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Further education

You'll find discussions about A Levels and universities on our Further Education forum.

Original poster

College have changed courses for A level

22 replies

Propertyfaux · 29/08/2019 14:43

DD has just had her enrolment at her college. Offered a place in March and all fine. She has just been informed 2 (sociology and history) out of her 3 a levels are over subscribed. But they were able to offer her Law, media or photography. She cancelled all her other offers as they were last Friday and her open day in June she was informed her subjects were ok. We have no idea what to do now. Emailed/telephoned other colleges and sixth forms but have to wait till all their enrolments are complete. She is meant to start Wednesday but instead is in tears she would consider law but media and photography she would hate (she has GCSE 8 in photography). Just feel so sad for her especially after good results.

OP posts:
ChicCroissant · 29/08/2019 15:02

That must have been a shock for her, do you know why others have been offered the course ahead of her?

SabineSchmetterling · 29/08/2019 15:14

That’s horrible. There has to be some sort of oversubscription criteria but that should all have been sorted last week. I’m a Head of Sixth Form and we had finalised all places and subjects last Friday. I think it’s totally unfair to have given students the impression that they have secured places for a course if you haven’t actually finalised your class lists yet.
Call other schools. I’ve been enrolling students today onto courses that still have spaces left.

Namechangeforthiscancershit · 29/08/2019 15:22

What a shock for her. I'm sure there will be places at other sixth forms if you start ringing.

mushroom3 · 29/08/2019 15:23

I would ring the other sixth forma and explain the situation. This is appalling!

Original poster
Propertyfaux · 29/08/2019 15:43

I have been ringing other colleges but am having to wait for them to update class list so they can let me know what’s available. From what was said at the meeting they have not had the expected drop out. Her grades were 7 and 8s and a few of her friends have secured the same courses with less. It seems to have been done alphabetically and with a W surname she had one of the last appointments. I thought the stress would be DS1 going to Uni.

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SabineSchmetterling · 29/08/2019 15:48

Alphabetically going down the list is not a proper oversubscription criteria.
I hope you get something sorted. Good luck!

mrsprice84 · 29/08/2019 15:53

Wow, I cannot believe you have gone through this - I have worked in 2 different colleges over 13 years and have never known a College to operate this was during the enrolment process.

I have known colleges 'cherry pick' students during enrolment when they have great grades, and, it is usually the students who have not done as well as expected who are offered alternative programmes. I have never known any College work on their enrolment offers alphabetically. If I were you, I would complain to one of their senior leadership team, their principal or deputy principal. Although they are saying they are over subscribed, they will usually still experience a drop out with students not starting with them. To be honest though, do you/your daughter really want to go to this College when they clearly do not operate their processes fairly? I know it is difficult with friends who may be going to the same College but if I were your daughter I would try and go elsewhere...there will be places at other Colleges or Sixths Forms who will gladly accept your daughter for the fantastic grades she received. At the end of the day Colleges receive funding for the students they enrol so your daughter will get a place.

I really hope you get sorted.

DPotter · 29/08/2019 15:53

Time to call up your Mama Bear and go in to the college and raise merry hell.
It's totally insulting to your daughter whose expecting Sociology an History to offer her Law, Media & Photography

Original poster
Propertyfaux · 29/08/2019 16:14

You are right it’s time to get angry, I do not know for certain is was alphabetical but her friends who are B and D surname were Monday, L surname Tuesday and a R and S surname yesterday. For DD it was not just getting her choices but that the other options had gone, she had prepared herself with the alternatives of RS and psychology as back up if anything went wrong but not only were they not available but the waiting list was full. Have got an appointment tomorrow with DS1 old sixth form so am hoping even if she does not get what she wants they might still be able to offer something more suited to her.

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Original poster
Propertyfaux · 29/08/2019 16:18

Oh and thank you all for your responses, they have been helpful and supportive whilst I named a rant to clear the system.

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DPotter · 29/08/2019 22:47

Good luck for tomorrow

HeadintheiClouds · 29/08/2019 22:54

That’s shocking! Hope you get it sorted 🍀

HugoSpritz · 30/08/2019 18:39

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Propertyfaux · 30/08/2019 22:26

DS1 old sixth form can provide RS, sociology and history so she is going to change to them. She has lost politics to RS but politics was her third choice. She wants to study social sciences at university. The college had emailed to inform us that a mistake had happened and whilst they may alter courses the would not normally change two and that this would usually be emailed for advance warning. They had offered to do all they could to get her back on her courses. But tbh as mrs pricesaid the trust is gone and they could not guarantee anything. She has friends at the sixth form as well and would rather start than have to transfer after the start of term if the college could not fit her in. So thankfully all good in the end, she is still upset but not as bad as yesterday. Thank you again

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DPotter · 31/08/2019 00:39

Pleased you have sorted things out. Best of luck to your DD

BubblesBuddy · 31/08/2019 10:10

Her choices are ok for what she wants to do so no worries in my view. Hope it works out.

HeadintheiClouds · 31/08/2019 10:16

Poor girl. Glad it’s sort of sorted.

SabineSchmetterling · 31/08/2019 10:25

That’s a great subject combination for social sciences. I’m glad she got something sorted. I wouldn’t trust the original college now either. Good luck to your DD!

Original poster
Propertyfaux · 31/08/2019 15:40

Thank you all again, she has had the difficulty of phoning her friends but as I keep reminding her she already has lots of things booked with them and others at different colleges over the next few months.

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MarchingFrogs · 02/09/2019 07:57

Not that it is any comfort here, but when the local college that DS2 had as his back up for year 12 wrote to him a few months ago to say that they had reorganised their A level courses (into 'career pathways'), he noticed that this meant that they had dropped two of his three subjects altogether for 2019 entry. These were Fine Art (although this is still available as a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma) - and Maths...

Original poster
Propertyfaux · 02/09/2019 09:36

I could get my head around Fine Art but Maths, it leads to multiple pathways. Two of our local colleges have gone to pathways but these did not attract the high achieving gcse STEM students, and their results showed this. So a mix of BTEC and A levels would be good for those capable of a career in STEM but not suited to A levels.

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BubblesBuddy · 02/09/2019 15:20

FE colleges around here just wouldn’t offer maths A level. No teachers would be qualified so it’s taught in school 6th forms only. 6th form colleges in areas where no schools offer A levels would, surely, teach maths A level? Assuming there was demand in that particular college and the maths students didn’t all go to one particular college. A college cannot teach a subject with little demand.

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