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Secondary education

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Original poster

What becomes of the non-academic?

24 replies

HighNoon · 04/02/2011 17:48

Daughter currently working at a U grade in one of her preferred subjects at AS level.

Late handing in work, work not detailed enough, teachers saying she may not be up to it. I don't see a lot of work going on at home.

Can this situation be turned around?

OP posts:
Original poster
HighNoon · 04/02/2011 17:49

... and if so how?

OP posts:
ivykaty44 · 04/02/2011 17:50

they can get jobs

ivykaty44 · 04/02/2011 17:51

they can go to college and do a vocational course

usualsuspect · 04/02/2011 17:51

maybe shes not cut out for the academic route ? can you look at more vocational subjects at a college ?

Goblinchild · 04/02/2011 17:53

How did she do at GCSE in the same subject?
Is she struggling with all her subjects, or just this one?
What is it?

ajandjjmum · 04/02/2011 17:56

Sympathise HighNoon - DD is the same but in A2 year, so even less time to turn it around. She did spend a lot of time revising for the recent modules, but said all of the exams went badly.

So difficult, because DD is bright and personable and is not frightened of hard work, just doesn't like school work.

I'm actually starting to look at alternatives to uni - although she has got offers, I don't know that she'll make the grades. Sad

If I find a solution High Noon, I'll let you know. I suppose in the meantime it's just a case of making sure your DD realises that she has plenty of attributes that are worth having, and that you wouldn't swap her for the world!

Talkinpeace · 04/02/2011 18:43

What DOES she like?
What DOES she excel at?
What ARE her hobbies?
focus on what she can and wants to do - comes back to the state / private thread that is going on. Give her confidence to excel in whatever is her choice / skill
be it lorry driving, hardressing, window fitting or even being a really good shop assistant (who gets promoted) or waitress who makes customers feel good - who will soon climb the ladder.
There are opportunities out there for everybody who has the self belief to try
academic bits are not for everybody

gingeroots · 05/02/2011 17:53

The trouble with the academic v.the vocational route seems to be that the vocational road assumes that although you're not excelling at school you are mature enough to know what job/trade/career you want to go into .
Those who are good at school work can keep their options more open for longer .
But really how many 16 ,18 year olds whatever , know what they want to do work wise ?

stewmaker · 05/02/2011 17:57

don't worry too much...

i couldn't be bothered with my a-levels and left midway through. sometimes full time education is not motivating enough at that age. it was NOTHING to do with ability.

i am now through my degree and professional qualifications all done part time whilst working. she just needs to find a career that she enjoys and will probably get back into it.

she needs a job in a field that interests her, and then she can carve a path that way......

MiraNova · 05/02/2011 18:02

Quite a few large corporates are starting to run Apprenticeship schemes. Encourage your daughter to look at some of the options, and she may see something that inspires her, and help her find the focus she needs to do well at AS/A2 level. Some schemes have a minimum requirement of 2 'A' levels, Grades A-C, but others do not. Some info here

olduninBoden · 05/02/2011 18:11

I think people are ignoring the obvious.Late handing work in, not done in enough depth screams lack of effort rather than lack of ability

jumpingcastles · 05/02/2011 18:17

yes i saw that too, OP says that her DD is late handing in work and she says that she doesnt see her daughter doing any work at home Confused what do you expect if you are not putting in the effort?

but I also second those that are saying perhaps she should put more effort in her other interests and hobbies

gingeroots · 05/02/2011 18:19

MiraNova - thanks for link - looks interesting.

mathanxiety · 05/02/2011 18:22

May be just immaturity rather than an intellectual deficit. Bad habits do not always mean a student is not up to it intellectually; she may just need better organisation and more motivation.

Having the teachers and parents really gang up on her with the teachers signing her homework diary daily and parents signing it when they see the work can go a long way. A weekly conference with a specific teacher and the student talking about the week's work can help too. And making her do her homework where you can see her doing it sometimes means more gets done.

Plus getting her really busy with volunteering somewhere or developing a hobby or joining a sport that forces time management skill development or gets her out of a funk she may be in.

roisin · 05/02/2011 18:48

Often there's a big gap between GCSE and AS. It's not necessarily about intelligence, but more about self-motivation and perseverance.

At school teachers are more likely to run around after the pupils, chase them up, offer extra support, phone home if homeworks not completed etc etc.

At 6th form it's more left to them to get on and do the work or not! No-one's going to nanny them.

Peachy · 05/02/2011 19:33

I have a very non academic child i won;t be happy if he chucks in education at earliest opportunity any more than I would with the others but would anticipate a different route. A TM we're looking at animal care- a course my sister did and enjoyed thoroughly and that would suit him to a tee.

Nojn academic kids ATM seem to be seen as less than academic but it's silly, much opportunity is out there and in important and fulfiling jobs BUT it needs realism and enthusiasm, not treating second best or a let down (and people seem to do that). Academia itself 9and I speak as a post grad student) isn;t a 'better' thing or anything other than the right route for some people.

And you know, for many kids exams are just the wrong time: get through teen years, bit of work experience and they can fly academically. Sixteen and the surrounding years are ages where kids vary so much in terms of developmental maturity. I was probably about 12 emotionally then; others of my friends married. That whole thing evens out.

gingeroots · 05/02/2011 19:47

Sorry to highjack but DS has applied for some animal care/study courses .
Could you say what courses you are considering ?

Original poster
HighNoon · 06/02/2011 18:21

Thank you all for your replies.

Stewmaker - thank you for your "it can all turn out alright in the end" story. I need to keep some perspective on this.

OlduninBoden and others - lack of effort is what's happening here. It really really irritates me! Mostly because - perhaps - she is so unlike me! I loved learning and could just get on with it.

I'm finding I'm really having to sit down and say - get out your book, write your notes, now write it up, now add your name and date etc etc.

How could I have raised an individual with their own strengths and weaknesses instead of the mini-me I was aiming for [confused}!

This weekend however we looked into post A level courses. There are a couple of places doing the subject she's struggling with (music) but with more vocational (and less) academic content. This has sparked her enthusiasm a bit more and I think she can see it's worth persisting.

Talkinpeace - Problem here is that what she likes and excels in (practically) is music and this is the subject that's doing her head in at the moment. Music A level is very academic, all very relevant and unlikely to be wasted, but not something you can scrape by in as she's finding out!

OP posts:
Talkinpeace · 06/02/2011 20:31

Highnoon,
yup that is a mightytricky situation and frankly, to get access to the best vocational music degrees she is just going to have to knuckle down and cope
but it WILL be worth it and that is the thing to hold in your heads.

Extending · 06/02/2011 22:33

Music A level is MUCH harder than GCSE!! Is she at a good level (grade 6 or above) in her instrumental studies? Being successful in A level music and beyond is about so much more than turning up to lessons and completing set work, although that helps! Does she struggle with the instrumental side, essay writing or the theoretical concepts? Does she have grade 5 theory? Perhaps having theory lessons at the appropriate level (ie Grade 5 or Grade 6 and above) may help.

Her teachers need to give you guidance on exactly where she is struggling and support to get the right help. TBH if she struggles with A level then it may be that any post A level music course will not really suit her. Is it time to explore different aspirations?

Peachy · 07/02/2011 10:11

Ginger ds2 is still young but Sister just qualified (we hope, awaiitng exam results) as a vet dentist via this route so what she did was:

Animal Science HND at Cannington College

Work experience in animal rescue then vets where she qualified as a vet nurse

Dentistry course

She did go off to uni to do the top up degree but that didn;t last as she got enaged shortly after leaving home and decided to come back.

There's an alternative at Uskk College we would look at due to proximity but tbh I was raised near Cannington, and another sister worked at the college for many years, and would absolutely encourage him to go there.

gingeroots · 07/02/2011 16:48

Peachy - I can't tell you how much I appreciate your reply .
It's so good to know that if you can't get 3 A's at A level that there are other routes .
Thank you so much .

Peachy · 07/02/2011 17:24

Oh there are so many routes LOL

I didn;t astound at school- chaotic homelife and very immature I guess.

Am now doing my MA, and doing well.

Sixteen is a snapshot and excluidng teh very most academic carers there are more ways of getting there than people relaise. I even know of someone who got onto a medical course via access!

bozza1 · 25/05/2021 11:44

Hi. I know it is 10 years later but really really resonate with what you say and the apparent dissimilarities between you and your DD. Can I ask how it all unfolded in the end. Thanks

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