Distance A-Levels?

[sorrelli]

Does anyone do these and are there any positives over doing them at sixth form/college?

Reasons for considering: You can do (some) regardless of what you’ve attained because you’re paying.

DD’s school has offered her to do a subject she isn’t really interested in.

She has a chance at another sixth form but we don’t know yet if she’ll get in.

Seems like an ok option?

The provider might be very poor. Wherever your dd ends up she will be expected to do 3 A levels so the distance learning one would be extra and unless she is very very able (in which case I'd guess you wouldn't need to post?) that would be too much and weaken her grades in all of them. She'd also have to be incredibly self motivated.

@titchy

Yes you’re right. I was thinking of her doing one at a time from a good distance a level provider and therefore enter uni a year or two later when she’s mastered independent study.

It’s all just ideas at the moment I think due to not knowing what’s coming.

With a distance learning provider you still need to find a local centre where your dd can sit the actual exams for that exam board.
I know someone who signed up for on-line A level course who only found out the nearest centre offering to take external candidates for that subject was 50 miles away!
I would also be concerned about university applications as sixth forms have more experience with references etc.
The taking one subject at a time route isn't a great idea. Most candidates take 3 A levels in one sitting and suspect this wouldn't be considered as great by universities.

Should have added that they only found out about the centre after they had paid for the course and couldn't get their money back!

Not sure what to do in that case, DD isn’t confident about grades so her progress onto sixth form is in question.

She could do all three distance but then again there’s the question of references.

It sounds like she needs a fair amount of support which a distance learning provider wouldn't be able to offer.

Are A levels really the right route? A more vocational route might suit her better.

@titchy yes we’ve thought about it but there isn’t a course which she wants to do at BTEC

Health and social care, Applied science are the closest to what she has in mind but again aren’t something she’s enthusiastic about.

Also the entry requirements are nearly the same for the courses she wanted to do anyway.

She has two great tutors that made a difference to her in the past three months.

I guess we’ll just wait and see what she’s given then take it from there.

My dc does 3 A levels with a distance learning provider, Wolsey Hall. We have no complaints so far, we are about an hour ish away from a private exam centre.
Feel free to pm me if I can be of any help.

@CarrieErbag thank you!