Son with a love for History - advice please x

[t0lk13n]

My son who is 17 and has just resat 3 GCSEs this summer whilst in Lower 6th, has failed again with 3Ds - devastated is an under statement. He wants to return to study History at AS but has a D....any History teachers with advice - he isnt the most academic but love History, is very knowledgeable and articulate but finds it hard to express on paper. He knows it will be very tough, but would your school take a chance and let him study? We cant get hold of anyone til Monday at the school, during which time I will be back at school and wont be able to go in with him. My school has different critieria so cant base what the school will say compared to mine.

Is he happy to get an E in A2?

It is not an easy subject, and I speak as the mother of a dyslexic son who loves history but has really struggled and ended up with a B (very disappointed) at A2. It possible to love a subject, read about it and not be examined in it. Why not do a subject he is interested in/finds easier and keep history for pleasure? DS's friend, who got an E (predicted A) in AS history, just dropped it without a resit ... and then got three half-decent A2s. I don't see any point in struggling when there's no tangible success ... but it's wonderful if he can maintain his interest and see where it takes him later on.

I also have a son who loves history , has no SEN but has been pretty crushed by Alevel history. He has found it very hard going and despite getting As at AS has ended up with a B at A2

i'm a history teacher and in this school he wouldn't be allowed to do the AS. If he talks with the school, they might say he can talk with the teachers about History if they don't mind. Is it only history he's doing badly in or is it English as well (if he's finding it hard to express it on paper)? If it's English, find a tutor maybe which means he can learn to express his thoughts better and if you say you're doing that, they might give him a chance.

Otherwise, get him to take up history at home. Visits to historical sites on weekends, maybe focusing on just one era. Visiting places which show ordinary life in that era. Looking at census records, marriage, birth and death certificates and photos of that record and analysing what that shows. Looking at specific ceremonies of that time, special events, wars, what was life like for a soldier or a poor child in that era, or how they got or cooked food and stuff. He should also try to get a summer job in a museum- it would really help.

I'm a history teacher too and I agree with Neversaynotodesert. Brilliant advice!

What are the results like for the rest of his cohort? What are his English results like? Do you know which exam board they did?

He wouldn't be able to continue history at my s cool either. However, he could take it up again at adult level.

My eldest is starting history AS level at college on Monday.
The college she is going to don't require history GCSE to do the AS level. The entry requirements are Eng at B grade or above and one other essay style GCSE at grade B or above.

I've been told several times that it's a big jump between GCSE and AS. ds's school say you need at least a B at GCSE to be in with a shout of getting an AS in that subject - other threads on here have indicated many schools require an A or A* to continue to AS level. If he's not been able to get more than a D at a 2nd attempt at GCSE, then I can't help thinking that, at this time, he's not ready for the academic study that is needed for an AS. As others have said, that doesn't mean he can't continue to read about it, study it, visit museums, etc. and enjoy learning without the pressure of an exam. It may be that in a few years, he feels he is more ready - lots of people do study later.

Bloody iPad auto correct is driving me mad. Since when does school make sense as s cool?

Thanks for your replies..we have a meeting with the Head tomorrow to discuss options.