9 GCSE'S grade C, no A level place

[FrancesNiadova]

My DS has got 9 GCSE grade C' s including maths, Eng. Lang, physics, biology & chemistry. He's 2 marks off a B in 1 subject so we're having it re-marked.
He's been told that he can't do A levels & will have to do a year's re-sits. I don't remember it being like this when I did my A's, or my degree, grade C counted as a good, "O," level pass!
Is anyone else experiencing similar barriers being put in their way?

I am not at all sure it is a blanket thing.

Whilst I cannot speak for your area or schools, I can say that I have taught ( note in my day but here and now) many students who got grade C and even D (in English and maths too often and they re sit thesewhilst taking their first year) who went on to get respectable A levels and places at good universities.

A levels and GCSE are not alike and GCSE is a poor predictor of success at A level in my experience.
Neither is it within my personal experience that schools blanket out students with 9 grade C's. Some moreselective ones might ( some selective ones where I live might) but most donot and give the pupil the choice. Keep knocking on doors if A level is what you want. Not the received wisdom of the BTech brigade here, but if you do not kick the door in you get nowhere in my experience.

He wants to do the 3 sciences & go on to something like BioChemistry. I don't know, all he's been offered is applied science or resits.
There are only 2 colleges in the county, I have asked for a prospectus in a neighbouring county where they organise things slightly differently.
It is frustrating, he's got no place anywhere now & everyone's on bank holiday.

BTECs are brilliant, but universities and Gove don't or didn''t see it that way. They are going through big changes. They are ideal for students who don't do well in exams as work continues steadily.

I think students gain so much more from studying when every piece of work is graded and assessed as they go along. Much harder work for teachers though.

I think the colleges are concerned about the likelihood of someone who only got a C at GCSE, achieving a C or higher at A level. A levels are a LOT harder than GCSEs. They don't know he's had a lot of distraction and worry this year, all they see is a student who potentially only just scraped Cs, and might not have the ability to cope at A level. From their perspective, he should at least have got As/Bs in Science, if he wants to go to Uni to study a science subject.

Sounds like it's unfair for him, as he has mitigating circumstances. Could you ring round next week and explain this, to see if you can get one of the colleges to give him a chance? Were his predicted grades higher, and have you got them printed from school somewhere so you could show the college?

I achieved very mediocre GCSE results, sat A-levels in science, did much better because I loved my subjects and was able to concentrate on 3 subjects I loved (unlike English and MFL). Went to Bristol University after doing quite well and graduated with a first.

My mum was suffering also from breast cancer during my GCSEs and it had a huge impact on my ability to focus and concentrate. I matured and flourished at university, subject I adored and an environment I loved - some kids just mature a bit later.

I am sorry but if all he can achieve is c grades then he will not be suited for A level sciences. Every year we get persuaded to take on one or two students who have not got at least a B in bio and chem ( our entry requirements) they all have "good" reasons why they didn't achieve.
Year after year these kids struggle' they rarely have a good work ethic, and even when they do they cannot understand the A level material. It is a soul destroying process for both them and their teachers as they limp through the year with no tests/practice papers above a U and end up with a U at the end of ( their totally wasted ) year.
He may well achieve success on a BTEC course and then could access certain university courses with that.
I appreciate you have been ill, but at the level of GCSE science courses the scientifically able kids achieve despite often considerable issues at home.

We are going through this with my son too.

My daughter got all C grades and did a diploma (she never wanted to do A levels). She has just passed with triple distinction star and was given an unconditional Uni place before she had even finished the course. Pick the right one and its a brilliant way to go. All of her friends did better than her at GCSE but only the brightest have done well. Many others have left with belugh grades in softer subjects or just crashed and burned. ( I only found this out today talking to her as my son is in a similar position to yours and having to rethink his way forward from A levels to a BTEC route)

If he really wants to do A level science then why not resit? Hopefully with another year with less stress (I hope for you all) he would be able to achieve and consolidate his knowledge. Makes perfect sense to me.

Or look at a Science BTEC.

Can I just add, I did a Business and Finance BTEC back in the time of the Flintstones and am now an FCA with my own practice - and so is the other girl I came joint top with on the BTEC. They really suit some people.

Yes, I think he might have to resist, which seems crazy to me. I wish he'd just done 5 GCSE's & got A's in them; as was predicted.

I have done A levels, a degree & 2 post-grad qualifications, so I do know what study is about.

I also wish he'd done the lower tier sciences & got A's, as it was, he was A set, did the higher syllabus & got C's!

Thanks for those who've been supportive & given constructive advice. We'll see what happens next week. It's just a pity that the bank holiday is smack bang in the way!

Re-sit Kindle!

I'd agree with a PP with respect to students with grade C in sciences not bring suitable for A level science courses. For students with a C in maths and a C in chemistry or double sci, they have an 80% chance of failing This is based on our centre, where we have over 200 students at AS each year. Those that do pass tend to only achieve grades D and E which are not enough to progress to a science course at uni. I would say that BTEC is a much better option. And BTW he couldn't have got a grade A on the foundation papers. You have to do higher to get above a C.

Even the most competitive courses accept BTECs (you can get into vet school with three distinctions in the animal care BTEC) it will probably reduce the number of course, but not eliminate them.
There are pupils who score poorly at GCSEs and do well at A-Level I would be one example C in Chemistry, and Bs in Maths and Biology at GCSE and three As at A-Level. I am much more suited to the A-level type work and poorly suited to GCSEs.
In fact I was a late bloomer eventually leaving Uni with two excellent degrees. Now most sixth forms would turn my results away.
I did move from school to a sixth form college who could see my potential rather than my actual results.

It's worth meeting with some colleges to explain if you can. Did you DC get dispensation in his exams? (Extra marks which compensate for illness/emotional trauma) If he didn't, its unlikely they will give him any "special" treatment. (i.e. Not bad enough for dispensation: not bad enough for a "chance")

Regarding A Levels: I'm afraid other posters are right. Science A levels are very very difficult. Most schools ask for at least 5A*-C, with a B in the subjects to be studied. (And in the case of Sciences, Maths is usually required at B grade too.) Even students with a B will have to work their butt off and sadly, some children are just not clever enough. I know, its not PC, but its true.

If your child was predicted higher grades and didn't get them because of family circumstances, its worth asking for then to think twice.

And lastly, its worth remembering this: schools etc get given money for each student they take. If they say no, its because they do not want your child to fail. (Perhaps for their own reputation) But remember. Statistically speaking, C grade students are likely to fail, and no-one wants that.

Now, BTECs are so much more respected than ever before. This is definitely a great route to higher education! They really aren't the poor relative to A levels that people think.

I also wish he'd done the lower tier sciences & got A's, as it was, he was A set, did the higher syllabus & got C's!
That wouldn't have helped OP. The highest grade you can obtain on the Foundation grade is a C (it may be possible to obtain a B for an exceptional performance) and also the actual content you need for A level is in the Higher tier.
He may possibly have been better taking Double Science and obtaining 2 grade Bs rather than 3 Cs with Triple but this would be a bigger step up for Uni.
I would spend a bit of time doing some research - have a look at the Applied Science A level and see which Unis accept it. Consider retaking GCSE Maths in November and whether the College would support this.
I would look at a vocational BTEC in Engineering rather than one in Science as this is better regarded by Universities.
HTH

correction: Post should read Double Science would have been a bigger step up for A levels than triple.

I know we were told B was a minimum grade, to study any science in the sciences and Maths.

I would have thought an A (high B) grade at GCSE should be gained before trying any subject at A level. For Maths pupils probably need A* and a high grade in Further Maths.

My son had 3A and 7B at GCSE (although two of the Bs should've been As).
He has really struggled at college doing AS levels in Phys, Chem, Geog and Hist and his results were CDDU.

They can no longer take Nov or Jan resits so he'll have to resit all written Geog and Chem papers alongside his A2 exams next June - a huge ask. He wants to do Radiography at uni and every place requires either BBB or BBC at A level.

We knew the step up was going to be huge and all his friends have done better than him - exam technique has been his downfall we think.

It seems to be that the A is equivalent to our old A grade at A level in my opinion - certainly, the children we see getting A in school are of the sort of calibre of A candidates when I was in school. That would mean that a GCSE B grade is like a C at O level, so no wonder my son has struggled really.

I meant A is equivalent to the old A grade at O level*

I just asked dd what her strategy is if she finds A levels too hard, she said that they get a few weeks to see how they find it and can change their minds...

I said no, i mean a strategy for how to make sure you can keep up...

She go Bs and doing subjects she likes, but are heavily academic.

I was all up for the science BTEC but the college said A levels would be better.