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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSE maths resit and alevels?

11 replies

AliceRose441 · 21/08/2015 20:51

My daughter and I are very stressed because we don't know if her school will take her on in 6th Form to study alevels. She got the required grades in all subjects except Maths which means a resit. Of course there is nobody at the school to help and we have to wait until enrolment day to find out if they will allow her to study alevels and a GCSE maths resit. The 6th form requirement is a C or above in maths and English, in order to study alevels. The alevels she would like to study are not maths related, so the maths GCSE is the one thing holding her back. I'm worried that if the school wont take her we have left it too late to sort anything else out. I'm not sure what to do to help her as she is very upset. Has anyone similar experience and can advise...

OP posts:
Idefix · 22/08/2015 08:00

I think it depends on the school Alice. My ds got a d for English (4 points off a c) he has been accepted on his courses for sixth form - all sciences. Ds will have to resit this exam, this was discussed at his interview for 6th form as we knew he would be borderline.

Fingers crossed that you and dd get to speak to someone soon.

wannabestressfree · 22/08/2015 08:12

You would at our school and Its selective. Resits and D's are normal :) don't panic....

hellsbells99 · 22/08/2015 08:13

Have you tried emailing the school/head of 6th form? You will hopefully get a response before enrolment day. Our school specifies maths and English at a grade C but when you look at these subjects on the 6th form part of website, it does say at the bottom about a Gcse resit class so obviously does accept students that haven't passed these. Good luck.

itsraininginbaltimore · 22/08/2015 08:13

I am in EXACTLY the same position Alice. To be honest, even if the school doesn't insist that my DS re-sits, I think it would be a good idea because so many universities want to see a C in Maths as a minimum, even if you want to study something totally non-Maths related.

I do think it will be pretty tough getting to grips with the rigours of 4 AS levels and having to cram for a resit in a subject you find really hard at the same time though.

My DS didn't sit for foundation level Maths (wasn't given the option at his school) so his D grade would have been a C grade in different circumstances and no-one need have been any the wiser. Also his mark was very close to the grade boundary of a C so I'm wondering if it's worth a remark, but I am not sure whether there is any benefit in remarks for Maths - it's not subjective, is it?

Jinglebells99 · 22/08/2015 08:39

The 6th form my son is going to, runs resit classes for Maths and English, and now it's a requirement to continue studying maths and English in sixth form until you get a pass. Did her sixth form offer letter say anything about conditions? For example, my son had to get B's in any subjects he wanted to study at A level. My son's school felt it was easier to get a C in the higher paper. For the exam board my son sat, the grade boundary for a C was around 30% so if you are aiming for a C you only have to concentrate on getting the marks on the easier questions at the beginning of the paper. If you took the foundation paper, you would have to get a much higher percentage of the paper correct. It still might be worth getting it remarked though itsraininginbaltimore as the marker may have mismarked the paper.

itsraininginbaltimore · 22/08/2015 08:51

will do, thanks

Jinglebells99 · 22/08/2015 08:53

Not sure I worded that very well. I meant to say, I think it is really likely they will accept her, particularly as there is now a requirement on sixth forms to run resit classes for maths and English. Fingers crossed.

noblegiraffe · 22/08/2015 10:49

Students have to resit. My sixth form wouldn't let you in if you needed to resit both maths and English because the resit classes run at the same time, but resitting one is fine.

The only issue is that the resit class may run in the same timetabled block as one of her A-level choices so she may find that she has to rethink one of her subjects if she has to drop it to do the maths.

Original poster
AliceRose441 · 22/08/2015 22:01

Thank you for your response - we have managed to have a backup plan where she attends a local college studying the alevels she wants as well as the maths resit if her sixth form do not accept her. Hope all goes well for your ds.

OP posts:
Original poster
AliceRose441 · 22/08/2015 22:17

Hi all thank you for your responses and advice they were all reassuring. Luckily we have managed to secure my ds with a place at her local college studying alevels and a maths resit if her sixth form does not accept her. Hope all goes to plan for others in a similar situation.

OP posts:
Charis1 · 22/08/2015 23:11

what was her grade?

It depends on the school. Many schools do allow someone with a D to start A levels and resit maths. Many do not.

However, you haven't left it too late at all, lots of sixth forms will be recruiting now and for the next few weeks.

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