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Further education

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

Original poster

DS struggling with 1 A Level

32 replies

UserAtLargeAgain · 11/09/2021 19:53

Year 13 DS is really struggling (as in, got U on Year 12 exams, not seeming to have made much progress despite revision and tutoring over the summer).

I'm wondering if he might be better to drop it, but that will only leave him with 2 A Levels and I'm not sure if that is allowed? Or useful for future opportunities?

Can anyone advise on what his options might be?

OP posts:
Mintjulia · 11/09/2021 20:07

Have you talked to him? What does he want to do?

Does he need the exam for any future course? Would something more technical, rather than academic suit him better?

stripedbananas · 11/09/2021 20:10

Is he interested in it? Can he try another A level

hellsbells99 · 11/09/2021 20:13

Is it maths, physics or chemistry? They are difficult A levels and not everyone will get a good result in them.

mayblossominapril · 11/09/2021 20:16

Which a levels is he doing?
He could pick up another and also stay another year to finish it and possibly take 3 years to do the one he is struggling with.

Hellocatshome · 11/09/2021 20:18

What is he planning to do after A levels?

tiredanddangerous · 11/09/2021 20:22

It completely depends on what he wants to do afterwards

Original poster
UserAtLargeAgain · 11/09/2021 21:57

It's maths. A huge motivation for taking it was because he is interested in study in computer science (or something related) at university and maths is a key entrance requirement for many courses. A Level Computer Science wasn't offered. It looks like he would be able to get onto Computer Science with a foundation year without maths, but most places still seem to need 3 A Levels (or equivalent) so he can't just drop it without a replacement.

He is insistent he wants to go the university route rather than looking at something like apprenticeships. I've also wondered if this may not be the best route for him.

An added complication is that he's also taking physics and in theory you have to take A Level maths if you're taking Physics in his sixth form (the other reason he took it). But he finds the maths in physics fine for some inexplicable reason.

I had a vague idea you had to take 3 A Levels (or equivalent) for funding. Is this not the case?

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 12/09/2021 07:43

This may sound a bit radical but if he moved NOW he may be able to find a 2 year Extended Diploma in Computing at a local college. This is a '3 A level equivalent' course.

But term has already started and there may be no spaces.

It might be a better option than just 2 A levels...

RampantIvy · 12/09/2021 08:01

Could he redo year 12 and start with different A levels?

If he struggles with maths wouldn't he struggle with a CS degree course anyway?

SirSamuelVimes · 12/09/2021 08:07

If a level maths is a requirement for the degree he wants to do he won't be able to do the degree work if he can't do the a level work. He needs to change plan.

Boulshired · 12/09/2021 11:12

The problem with math is you can be good at the areas needed for certain subjects but struggle with other areas. In DS1 class there was a few who struggled in year 12. DS1 lost his confidence in math for a short period. His teacher pulled him aside and gave him a pep talk. He needs to talk to his tutor, I would be curious to know why he is being allowed to continue and what is his predicted grades. DS1 college you were not allowed to do maths without a 8 or 9 at GCSE and some students still struggled.

Original poster
UserAtLargeAgain · 12/09/2021 11:48

I'm definitely wondering whether it's best to cut his losses and change to "something else" now while the term has only just started and he might be able to. What the something else is, is the dilemma.

DS has good aptitude in computer science (I work in IT, I have an idea what is needed) and he's looking at more practical/vocational based courses. I don't think not being able to get his head round calculus or trigonometry should be a particular issue (Maths is asked for as a indication that you are good at logical thinking and problem solving, I assume).

He's being allowed to continue because the sixth form acknowledges how much disruption there has been because of Covid. His GCSE teacher was encouraging him to take Further maths at A Level in Year 11, so the level at which he is struggling is a surprise.
He does have history of suddenly something clicking and making huge progress (in mid Year 10, he was being predicted a 2 in GCSE physics, then he suddenly "got" it and is now taking for A Level) but not sure if it's ideal to waste a year and hope similar will happen.
We are asking for a meeting with his maths teachers/head of sixth form to see what they think.

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 12/09/2021 12:52

You are right about the funding OP.

TeenMinusTests · 12/09/2021 13:17

Personally I'd pursue a Plan B in the background with meeting with school. if he wants to switch to a BTEC he may find if he waits more than a week he'll have lost his chance.

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 12/09/2021 13:21

What was his GCSE grade for maths? DS is doing computer science for a degree starting this month.

He says that all the stuff they teach you in A level maths doesn't feel like it would apply to computer science but it absolutely does. Ds just watched a video on fast inverse square roots and it applies to all his computer science A level and advanced maths topics. Anything for game development is further maths based but even if you don't do game development general storage and accessing data is all maths, ie vectors and matrices.

DS says the people teaching computer science at degree say you need maths and if possible further maths. These are the people to trust as to whether you need it and you do. DS had to sit an entrance exam for Cambridge for CompSci which was a maths test.

I would want to talk to his maths teacher to find out their opinion about why he got a U. Look at his paper he sat where did he not get full marks on a question. Is it a maths error, misread question, lack of knowledge. Look at the mark scheme, does he now understand what he was meant to do.

MrsSkylerWhite · 12/09/2021 13:23

If he wants to go on to university, 2 A levels may not earn enough UCAS points?

Original poster
UserAtLargeAgain · 12/09/2021 13:35

Look at his paper he sat where did he not get full marks on a question.

His paper is mostly blank. He said he looked at the questions and didn't have a clue what to do. I've sat with him and worked him through questions step by step and he can do them with encouragement. Put a whole question in front of him and he doesn't have a clue. Practice might fix this. Or it might not.

I agree I don't think 2 A Levels will be enough UCAS points.

OnTheBenchofDoom my DS is not targeting a top university. Expectations are not the same. He can certainly get into Computer science (or related degrees) with a foundation year without maths (although if he goes this path I don't think he should add an extra year to KS5) and some "lesser" universities offering more practical courses allow this as well.

OP posts:
Farcry66 · 12/09/2021 13:40

Is getting a tutor an option?

I did a'level maths, and I didn't do very well in it. I understood the methods when I was doing them but when I saw a question, it would always take me far to long to work out what it is I needed to do with it. My degree was in Philosophy and my dissertation was on propositional calculus, so I certainly had the aptitude for logical thinking.

Some 1-2-1 tutoring might help him with that, if he can work through the papers with help, it's not the fundamental abstractunderstanding he is lacking. If he can do the maths in his physics course it's probably because it is contextualized for him, so he knows what he needs to do with it.

LIZS · 12/09/2021 13:47

2 A levels may be enough for a Foundation course which would fill the necessary gaps. Maths is hard though, it may yet click or not. A U and blank answers is not encouraging that he is developing confidence even if he has learnt the basics.

Lovemusic33 · 12/09/2021 14:04

My dd is also struggling with Maths and wishing she hadn't took it, she too wanted to do computer science at uni so needed maths, she got a C in her end of year exams but for her that's disappointing as she's always been a high achiever, she's now worried she will drop down to a D and has almost given up. She was hopping for AAA to get into oxbridge or AAB for Exeter, she's now talking about taking a year out or not going to uni at all.

A level maths is a huge step up from GCSE, any pass grade is a huge achievement.

PawsNotClaws · 12/09/2021 14:17

DS1 was in a similar position.

He couldn't do the Computer Science A-Level he wanted as there weren't enough applicants in his year group. At the end of Y12 he got a U for Maths. He switched to a Level 3 Computer Science at college and ended up with Distinctions.

He's now in his final year of a Computer science degree and still doing very well.

titchy · 12/09/2021 14:24

Do they do Use of Maths A level? Or can he switch to an AS in another subject for a year - that would sort the funding issue. If he's happy to apply for foundation years or foundation degrees (which can be topped up to a full degree) then having 2.5 A levels may not be such a problem.

bumblingbovine49 · 12/09/2021 14:24

A lot of computing foundation years at university will accept two a levels look at the entry requirements for computing foundation years for some of the universities that he might be applying to on the UCAS website . That will give you an idea of what he needs. If necessary contact a few admissions offices . That will give you a better idea of what the foundation years ask for

Usually computing foundation years at university are for those who has very good a levels but not in maths or science or for those with less good a levels in science and maths

titchy · 12/09/2021 14:26

Alternatively if he's told what the question is asking for step by step can he do the maths? In which case with some tutoring he should be able to learn what techniques are being asked for given the wording.

SirSamuelVimes · 12/09/2021 14:27

@PawsNotClaws

DS1 was in a similar position.

He couldn't do the Computer Science A-Level he wanted as there weren't enough applicants in his year group. At the end of Y12 he got a U for Maths. He switched to a Level 3 Computer Science at college and ended up with Distinctions.

He's now in his final year of a Computer science degree and still doing very well.

This path seems much more suitable for the OPs son.

I don't wish to be cruel but if he's unable to even attempt most of the questions on the paper, even after revision and a tutor, he isn't going to be able to turn this around in year 13. The second year of the a level will be even harder and he will be trying to relearn the content from year 12 on top of getting to grips with the new yr13 work.

I would take steps to get him on a different pathway asap.