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?

They used to say that an A* at GCSE was equivalent to a C at A level, with only the basic level of work done. To climb higher than C, wave goodbye to an easy life.

mumslife bless you dd, it really is heartbreaking for some students at first. She'll get there.

OP have your ds look at the UN courses he wants to do, and the requirements. As a BioSci grad myself, tell him to choose carefully. Unless he wants to work in research or a lab (relatively poorly paid compared to other careers) or do a PhD, he'd do better to do a vocational science degree, like chemical engineering, or pharmacy.

Hmm, vocational really has a bad rep doesn't it? All it means is "qualification with a specific job at the end". And yet in education, people think it means "doss course for thickos"

I did an A level last year, vocational level 2 equivalent of. It took a day's study on top of the day of lessons.

Could he combine resits in the science GCSEs with AS levels in something like English and History or new GECS subjects like sociology or psychology? The year would then consolidate his science knowledge and give him a couple of new qualifications and wouldn't be wasted. With the stressful last three years it might be just what he needs to get himself ready for the science a-levels and really fly!

Oh wow! Honestly, if she is continuing with her courses, its because she's capable. If not, a quiet whisper would have reached her ears about different routes. Her teachers will have confidence in her.

And IMO, the step between 11-12 is huuuuge compared to 12-13. Sixth form is a whole new way of life. Once you're in the swing of a levels, you keep on going.

I'd advise her to calm down, and use her teachers. We might moan a little for effect, but any teacher worth their salt will do anything for a student who wants to try. And of course, past papers, past papers, past papers! Analyse past questions and see what comes up a lot. Play the game, work clever.

Honeysuckle It's strange isn't it, how BTECs are so slated by some when they are so practical and useful. On my daughters course, more than a quarter had been commissioned (and earned real £££££) before they finished the BTEC. At their summer show, three pieces of work sold.

Unrealhousewife The skills you picked up in that day were equivalent to a days worth - do it for two years and you end up with the piece of paper and skills worth 365 days x 2.

That's why my daughter picked her BTEC - she knew what she wanted to do so, why not spend two years doing it - practicing and using the amazing resources offered by a specialist college. She might have been able to do a unit in a day - but if you take 30 days to do it, you are better researched, better practised and the quality of your output will be better. Hence why, after her 40 minute Uni interview and portfolio discussion, they could offer her an unconditional - forget the final grade paperwork - she was able to prove and illustrate that she could actually do it - and well. All because she had the good fortune of choosing BTEC.

I agree Kez that BTECs make a lot of sense. My course was vocational, bloody hard work, but I would never have achieved it if I hadnt had the continuous kick up the backside that you get from having to hand in projects for grading, continuously throughout the year.

The ridiculous stigma attached to BTEC needs to go. I learned far more and worked far harder on my vocational diploma over 2 years, level 3 than I did doing my BA over 3 years.

I think people dont like it because it is very hard work for teachers.

OP - the difference is that a C grade when we were that age was considerably higher. i.e. A* = A, A = B, B = C, C= D etc. In our day, C was the cut off. That C is now the equivalent to a B.

When I did O levels they were graded 1-6. So a C is about 5/6 in very old money and not good enough for A level. It is really best to do BTEC. I didn't do any BTECs until well into my 20s, called ONC and HNC in those days as I did them part time, and you really can go on and do a degree via this route. Often it suits the student so much more. I suddenly became quite clever!!!!

The thing is, when you (and I!) did O levels OP, a C was a bit different.

C at GCSE is still great, and well worth having - a passport to lots of things.

But as PP have said, if that's your level, you really will struggle with the A-level course. I teach MFL and I would be very unhappy if any of my year 11 group this year who got Cs wanted to do A level. They just wouldn't cope in terms of not having (in this particular case) the range of vocab or understanding of the grammar that would be a must as a starting point.

I am sure you will find a great option for your DS. 9 Cs is excellent and a BTEC might suit better?

I am finding this an interesting thread as my DS has just achieved ABBCCCCCCCD and is/was planning to do A Levels. As he achieved lower than expected we are going to talk to the school next week. His school offers BTECs which can be taken with A Levels so we are thinking he could take a couple of A Levels alongside a BTEC Cert in Applied Science. Maybe an AS too. All still to be decided but thinking this could be a more achievable path than all A Levels.

Cuckoo. I found it 'stupid' that the school made your DS take 11 GCSE's. Students should not take 11 GCSE's unless they are likely to get mostly A or B grades. The time took on 2 extra subjects , may have cost them 2 Bs being A grades.

I find it stupid.

Smokepole, I totally agree and knew deep down that it wasn't right for him. I am kicking myself now for not speaking up but he was top set, he felt confident and I just went along with it. He didn't take any modules either and all his exams were taken in June. Hey ho, spilt milk now but it does make me think that with a more manageable load he may do fine with A Levels.

Thanks for all of your responses. DS hasn't had BTEC suggested to him, just re-sits. I'll find out about it next week.
The 1st 2 years of sixth form are free. Will we have to pay for the third, (A level exam year), if he re-sits his GCSE sciences?

Mumslife are you'd drunk?!

No he won't have to pay - they get three years post-16. But the third year of funding the college receives is lower so you may come up against some colleges not wanting to admit for that reason.

My son's D was in English Lang so is going to have to retake that. Just the exam I believe as he can reuse his controlled assessment marks. I hadn't thought of him retaking any of his Cs though. Thinking more along the lines of making sure he doesn't overload himself in year 12. Maybe 3 subjects instead of 4 and considering one of these being a BTEC certificate in Applied Science.
Could this be an option for your son Frances? And more to the point, does anybody know whether this is a good option? (Taking on board what mums life has said about the workload of 4 A Levels)

It is important to remember that resitting exams is not like a fruit machine where you hope for a better result next time.
The results will only change if you can definitely identify and rectify what went wrong the first time round.