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Secondary education

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Original poster

If your DC DIDN'T get a string of A* at GCSE, what are their plans?

46 replies

baringan · 31/08/2016 09:10

Dd1 got 2 As, 4 Bs, 3 Cs. She loves the idea of being academic and works very very hard. But clearly she's not as academic as she thinks! She is studying Biology, History and RS at A level. 6th form happy with this. I wish she had taken photography as a 3rd A level instead of RS as her essay writing can be really garbled. She is a lovely lovely girl and I think she'll go far once working, but she's had to accept she won't be doing physio at uni (old school told her this) and now thinks maybe teaching. She's done all her summer tasks in preparation for 6th form. She's slightly nervous as of course the new school have published a long list of kids that got 14 A*s, no matter how much I tell her that's only 25 kids in a group of 300!

What are your solid, average results kids planning to do?

OP posts:
therootoftheroot · 31/08/2016 09:14

sixth form to do maths, physics and history

why have school said she won't be studying physio at uni? why crush her dreams so early on? if you look here she has all the qualifications required-or will do when she finishes her a levels www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/physiotherapist/entry-requirements-and-training

mine could have done better if he had worked harder i think

the fact that yours is a grafter will stand her in great stead i think

Coconutty · 31/08/2016 09:17

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CoodleMoodle · 31/08/2016 09:18

I got the exact same GCSE results as your DD, albeit 11 years ago! 2 As, 4 Bs and 3 Cs. I didn't work terribly hard though, just got lucky Blush (My coursework was good but I coasted the exams...) I think she's done well!

I did Business, IT and English Lit at A-Level (with Law and Critical Thinking AS-Levels). Due to personal issues I didn't do so well in my final exams (think I got BCC) but still went on to uni to do Business Management. Got a 2.1 there so I did okay in the end.

Good luck to her in whatever she decides to do!

ThroughThickAndThin01 · 31/08/2016 09:19

Ds3 is going back to his school for the 6th form. He is very, very lucky because they bent the entry grades for him quite substantially. BUT he is being monitored by the school and us; it's private so costing us ££££ we don't want to waste firstly, but more importantly we don't want him wasting 2 years if he's just going to come out with D's. I think C's and above will give him options for college, university or a job.

Original poster
baringan · 31/08/2016 09:21

She was at a private school which I've moved her from for lots of reasons. One of the pettiest was that her maths teacher told her it would be impossible for her to get into a very good physio course as her own daughter had to get 3A* at A level to get accepted Hmm thanks not helpful. Her old Chemistry teacher told her to definitely not take biology A level and to think about geography instead (despite not taking geography gcse Confused)

Very reassuring thank you.

OP posts:
BombadierFritz · 31/08/2016 09:21

my 'most successful in an academic field' friends all got very average gcses. they worked incredibly hard and thought big. I would just encourage her to keep working hard. exams click for some later than others and have less importance as you get higher up the academic ladder

strongly discourage teaching (teacher myself)

2014newme · 31/08/2016 09:22

I think the issue for your dd will be the unusual combination of a levels she is doing. Also if essays ate a challenge for her choosing two essay based subjects could backfire. The length, depth and quality of a level essays is very different to gcse. That said it sounds like the issues she has could easily be tackled successfully.
Good luck to her

Original poster
baringan · 31/08/2016 09:23

That NHS advice seems directly contrary to what the school told us!

OP posts:
TheSecondOfHerName · 31/08/2016 09:24

Hi, I recognise you from the general Y11 support thread.

DS1's results are very similar to your DD1's, and he has chosen v.similar A-levels (but Maths rather than RS).

His results were only just enough to meet the entry requirements, and many of his friends got all A*/A. In terms of GCSE results, he will definitely be one of the lowest attainers in Y12 at the sixth form where he is going.

He understands that he is going to have to work hard, and is doing some Maths this week in preparation.

When it comes to university applications, I will encourage him to be realistic about where to apply, as his GCSE results are not exactly competitive.

I'm hoping that pupils who worked hard for second-tier results are in a strong position for A-level courses, because they are used to putting effort in.

Original poster
baringan · 31/08/2016 09:24

Yes I wish she wasn't doing RS. I think psychology would have been better.

OP posts:
Original poster
baringan · 31/08/2016 09:26

TheSecondOfHerName thank you. I hope the grafting will help too. Her old friends from the private school have no summer prep work and have rubbished her doing it. She's worked really hard on it.

OP posts:
TheSecondOfHerName · 31/08/2016 09:26

In terms of long-term plans, he would like to work with children, possibly as a primary school teacher.

MapleandPear · 31/08/2016 09:28

I got similar results and am a lawyer. Some people are not all rounders - I couldn't be doing with any science subjects or maths which you are forced to do at GCSE. I would advise her now to focus on subjects she likes and will get good results in.

ShanghaiDiva · 31/08/2016 09:36

baringan - sounds like your daughter has the right attitude and is already working hard preparing for A levels.
Doesn't sound as though her old school was very supportive (particularly the maths teacher!) and I cannot believe that everyone who goes on to university has a string of A*s.
It might also be useful to get some work experience/shadowing a physio and find out more about degree options and A levels required.

MapleandPear · 31/08/2016 09:37

I also think it's really positive that she works hard now, it breeds good habits for the future. I relied so much on a good memory and the ability to write essays.

alltouchedout · 31/08/2016 09:39

Physiotherapy at uni isn't out of her reach, although she might want to see a careers advisor (if any actual real careers advisors are still available to her rather than an already overworked teacher being forced to add 'careers advice sessions' to their workload). Entry requirements will vary between unis and a good careers advisor will help her come up with a range of plans depending on what she wants and what is achievable.

Ireallydontseewhy · 31/08/2016 09:45

Op if dd is still interested in physio why not start a thread - bound to be some lovely mn physios who can advise on how entry requirements vary between places, and as another pp has said, voluntary work etc. Your dd (and the other dc on this thread) sound great! In real life it is still a pretty small proportion of students who get 10 a*s and the like - though it doesn't always seem like it!
And Keep in mind that at least for a few weeks it may be possible to switch subject if rs gets too much - though it depends on the school of course.

OxyThroatSkin · 31/08/2016 09:49

So she doesn't have one A* among her GCSE results?. That won't stop her becoming an academic if that's the route she decides to pursue.

Original poster
baringan · 31/08/2016 10:52

Thank you all what lovely messages. I think I will encourage her to pursue work experience with a physio anyway, nothing to lose! It wasn't until her enrollment day at new 6th form where they seemed so happy with her results particularly an a* in one history paper that we realised how much they had knocked her confidence at old school. They always mentioned her excellent work ethic but it came with a huge dose of something like pity - "oh dear she works so hard but doesn't seem to 'get it' " was one of the typically unproductive comments

OP posts:
amidawish · 31/08/2016 10:52

you don't need a string of As or A*s to go to uni or to be successful in life.

actually in many ways they can hold you back, sense of entitlement, unrealistic ambitions etc..

however you say her essay writing is garbled - is she really set on history and RS A levels if that is truly the case?

how many physios do you know with a perfect academic record? i doubt there are many/any!

good luck to your dd - hard work gets you far in life, many come a cropper at A level who breezed their GCSEs and expect A levels to be the same.

Original poster
baringan · 31/08/2016 10:54

Well she got a B for English literature despite knowing the books inside out and writing loads. But an A for history which she loves. Was disappointed with a B for RS. She could do with an essay writing workshop!!

OP posts:
alltouchedout · 31/08/2016 11:11

Have the grade boundaries changed as much for A Levels as for GCSEs this year? The number of people I know whose dc got lower English GCSE grades than they were expecting is surprisingly high and the consensus seems to be that it's most down to the way things were marked this year.

I used to work in a Connexions team in a very deprived area and we would have been massively, massively congratulating your dd on her results. Nine higher grade passes is a good achievement! It's horrible that we make children feel otherwise. I worked with children who struggled mightily to get the 5 passes at any grade needed to get onto their college course, so someone with 9 at C and above has done very very well. And she has worked for them. I'm still prouder of the B I got in Maths GCSE 19 years ago than the As and A I got in other subjects, because the B took real effort and the others I just coasted. An A you didn't have to work for really doesn't feel like as much of an achievement as a B you slogged your guts out to get.

sandgrown · 31/08/2016 11:16

Richard Branson only got 2 O levels I believe and look what self belief did for him!

lacebell10 · 31/08/2016 11:35

She did brilliant. What she now needs to do is look at a number of physio courses at uni and their entrance requirements and work backwards from there.

Hellothereitsme · 31/08/2016 11:53

When I took my o levels many years ago I barely scrapped through. However got to university and am now a qualified accountant. All down to hard work after leaving secondary school.

Far too much pressure on kids to get A*. I thought the level was 5 Cs and above is good.

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