Leap from GCSE to A levels if a student gets 6s and 7s

[RoseTulips2023]

My daughter got a mixture of 6s and 7s in her GCSEs which we were delighted by as she feared she had failed a couple of them. Her current choices for A level are Eng Lit, Politics and Psychology. However, she only got a 6 in Eng Lit which upset her as she was predicted a 7 and hoped for an 8. She has mild to moderate dyslexia. She is now considering dropping English and doing 3 out of Politics, Psychology, Business Studies and Sociology. She doesn't know what she wants to do later in life. Friends of mine whose children have got 8s and 9s have said that the leap from GCSE to A level is huge so I hope it's not going to be too much of a struggle for her. I'm now talking to friends who are suggesting backup plans - why we didn't look into this in more detail before I don't know. Some have talked about combining say 2 A levels with a BTec. I just wondered what the experience of your children was if they got 6s and 7s - how did they find the A level workload? Also, any thoughts on Politics, Psychology, Business Studies and Sociology - would any 3 of them be a good combination? Thanks.

Thanks very much for all your responses.

Don't forget that the grade boundaries were also pretty harsh this year. Last year she might have had all 7s and 8s.

Not to mention the TAG years that messed things up completely.

My DC has 6s & 7s. MFL & Econ going well. Maths exams causing some problems, but teacher optimistic will pick up.

I don’t think you should worry. They may not be on track for 3 x A, so what…

Not true. A 7 maps to a B. But also a lot changes and you usually do the subjects you are better at.

I got average B at GCSE and 3 x A at A level Follow your dreams and do what interests you.

Edited to say my school tried to put me off Eng Lit A level. I loved it, favourite subject.

Friend’s DC switched to BTEC with 5s, 6s, 7s disengaged as not v interested and just failed end of year exams

@Bufftailed This thread is 3 years old. However fyi a 7 maps to an A not a B.

I just wanted to send encouragement to you and your DD. I was diagnosed with Dyslexia (later found out there was ADHD too). It was a long time ago, but my GCSEs were all Bs. I was internally gutted (my friends did better). I was strongly advised not to do English Lit at A-level and I didn’t. My A-levels were rubbish grades and my first degree was at what was then a College of HE. The course I applied for wasn’t for me so I switched courses (had to take a second year out), and ended up doing English Literature major (taking a roundabout route). I loved books, and I discovered I loved analytical thinking. After a bit of time working I ended up doing a psychology conversation course and then an MSc and then a PhD and I am now a university Professor. I will be honest, grades for GCSE nor A-Level (or possibly undergraduate degree) are probably not going to full reflect her ability, but that doesn’t change her ability!! Tell her to do what she is passionate about at that time, and it will lead her to something she loves. For me, it was always a fight, and I felt the conflict and imposterism between what the grades said and what I felt I could do for many many years. But I can say with confidence (after 30 years), that doing what I love, now with full recognition, has been worth it.

Missed this was three years old 🤦‍♀️