Daughter has failed most of her GCSEs, what are her options now?

[Whatonearthwoman]

My daughter has just had her GCSE results back. She has failed the majority. I am really upset!!! What happens now??

How is your daughter? Can the teachers advise?

Surely her school can advise?
I would suggest looking local colleges who may have different options for her as well as resits
what was her plan?
it’s obviously a shock but there are things that can be done

Did you go to school to collect or were they emailed?

You support your dd its not the end of the world. She can resit them in college or look a vocation course.

An apprenticeship could be an option, level 2 with functional maths and English if she didn’t pass those.

she could resit..

it’s not the end of the world. My daughter did an apprenticeship and is doing well now

Take your feelings out of this OP, some people don't fit the academic sausage machine. Talk to the school first and foremost. Has your daughter had any careers guidance?

With 3s she can do a level 2 course at college whilst resitting maths/English Lang. Then progress to a 2 year level 3 course.

With mainly 2s or 1s she can start on a level 1 course and work up from there.

It isn't the end of the world though it may feel it now. What were plan A and B and how far off is she?

Read the Further Education page and the 'in praise of BTECs' thread.

How does that matter?

How does SHE feel? It’s not really about you.

Because if results were collected in person, most schools will have staff available to advise on next steps if results weren’t as hoped for. That’s not available if they’re emailed to you.

You do exactly what you’re doing.

Ask what’s available for her next.

“failing” her GCSEs only serves to inform you and her that standard generalised exams are not the route of academics that suit her best.

What does suit her best? Coursework style courses? Practice courses? Education settings or work settings?

So does she go to college and start a level 2 course? In what? What would she want to go on and do at level 3? What’s her plan post college if she goes?

What would she want to do if she did an apprenticeship? T level courses are good to look at because there’s a lot of work experience involved.

You are doing the right thing asking questions. If you ask yourself and her those questions you’ll find the answers which inform what’s best for her.

There’s a whole world out there and there’s a place for her in it. I hope she doesn’t think a few GCSE results she isn’t happy with have closed doors.

Lots of options

resits- not a good idea if she tried this year

t levels
job
apprenticeship
training

Because if you’re in person you can speak directly to the teachers who will be on site 🤷‍♀️

It doesn’t really matter how you feel. Go to one of the plethora of resources available to look at her options.

No advice but posting for solidarity. My daughter is in the same position, there were mitigating circumstances but I’m still really upset (for her, because she’s gutted and confused, before anyone jumps down my throat). I’ve rung round local colleges this morning and we’re going to meet some admissions people this afternoon. DD’s school frankly couldn’t have given less of a shit and provided no help or support at all.

Your feelings are understandable, but you need to set them aside for now and focus what DD dose now. Can you share what exactly she got? As 'failed nearly everything' can mean different things to different people (eg. All unclassified vs. Some grades but not high enough for what she had planned).

The key is to work out why it didn't go well, and plan how to change that. Eg. If it was the exams, she could try somthing with portfolio work. Does she need a smaller collages with more pastoral support or even distance learning? Would doing fewer subjects help?

Personally, I'd look at doing a vocational course with key skills math and English alongside.

(Edited as hit send to soon)

Not easily. She can resit/redo Maths and English usually at college, no chance for the others unless it is done privately.

English language and maths can be redone at the local college along with some other level 2 courses that may have more appeal. Get down there pronto before all the places get filled to start in September.

There will be loads of post 16 options at the local further education college. Not all post 16 education is A levels, and not all 16 year olds want to or can do A levels.

She will need to resit maths and/or English if necessary though.

What does she want to do? There are lots of options so don’t panic. Local colleges will offer level 1 and 2 courses on lots of subjects so that is a good option.

Actually failed or just low grades? Because if she actually failed (Grade U) then you need to find out what exactly went wrong.
If she needs to re do English and Maths then she needs to go to college and retakes them. The college will probably want her to do a Level 1 (basically equivalent to GCSE grades 1-3) or Level 2 (equivalent to 4-9) course at the same time. That's usually a Btec or similar.
That will be for one year.
If she passes then she can move on to a usual Level 3 (equivalent to A-Levels) course or apprenticeship.

Do not panic, can you get to the local college today they will have staff there who can advise.

Remember exams are not a reflection of her value as a person just how good she is at exams.

My sister got only four GCSE’s, one of them was maths but she didn’t get English or science - she’s now a teacher!
She went to a local college who let her resit English, did A Levels, went to a met uni and did her favourite A Levels subject, then did a PGCE at another met - had to do an equivalent science test to get in, and is currently doing a masters!

So did my son. He already knew he wasn’t interested in A levels so had enrolled in a local college to do Personal Training and Fitness qualification. He had English lit and lang and was able to take math at college. Unfortunately this was in 2019 so in 2020 when he was to start his work experience- well you know what happened then!
I also know someone who failed them all and has tried four times to pass math one. She’s a emergency mental health nurse assistant at a big London Hospital. Went to college got her qualifications- still needs to pass math though to progress (why? She does a great job and surely there’s no point)?
There’s loads of more vocational routes your YP can go down.

She can go on a Level 1 course at college, and study her Maths and English GCSEs alongside her course of interest. If she chooses to, she can work her way up to Levels 2 and 3.