A level results disaster

[LadySadMum]

DS was predicted CDD which was low and based on not doing much work in year 12. However he really started working much better in year 13 and seemed to be getting better marks in his results for mocks and class tests.

So we were hopeful that he would get better than the predicted grades. He seemed happy after each exam, completed all the questions. There were a few questions that he said were hard but this is normal, right?

Anyway he got CEU. Obviously he missed his firm and insurance but it’s not even enough for any foundation courses.

The C is fine and the E was in his worst subject so can understand that. But the U is unexpected and I feel it can’t be right as he wasn’t that bad at it!

We’ve asked for a review to make sure all the questions were marked correctly and if it changes to an E that would get him onto a foundation degree. We made a mistake as we didn’t ask for it at the time (we were shocked and didnt think to ask) and by the time we contacted the school again they had left.

The exam officer is not available until next Wednesday now so it’s an agonising wait.

The worst thing is we’ve had to lie to everyone that everything is OK and he’s been accepted into uni. His grandad is ill and would be devastated if we said he failed. We also don’t want to navigate all their questions and worries until we’ve worked out the next steps ourselves.

So now we’re getting congratulation messages from all the family and his uncle is also visiting later today, probably with a present. It’s all so so awful.

This depends. My kid got CE (and was accepted at UA92) and is very very bright, but autistic with slow processing and anxiety. She is super knowledgeable about loads of things and definitely smart enough for a uni that doesn't require exams under timed conditions!

He would be better having a year out & then applying for a foundation year, he will be 19 & they are more lenient at that age, my ds got on his course with no A levels at all

https://www.solent.ac.uk/courses/foundation/stem

He is eligible for this foundation course based on his C and E grades.

I think you really need to speak to your DS regarding what he wants to do not what he is expected to do.
Those that struggle to pass A levels will struggle even more at Uni if it’s not what they want to do.
You said education is everything, it really isn’t, you’re DS’s well being is everything.

This was us 4 years ago except D&E grades and one A level entirely dropped (that we had to pay for).

But somehow mine got into ARU to do his chosen course by calling admissions. Didn’t even have to do a foundation year. Graduated last summer with a 2:1, so it can be done.

Exactly! Not the same situation - nobody’s is ever exactly
the same - but @Fatsnowflake is another mum dealing with a disappointed teenager who is having to come to terms with plans not working out as they’d hoped. And that’s pretty crushing whatever your grades are. Very best wishes to your DS, @LadySadMum and to @Fatsnowflake ’s DD.

Have you contacted the admissions team at the university? Ive recently finished a bsc at a russell group uni and although the course specified bbb the criteria was for the standard admissions so for example if your area happens to be a bit deprived and not many young folks go to uni the criteria is reduced so that the opportunity is still there to go. Dont get me wrong those with lower grades at the start generally did struggle a bit more but as a cohort we supported each other through.

If you’re in the North West the Coop does cyber apprenticeships
https://jobs.coop.co.uk/rob-elsey-cyber-apprenticeships

They’re also involved with The Hacking Games which is an initiative to spot talented young people and direct them towards a career in cybersecurity https://www.thehackinggames.com

We have someone in our family who didn't even go to 6th form, was taken on in a very minor role in a business, and his career has soared. He knows all about the back room jobs also, so was ideal candidate for very much higher up position.

Not everyone starts at uni and a lot of candidates come out with too high expectations and are unemployable in their chosen subject. Our GS is doing very well without a degree and is not in a menial position. Open University can be a better use of time and will also give experience in other jobs/professions whilst studying.

I would hope not / be surprised if a uni asking for CCD say “ok” to CEU

I am surprised at the suggestion of OU if he is has struggled with motivation. The OU is a brilliant way to study - in my experience - but it is entirely down to self discipline and motivation, and it’s not for everyone. I wouldn’t recommend it for a school leaver that has, at best, indifferent levels of self motivation.

Exactly
and even with motivation I wouldn’t suggest for an 18 year old

"On average, Graduates earn more over the course of their lifespan"

"Financially it is worth it, despite the awful debt."

Twenty years ago it was still largely worth it - although, even then, nowhere near the same sort of graduate premium that there was thirty or forty years ago.

Do you have any evidence at all that current students with CE at A Level are going to get onto a university course that will provide them with any sort of 'graduate premium'?

Generally speaking, the landscape for graduates has changed drastically from what it was like when any parent here was a student.

Yes, of course, there will always be those graduates that get great jobs straight out of university and go on to do very well indeed. But with the huge increase in the number of graduates, competition for these roles has increased enormously and only a very few graduates secure these sort of roles.

Some examples, Aldi have a graduate scheme where new graduates start at £52,000 per year and will be on £98,000 after eight years (plus company car etc).

The very top legal firms ('Magic Circle') are typically offering £55,000 per year to new graduates and upwards of £150,000 after three years.

Large investment banks in London (such as JP Morgan etc) have starting graduate salaries between £50k and £80k depending on the role.

There is also a middle ground, there are many employers that have graduate programmes that start at around £30k - £35k. But, once again, due to the much higher number of graduates nowadays than there used to be, these are also roles for which recruitment is highly competitive.

However, in contrast, many other graduates spend years in very basic jobs that they could have done on leaving school at 18.

So, yes there is still very much a 'graduate premium' for those graduates that manage to obtain genuine graduate level jobs. In contrast, for the majority of graduates that are not able to secure that sort of job then there is currently very little, if any at all, 'graduate premium' attached to having a degree.

Why is the school Exam's Officer away during this crucial time?

I would contact the school on Monday (in reality it needs to be your DS doing this) and ask for Access to Scripts. The papers can be downloaded immediately and his subject teachers should be able to look over them to give him an idea as to whether applying for a review of marking has any chance of an improvement in grades.
Have you asked the school for any support/advice?

Ignore this pile of nonsense, OP.

The most important thing is: what does your DC want? Do they actually want to scrape onto a foundation, or take a year out and fully resit, or perhaps shake it off by trying a totally different route?

Life is long. Even if uni is an ambition it’s not one they have to fulfil right now.

I don’t think lying was a good idea. It will all come out in the end.

It was done to take the pressure off you @LadySadMum , and your husband took i guess.

What will you do if he squeaks into a foundation year but then flunks his 1st or 2nd year of uni? Maybe it's not right for him. My son was absolutely determined to go to uni even though we all knew it wasn't the right choice for him. Fine, they have to make mistakes sometimes in order to learn, but it was really rough going and battered his mental health. He gained a lot of independence and resilience, but it's an expensive way to learn that lesson.

With your son's grades I think he (because it is his decision, not yours) should consider other options. I work at a university and honestly it's miserable for the ones who are just there because they think they have no other choices

It may be worth doing a bit of research to see what unis offer the foundation year. My daughter got similar grades 2 years ago and found that her first choice of uni wouldn’t accept her for the foundation year either. However, a family member found a uni that would accept her at foundation level for the same course. She’s coming up to her 3rd year now and doing well. Clearing is always a good way to go. Good luck.

It depends more on the subject than the grade achieved.

So computer science at low entry grades would compare favourably against History of Art at any level.

Also though, a human life can't be entirely measured in £££.

If a lifetime's earnings/outgoings balance sheet were £10,000 worse due to being a nurse rather than something that didn't need a degree - is that all that matters?

I'm baffled by my sons as well OP.
He got 7s 8s and 9s in his GCSEs, 100% on all his A level mock papers for maths studies and mathematics, yet hes walked away with A,D,D,E

You choosing to lie is much worse than a teen doing badly in one set of exams. As a parent you are there to model good behaviour and show resilience, you could have dealt with the difficult family members. To me, you choosing to lie tells me you are ashamed, which is a heavy burden for your teen.

What was he predicted?

Honestly OP there are IT apprenticeships out there and he will have a much better chance overall of a successful career to start off doing that and learn on the job than doing a degree if he’s not academic.

A levels are difficult and they are assessed a specific way and it isn’t for everyone, that is NOT a bearing on his intelligence whatsoever

The lying is bad as it is giving your DS the idea that there is something wrong with him, that he has failed and should hide this. I do get why you have done it. But DH’s side of the family getting upset are their thoughts and feelings based on tradition not reality

The reality is he is young, has done poorly in his A level exams. His life is not over, he has a family as in you and DH to support him. You both want him to do well. He has been trying. You need to help him realise that he has options, he can make something of himself. University is one path.

I actually wonder if he even wanted to do A levels or if he has felt he has had to, to keep the wider family happy?

He wants to work in cyber security, this is a great career choice. He needs to look at how best to get there and which routes best suits his way of learning.

Open university may be harder because it isn’t face to face.

My advice is to seek out anywhere local that supports young people with careers, get him to do online courses in code eg python, sql. Have a look at apprenticeships. Talk to employers. Look at the NHS, public sector. See if there are any IT boot camps out there. He really needs to know you’ve got his back here

OP says he didn't work in Y12 - and in Y13 he did put in effort. It can be a shock to teens who walked GCSE to step up work wise- not sure I'd say that was a lack of motivation to study more immaturity issue.

Personally for our teen we think a year with OU with an eye on effort is cheaper and less risky and less money than a foundation year at uni - especially a foundation year not picked with huge care and lots of questions as they are not all as good.

But it does depend on what the issues actually were which OP best to judge really - was it motivation issue or wrong subjects- will it continue with next course - has this been a shock to motiavte- would p/t study and work for a bit be better way forward.

I would also be looking at college options as well probably before OU TBH - would re-sitting a year improve result in schools view - or another course for 12 months work.

The OU has increasing numbers of 18 studying with them so it's not an unknown situation to them and it would need careful consideration but it's a possible way forward and credits can be transfered to another uni later so doesn't have to be a full degree with them.

The OU is great and their courses are well organised with high quality resources. BUT working remotely does require a lot of motivation from the student. Your DS could perhaps take one of the lower level OU modules in an area of academic interest at the same time as resitting as A level. If he finds he can cope well with the distance learning of the OU system, he could continue to pursue a degree with the OU.

Many apprenticeships are fiercely competitive