Please help. Daughter booted from A level college, after only 4 weeks. What now?

[GroanWoman]

DD(17) has been asked to give up her A level course after 3.5 weeks.
She has anxiety, depression, ASD. She wasn't going to many lessons or doing work.
Staff worried about her wandering around campus. So fair enough, I guess: she just can't do it.

But what now? She's 17, so is meant to be in education. She wants to do A levels, but it's already well into term, so she won't be able to go anywhere else. There are online courses, but they all have exams in central and southern England and we're in West Wales. Also, she failed GCSE Maths, so many places wouldn't let her onto a course anyway (she was redoing it in college alongside her A levels).

The other problem is that the online courses are expensive. Surely she should have free education at 17?

No idea what we're supposed to do or if we're supposed to log her having left her course with anyone.

Can anyone advise? I'm so distressed now.

Thanks.

OP I have taught both A levels and BTEC, and I strongly advise you to investigate BTEC as an option. A levels are self directed and students are expected to turn up and cope with work independently. BTEC on the other hand is more structured and teacher-led, and students receive significantly more support.

The benefits of BTEC are
-No switching between classes
-One group of students and one teacher provides consistency
-Teacher takes personal responsibility for the class and for guiding the students
-Teacher knows the class and is well placed to help students with their individual support needs
-Much of the work is completed in the classroom with teacher support, self study is minimal
-Grade is mostly coursework based and doesn’t rely solely on a final exam
-Teacher keeps track of every student and their progress, and intervenes if someone falls behind (offers catch up classes during the holidays etc)
-No huge gaps between timetabled lessons

I heavily coached the BTEC students and constantly monitored them. Unlike the A level students who were expected to be more self directed, I just gave them the work and they weren’t my sole responsibility.

BTEC is a much better approach for students who need more support. Because it’s a “one class one teacher” approach, the teacher will be able to help with seating your DD next to a suitably kind “buddy” and involving her socially in the group. There will be more pastoral support and less opportunity to wander around. And at the end, the BTEC is worth the same as A levels in terms of university entry.

I would always recommend BTEC as the best approach for a student with autism and have taught a number of such students with great success. BTEC is also likely to be more flexible in terms of allowing her to start late and catch up on what she’s missed. I hope this helps x

Have a look for special schools and apply for ehcp to get a place.

I goggled and this one popped up
https://www.aspriscs.co.uk/find-a-location/aspris-college-south-wales-torfaen/

I would recommend contacting Careers Wales. They have advisers who can talk through the options and may know of local provisions which could help. The legal leaving age is 16 but she does still have the right to support to find something: https://workingwales.gov.wales/how-we-can-help/young-persons-guarantee. (Working Wales is part of careers Wales). Jobs Growth Wales + might be an option in the short term maybe. I know young people at risk of dropping out of FE are part of Careers Wales remit so either college should put you in touch with their linked adviser or you can just phone the free phone number on the website yourself.

Try Kings InterHigh- their exam centre is in Wales

My daughter struggled with college last year, also ASD diagnosed. She is doing A levels at home now but she is very self motivated and we are using course providers so that helps.
It has also enabled her to continue with her voluntary job so that gets her out out the house and she really enjoys doing that.

I do know of teens who have self studied A levels using the student book to keep costs down but that takes a lot of discipline.

What about sitting this year out?
How about she spends the rest of this year focusing on GCSE maths retake?

it sounds like can’t settle down - perhaps because she isn’t happy. Passing maths might give more options.

I went to coleg Ceredigion in west wales this seems odd they were always very supportive, I went there after leaving the local secondary after a year as i didnt find that as supportive.

If she's no longer in education I think you have to report to child benefits. There is no point whatsoever to her going to college if she does not attend classes or do the work. I'd take her to her GP and see if they can get her some counselling and/or might need medication to help her control her mood. In the meanwhile could she sign up for UC and go in to look for help making a CV and finding a job. Education will still be there for her to access once she's well. My youngest son took some time out from education got a job for 9 months then started back at college the following year where he was able to focus. Make sure your DD gets out everyday in the fresh air even if only for half an hour.

I work in FE. Did your daughter pass her retakes last year? I can see she did not pass her maths. My FE college would not let her take A levels in those circumstances. Did they ever offer BTEC or similar? I think after working with her for a year and allowing her to retake maths alongside A levels the college have done something. Wandering around college, refusing learning support makes things difficult. You say she is capable of A levels but she hasn't achieved at GCSE. She needs help with her anxiety and to concentrate on getting her maths in order to improve her options. Also in time a part time job. Then review.

This is unfortunately what students have to do. The college's try to put on lots of courses so rooms are of a premium and some group will be using a classroom all the time so they can't just switch up the timetable to suit OP's DD.

My FS does BTEC and he has different teachers for different units of work. He has to go to different campus for some units that is 14 miles away. They are given a lot of self directed study and all students must attend lessons to a minimum of 94 percent authorized attendance or else you have to have an interview with the Head of Faculty.

My guess is that they have asked her to leave this early because after 5 weeks she will show up as a ‘withdrawn’ student if they ask her to leave. This can have financial implications for the college. Even worse is if she stays and fails her exams.
The LSA should not be sitting next to her. When I worked in specialist support in college none of the learners knew who I was supporting, I went round the class offering support to all learners but spent more time with supported learners.
The other thing you may need to consider is that in England, education is not free after 18. If your course starts in your 18th year that’s ok, but start in your 19th year and you will have to pay. If your daughter is already registered as having SEN then funding goes up to 21, or 25 with an EHCP, although if she is doing A levels it is doubtful she will get this extra funding.

First course of action is to speak to the college and the LSA to see what support she has been getting and how that can be more useful for her. None of my learners wandered around the college, if their anxiety was bad I would meet them and walk in behind them. If they were in college and not turning up for a lesson I went and found them. What is the LSA doing?

College should have directed her into something else, NVQ, GNVQ, Btec etc…
I couldn’t just tell a college student to leave, they weren’t suited to the course. I had to go via the student counselling service, liaise with other course leaders etc to find something more suitable. It was a lot of extra work so maybe that’s why they’ve not done what they should.

This. Sounds like she needs help. Are you in receipt of UC or anything as that will stop if she ain't in education.

OP does she have an EHCP? If so, she can stay in further education until she’s 25.

Would she be better on an apprenticeship or in a school with more structure?

Honestly i would be looking into doing a college course online from home or evening courses at a college, no point her doing A levels in school if she cant actually go in.

She should think of a subject she would enjoy, look at some college booklets and see what colleges can offer online/evening wise

Does she have an EHCP?
Are you in contact with your local Autism team?
Would they consider her doing less subjects & her maths? Or any courses that only take a year along with her Maths?
Contact your local education team, obviously Wales is a bit different but they should still be providing similar services
My son is declared NEET (Not in Education Employment or Training)
He just couldn't cope with college who knows what the future holds but there doesn't seem to be much help out there.
Does She get PIP?
If I can help I will

I'd also say it's early days at the college.
It'll take her longer to get to know people.

If she can hang in there it may well get OK, but it might take a few months not weeks.

I wouldn't pull her out of it straightaway.
Try to put in more supports and help to get her through the days.

Do you live nearby the college?

Has she a therapist or anyone helping her with the negative thoughts?
It's a tough station having to be her mother and her therapist!

Does she have any other hobbies outside college such as a drama group or does she like art or crafting or gaming?
Has she friends outside college.

Going online may not be the solution because I strongly suspect she likes being with people but just can't manage her emotions when she is with them!

I've seen this sort of thing quite a lot with students. I take it the college haven't offered her a transfer to a different course. From what you have said she would be much better doing a btec. A-levels won't be a good fit with all the emotional things you describe. Phone around local colleges to see if they will accept her. They probably won't but it's worth a try. Worst case she can work amd sort her head out a bit this year, and then go back next September. There may also be apprentiships she could apply for. What I would add is that she will need to attend regardless of her course. Maybe a part time.e job could help her settle? Good luck

My dd also retook GCSEs last year and had health issues, and she was on a four week trial at the beginning of this year for A levels, as it was made clear that you wouldn't succeed at A level without good attendance (which before was very poor). She's done fine, but I can see that this hasn't worked out for your dd even with the extra support.

My issue would be what are they offering instead- here in England she would be offered a place on a BTEC or functional literacy/maths, and other choices, she wouldn't just be removed from A level, she would also be allowed to resit Maths whilst doing this.

I'm not impressed if they are just cutting her loose, although it does seem her anxiety/MH is too poor perhaps to attend college right now. When this happened to my dd, I got her to get a job where she didn't have to interact too much with others (cleaning) and she did fine at that, with education being picked up again when things improved.

It sounds a very difficult situation, but if she has a LSA then it would be great to get her back into some classes and have the LSA support from a distance. I would go back to the college for starters and ask them what there is for her to do.

I think the issue here is that A levels are academically demanding and if she's not able to attend, she will fall behind very quickly, causing more anxiety. There are a lot of other choices post-16 though (BTEC in applied subjects, health-care, beauty, childcare, trades), apprenticeships and so on, but whilst her anxiety is sky high, I suspect a lot of these will be hard for her. Med review is a starting point.

Those asking about a EHCP or telling the OP to apply for/ask the college to apply for an EHCP are missing OP is in Wales. EHCPs don’t apply there, the SEN system is different.

OP does DD have an IDP?

Rather than IPSEA and SOSSEN (who focus on the English SEN system), have a look at SNAP Cymru.

I would really look into what your rights are. Does the school say they are inclusive? What strategies have they put in place to support her? Two agencies suggested to me are IPSEA and SENSOS.

I’ve been going through a situation with my ASD 4 year old, and the school were trying to reject his placement. IMO it’s very naughty that a school will try and do this and you must really look into what the law says. Any appeal from you will always be in the best interests of the child. Fight it and get legal advice. Don’t just take what the school says at face value. Schools, Local Authorities, medical professionals can say different things in my experience, and you need to push for what you feel is best for your DD.

@GroanWoman

In theory with asd she should be able to access transition advice through the local.authority. in my experience though councils simply don't try to meet the bare minimum of advice for families with regard to asd.

It might be worth knowing that you do not need A-levels to study with the Open University; that might be a useful alternative route if online courses would work better for her. It doesn't solve the problem of social isolation, though. It can be done either full-time or part-time; part-time avoids as much pressure on mental health, and/or opens the possibility of getting a job alongside.
They do take some under 18s; I'm not sure of the policies around that, but it might be worth enquiring, or doing some free courses (eg Open Learn) with a view to signing up for a degree later.