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

[baringan]

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?

[baringan]

Yes I think so. Only physics was borderline

[Dogolphin]

Is it too late to remark any of the Cs if they were high Cs?

[EllenJanethickerknickers]

My DS2 got 1A, 3Bs, 5Cs, (including one taken in Y10) and a D. He's starting a level 3 BTEC at college in Software Development which will hopefully get him an apprenticeship or on to a level 4 or 5 course somewhere. He has ASD and an EHCP and I'm very proud of him. Having a DC with SN has taught me that academic success isn't everything.

It may be that your DD has to take a longer route to get where she wants. Don't rule out more vocational routes, HNC, HND etc. My exH and I both went to university when only 5% did, and we rather assumed our DC would be similarly academic. But there is more than one way to skin a cat!

[baringan]

I've been looking at uni offers and the first few I looked at require 7 Bs at gcse she only has 6 As and bs (and 3cs)

She's adamant she wants to do RS

Not sure what degree history biology and RS will be relevant for. Her main priority is a college or university that is sporty as she is very keen on a particular sport.

[insancerre]

For various reasons, DD did not get a string of A* GCSEs
She is just about to start the second year of a photography degree
She didn't do A levels either, she did a 2 year BTEC in photography instead

There are always other pathways that can be explored
I qualified as an early years teacher in my 40s and I've not got A levels either

[ShipwreckedAndComatose]

I agree that she should probably have a second science in her choices. But I have a student who go a physio place this year with b and c grades at A level, so it depends on the course and ignoring the showy offy teacher

[Mysillydog]

Also I got a place for an oversubscribed course via an access course as an adult, so having a blip at GCSE does not necessarily mean you cannot follow your dreams. It might take a bit longer though.

[Mysillydog]

I would do a second science or psychology for physio. Other than that I think she could get a place if she works hard. My dd got 6B's and 2C's. She's doing graphics, history and drama at A'Level. She will probably go down the graphics or digital media route either as an apprenticeship or at uni.

[corythatwas]

Ds got enough Bs and Cs to squeeze into college, but will have to do different A-levels (and a BTEC) from his original plans and will have to retake the maths. He is hoping to join the police force; in the meantime I am hoping that college will be the place where he learns to push himself and go that extra mile.

[Badbadbunny]

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.

Sound advice to work backwards, but don't forget that there is a lot of competition, so best to aim for more than the "minimum qualifications" they ask for. My niece and nephew both achieved the grades they needed for the (different) courses they wanted but despite numerous applications to different colleges, they didn't get in, the reason given that there were so many other applicants with grades/qualifications above their minimum entry requirements who were above them on the list!

[wannabestressfree]

I agree with golden and would encourage her to see a- levels as a fresh start particularly as she had such a rubbish time at her school. Her results would place her as a high flier where I teach :)
I have 13 gcse's that range from a to d: I gained 4 a levels at AAAB and have two degrees. I was just focused on what I liked subject wise.
My son also spent his GCSE years in a psych hospital (I wrote about it on here) and only passed a handful of exams. He won a place to study fine art at uni and starts in a week.
She will be fine :)

[GoldenWorld]

Those are good results - better than I did and I consider myself to be academic!

I got AAB at A Level by the way. When I first started sixth form I was predicted all Ds based on my GCSE results. Schools can be so discouraging to kids who aren't all rounders. They were basing these on my maths, science, German and food tech results (all of which I hated with a passion) yet my A Level choices were essay subjects which I excelled in so it didn't make any sense.

Anyway, I wouldn't write your daughter off yet. I also got a B in English Lit yet I got 100 per cent in one exam and mostly over 90 per cent for it in A Level. I would have got the equivalent of an A* but that grading didn't exist then. I now work in healthcare, got a 2:1 degree with a first in some modules and want to do postgrad at some point. I also did a biology course later on after leaving school and got over 90 per cent in most of the work yet only got a C at GCSE. Some kids just blossom later than others.

Think of her A Levels as a complete fresh start and forget about her GCSEs. A Levels are her chance to shine in subjects she's passionate about, which GCSE isn't. It's generally smaller classes as well which I found suited my learning MUCH better. To be honest, unless you're wanting to apply for Oxbridge or medicine no-one cares about GCSE results past sixth form. I can't see any reason why she can't do physiotherapy.

Plus a strong work ethic is, in my opinion, one of the most, if not the most important attribute to have in the workplace. No-one will be impressed with you if you're a genius but lazy. Hard workers generally do better and get noticed. It's something that will give her an advantage for the rest of her life.

[catslife]

Sounds similar to my dd OP who works very hard too. She has now enrolled for Health and Social Care, Graphic Comms and Creative writing A levels. She would like either to be a graphic designer or "work with children".
She did consider A level Photography but was very relieved she has changed her mind as students have to pay a lot in "studio fees" to cover materials at one sixth form or buy their own high spec digital camera at another. (Starting price for these cameras is approx £300).

[mumsneedwine]

I know. I just get fed up of Mr Branson always being touted as a self made man. No he isn't. There are so many things kids can do with normal GCSEs and as I always tell the kids, results do not define you, your attitude and commitment does that. I don't think we ever stop worrying. My dad is 80 and still worries about me !!!

[2014newme]

But the ops child doesn't want to be an entrepreneur?!

[mumsneedwine]

Richard Branson had very rich parents and an auntie who gave him a lot of cash to start up a business. So yes, he's great, but did start with a rather huge advantage. Alan Sugar on the other hand made it all on his own.

[2014newme]

Richard Branson is an entrepreneur though not everyone has an entrepreneurial streak to start their own bus. He also is dyslexic. Had he wanted to be a physiotherapist he may have faceda challenge as he didn't have the qualifications.
I don't think it's a helpful comparison. He is also very dyslexic

[MyBreadIsEggy]

In my eyes those are great results!!!
I would have loved to have opened my envelope and seen those results when I got mine!
Your Dd has a world of opportunities open to her - they might not be A*'s but they are still higher grade passes
My results were abysmal, through pure laziness and failure to even attend most of my lessons I joined the army which gave me the opportunity to re-sit the core subjects and got decent results second time around. My career was going great, I did a million things I never would have dreamed of and then I got blown up, but that's neither here nor there ....so really crappy GCSE results (a lot worse than your dd's!) don't always mean doors slammed in your face

[yeOldeTrout]

I don't think DS is average, actually, sorry. In the bright but lazy unmotivated camp. He is joining the army.

[chocolateworshipper]

I think they are fabulous results! My DD got 7 at C or above and only one A. We're over the moon with those results because they are better than she expected. She is doing 3 A levels at college. She is doing brilliantly in her part time job (retail) - they absolutely love her and have told her that they hope she will will stay and can see her working in head office. A*s are NOT the only route to success. I see someone has already mentioned Richard Branson. Did you know that Ringo Starr could barely read or write when he left school?

[baringan]

Thank you alltouchedout

[Hellothereitsme]

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.

[lacebell10]

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.

[sandgrown]

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

[alltouchedout]

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.