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.

The school sounds thoroughly unsupportive. Your son is surely not the only one in his entire cohort who has failed a subject in year 1?

Any word from the college @Ragatha ?
in your shoes, I’d be seriously disappointed with how unsupportive they’re being. This is a generally strong pupil. Did he join in year 12 or been there for earlier years?

Unfortunately the EPQ won’t remotely take him to full time (a few hours over a fortnight ) nor will it get the funding. And the college should have been straight with you about this or are they not aware they were you thinking of this as a possibility?

No word from the college yet but DS is off for a couple of days at university open days we arranged ages ago.

DS says the college said to him the idea they were looking into was for him to do politics besides his A Levels this coming year (no EPQ), so I'm not sure if I misunderstood on the phone, if DS has, or if things progressed between when I spoke to them and the last time he did.

He's planning to do his history coursework ahead of time over the summer anyway. His friend in the year above did this and it meant he effectively had a gap in the timetable as one of the classes on the timetable is supporting this coursework.

He's not overly keen on the idea of doing another A Level in one year as he's worried it may impact his grades in his other subject but I do think it may be the best way forward, if it's possible, and he may come round to it.

Having the open days now is good timing as it's helping the idea of studying at university feel a bit more real I think and helping him to focus on what he wants to do.

I think this is good nees, OP. But if DS doesn’t like it can he explore other options?

Yes, it sounds like a workable option to me, if DS goes for it. I'm not aware of other options. I need to talk to the college again, will try on Monday.

@Ragatha Could he do y1 of a new A level in y13 and y2 and epq in y14? This should be allowed if they could timetable it.

I don’t think that’s full time enough in year 14 for the college to get funding that year.

@SheilaFentiman Ah! There are other qualifications he could add in maybe? Not easy though!

I have just had two children finish first year uni so finished A levels one year ago.

To be honest some uni's don't care about EPQ's. Both mine at russell group unis without EPQs. I get why his school has suggested one (the full time reason), but I am wondering whether he would be better to start a third A level (like sociology - my daughter did P&E and sociology and yes sociology seemed 'easier') and then even if the school won't support him for year 14 - he at least has only the other half of the A level to do. I am not sure too many colleges offer one year A levels in person (I looked when I thought my son might fail and A level although he got an A in the end!)

If he is very academic, I would consider choosing a new A level for him to start in this sept at his school but support it by also buying an online A level course for the same subject (must be same exam board) and him starting the online course over this summer.

Of course this would be dependent on the school accepting he can learn the first year over the summer and start with the second years in September.

One thing I would say though - unis want bums on seats. If your son was to start an new A level in year 13 and ended up with a B even if he technically needs an A or an A* for that subject, he still could get in. The tricky bit you would have is your school agreeing to a 'predicted' grade on a new A level.

Sometimes I read about how kids want to do another year to improve their A level grades or get really good grades. The important bit is the predicted grades - these are what get kids a place. Once they get a place, in this current climate even top unis are allowing wiggle room sometimes by 2 grade drops or more. I can't tell you how many uni talks I went to but with twins it was a lot! And the message was we would prefer to accept a kid who dropped grades but knew they wanted to go to the course / had been on an open day etc over a kid who got all top grades but was applying through clearing and had never been to the uni / the course was a second choice.

@NotSure222 The elite unis won’t have dropped grades students though. It really will matter where and what course. Law, Economics or Computer science at the top unis for these courses won’t be entertaining dropped grades.

What has the college suggested @Ragatha ?

OK so the outcome is that DS is going to do Politics in a year so I'm pleased there is a workable solution. DS is going to spend the summer getting ahead on his coursework for his other two A Levels.

Unfortunately, the college was shut for the hot weather and then I was out of the country this last week with work so I don't have an answer to questions like how does he get a mock grade.

He’s going to go to lessons for both year 1
And year 2? Or just jump straight into year 2?

He's going to do year 1 and 2 at the same time. Apparently there are only a few A Levels these days that you can do this with. For most, year 2 builds on year 1. But with politics you can reasonably take them side by side.

He has an existing interest in politics, he'll be fine I think.

The main challenge now is working out how he'll get a predicted grade.

Wow that’s going to be heavy. Good luck to him!

This would have been DS's preferred option but it wasn't given as a possibility sadly.

Thanks! He's going to use the summer to get ahead with the coursework for his other two topics.

Government rules state it is unlawful to exclude students over academic attainment. A Department for Education spokesperson confirmed that any off-rolling on the basis of academic results “is quite simply breaking the law”, adding that the department will be speaking to the school directly.

https://schoolsweek.co.uk/students-unlawfully-kicked-out-after-missing-minimum-grades/

Simply, they can’t if you don’t agree. Now it might be in his best interests to restart y12 and do 3 appropriate subjects but if he wants to continue j think they have to let him.
I could be wrong but I don’t think an EPQ would qualify as full time- it wouldn’t be accepted as a replacement a level by the unis you’ve mentioned either

I guess if they’re only removing from one it’s a bit different but they are materially damaging his uni chances by not offering appropriate support.

I’ve just read your update about him taking Politics. But before that I asked my DD if you could do Psychology in a year. And she says yes. And not to buy the textbook but the revision guide and memorise it. She did History, Art and Psychology plus an EPQ and got three A stars and 50/50 EPQ. She was interviewed for Cambridge but didn’t get an offer. She’s at Durham.
Forget the EPQ. It’s great but he has no time and the top unis don’t take it into consideration.
Top universities are more interested in the three exams being sat in the same year than if he did three years at A level. So they would accept him repeating Y12. But if motivated he may add a third A level to he completed in a year, if he chooses carefully. Politics is one that can be done in a year as there is no graded coursework, though there are plenty of essays. He will have to be focussed!

Cambridge prefer two of their “best prep” subjects for their degrees. That includes History but not the other two.

Politics can be a bit of a grunt because there’s political structures to learn but doable.

Sounds a good plan, OP.

@Kallos Probably not! But other posters dc didn’t get in and I guess I was talking about maximizing chances for where you do want to go to. Following any guidance on A levels and when they are taken does matter.