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Secondary education

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Original poster

Can anyone help with GCSE Science grades (AQA). Seeing college this afternoon to convince them DS nearly got a D

35 replies

AnnaForbes · 26/08/2016 10:55

DS royally screwed up his GCSEs. He hated school (lots of bullying, changed schools, dyslexia CAMHS interventions etc) and was so keen for a fresh start this year away from school. He was offered a place on a BTEC level 2 at college. He needed 4 Ds to get on the course. His results are C in Eng Lang, D in Maths plus E grades in his other subjects.

He was awarded E for Science. The breakdown of marks is:

Biology 49 (E)
Physics 51 (D)
Chemistry 51 (D)

And for Additional Science the overall grade was E. The breakdown was:

Biology 57 (D)
Physics 43 (E)
Chemistry 55 (D)

I dont understand why he got a E when two out of three marks were a D. Can anyone help explain this to me please? If his science was almost a D it would make all the difference.

TIA for any ideas

OP posts:
EllenJanethickerknickers · 26/08/2016 11:05

Depends which board. If you know you can look up the UMS grade boundary tables. It might be that the 43 for physics was a very low E and the 2 Ds were low Ds which averaged at an E.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 26/08/2016 11:08

Also, did he get a grade for a controlled assessment as well? Usually worth 25%. If that was an E as well...

noblegiraffe · 26/08/2016 11:09

He can get two Ds and an E and be graded an E overall if he scraped the Ds and the E was low enough.

Eg if 51 was a D on the first set, he would need 153 marks overall to get a D, but he only got 151.

But the grade boundaries are different for each paper so you need to look, they'll be on the exam board website.

Original poster
AnnaForbes · 26/08/2016 11:22

Thanks for your reply. I've looked at the grade boundaries - thanks for that - and, assuming I am reading them corrctly DS is only a few marks from a D (E grade goes from 160 - 199, he got 194 so only a few marks from a D).

I'm clutching at straws here - ds already struggles with mh issues and his grades have been a further knock Sad.

OP posts:
EllenJanethickerknickers · 26/08/2016 11:36

Sorry to hear that, Anna. Talk to college, there may be an alternative course he could do. He has English and maths so he should be able to access the courses well enough. Flowers

Original poster
AnnaForbes · 26/08/2016 11:53

Thank you. I am armed with the grade boundaries and just hope the course advisor we see has a degree of flexibility. I'll report back after our visit. His self-esteem is already in tatters and I think I might cry if they turn him down. Sad.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 26/08/2016 12:56

Good luck, hopefully they'll look sympathetically on the issues he has had getting to where he is.

If he can go in determined to convince them that he is keen to work hard, then hopefully that will count more than a few science marks.

Leeds2 · 26/08/2016 13:53

Nothing useful to add, just wanted to say hope all goes well.

clary · 26/08/2016 17:08

Really hope this went well OP.

FWIW I was you last year - went in to college with DS who needed D and Eng and D in maths for his place; he got C in Maths (yay) but only E in both Eng. I was all ready with "but he got D in science and geography, and he got C in catering which is what he wants to do so you have to let my boy in!!!" channelling my inner Beverley Goldberg...

I sat there about to say all this and before I could open my mouth (luckily :)) they looked at his results and said oh that's great, sign here, we're delighted to have you :)

Original poster
AnnaForbes · 27/08/2016 16:05

Well yesterday went really well. Ds was so despondent when we arrived at the college but immediately bumped into a friend in a similar situation which helped him realise he's not the only one who didn't get the results needed.

We spoke for a long time to a tutor and an alternative course - (still btec level 2 but different subject area based on which exams he performed best in) was offered. He was so chuffed, he expected to be rejected and was really surprised that they treated him with respect and really listened to what he had to say.

He came away grinning, excited and looking forward to the start of term. And I didn't cry. Grin

OP posts:
Original poster
AnnaForbes · 27/08/2016 16:08

Clary, I had my speech all worked out too! I didn't need it though. In fact ds did most of the talking which was brilliant.

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 27/08/2016 16:27

Well done your DS! The experience of the interview and being accepted will have done his self-esteem no end of good. Hope his BTEC goes well!

RalphSteadmansEye · 27/08/2016 17:11

Well done Op and ds.

Sounds like he has great oral communication skills and maturity which will certainly stand him in as good stead as top grades.

i hope he really enjoys college.

clary · 27/08/2016 20:40

That's brilliant OP - well done yr DS Grin

Bitofacow · 27/08/2016 20:46

Don't want to be negative but beware. He will be resitting his maths this year if he does not pass he will not get on a Level 3 course.

I know he is excited about the Btec but the maths is the key to his progression.

noblegiraffe · 27/08/2016 20:58

Why would he not get onto a level 3 course if he fails maths? Agree he should try his best to pass maths this year because the year after that he'd have to take the new, much harder GCSE, but loads of students start level 3 courses without GCSE maths, resitting alongside.

EllenJanethickerknickers · 27/08/2016 21:34

That's good news, Anna. I hoped that might be the case. Thanks for updating us.

DS2 needed 5A -C including maths or* English to do his level 3 BTEC or equivalent level 2 qualification. I would hope your DS passes his maths retake this year, but there are lots who start level 3 courses without either English or maths who retake them alongside the course.

Original poster
AnnaForbes · 28/08/2016 00:13

Thank you all for your kind words. 💐.

Ds got a D for maths so I'm quite optimistic that he will be able to gain a C next June . He will have maths and core science gcses timetabled alongside his btec.

Thanks again

OP posts:
Coconutty · 28/08/2016 00:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PUGaLUGS · 28/08/2016 07:59

DS2 is also going to retake his alongside his course.

Bitofacow · 28/08/2016 08:57

Sorry to be the voice of doom but resit pass rates are very low. Some colleges may allow you on a L3 course without L2 maths and English but many will not. No way he get to uni with no maths GCSE and it will impact on the level of apprenticeship he can get.

He will probably only have 2 hours of maths a week compared to the 4 or so hours he had st school. Make sure he prioritises his maths. Check he can continue onto the second year if he fails his resit.

Students are all excited about their main course and can forget about the resit. Prepare to become a maths nag!

Hopefully, he will pass his maths this year.Smile

chocolateworshipper · 28/08/2016 09:19

Fantastic news - so happy things have worked out

PonderingProsecco · 28/08/2016 10:59

Are level 2 functional skills in maths/ English not counted any more?
Hopefully a D to C will happen though.
Good luck!

Bitofacow · 28/08/2016 11:07

Yes Functional Skills count (for some things, most unis won't accept them though) but the government - or total bunch of fucking bastards as I like to think of them - is trying to phase them out.

They want every one to have GCSEs in maths and English. Everyone hairdressers, plumbers, chefs. Everyone knows you can't mend a car or be a nail technician unless you can deconstruct a 19th century text and use trigonometry.

noblegiraffe · 28/08/2016 11:16

If a student got a D then they have to resit GCSE. If they got an E or below then they can resit GCSE or do functional skills.