‘Star’ GCSE pupil flopping A Levels - Advice?

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DD, Y12, has always loved school and been a high achiever academically and a real ‘joiner’ (sports teams, debate club, all sorts of extra curricular stuff). She aced her GCSEs (Grades 8 & 9 in everything) and decided to stay at her school Sixth Form and do A Levels.

She hates it. Everything about it. Hates her subjects, but hates the idea of all the other subjects too. Hates academic writing at this level. Completely unmotivated to do her homework and and is way behind. Anxious and crying most days. Says she ‘just can’t do any of it’ and doesn’t understand why. Has stopped joining in with any extra curricular stuff at school and is generally extremely negative about all aspects of school.

Her attendance has always been close to 100%, but is now 70%. She just failed her mid year mocks in two of her three subjects and we have been called into school for a meeting. School have been supportive thus far, made adjustments, helped her plan her work, extended deadlines etc. But to no avail.

She is a good girl - mature outlook, thoughtful, kind, responsible (comes home when she says she will etc). Never had any issues with behaviour. She has friends and still has some outside hobbies (dance, music) which she loves. She just seems to have totally lost heart with A Levels and is now questioning whether university is for her.

Im just at a loss as how to support her. Tried listening, advising, practical support, offered a tutor. Tried ‘tough love’ and saying she just had to get through and see it as a means to end.

Now thinking maybe A Levels were the wrong choice for her? But what else does a bright but clearly not-interested-in-the-academic girl do instead?

Is it the subjects? You say she hates writing at this level, so presumably essay subjects. Would she be better with creative work or science subjects?

It can be difficult for a "good all rounder" at GCSE to work out which subjects they actually enjoy and would thrive in.

Is there a 6th form college she could go to instead, for a change of scene?

A levels were the hardest qualifications I've ever done. Probably for similar reasons to your DD. Always academic, school work, GCSEs were easy. A levels came as a huge shock that for the first time ever I had to work hard at understanding the topics.

For someone who had never been used to failure this can come as an awful shock. I hope she can turn it round.

She’s doing English Lit, Politics, History - so yes, all essay-based which is clearly not working out! She got 9s in Eng Lit/Lang and History at GCSE and loved History so much she wanted to study it at university. Now completely about-turned on this.

She got E in her recent exams for History & Politics…although A for Eng Lit.

Hard to know if it’s the subjects. She regretted Art GCSE, didn’t enjoy it at all. Very able in Maths & Sciences but ‘hated’ them. French was the only other subject she considered for A Level.

I think she would probably would have enjoyed sixth form college more than her school in retrospect (says she finds the school really rigid and stifling) but I’m not convinced switching now or restarting in September would solve this…

This doesn't sound that bad, maybe more of a confidence issue? Could you get her some counselling or do the school offer ELSA or anything like that? My DD got 7s-9s at GCSEs and got an E and two Bs in her recent A Level exams. She was disappointed with the E but the teacher said she just hasn't revised enough or gone into the level of detail required by the mark scheme, it's not that she can't do it. We may get her a tutor but I certainly wouldn't call this failing at this stage.

Did she breeze through GCSEs without really having to learn how to learn?

I would suggest having a good look at vocational courses to see if an Extended Diploma BTEC or T-Level catches her interest.

Or a level 3 apprenticeship?

She probably needs to keep going for now whilst seriously considering alternatives.

And/Or get her a tutor or 2?

Is this a question that she found GCSE comparatively easy and is finding A Level much harder; potentially really having to put in effort for the first time?

It's common for students doing those A Level subjects to start with lower grades that improve as they understand the expectations for the subject and how to answer questions. I remember my DD (almost the same A Levels) being warned not to panic in Year 12! It's hard for a student used to getting top GCSE grades to go to getting Es and this will have rocked her confidence.

She needs to work out whether she has actually picked the wrong subjects (in which case starting afresh in September may well help) or just needs to accept that she has to work (and a tutor teaching how to approach essays etc may help) in a way she is not currently used to. It would also help to remove the negative language. An E at A Level is not a fail.

Oh that sounds tough for DD OP. DS was similar - all A stars (in wales) for GCSE then struggled with maths a level and went into a bit of a downward spiral (due in no small part to not doing anywhere near as much work as he should have been doing). He just hadn’t had to struggle at all with GCSEs and thought same would apply to A levels. Ended up missing his grades for medicine, but seems to enjoy his course now.
I think if DD has realised now, this is a good thing and she can still turn things round. I reckon she will be OK its just she has to change the way she works and alter her perspective.

History A level put DD off too, and she had also planned to take it at university. An A in English lit at this stage suggests that the problem is the (often very prescriptive) style of history essays, not that her essay writing itself is lacking.

A subject change to take French, English lit and... something else (classical civilization? Psychology? Drama, music, geology?) might be a good plan.

I’d restart in September and look at other A level subjects, maybe a different sixth form. Did you tour the ones in your area? They need to feel comfortable with the sixth form and meet at least one of their future teachers. It does sound like academia is not for her, so think about careers that are more hands on and less research, presentations, and writing.

For example, for a child that loves history but not writing, I’d be looking at Archaeology or Conservation of Paintings or Textiles or Architecture/Sites or Museum curation careers and looking at degree courses and selecting A levels based on what the Universities require,

Get a job and move on. Exams aren't everything. I left with only 1 exam pass and went onto a professional job for over 20 years.

The studying outside of classes is very important for A-levels. My dd was told that she should be doing at least the same number of hours of classes she had per week at home (this includes homework) So if she has 8 hours of say English per week then she should be studying at least 8 hours out of class.

My dd did badly in her year 12 mocks but she worked really hard and ended up with the grades she needed a year later. She studied her weak subject during school holidays as well and focused on exam technique too as her the subjects she studied have very rigid answer requirements.

Tell her she can take a gap year after year 13 and apply for her next course then. Having a clearer mind after exams may mean that she makes a “smarter” choice as ti what she does next. My DD worked during her gap year and enjoyed a different kind of learning through work. She was raring to go the year after.

this was my DS last year OP. amazing GCSE results, then near fails in his AS levels last summer in 6th form at school. attendance also fell during yr 12 too. he stated he really hated 'school' and was fed up of wearing a uniform, going to assembly, calling everyone Sir / Miss etc. he switched to college in Sept 25, and is repeating Yr12 now. one change of subject. he's honestly thriving there. they are treated much more as grown ups, teaching style is completely different and more specialist. he's made some new friends and is much more focused academically too. he catches the train too which he really enjoys (with his laptop and travel mug - sweet).

definitely worth considering for your DD i'd say. try and catch some open evenings maybe? good luck - these are challenging times for sure x

I don’t really have any advice but with eldest DD just finishing up at uni this year, she maintains the jump from GCSE to A Level was the hardest academically. Harder than going from A Level to uni. DS is now in sixth form and agrees, gone from 9’s at GCSE to scraping a pass on first year mocks. Hopefully it will work out and your DD will adapt but it may take some extra work and serious consideration of dropping or changing a subject.

What are her plans post A Levels? An A at this stage in Eng Lit is promising. Es aren't failing but are demotivating, especially if she's not enjoying it as well.

I think a lot of people would agree that A levels at dixth form are harder than degrees at uni: the jump between GCSE to A level, the changes in style of writing, at a sixth form the rigidity and stifling nature compared to friends at college, at that mid point between kid/adult, responsibility but also adhering to rules that make you feel like a child. She might benefit from a different environment or other options but it is likely to add a year to her studies at this point.

Has she got a job/hobbies outside of school she enjoys? Having other things to balance the negativity she's feeling at sixth form might make her happier at least.

I got ABDEN in my A levels. I didn't ever really have to try hard at GCSEs. Got a 2:2 degree without trying too hard either.

IMO A levels are a stepping stone to the next stage. If she's thinking if uni I'd encourage her to grin and bear it and get through it without adding an extra year at this point. If she's not looking at uni, consider other courses and options available to her. Students do leave during yr12/13 to do apprenticeships etc.

It's generally considered a substantially bigger jump from gcse to a level, than a level to degree level (depending on specific subjects).

It might not be the case here, but it is actually possible to be capable of passing gcse fairly easily, and not be capable of doing well at a level in some subjects.

They might just need extra support, or dislike this format and there are other types of qualifications they can do, or even a break before returning to education though.

Even if looking at uni, she won't miss out on anything starting from age 18-23 or so really, older potentially. There is no big rush where her experience will be massively different to younger people attending. Sure going in your 30s can be different, but still amazing.

It is such a big jump from CGSE to A level, though I found i preffered the essay writing of A levels. If A levels are struggle then degree is definitely not the route to go. I did A level History and a history degree i was not amazing at history but loved it and still loved even though grades did not reflect. The big difference is a did it the time where you didn't get into debt so ok to do what I enjoyed. With debt attached with today's degree I would not do history unless wanting to be a history teacher. I would take a more vocational approach in somethings that leads to a job and will be encouraging my son to do so.

Sounds like it's possible she could be depressed/clinically anxious. Have you broached this with her?

100% my A levels were harder than my degree. I had a lot of friends who didn't do well in a sixth form attached to a school, but they've flourished at colleges. There is nothing wrong with restarting in September in new place. Often the hardest but best choice for people is to walk away for a time then try again. The key could be talking to her and be involved in the decision and the process to let her have control and ownership so she doesn't feel stiffled or anything?

Neurodivergence? (And before anyone decides to be sarcastic about this, I am mentioning this as a possibility to consider, I’m not saying definitely or even probably ND. I agree with many of PPs’ suggestions).

My DC2 was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD after A-Levels. We knew DC2 had issues with anxiety and the school even ran some
screeners for a range of issues, including ADHD, and the results of those were all normal.

My A-Levels went tits up and I was one of the top-scoring pupils at O-Level. It turns out, I also have ADHD. I asked my psychiatrist about this and she said it would have been due to poor executive functioning. I think pretty well everyone with ADHD has problems with this. I would think that essay subjects could be particularly demanding of executive functioning.

I hope you get to the bottom of things. It sounds like your DD is having an awful time.

GCSE's you can get through and do well at without doing much if you are naturally clever, whereas that is just not the case with A-levels.

I would say to her that she's fine though - she just needs to get her head around what they are looking for in the exams and practice, practice, practice - but most of all she needs to go to all her lessons. The one thing for sure that will hold her back from doing well is not going to her lessons, it's not like GCSEs, the rate they go through things is fast and they don't go over and over it - she needs to be there to have a chance.

She needs to take a breath and give herself a chance too though I think. She is doing 3 subjects with a lot of writing and it's a lot to take in. A-levels are shit (IMO) and they're hard - much harder than a degree I think - but if she can just get through them then they will be out the way and she can move on.

The alternatives aren't very attractive really, repeating a year, doing different subjects, doing BTECs - especially if there's nothing particularly she'd rather do. Instead I'd encourage her to be less harsh on herself, remember she is capable and that she can do this and lower her sights for now and aim for B's/C's rather than A or A stars in History and Politics. Remind her that she's done really well in her Eng Lit.

I'd imagine she's been totally thrown by the huge step up from A-level and her grades have been a shock after everything coming so easily - I remember being the same as a fairly clever all rounder - but she just needs to get her head down and plough through. Suggest she puts everything into it until the end of the year to see how she goes with her end of Yr12 mocks. Then you can assess the situation again. But the one thing she really, really needs to do is to go to her lessons, I can't emphasise that enough.

I recently took my 19 year old to a National Apprenticeship Show. He hated A levels, despite being bright and did very poorly. I was blown away at the opportunities, most of which only required Maths and English grade 4s. All kinds of jobs from engineering, fashion, accounting, media, MI5/MI6, civil aviation authority, consultancy, to name a few.

I would keep an eye out for apprenticeships as they are published. I think this might be a route for her to follow.

She sounds anxious and depressed. I am not sure the A levels are really the issue, though they are clearly the focus.

Although A levels are a massive step up, grade 9s at GCSEs aren’t that easy to obtain, and generally translate to at least a B at A levels, more usually an A or A*. Definitely not fails.

I think I would target the anxiety and depression rather than the actual studies. I am sure, if she recovered her confidence, she could do fine at A levels

I was fairly similar, OP! I once read that A-Levels aren't a leap of faith, but more of a giant leap for mankind, if that says anything at all...

I know of a few people who, after the first year of A-Levels, decided that it wasn't for them. Some went into full-time work, others went into the army, did apprenticeships, or to colleges to do BTECs and City & Guilds qualifications. I made the mistake of sticking with A-Levels (family pressure), got poorer grades than expected, went to university (much easier in comparison), and eventually went to college as an adult... where I got Distinction grades in everything, and would've been in a much better position to go to a better university.

A-Levels aren't for everyone, and it's not a complete disaster if she fails them. She might just have to take a different route to university, if that is her dream, but she might find something else of interest along the way.

I didn’t expect so many replies - thank you, everyone! To answer a few questions -

Yes - she has struggled with anxiety (currently takes sertraline; had counselling in year 10 & 11, but says she doesn’t want it anymore). Very hard on herself, perfectionist etc etc.

Yes to neurodivergence. She’s on the ADHD pathway with CAMHS and by the skin of her teeth looks like she might get her diagnosis before she turns 18. We already use a lot of ADHD-specific strategies, but she seems in such deep overwhelm and burnout right now that nothing really helps.

She didn’t breeze GCSEs - she worked hard and was super organised with her revision - but she she didn’t ever hit a wall like this.

She hasn’t got a job (desperately applying!) but has done some great work experience and has more lined up. She’s a really resourceful girl when she’s motivated, but that seems ti be completely lacking at the moment.

Im going to have a chat to her this evening and use some of your pearls of wisdom and ideas 😄. Her school is a good, aspirational state school that drive the kids quite hard (and provide loads of great opportunities for them, to be fair). If she doesn’t get D or above in her end of year mocks, they are likely to ‘suggest she thinks of an alternative’ ie. kick her out….