Anyone's DC re-taking AS level grade U?

[Isabel1066]

Quick question - know there's threads here about re-takes but here's a very specific one -

anyone with a DC who has re-taken or is likely to re-take an AS level (or more) which failed with a U.

DS has seen the error of his ways - determined to study hard and well - and still very enthusiastic about his subjects and career choices.
So far, meeting with brick walls from school and other institutions - and we wonder if there isn't a general ban on re-takes at this grade?

I wonder whether it's not classed as a retake, more a starting again from the beginning? Partly of course because Michael Gove has banned January re-takes and they have to wait a full year.
I know that at DS's sixth form college some students with poor AS results are re-doing year 12 from scratch. However they do stress they are under no obligation to offer such places and I think that school 6th forms are even less accommodating.

Yes grades like that tend to mean re-doing the year rather than re-taking modules as it suggests there's work that needs re-doing - bit just a messed up exam.

Agree it would be a case of redoing year 12. At our school they won't let you continue to A2 with anything less than a D at AS. And I'm not sure they would let you redo the year with the same subjects if you'd got an E or U first time round.

daily telegraph.
Interesting article here.

As a teacher (with more than 10 years A level experience) I have seen students increase their performance at AS level on retaking from a U to a C grade overall, but haven't seen anyone obtain the top grades (A or B) across all modules. The norm for re-takes is increasing by 1 or 2 grades. Some students improve their AS performance, but then obtain a similar U result at A2 and this scenario could be what the school is trying to avoid.
If only one module needs retaking it may be worth it, but for several modules a re-think about subject choices and career choices may be needed.

DD is resitting the Maths paper she got a U in. The overall result for Maths was a high E. She will also be resitting a Chem paper in which she got an E. The overall result was a high D. She will be taking these resits alongside her A2 studies.

DD has started restudying. She recognises that there needs to be a lot more focus on study. There has been a steep learning curve. DD will be focusing a lot more on question practice both for AS resits and A2s.

It isnt simply a question of working harder but also working smarter.

Yes DS is doing an AS again where he got U. He will be doing the A2 at the same time, next summer.

DS got a U in Jan in Maths having messed around in lower sixth Y12 and has just achieved a high B. He had no extra tutoring or any particular help he just needed to get his head down, which he did. I think the U came as rather a shock.

Fairdene congratulations to your DS. Was the B at AS or A2 please?

Worry, it was the AS Jan exams which he re-sat in June.

Brilliant to hear that Fairdene. I think this is oft the case with AS when they get U's. Shock can make them turn it around.

"Worry, it was the AS Jan exams which he re-sat in June."

Yes, but note that he's the last cohort to be able to do this. He presumably took C1 in Jan, got a U and then retook it alongside C2 in Jun. Well done to turn it around, but for current Y12s it will be harder as they will take C1, C2 and an option in Jun of Y12, and the first opportunity for a resit would be June of Y13. No January exams or resits as of this year. And people who did January exams in Y12 last year won't be able to do them in Y13 this year, so will be taking C3, C4 and another module all together at the end of the year.

Hi friday, yes that is understood. My DD will be resitting one AS paper alongside the A2 papers in maths

I'm well aware of the ending of Jan modules Friday: DS was on last chance alley, and knew it. In fact he took C1, C2 and Mechanics in Jan and re-sat along with Stats. He also resat his other three subjects which he had taken in Jan and in June also had a full A Level which he sat early. The other subjects weren't as bad as the maths but he still had a full timetable in both Jan and June. I only say that because it might offer hope to other parents whose DC are in possession of Us. DS only had about twelve weeks from the March results to turn things around. I wasn't in the least optimistic that he could do it tbh.

Hi Fairdene, I am taking heart from your post!

Good :) It was a very big surprise and relief on results day Worry. I think the mere fact of doing revision twice over helped a massive amount. That and the fact of the real world kicking in. Your DD will be so much more mature by next June, which will help even more.

I know at my son's London comp anyone with a U grade had to resit the year, that's if they weren't chucked out altogether.

I think the chucking out is tudent specific. At least in DD's school it seems to be very much a mutual decision. It isnt used as a punitive measure.