How to get into a top uni after failing 1st year of ALevel Maths? Is it possible?

[Ragatha]

DS is planning on History or Philosophy at University and looks set to get A or A* in History and Computing A Levels. He's academic, loves writing and wants to go to a top uni, and his Tutor agrees he should be aiming high.

But... he just failed his first year of A Level maths and has been chucked off the course. It was the wrong choice of A Level, he should have chosen something essay based.

What now? Does anyone have any advice?

The college are examining what's possible although they've said doing a third year with them is extremely unlikely. They seem keen on EPQs but an EPQ alone isn't going to open doors to Edinburgh, Durham, Bristol or UCL etc - is it?

I wondered if anyone else has any advice on what we should be looking at, or has been in the same position?

DS is really keen to go to a good uni, and seems happy enough about doing a third year to make it possible if needs be.

Thanks, we've not looked at Lancaster, will have a look...

Core maths is an AS.

They'll allow him to finish the two, with a EPQ to bring it up to full time.

That's good to know, thanks

... And this also

Politics AQA apparently, which would work well I think. There are others but I don't know which ones as not ones DS might do.

My DD wasn't sure if she wanted to do Maths or History at University. She started doing Maths, Further Maths, History and Physics. She took all of A' level Maths at the end of year 12 and got an A*. She then decided she wanted to do History at university and so in Year 13 she did Classics in one year instead of the further maths. She had an offer for Oxford of AAA but it had to be from the 3 A levels she took in year 13 so History Physics and Classics, they excluded the Maths from her offer. She did it and is at the end of her first year now.

OP sorry if I missed this but why not do a new third A level over year 13 and 14?

This is a bit bone headed because the EPQ isn't a full A level - unis won't offer based on it. They may reduce offers. But their offers will be based on 3 A levels.

I am finding the college's support of a clearly academically inclined student who wants to go to uni baffling in all honesty.

This is a bit bone headed because the EPQ isn't a full A level - unis won't offer based on it. They may reduce offers. But their offers will be based on 3 A levels.

Yes I don't understand this. I don't think DD's college considered the EPQ to be part of a fulltime course - it was something extra you did in your own time if you wanted to get slightly lower offers or prove a real interest in a subject.

Some schools teach it , mine does. But not on enough hours for the funding. It's an extra. 3 hours a fortnight teaching.

Not sure, it just doesn't seem to be a possibility. No idea why, it makes sense to me.

Goodness, this thread has got more deletions than I would expect for a thread about A Levels!

What on earth did Loveaproductiveday say? Her earlier posts seemed pretty caring!

I caught the first lot of deleted posts before they were gone but the ones since are a mystery!

Actually, from the conversations we've had, I think they're being pretty supportive so far.

They're looking into what can be done and have made it clear they think DS is capable and want to help.

They have certain parameters they have to work within, but nothing has been entirely ruled out yet, so I'm going to see what they come back with.

I guess I am starting for a starting point of chucking someone off a course because of exam grades. Lots of schools don't allow this . It's usually a battle to remove people who never come to lessons!

And, yes, the deletions are baffling! Are they touting tutor services??

It’s pros and cons. DC is not doing well with maths compared to other subjects but wants to carry on. Not sure what he has got in mocks but school adamant no one ever gets kicked off when I asked earlier in year. Telling a child they are highly likely to get anything other than a v low grade so have to rethink could be doing them a favor.

I think it's to do with their stats. It's something like, at this point they haven't actually entered DS for the exam, so it's not recorded in their overall pass rate if he leaves the course now. Most of the 6th forms round here do that, is it not common practice then?

No idea!

Yes, probably , but most sixth forms are also bound by funding regulations which means keeping failing students.

Im not saying this is your DS but some selective sixth forms were in trouble a few years ago for 'excluding' students after year 12. It was deemed illegal/ unethical. So that's why they are scrabbling about trying to find replacement hours. All we do at my place is make students pay for their own entry if we advise against an entry and they want to continue.

I think it's the right thing to drop the maths though tbh.

He knew how important it was to pass this exam, he's been revising hard for ages, and he did worse than on the last paper! Maths A Level was clearly the wrong choice in the end.

If this is unlikely, what’s the plan then?