Ds didn't see 5 questions on maths paper 1 and has missed his A by 7 marks. What would you do?

[AguaSinGas]

Ds thought he'd reached the end of the paper at Q10. There were 5 more questions. I contacted school as soon as he got home (he realised when he overheard students in the bus talking about questions he hadn't seen). School checked immediately that he didn't have a faulty paper. He didn't.

We knew his A star was lost, but remained hopeful for a A (based on conversations with his maths department who said that even if the grade boundary shifted upwards by 5 points, which was their feeling it could do, he could scrape the A. The boundary went up by 10 points. Had their boundary prediction been correct, he would have indeed just scraped the A)

He has lost his uni place as the A in maths was a hard line.

He got 3As. And a B in maths.

His marks per paper breakdown are:
Paper 1: 55/100
Paper 2: 65/100
Paper 3 69/100

Raw score 189, A boundary 196.

He can: apply to see his scripts. Or ask for a review. Or move on.

He's spoken to the uni, who have said no based on the B. He wants to retake the maths and reapply for 2024.

But we've been discussing whether we should get the scripts and just see if those 7 marks could be found in a review. We know 7 marks is a lot to find in a review.

We found out on results day that the school applied for special consideration but it was rejected by the exam board. We didn't know they'd done that.

What would you do?

Your sourness about this is getting on my nerves.

No sourness from me, I’m just putting the teachers case forward as an alternative. I have previously stated I really feel for your son.

But you seem to be very defensive about it being no trouble for the school or the teachers and I’m suggesting the school may be being disingenuous when they insist ‘its no trouble and of course the teachers are delighted to do this futile task for your very special son’. (Your protestations to me about this amazing package your son would have received if he hadn’t made that mistake as justification say more than you might have intended)

You know how when you’re in a restaurant and you knock over your glass and the people working at the restaurant come over to mop it all up whilst reassuring you it’s no trouble. In part they are incentivised to clear up so you don’t cut your visit short thus spending less and so there isn't a hazard. But the vast majority of adults know when the people restaurant say it’s no trouble thats a social fiction, it has created extra work for them. Some diners just won’t give that any thought or just don’t care, they feel its the restaurants job to clear up anyway. (This isnt a perfect analogy but does illustrative that social fiction)

For teachers if there is a chance of a pupil potentially going up a boundary they will do everything they can to help their pupils. But you were asking for the impossible. Find 7 extra marks in a paper by his own admission he’d not completed so there isn’t even a complete paper to find these extra marks in.

Whatever way you look at it you were asking them to do entirely pointless additional work because of your sons mistake. And not just the school and teachers, it creates extra work for the exam board, and those people that have to go physically retrieve those exam papers at the exam board are real people (that are not paid that well). So you’ll have to forgive me for finding that entitled. Absolutely right if it might make a difference but if every parent starts doing this when its as futile as yours was the system will descend into chaos.

No sourness I just feel sad for all those teachers forced to say ‘Oh it’s no trouble’ to humour a parent even though that ‘Its no trouble’ is a social fiction. I feel for those people at the exam board who have to retrieve all the papers where the people requesting them knew it was pointless. (Each paper has to retrieved from storage individually and transported securely back to the school, they don’t magically appear)

I’m not expecting to change your mind but I’m hoping to counter a little you influencing others to think it doesn't create extra work for anyone when it absolutely does.

ClimbEveryLadder I'm not sure why you're being so sour to the OP but the OP didn't ask for any teachers to review the script, only for her/her DS to receive a copy. It takes minimal time and effort and the wages of exam staff at the school/exam board is irrelevant.

AquaSinGas congratulations to your DS for getting a place on such a prestigious course. The gap year may be a blessing in disguise where he can have time to decompress and re-evaluate. If he's still set on PWC then I'm sure they'll take him next year. My brother started there in a junior role over 30 years ago and it was a very good launch pad to his career.

I haven't read the full thread but my sympathies to your son.

I was just curious, is the number of questions fairly standard every year or does it change?
Did the mock papers have 15 questions?

@AguaSinGas 25 years on I remember one of my A level teachers saying I’d fail if I didn’t sort out my handwriting! I did sort it, got an A and years later I still love my handwriting when I use a fountain pen!

Well done for turning this on its head. I think DS will be a cracking young man after this adversity. After all, it’s the grit that makes the pearl etc.

I thought I'd give you all an update, if you're interested.

Ds has been working full time all year and loving it. He's had a pay rise, he manages a team, has taken professional qualifications and has impressed his bosses. So much so that they want him to continue working for them while he's at uni, remotely.

Ds hasn't done his maths resit although he was booked in to do it. He didn't get through to the the degree apprenticeship this time round and was knocked out at the last round this time.

He applied to more (and different) unis this time round. Liverpool uni gave him an unconditional offer. So he accepted. No need to resit maths. And he's super excited about the course - and Liverpool.

He has really matured too. A pleasure to have around. On reflection, I think he's still pissed off with himself, pissed off about the PWC opportunity being lost and pissed off he didn't get through the second time. BUT he can see how true it was that it wasn't the end of the world. He's come out the other side having learned so much (how to deal with a lazy colleague; how to negotiate a pay rise; how rubbish the commute is; about hr processes; about working for an international company; how to cook; how to budget; how knackering it is working a full week with commute and how precious free time is; how expensive bus passes are; how much he misses half term; how quickly you put a bit of weight on if your mom doesn't drive you to hockey every week even if you didn't want to go; the list really does go on) and feeling really, really ready for uni.

So there it is.

Aaah what a wonderful update!

I can't believe this thread was almost a year ago. I recall it so well.

I have a 14 year old currently collapsed in a heap wailing because he thinks he did not perform well in exams today.

I think your DS sounds a lovely resilient, talented young man. I am so happy it's working out for him.

Glad to hear such a great update. Good for him and you must be proud.

Also hopefully it will help others on results day to see that the road may be blocked but there alternative routes!

Lovely to hear an update.

it just shows that if Plan A doesn’t work then Plan B or Plan C is just as good.

Awww, amazing. 👏
He deserves all his success and what an amazing young man he sounds - good job by a fab mum no doubt. 👌

Ah, thanks @LateSummerLobelia@LateSummerLobelia

He is resilient and talented, and emotional. He took it hard. But he has dusted himself down and picked himself up and I'm really proud of him. I respected his emotional response too, he really, really wanted to do that course with that company. And what let him down was his own slapdashness. Or immaturity. That hurt. But he has learned from it. And he can giggle about it now, unbelievable when I think back to August!

I saw a post about how people were finding the maths paper today that made me come back and update the thread. I had so much support and a space to chat about it, I'm really grateful to all of you for that. So if anyone's kids are having horrible exam periods, and results do suffer as a result, there is proof that all is not lost.

And I hope your son is OK, it's a lot of pressure on our children. But maybe my sons tale is a good cautionary tale to tell - always give yourself the best chance, turn every damn page in the booklet!

This is BRILLIANT
I too remember this thread so well.
LOVE the update 🌈❤️

Oh wow, I almost didn't update, I didn't think anyone would be too interested!

And absolutely, plan A, routes blocked, all of that stuff, feels so real and definite and insurmountable at the time. But now, honestly, he actually said to me the other day that he thinks it might be the best thing that could have happened. I asked him to repeat and he said no way, but you heard. And slinked off.

He never did learn to drive though...

Thanks @AguaSinGas

DS will be fine. he has autism and ADHD and learning issues and the fact he even got to exams is a wondrous thing. . Plus, as it has turned out he has a huge gift for languages- he's doing French and Mandarin and he will ace them both.

He just doesn't know it yet.

I'm focusing on keeping him calm and deep in Ben and Jerry's chocolate brownie ice cream.

Great update op, best wishes to your son in September. My dd took a year out working and honestly I think all dc should, they mature a lot working

Mine just had his maths A-level today. Glad everything worked out for yours!

That's a fantastic update

Awww...so pleased to hear OP.
These success stories are so heartwarming to read.
There is hope.
Xx

How fabulous op, I am so pleased.
And yes I think learning to dust yourself off and plan a new route is such a vital life skill!

Great to see your update OP. There is so much pressure on them to make incredibly important decisions about their future in such a short period of time. Your DS is the same year as mine, they had so little expedient to the pandemic.

DS took his A levels last year, he did ok but both DH and I had life threatening health problems while he was studying for them. As a result he drifted a bit, even a grown adult would have struggled to deal with what he went through.
As a result we encouraged to have a gap year. He was unable to work for the first 8 mnths after having shoulder surgery and rehab but has spent the last two months remodelling the garden with me. He now has a job with a friends dad, labouring, which he is loving.
He wanted to do Business management at uni and although he didn’t quite have the grades he did get an offer from Cardiff and would have accepted it immediate but he also applied for a degree course in sports performance analysis, a very niche course and it would really narrow future options. It was very much a wild card backup but after attending an offer day he really liked the course content. He is currently in Spain and has u til Thurs to make up his mind. Interestingly his best mate, who has just finished his first year at uni admitted that he wished he’d looked more closely at his course content. I don’t think he is enjoying it as much as he thought he would.
As a Russell Group graduate I would love him to go to Cardiff, but it’s more important that he enjoys the course.
I think what may swing it is that one of the sports analysis graduates on the course he is looking at has just joined the All Blacks rugby squad. My son lives and breathes rugby and this would be his dream job. The fact it is achievable would be a much bigger motivation to work hard than possibly just doing a business degree.

A brilliant update, OP. Your DS sounds like a great guy, ready to take life, and university, on. Very best wishes to him

Thanks for updating.

It’s so encouraging to see how you supported him through it - acknowledged it as his error and helped him do the same - but also look forward. I’m so glad that so many good things have happened over this year and he knows where he’s headed next. When he applies for jobs after his degree, the experiences he has had this year will put him in a strong position.

I can see why he’s still pissed off on missing the PWC degree apprenticeship in 2023 due to what happened, and then falling at the last hurdle this year. I think that sense of being pissed off about those events will stay with him for a long time and he’ll never forget that maths exam next year. But I also think that over time it will become an anecdote he will tell and laugh about and people will laugh and gasp about…..at the point where he’s had a great time at uni, started a great career and life is going well in whatever direction he goes.

I feel sure this lad will do well. His resilience this year in the face of what could have been a totally crushing disappointment has been admirable and shows real strength of character, plus an enormously supportive family. And in the end, that family support and his strength of character has seen him through and will continue to give such a firm foundation for a successful life. I really think it’s true that these things make us stronger. They might be hideous at the time and you’d do anything to change things for them, but this story shows that there really are other paths. This new path is different but could well be far better in the long term. And he’s open to this new path.

I hope I don’t sound too gushing, but I’m really inspired by this story.

What is for you won’t pass you by. He’s where he’s meant to be. And he’ll LOVE Liverpool

I love everything about this update. So pleased for and impressed by your son and his resilience and your support. He sounds ace.

Wow, this is such a a thoughtful post, thank you.

It was hard to watch him go through it, you're right it was a crushing disappointment, but I knew he needed to come to terms with his mistake and the consequences of it and not be beaten by it. And he did all of that. Life is messy and complicated and he got an early insight into that. But I do think it has been character building, and I'm not sorry it happened.

I am pleased that he has moved on, spent the year doing something useful (and difficult!) and has chosen to go to uni after all.

I am incredibly proud of him. And I feel so fortunate to have had this extra year with him. We've had fun, he's learned how to muck in to family life on a more equal footing, he's told me how eye opening it's been working and how he has a renewed respect for me and his dad and what we do. For a 19 year old, that's pretty special if you ask me!

I'll miss him like crazy when he goes, but I want him to have the best time at uni. He's watched some of his pals struggle when they've gone to uni and I even think that's been helpful. Honestly, it's all worked out so well, and he would say the same. What a difference 9 months or so makes.

I'm really pleased I updated, I had no idea how lovely posters would be about it all.

It sounds like he's been through a lot. And you too. I hope you and your husband are better.

It sounds like the sports course has really captured his imagination! Sometimes, when you're forced to take a detour, you really can see different things and see things differently, can't you? I would say to him to follow his heart! He can always do a masters in business afterwards, the best of both worlds!

Thanks for posting, it's reassuring to hear that other young people and other families have their own versions of what happened to ds happen to them and to hear how good has come out of it for them too.

Wishing him all the best.