Can you take A-levels with 4s or 5s at GCSE?

[HarveyLouis]

Is it possible,, or advisable, to take A-Level Geography or A-Level 3D design if you get a 4 or 5 in the relevant subject at GCSE? DD currently in year 10 and is looking at 6th form options. She is on course for 3s to 5s at GCSE and has an EHCP for dyslexia and ADHD. She may want to take a Business BTEC but not sure of other choices. Geography is her strongest GCSE subject but there don't seem to be any vocational options in Geography. We were suggesting Travel and Tourism to her as a possibility but her favourite 6th form doesn't offer it. She needs to apply to as many colleges as possible and her EHCP will be sent to them. I have no idea what happens at this stage really, do we pick a preference or does she wait until results day to make her final choice? To add, we don't think she is on course for uni, potentially an apprenticeship at 18. Getting Cs in A-levels would be an achievement for her.

I’m a Chartered Geologist, and share her interests!

I work in flood risk management for the Environment Agency. We have some virtual work experience on Springpod if she’s interested.

BTEC in forestry, land management, countryside management, digital mapping, built environment, conservation
or applied science (environmental modules) could all lead to geography based careers.

My house is packed with BTECers. C grade profiles, apart from me with A-C grade O levels. All did fabulously at College and follow a range of careers - Chartered Accountant, Software Developer and Estate Agent.

I recommend BTECs for that grade profile

If you could share the general area where you live, then we could help you find a course?

This was what shocked me when we looked into our very big local sixth forms. The range of BTEC courses actually available was very limited - hairdressing /childcare /health and social care and the like. Nothing wrong with these but there wasn't a diverse range

Its like they have to add a token amount of "vocational " courses but only really concentrate on A-levels

For the best range of courses you need to look at FE colleges rather than 6th forms.

Are there any agricultural colleges or FE colleges nearish to you. Some agricultural ones have accommodation for further afield students. They offer a bigger range of vocational than a sixth form which are more A levels.

We all went to FE Colleges. They have a large range and we found the style of lecturing and teaching differed because we were effectively "starting again" at 16.

Our nearest FE college says it has courses available but when you click the links the courses are often at a different campus that is linked to the nearest college. The FE college concentrates on health and beauty, childcare and construction.

My dd tried 3 a levels after getting 5’s/6’s in her GCSE’s. School advised against maths (which she got a 5 in but did let her try) She really struggled and got one D in psychology and two fails in her AS levels. She was given the option to resit the year on the two fails and continue the psychology. But she opted to do a NVQ Level 3 plus psychology a level. It suited her much better as more vocational. She did go on to do a degree. And is currently doing her masters.

We are near Virginia Water in Surrey.

A lot of students have quite a commute to a college that offers their best choice- and there's often help with transport costs.

Our local 6th form has entry criteria of 5 GCSE at 4+ for most of their A-levels (except sciences and languages I think). It’s doable and a C is still a pass. They have a rule that if you’re tracking at C or below AND you have less than 80% attendance they’ll take you off the course at the end of Y1.

They do offer lots and lots of support and are really big so have facilities to have additional support sessions for every subject plus a study skills support option. With an EHCP for dyslexia I’d expect a weekly support session in addition to teaching as a minimum.

I was going to say the same. Is there an agricultural college near you? It might talk about Land Based Courses.

A city and guilds qualification might be a good alternative. https://www.cityandguilds.com/qualifications-and-apprenticeships/land-based-services/environment-countryside-and-conservation/0076-countryside-and-environment#tab=information

All sorts of different paths, that might not be obvious as a school leaver.

Might be worth looking at - merristwood.activatelearning.ac.uk/courses/career-pathways/arboriculture-and-countryside-management/

Or this one could be option?

www.windsor-forest.ac.uk/study/tourism/

Farnborough tech? https://www.farn-ct.ac.uk/courses/ (my son is going here in Septfor an access to higher education course after having to be out of education for 3 years)

BCA - looks like it has bus routes everywhere! https://www.bca.ac.uk/

Merrist Wood would take nearly 2 hours to get to. Will look at all the suggestions, thanks everyone

Yeah- I can see the commutes are tricky for you :(
Remember they're very rarely in every day on a college course- it's not like school hours.
Also, it might be worth considering moving straight to an apprenticeship?
Best thing would be to visit your local college and see what they can advise. Good luck and hope you find something!

I think many schools, like my own, would like to offer more vocational options, but we struggle to staff them (it's easier to staff e.g. Geography A-level because you've got to staff Geography in years 7-11), we can't feasibly get enough work experience hours to offer the T levels and the government keeps threatening to do away with BTECs!

We've managed to widen our options by teaming up with a partner school, so students go off site for Health and Social Care and Sports Science BTECs.

I was mentoring a student this year who took two BTECs and an A-level and while she found the A-level very hard, she had at least finished the BTECs by the time of the A-level exams.

Something to be aware of is that schools and colleges generally require 3 level 3 courses or equivalent to be taken, although the EHCP may change that.

What if my SEND teenager doesn’t get the grades they need for their chosen course? — Special Needs Jungle https://share.google/VhXGN4xwtqJyRVfgy this is a useful link although it's 10 years old so refers to letter grades for GCSE - I don't think anything legal has changed that would invalidate this advice but it would be worth checking.

I can't comment on EHCP as while I have taught a few students at A-level with EHCP, they've all been academically able. However, I do have students coming on to Economics A-level every year with 5s and some, through interest in the subject, get C or even B. I would have doubts about students whose highest grade is a 5 though and school would steer them to Business BTEC (which is a good course).

(The link suggests post 16 providers can take EHCP students on fewer than 3 level 3 courses or equivalent).

@Ithinkhesamerdog I dont think so because the content for science and maths is MUCH harder now than in say 1996 when i did mine. But, its because the foundation level is so much easier that is scarcely harder than SATs.
The Higher maths is harder than probably the 1st year of my maths alevel.

The MFL is similar in that the foundation is so much easier. I did spanish gcse/alevel around 2008 and that was so much easier the H level than now.
I think anyone getting 6s is good (perhaps that is a B/C a 7 is very good though.

The variation across the years is unhelpful as so many old people are like gcses are sooo easy. And perhaps they were 20 years ago but not so much now!

For op though if say the dc got low to 100 on sats the school will only aim to be getting the kid a 4-5 at gcse so it could be they are capable of more. Certainly if now on adhd meds.

i think gcse geography there is potential for a parent to help the kid revise to get more towrds a 6.
Thats why weve gone geo vs history despite me having history gcse. As geo has a lot of short questions which are right or wrong and could see a lot of improvement..
My kid is y9 targeted 4-5 geo but higher 6-7 in a lot of other subjects. With adhd.
Mine though wants probably to do art alevel but only targeted 4 for that.
You can sometimes do alevels over 3 years?

Who We Are - Capel Manor College https://share.google/Je1ItBhFoTSKs7B2x this might not be commutable from you and not all courses are offered at all centres, but just in case it's worth knowing about.

Have you tried making a long list of potential courses and asking ChatGPT to suggest options for you? It's not perfect - it "admitted" to me the other week it had forgotten about Thameslink 😂 but it could throw up options you haven't heard of.

You and your chikx might not be ready for it but they do have halls for 16-18 year olds. My friends son was in them..