upon a new a level at this stage of the school year @TortoiseshellTom

and from what you say, your daughter is not a strong candidate given she hasn’t worked hard at biology and has now fallen quite behind.

The school will very likely say no. So she needs to knuckle down and make the best of biology or jack it in and focus on 2

That's so they can fill up spaces. To get a good grade at A level you need to be getting at least 7 at gcse

DS did this, albeit a little earlier - AS science and maths results dire, switched to art/photograhy/fashion BTECs and came out with 3 A* equivalents. This was starting September though, so your DD will need to work very hard to catch up. Does she do art stuff in her spare time? We worked with the teacher to pull in all his drawings, modelmaking etc to create a portfolio - i think this may be easier with BTEC as there's less theory, more practical.
Also, separately, when doing her A levels, DD realised she was a GCSE short of the required uni entry stipulation, and we managed to put her in for one with 6 weeks notice based on her hobby art work (she hadn't taken it at GCSE)
So, it's doable with some flexible thinking and a cooperative teacher, as long as there's a basis there. Good luck :)

Do the school offer physcology A level? If it's too late to change then would she consider restarting year 13 in September? Hopefully something will click and her biology grade will improve.

This is what my DD has ended up doing, after experiencing some MH issues and on the recommendation of her sixth form. So she’s continuing with 2 A-levels in year 12, will pick up an extra subject in year 13 (and take exams in the first 2 subjects at the end of that year) and then stay for a year 14 to complete the third subject.

She’s now considering a BTech for the third option and I might encourage her this way. Many universities include BTechs in UCAS point calculations and we’re at the point where I just want her to recover some confidence and be happy.

Definitely speak to school and see what they can offer.

The idea children without 8s 9s should not be able to do an A level is ridiculously elitist

Even the grammars round here ask for 7s not 8s except further maths. The idea must be all As at A level or it’s pointless?

A friend started with English Lit, History & Maths. Within the first few weeks she switched English Lit for Biology. After Christmas she realised that she wanted to study medicine at uni, but it was too late to change.

She started studying chemistry in the holidays at home. She sat the chemistry exam at the end of Year 12 alongside her other subjects and got a good enough grade to be given predicted grades to apply for medicine.

In year 13 she dropped history and sat through year 12 chemistry lessons alongside year 13 lessons. She received an offer for med school and is now a fully fledged F1.

Her GCSE grades were a mix of 7s, 8s & 9s.

Wow, obviously incredibly bright and self-motivated. My elder dd is going for medicine and it’s a very tough path - esp chemistry!