Not allowed to do Maths A'level....with an A

[AppleQueen]

So DS has just been told he will not be allowed to do A'level Maths. He got an A grade rather than an A*. Head says experience shows, those doing Maths A'level with only an A at GCSE will only manage to scrape a D. So puff goes ds's dream to study engineering. Really gutted for him.

My dh did engineering at Uni. He is now head of a few departments in an engineering firm. He went to an Indy school who told him he couldn't do A levels as he got mainly As and Bs at GCSE.
In the end they 'allowed' him to do Maths, Physics and D&T. He got ok marks, can't remember what exactly, but he went to a new Uni (at the time) with great engineering degrees. Don't let your ds be put off.

I got a B at Maths GCSE (although I got 98pc) as middle tier paper. I got a C at A level Maths, and enjoyed it (and not having to write essays!!)

UCL require Maths for both Mechanical Engineering and Electrical/Electronic. Not Civil. It would be very unusual for Maths and Physics not to be required for Mech Eng.

If he wants to do engineering, the best thing to do is get an apprenticeship. A good provider will pay for all of his qualifications and perhaps even a degree, but in the long run the degree isn't important because he'll have on the job experience. It really is the way forward. Unfortunately I can agree with the sixth form's statement - all of us getting full marks in our maths GCSEs barely passed A Level maths, although it is harsh for him to not even be able to try.

i agree it is harsh of the school. I gor a B at GCSE and a C at a-level. To be honest I didn't really try that hard though so sure there was room for improvement. I went on to study architectural engineering gaining a 2:1 and am a chartered structural engineer. There is a lot to engineering beyond just maths. There are apprenticeship routes that may also be worth considering. I think they are generally day release and as I understand all firms have to put money into these schemes so most will be keen to tske people so they at least get some benifit from paying in. in my area there are some soecialist colleges for engineering too.

I got 8 As and 1B in my GCSE mocks. The B was in Maths. This was in the days before A* grades. I was at a grammar school so they told me I couldn't do A Level Maths.

In my actual GCSEs I got 9 As. I then moved to a sixth form college where I got 3 As in my A Levels including Maths.

I then studied Engineering at University and graduated with the highest mark in my year. I got particularly high scores in the maths papers.

To be honest I say the idea that you need an A* GCSE to do well in Maths is rubbish.

I have always been a bit crap at arithmetic and a bit careless. However I am very logical and good at problem solving. So basically the 'harder' Maths got the easier I found it.

I think the school is unfair, what they should have say is that he might struggle to get an A, not that he would scrap a D>

However, going by DD and her friends' experience (small sample, but quite representative), it is a fact that those who got an A in A levels have all failed to get an A at AS levels, and that's with them going to 3 different institutions.

DD got A* at Maths and FM and managed to to score all above 90, but her best friend, who managed to get 5As at GCSEs included Maths did so by working extra hard, and even continuing to do so at college, got a B at AS.

She is still hoping to be predicted an A and to be able to go to study Engineering, and is likely to get a place even if she does end up with a B, so I think the school is being very unfair. Was was your son expected grade? There's a difference if he struggled through the year but somehow managed to just scrap an A than if he was A* level but lost out by a couple of point on the day.

I would have a talk with the school again. It's amazing how some say no before start of the year and suddenly (as a number of students drop off) become more flexible afterwards. If it's still a no and your DS is determined to study Engineering, I would change school.

Interesting discussion. I have certainly seen several 'good at maths' at GCSE students drop Maths after their first year. I struggled myself, but got s hard won C. Glad you have found an option for him. Might be the making of him, this move.

AppleQueen, I have not read the whole thread, but just wanted to say I hope your son settles in to his new school and is soon happily making new friends there.

I agree with Noble's advice of the importance of study. The more he puts into the A level, the more he will get from it. On the positive side, he will perhaps now have more of drive than other candidates, having experienced a set back. Success is often not governed by how easily we achieve things, but how resiliently we can bounce back from failures. (Though it does seem ridiculous to class A at GCSE a failure)

Derelict I think you are thinking of Further Maths A level not Maths A level. It would be impossible to do most (all?) engineering without a good grounding in maths.

I am shocked that the Indy school are prepared to lose 2 years fees and tarnish their reputation by being so inflexible. They will regret it in the long term.

My daughters's Indy also stated A* at GCSE for A level subjects but Maths A level was done in one year only, she did achieve an A, by the skin of her teeth, but she didn't really work hard on her own admission.

Several girls left to study elsewhere at local grammars and excelled, so you son will probably do well if not better.

School's self-interest at play. Questionable morality.

You have to wonder what quality of A Level teaching there is, if they can't get an A grade student any better than a D.

You should look elsewhere. Last minute places on offer at good colleges right now.

Best of luck.

That's absolutely unreasonable and definitely about school self interest - sure he'll have to work harder than the kids who get As without trying but my daughter's boyfriend just got an A in his maths a level having got an A at GCSE because he worked significantly harder and decided he really wanted it. If he wants to get "above a D" then he absolutely will be able to. Such a shame that they're taking this unreasonable route, I really feel for your son, especially as he's done so well and should be proud of his result.

If he's now got a place elsewhere, can you name the school for the benefit of others, please.