What do you do if you get disappointing AS results?

[BrendaBlackhead]

Ds is suffering from constant low-level worry about his AS exams, just taken. He was predicted top grades in everything but has been conducting post mortems non stop and now feels he went off down the wrong track in one essay, and also one of the Maths papers was very hard.

Now - I want to help him with what his options may be and not faff around come August should the worst transpire. Can one recover with A2s or have you blown it if you do badly in ASs? Given that the courses starting in September don't have ASs, is he unable to retake at the same time as the A2?

Tell him that my father, who was a maths teacher and Head of Department, used to worry far more about the children who came out all relaxed, saying the exam had been really easy, than he ever did about those who came out and fretted, like your ds. Chances are he has done better than he thinks he has, and the mistakes he thinks he made may well not be that major - but have blown up in his head into the End of the World.

I have said this to my dses, and have also told them to look at each set of exams as the gateway to their next step. As long as his AS levels allow him to get onto the A levels/A2s of his choice, that is what matters most, and he will be able to put all his efforts into getting the results he wants in the A levels/A2s - and then these will be the gateway to his next step - to the university of his choice or to the job or training he wants to do next.

All three of my dses have been lucky enough to get unconditional offers from the universities they wanted to go to - ds1 graduates next week - he got a 2:1 in Law, ds2 is half way through a 4 year applied maths degree, and ds3 starts his geography degree in the autumn. However, in part because they had unconditionals, they slacked off a bit during their final year at school, and neither ds1 nor ds2 got particularly brilliant Advanced Higher results (we are in Scotland - that is the exam that's the equivalent of A levels) - ds2 did particularly badly. Ds3's results aren't out yet, but we think he has slacked off too.

But we are not seeing this as the end of the world - sure, they are not good results, and will not look great on application forms, but as long as they pull up their socks and do well in their degrees (as ds1 has), that result is the first thing a potential employer will look at, not their school exams.

I am not sure if this is making any sense - I am full of a cold (such fun in this weather), but what I am trying to say is that each new, higher set of exams sort-of trump the ones below in terms of importance.

Sorry for rambling - I hope there is something in there that helps.

He will definitely be able to retake AS modules next June. Even though some exams are being reformed this doesn't apply for Maths as the changes are being phased in and this subject isn't changing from this September.
Unsure what the essay subject is but even if it's a course that's changing this year, there will still be "legacy" AS papers to allow pupils to resit.

Oh, that's a relief. He has been down about it and thinks he's messed up his chances. The AS/A2 thing is new to me and dh still refuses to call ASs anything other than mocks which is rather unhelpful to ds.

We have several plan Bs

Dd wants to be an occupationsl therapist she needs min BCC or BBB

So plan bs are

1. Talk to school to see what they advise ie repeating yr 13
2. She has applied to local college to do extended diploma in Health and Social Care which will be accepted by some unis.

1. A spanner was thrown in the works ladt week. She did work experience and they were so pleased with her that they would set up an apprenticeship for he. Not sure what it involves but interview is next week