Alternatives to A Levels in London/Herts

[bendmeoverbackwards]

Dd is in Year 11 so sitting GCSEs next summer. She's on the autistic spectrum and has had some problems with poor mental health and attendance. Year 10 wasn't great, Year 11 has been better but her attendance is still down.

She seems to be working hard, catching up with missed work on Teams etc.

After mulling it over and visiting several other local schools, she now thinks she wants to stay at her current school for A Levels (will probably choose Sociology, Psychology and one other to be decided).

I want to have a back up in case she doesn't get the grades. School have been very supportive but are worried about her doing A levels with her current level of attendance. She is my youngest so I am aware of the huge jump between GCSEs and A Levels.

She has completely ruled out the local college where they offer BTECs (and TBH I can't see her there). I know the main thing is choosing the right course but she also needs to be happy in her environment. She has lots of friends at her current school and obviously with her ASD moving would be challenging.

She might consider Elstree Screen Arts (she loves dance and the theatre) so it might suit her.

Does any have any suggestions of London colleges we might look at? She really has no idea what she wants to do career-wise but how many 16 year olds do? I just want her to choose something she will enjoy and stick at.

Would she consider a BTEC/A Level mix?

Yes possibly.

I'm in the same area. My DD wants to do biology, sociology and Biology but won't get the grades to do them at her current school as she can only sit a foundation paper for maths.

We have also applied to Barnet/Southgate College as they have lower grade expectations.

I'm also reassured that if she fails to get the grades she is still guaranteed a course and they will work with her to find the right one.

Friends of hers have gone to ESA and pulled them out again - it suits a very small type of kid but worth a look, grade outcomes are not good though.

Oaklands college have a creative media course.

@Fifiellz I’d be interested to hear more about your friends’ experiences at ESA, you can PM me if you’d rather.

It was only because the grade outcomes weren't as good as other schools and there wasn't much as focus on academia.

However I know it is amazing for SEN and very good pastorally. A child I knew with very high additional needs who couldn't attend any other local school finished her education there and is now at Oakland's.

My DD wants to do A Levels so Barnet is the only local choice, next nearest is West Herts Hemel campus. She liked Barnet on open day but currently at a religious school and struggling with the cliques and looking forward to finding a wider friend group so I think it will suit her.

Thank you @Fifiellz it’s so difficult to know what’s right. She’s very bright academically, was always top at primary school and first few years of secondary. Her natural intelligence (and online resources from school on teams) is helping her to catch up after absences. But A levels are a whole different ball game.

Hi OP. My son sounds a little similar. He's doing A levels at school because he couldn't get his head round anything else. I think they are going to be challenging (he's only just started) so I have taken the pressure off and said, "Give it a year..." I don't think your DD needs to find something she'll stick at. Try something out next year... And take the pressure off that she's just giving it a go for a year and at the end of the year you can review.

That’s a refreshing approach @MerryMarigold thank you. Socially she’s happy at school, most of her friends are staying so she wants to too. I just worry how she’ll cope with the workload if she doesn’t attend every day.

Yes, he was the same. Most friends stayed on. Anything else he liked the look of was 1.5 hours journey (each way on public transport) and school is a 10 min walk. This is the easy option and he's been ok so far. I can recommend Design Technology for a lower pressure A level. He's also doing Physics and Maths but they are tougher.

I think a change of scene from her current school would be beneficial.

A change of scene would be good and break down some fears she may have in relation to trying something new ans she will ahve to learn when she gets older.