Sixth Form closing… where next?

[Inspectorflange]

My 17 year old failed his maths and English GCSEs so had to stay on into the sixth form to retake them. He wanted to stay on originally to take A levels in sports science but because he had to resit his math and English didn’t get to choose his subjects. He was put into the travel and tourism class which is a BTec.
Anyway, now the school have suddenly decided to close the sixth form and he’s really confused about where to go next.
He still wants to do A levels but does he have to apply to a different sixth form at a different school? Does he apply to a college?
His plan was to resit the maths and English then start A levels in his chosen subject in September, but that’s not happening now.
We spoke to his teacher but they’re not really interested anymore seeing as the sixth form is closing next month.
Any advice?

But haven’t the college been sending reports with his predicted grades? My DCs colleges (they went to different ones) send reports every term.
What about parents evening? They usually give predictions then.

Some retake students sit the GCSE exams in November and the results would have come out in January. Did he sit exams then?

Did he receive an exam timetable for the exams he is sitting now? If English is not on it then that likely means he already passed it.

If you have had literally no communication from school since September then I am not surprised it is closing, that is not a normal
way to run a 6th form.

Yes they need 6/7s at GCSE to do A Levels. However even for Level 3 BTEC you need to pass English and Maths and get a decent grade in the Level 2 course. So you may also need to look at Apprenticeships.

But first of all do what TeentoTwenties suggests and start contacting other colleges.

I do feel that you and your DS are being too passive about this, sorry. There’s no point waiting for someone to ‘put him onto’ a course. He didn’t have to stay at 6th form to do resits, there are other options. And I am really surprised neither of you know his predicted grades.
You need to contact his 6th form and find this out as he will need his predicted grades to apply to other colleges.

I think even a L3 Btec may be a push with those results. They've changed in the last few years and the literacy element is fairly key. We don't allow people to do a L3 Btec without at least 5x 4 grades, What is he interested in? What does he want to do?
Because he's in danger of being NEET (not in education,employment or training) your local council should have some people that can work with him to look at careers and opportunities in your locality, it may be that if he has something that he is interested in that an apprenticeship would be more suitable.

You will need to research specific colleges and courses, but typically a Level 3 BTEC Extended Diploma will need something like:

• 5 GCSEs at grade 4 or above including Maths & English,
• OR Maths & English GCSEs at grade 4+ / Functional Skills Level 2 and a Merit on a Level 2 BTEC Diploma

If he isn't going to get these this year you may well be looking at a Level 2 course again but this time maybe in something he actually want to do.

How do neither you or he know which exams he has already taken, one of which he's apparently already passed?
You say you have other teens who did/are doing A levels, so you must be used to the ebb and flow of the system. I can't understand the passivity of you both to be honest.

(And I say this as someone who has a child who had to retake maths GCSE.)

He did it without realising? How??