Failed a levels

[Voiceofreasonusually]

Anyone else get really bad results oday? DD got an E and 2 Us. She's was a self-study student, dropped out of 6th form due to mental health. She self-studied at home, while it was hard to be motivated, she got through the course work. She capable of As, but we'd thought worst case would be Cs as had some anxiety wobbles for some exams. It is what it is and she's surprisingly pragmatic. Lots to think about ...whether to resit or do something else. She was aiming for biosciences at RG uni and still wants that.

There’s no rush here. I have a feeling she may be able to carry the endorsements forwards it’s worth checking.
Can you be more involved with her studying and assessment? With A levels yourself you’ll certainly be able to provide some support.

Academic here, just wanting to add that @Mumoftwo1316 ’s comment resonates with me. When I go over a bombed exam with a personal tutee, they almost always reflect back to me the type of formative assessment that Mumoftwo so realistically quoted for us.

I don’t doubt your assessment of your DD’s abilities, OP, and for that reason I am confident she can find a path to success. (BTW, Chemistry as a discipline is a bit short of applicants, so if she wishes to follow her talents in that direction this fact won’t hurt her chances.). It will take a detour now, but so what? She has her whole life ahead of her.

If DD has a suspected learning disability or psychological issue, a formal diagnosis can do a lot to smooth her path. Whether an Access course or a Foundation Year would be better for her depends on individual circumstances. Is DD at all plugged in to th educational system? I am asking only because I wonder whether there is anyone knowledgeable able to advise her now.

Best wishes to you both.

Thank you all for the lovely messages. Sometimes it feels like we're all alone working this out so it really helps to see consensus on options. We've had a relaxed night watching films and playing games x

Yes it's time to get assessed. She's always resisted it but has changed her mind in the past few weeks. We're completely out of the education system, no support from the moment we deregistered.

Perhaps she could do an access course, which would mean she’d get more support and guidance? She sounds bright and resilient.

Hi @Voiceofreasonusually I very much echo lots of posts here and especially @Mumoftwo1316. If you expected As, Bs maybe, Cs at worst, then yes, that sounds as if she is bright but completely missed what she needed to do for A levels. I have worked with students not in school, and often they were very able, but for the subjects they were studying by themselves, it was very easy for them to lose their way. Tutoring them even once a week for an hour made a massive difference (obvs I am speaking about my own subject which is MFL btw) and often will be enough for them to get excellent grades at GCSE or A level. But I did observe (sadly) that when they were left to their own devices, it was all too easy for them to drift into thinking that they had completed the necessary work, and marking past papers thinking "well, that's what I meant".

So what I am saying is, take some time, look at options and there are lots of good ones mentioned here, and if you and she decide to resit A levels, I would strongly suggest tutors, even just once a week, in person or over Zoom, whichever would work better for her. It could really make a difference in helping her to focus.

I think pursuing a diagnosis is the first step. You have some good HE options in and near to Manchester. If DD gets a diagnosis, she can look for some appealing Access and Foundation courses and summarise her situation to see whether she is a suitable candidate for them. I feel sure something will work out (even without a diagnosis, but a diagnosis will help a lot)

But it is important for DD to regain her health before getting back into formal education. If she is physically or mentally vulnerable, starting a formal programme of study is not likely to bring out the best in her. If she doesn’t make a go of it, she will feel worse.

She needs to be healthy in every sense before she begins to have a good chance of thriving, and she deserves that chance. Regaining her health will take the time it takes. Forgive me for dwelling on this point; I have sat on many Mitigating Circumstances panels and the students who petition repeatedly, and ultimately sink, tend not to have learnt this lesson.

I am fundamentally optimistic for DD. Again, best wishes

I'd suggest getting some options set up and start the ball rolling for assessment.

That then gives a couple if weeks processing time to see what's right for your dd now

Manchester college offer Access

www.ucenmanchester.ac.uk/courses/combined-medical-science/

They'll be open and recruiting possibly worth a visit and application.

Does your dd know what her long term aims are?

I take it DD doesn’t have an EHCP, so it is worth considering requesting an EHCNA.

The thing with science A levels is that it is not enough to know and understand the material , you have to know the exam board and phrase answers in a certain way ans use certain buzz words .The mark scheme us often extremely prescriptive ri the point id being almost unfair This makes self study very very hard unless you really study and understand the mark scheme

Yes I meant to amend my post to say the key thing with a tutor is someone who knows that mark scheme really well. I mean you would think that was obvious, but it’s surprising how many tutors don’t seem to.

Hi @Voiceofreasonusually
DD did a year of self study at home for Biology for her chosen course and did a lot worse than expected, predicted A and got a D.
She was hoping to do Biology but her 1st choice rejected her, although her insurance did offer a place.
Her 1st choice have said she can come and do the Foundation course instead and she is doing that - would that be a possibility?
I am happy to give more info if you want to DM me

My DD did an extra A level via a correspondence course. This was quite a few years ago, so I guess it might be online now. It was a step up from self study as there was a lot of guidance and support - maybe something like that might suit your DD? My DD was entitled to benefits then while she studied, because she was 18 - might be worth looking into all this.

Only if she isn't looking at higher education.

Have you looked at UA92? It's in Stretford, degrees conferred by Lancaster. It doesn't offer straight sciences but worth looking at as a very small and quite innovative uni. I am looking at it for my autistic DS. They said they would accept him onto the cert HE (1 year course) and if successful he can progress to full degree. Might be worth a look?

Only if she isn't looking at higher education.

Which is exactly why I said “worth considering” rather than “should”l It sounds like OP’s DD could do with longer before entering higher education to focus on improving her mental health including via therapies, PfA as well as further study.

Oh bloody heck thank you so much for saying this. I thought I’d misread it, and I was thinking how come no one else has commented, it must be me, I’ve read it wrong. Like when you get someone writing about their fertility problems and someone answers ‘oh I’m so sorry to hear that, of course I’m so very fortunate with my eleventy billion children, and I only wanted one! They’re so perfect in every way!’ 🤔.

OP, I’d encourage your daughter to continue to prioritise her MH recovery, exams/uni etc can all be picked up anytime, but poor MH can derail things. Happiness is everything.

I agree with others who have commented that there is no rush here. Education will be there for her whenever she’s ready.
One of my nephews failed his A-levels. He took a year out, then did sixth form again at a college offering B-tecs rather than at school. Suited him much better. He went to university, albeit not one of the ones mumsnetters get all excited over, but is now a teacher at the kind of school they do get all excited over.

Another nephew went to uni but left in his first year due to mental health difficulties. The plan was to take a year off. He never did go back, but instead worked his way into an enjoyable and well-paid job (far out-earning me at 27!).

If you and your DC are in a circle where the path is universally A-level=>traditional university=>professional it might seem like that’s the only path, but in reality so many people come back to education at every age, or don’t and still do brilliantly.

This is especially true of biology. I expect the very specific mark scheme is what tripped your DD up @Hoppinggreen

It's not enough to know and understand the content. The student needs to know how to answer the question in the prescribed way. Because of this I feel that biology is not a great subject to take without a teacher or tutor who understands the mark scheme.

DD used to get really frustrated when practicing past papers.

@Voiceofreasonusually I hope your DD can find a way forward, and I wish her the best of luck.

I saw this article and I thought it was very good and gives ideas of a non-traditional pathway for children who struggle with school but are bright, it was for our DS in our case, not the one doing A levels. But it shows how it all worked out in the end and what she did. So sorry for your DD and you.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c0jpwzeg0pjo

I was thinking about your post in the night.

First of all I want to say a MASSIVE well done to your DD. Lots of people in her situation would have just given in and withdrawn... instead your fabulous DD got on with it.. studied.. tried and managed to sit her exams with no support from school. That's massive - regardless of results tenacity like that will get her everywhere in life. You must be hugely proud of her.

Secondly I really think with subjects like chemistry you really do need support from the schools / tutors however talented you are. The lab work underlies the theory not to add the hideous collection of equations you're supposed to manage for chemistry. It's no wonder she found the papers hard - you can have as much talent as you like but those ridiculously nasty equations need explanation by someone experienced and without the lab work it's hard to apply the theory to the real world and vice versa.

I hope she feels better today and ready to look again at her options but if not she still has time. Lots of TLC for a while and please tell her I admire her greatly because so many people would never have done what she did

And echoing everything said by PPs about biology.

In the essay paper DD was instructed that she MUST use certain words and phrases on paper 3 essay in order to attract marks. Biology has really tight marking - it's not your DD's fault she didn't know

@Tracker1234 Do you honestly think this is the right thread to boast about your DC's amazing results... plenty of other threads to do that on

I would tell your daughter that some of the best people have messed up exams and grow to be extremely successful - I think the process of going through that makes them more determined. She has had lots to deal with and the results are not a reflection of her but a reflection of how things were. Moving forward can she access private tutoring to an on line course. Foundation degrees are fantastic when her health is better or access courses. So many people go from low grade to doing really well - it’s a temporary blip. Give her a big hug, tell her she is loved and just plan ways forward to deal with it. Having a plan is the best thing.

I have told DD this so thank you.
She has never got below a B before and was usually straight A's so a D in Biology was a shock, especially since she did work hard.
We got a bit of tuition for the last month or so but it seems it was too little too late.
Anyway, she is going where she wanted to go anyway and it has all worked out. Hopefully it will be the same for all the DC who didn't get what they hoped/needed if not straight away then in the long term

Would she be interested in some sort of apprenticeship? Is she good with her hands/creative at all? Chemistry is used a lot in art and historic building conservation, and the national trust sometimes offers horticultural apprenticeships.

If she prefers a more obviously scientific routec pharmacy tech/lab tech/dental tech/vet tech/optical tech could also an option - there are lots of apprenticeships that use chemistry! I’ve met people who qualified as optometrists or pharmacists later in life who started out on this kind of route.

I did the whole uni/postgrad route and dis very well but honestly, if I had my time again, I’d do an apprenticeship. I’ll be encouraging my DC to do the same unless they specifically want to work a degree-requiring field straight from A levels. She has plenty of time to do a degree either for pleasure or career enhancement - and she may even be able to get an employer to pay for it.

She’ll be fine, she just needs to find her groove.

edited: I am also not neurotypical (adhd and autism) and i often think an apprenticeship or on the job training, where I got to actually DO the thing I was meant to be learning, would have suited me better. She may be similar.