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Higher education

Talk to other parents whose children are preparing for university on our Higher Education forum.

Original poster

A Level course over subscribed - now what?

17 replies

RainbowsMoonbeams · 22/09/2022 16:27

DD has just started her A Levels, and recently decided to switch to A Level Maths, as the degree she wishes to do requires it. I wish I/we had done more research into choosing her A Levels, as it appears now the A Level Maths course she wants to do is oversubscribed.

DD is really upset over this and kicking herself for not choosing it in the first place.

Not sure what our next move should be. Is it that black and white that if they are full, she can’t get a place? I’m trying to find a solution, but feel stuck.

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2022 18:05

There is no such thing as a 'class size' in schools but schools might attempt to cap them at A Level and anything over about 25 would seriously affect teaching and learning. You could try begging...

It's quite late to change... was there a plan to catch up?

What's the degree path, and what else has she chosen? What does she want to drop, and why that subject?

Original poster
RainbowsMoonbeams · 22/09/2022 19:55

She wants to do computer science as a degree, and having looked into it she has realised many require an A Level in maths.

She is also doing A Level Computer Science, ICT, Biology and wants to swap Product Design for Maths.

Yes, time is ticking now, and have been trying to sort this out for over a week now. Very much being met with a brick wall with every email to the head of 6th form.

OP posts:
Piggywaspushed · 22/09/2022 20:16

She really has no need for 4 A levels. I think she should drop the biology or ICT.

It does sound like she wasn't given great advice, but they often aren't.

Findahouse21 · 22/09/2022 20:18

Can she access it elsewhere - at another school nearby or in the same academy Trust? Or at a local college?

DrivingTheoryTest · 22/09/2022 20:23

Sounds like she was really poorly advised as Maths is a very standard requirement for Comp Sci.

No need to do Comp Sci or ICT either unless she actually wants to do those subjects.

Further Maths if it's offered or another Science subject would be more useful. I wouldn't drop Biology.

DrivingTheoryTest · 22/09/2022 20:25

Lots of schools are only a week into teaching so it's really not too late at all to swap subjects. Swaps continue until half term sometimes!

I would ring round all your local 6th forms and colleges and see if any have places available for the subjects she wants.

VerbenaGirl · 22/09/2022 20:30

Talk to school, as it may be that they know of a student in Maths that might change subjects or leave that setting. Also ring around other local sixth forms and colleges. As a last resort, how strong is her Maths? Would she cope with an online Maths A levels while she stays where she is for the others?

Darkness22 · 22/09/2022 20:53

Go elsewhere. Arrange a face to face meeting.

Whalesong · 23/09/2022 01:47

Computer Science isn't actually needed as an A level for Computer Science but Maths generally is. Her school has advised her very badly.

Original poster
RainbowsMoonbeams · 23/09/2022 12:55

Thanks for the advice all.

Still waiting to hear back from the Head of Year.

She is in a ‘gifted’ programme at school that is attempting to get pupils within this into Russell Group universities, so she does need the maths qualification.

Fingers crossed.

OP posts:
Owlsinmybedroom · 23/09/2022 12:57

Can she do the maths a-level separately? Through distance learning, there are places which do this (I'm considering it as I don't have a level maths and it would be useful for my job)

She could drop product design and do 3 a levels at school and one out of school

FlorettaB · 23/09/2022 13:01

’Her school has advised her very badly.’

This. I’d push the fact that she’s supposed to be getting support to get into a good university and in fact they’ve made it impossible for her to do the course that she wants to through their poor advice.

clary · 23/09/2022 14:33

I agree with others, shame she was given such bad advice, and I would be inclined still to push back. Time is of the essence here - starting A level maths end Sept with a gap of several months is probably the limit.

Just a thought - if she didn't want to take maths enough to choose it in the first place, is CS the best uni course for her? Given that maths is a requirement, I would presume there is a lot of maths involved (disclaimer - very much not my subject!) so one would hope it would suit those who naturally gravitated towards A level maths. Also - what was her maths grade? I wouldn't from experience at one degree removed, advise it with anything less than a 7

Ignore the above if she got a 9 and wanted to do maths but was talked out of it by the biology teacher, of course.

Lilacsunflowers · 23/09/2022 19:12

I was also going to question whether a Computer Science degree suits her given that she wasn't desperate to do Maths (and Further Maths). But hopefully she can find a way to take Maths A level

woodlands01 · 23/09/2022 21:27

Interested that an opinion is that she was given bad advice. It is my experience that in year 11 part of the PSHE curriculum is that students research their own choices? I've been a year 11 tutor and at no point did I give each individual advice on A-level choices. I would not have known the detail - I would have directed them to unifrog for research and they had the time to do this.

On the other hand - yes some students will soon drop A-level maths. I teach A-level Maths and my 6th form team sent a student to me to ask if I would accept them in a simiar situation, big class size, desperate student. I said yes because I know some will drop out. However ..............said student is not showing the interest or work ethic required to do well which is maybe something your DD should consider. What was her GCSEgrade? Why did she not choose A-level Maths? Is she commited enough to do 1 hour outside class for every hour in plus extra time on homework assignments.

FlorettaB · 23/09/2022 22:53

IMO state schools and colleges fail more able teenagers when it comes to subject choices. All subjects are not equal, some subjects are viewed as ‘soft’ options and some degree courses require or strongly recommend certain subjects. Also, for some subjects, there’s no necessity to study them at A-level in order to take a degree in them. In fact it can be seen as a disadvantage.

Private school pupils are steered through this process, schools don’t offer many ‘softer’ options and unlike sixth form colleges they don’t need a certain number of bums on seats to justify teaching a course.

When you look at the % of students at certain universities who went to private vs state schools I think this is a factor that’s overlooked.

Galarunner · 23/09/2022 23:12

What was her GCSE grade, I think there is a problem with the simple advice you need maths A level to study computer science . If you want to study computer science at a university that requires Maths A level you generally need an A . Very few students who get less a 9 get an A in Maths. Every year we have students who drop out of A level maths at a very early stage so a space will probably come up.

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