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Secondary education

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Original poster

Daughter kicked out of 6th form **Title edited by MNHQ**

143 replies

Dollytwoshoes · 01/09/2017 22:54

My daughter has been told she can not return to her complete her psychology A level because she failed her AS. Through out year 12 she's been on target for a B's.They have advised her to do applied science 1/2 A level (whatever this means) instead. Is this because this won't be published in the league tables? I've put in an formal complaint and asking to see governors. Is the head acting lawfully with my daughters best interests at heart. Has anyone else had to deal with this?

OP posts:
titchy · 01/09/2017 22:58

Continuation into the second year at sixth form is normally dependent on getting certain grades at AS, so not being allowed to continue because she failed is very common, and probably best. Applied Science will certainly count for the school/college's results - that is not the reasons they've suggested that. They've suggested that as it's probably the best option.

What went so wrong at AS?

TipTop333 · 01/09/2017 23:19

The reason they would have made the students do the (now optional) AS exams is to provide an accurate understanding of the suitability of the A level course for each student. They would probably have stipulated from the very start of year 12 that a certain grade (usually D) was required at AS to proceed to A level so I'm not sure how far a complaint will get you.
I would be very shocked if a student I had predicted Bs for all year achieved a U in the exam. You need to find out exactly what went wrong.

Garlicansapphire · 01/09/2017 23:25

Our school stipulated that you have to get two DDs as AS level to get into the next year. This was made very clear at the beginning of the year and at mocks. So you wouldnt even be able to stay at the school. I see in the news that some parents are challenging a similar school rule.

But I guess its a good indicator isnt it - if she failed the AS why do you think it would be a good idea for her to continue onto A level and fail that too?

Original poster
Dollytwoshoes · 01/09/2017 23:31

The message from the school was that AS doesn't affect your final grade, it wasn't taken that seriously; and we certainly didn't expect this to happen! We have no idea what went so wrong, her mock exam and teachers assessment thru out the year 12 indicated a secure pass, she hadn't be scrapping by.
Maybe the teachers marking/grading is inaccurate and I think this requires an investigation. The school needs to accept accountability. Not fair for the student to carry all the responsibility and consequences. Shame this can't be an opportunity for learning.
School is a public service paid for by the government - she has to remain in education and she wants to. She wants to complete the course she started last year.

OP posts:
Movedout · 01/09/2017 23:37

There is lot of publicity about this type of thing happening. It's a shame pastoral care goes out of the window where league table are concerned 

PlaymobilPirate · 01/09/2017 23:39

I think there's more to this that she's not telling you op

Movedout · 01/09/2017 23:40

Have you read the thread about St Olaves school in Kent? Same story. I'm sure had she not done well in her GCSEs she wouldn't have been invited into the 6th form

Original poster
Dollytwoshoes · 01/09/2017 23:42

Why do you think there's more to it?

OP posts:
Mrskeats · 01/09/2017 23:45

But if she failed at AS why would she go onto pass next year? It's not about league tables.

TipTop333 · 01/09/2017 23:48

Have you requested the papers back? If it is the surprise you say it is, the school would be just as interested to hear where it went wrong.
In regards to saying that the staff were at fault with their assessment, there would be a number of students from her class in the same boat. Is this the case?
If you were under the assumption that as the marks for the AS exams did not 'count' towards anything, you're wrong. They counted towards being able to progress to Year 13 and predicted grades for UCAS. They need to be taken seriously, and the school would have been saying this from the start.

Pestilentialone · 01/09/2017 23:50

Is she only doing one A level?

Applied science is often used as a soft exam to ensure the kid can pass their remaining A levels. What were her other grades?

Was she kicked out of school or just asked to change one subject?

DopeOnARope · 01/09/2017 23:51

At St Olaves students with respectable grades are getting kicked out, though.

Was there NO warning about actually failing? Have they only just told you?

Gannicusthemannicus · 01/09/2017 23:53

Unfortunately this has been the case for quite a few years - I had to get at least a C grade in all my subjects to continue to A2 levels. If they made this clear at the start, you haven't really got a leg to stand on with the governors.

It is surprising they have completely kicked her out though - seeing as she was on target for a B, I would think they would put her forward for a resit seeing as a failing grade was out of the norm for her. Did she get a U?
And I'm also very surprised they didn't take AS seriously as a 6th form, there is a huge jump from GCSE to A level so that year is incredibly crucial to prepare students for A2s. And it is what the predicted grades to get into uni are based on, so its very important! Either way, the 6th form definitely needs to change their attitude towards AS levels.

Garlicansapphire · 01/09/2017 23:54

But seriously, did she get a U? Unless the grading is badly wrong then what hope has she got of passing the A level? If you pay to get it re-graded and it comes back the same would you still want her to do the A level? If she honestly thinks she worked hard?

I understand that you may feel aggrieved that you didnt realise the AS level mattered, and that school didnt make it clear. I also understand that it didnt seem so important as it didnt count towards the A level but I am surprised no one thought it mattered to bank the progress and learning of this year to build on into the next year. If you knew she needed to pass an A level in the subject next year wouldnt it have been a good idea for her to make sure she fully understood how to pass an exam in it this year? It is a formal exam board exam.

My DD got 2 Us at mocks in psychology and another subject (alongside other grades for other subjects). So she dropped psychology and we got a tutor for the other one and I spent a lot of time helping her revise. She raised it to a B in the exam. I just felt she couldn't afford to lose momentum this year in any subject and there was no point proceeding with something she had no facility in.

If you challenged it and they let her stay and she failed the A level would you want to blame the school then? Arent they just trying to save her from a failed A level?

Sorry - I really dont understand.

Original poster
Dollytwoshoes · 02/09/2017 00:08

We've asked for the papers back - she did well in her other AS exams, as predicted. She's doing / was doing 4 A Levels. (She got A*s B's GCSE's.) I wasn't aware that failing meant she couldn't continue and as she's been on target & never failed an exam, this isn't what we expected.
I have been following the legal challenges re the grammar school who were denied progression to year 13; this inspired me to seek feedback from net mum regarding my situation.
I believe she is capable of achieve A Level and that's why I'll continue to fight her corner and not allow an opportunity to be missed.
Thank you for you're feed back.

OP posts:
Mrskeats · 02/09/2017 00:11

Did she get a U? If so then why is the school in the wrong? It sounds to me like you just want someone to blame. Did your daughter attend all sessions, work hard etc?
Did all the class fail?

ErrolTheDragon · 02/09/2017 00:19

If she is still able to do 3 other subjects, perhaps the school genuinely believes she would be better focussing her efforts on those rather than spreading herself too thin? It is (or was, when AS were standard for all subjects) quite normal to do 4 subjects in yr 12 and then drop one to focus on getting the best grades possible in the other 3 - university offers are just about all based on 3 subjects.

Garlicansapphire · 02/09/2017 00:21

Yes I saw about the legal challenge and wondered if it would mean a lot of schools would now have to change their rules. And I understand the principle in terms of a right to an education and you feeling let down.

If you check the marking and the grading and they are correct then I'd have an honest conversation with your DD. Did she work hard, was it due to not working or did she work hard and actually not really understand the subject? I had to really keep an eye on things as my DD found the progression into AS/A level type work quite a transition and step up from GCSE's. It doesnt sound like your DD did and thats obviously why the result is a shock.

I just would want to make sure my child wasnt doing a subject they would probably fail in. So I'd want to take the schools advice seriously and not let the shock of the schools decision override the issue of why she failed. So if she could continue with the subject I'd definitely get a tutor to go back over the past year to catch her up.

Anyway good luck. We obviously dont agree.....

ErrolTheDragon · 02/09/2017 00:23

I'm a bit confused though - the thread title says she's been kicked out of 6th form, the last post implies she can still do 3 subjects (plus the half if she wants)Confused

Gannicusthemannicus · 02/09/2017 02:17

Do you know the exam board she was with? Just because I had my own issues with AQA psychology, with many students doing much worse than anticipated when the results came out. My AQA psych exam was remarked and went up 2 grades.

Really good results at GCSE aren't guarantees of A level results though, unfortunately. A lot of young people find the move to A levels very hard, as you really do have to get your head down and work with A levels, whilst it is possible to get through GCSEs with minimal work. (not that I condone that!)

Also, are you aware that if you get the papers back, you can't have them remarked? (that was the system a few years back at least) if she feels like the exam went ok, it is possible there has been a mistake, or unfair marking.

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2017 07:35

This isn't the same as the school in the news at all, though. She isn't being kicked out and she failed. As others have said, why would anyone want to continue to study something they have outright failed? The U suggests she understood none of the content - so how would she plan to turn that round in a matter of months? If you are keen to blame the school and their marking, I would also want her out of that subject! That won't change quickly either!

We have a problem at our school with ASs now the vast majority don't contribute to the full A Level score. Students are being entered and getting Es or Us. They know our policy is to tell them they cannot proceed with a subject they fail. Yet - it's a psychological thing- because the exams 'don't count' (thanks government!)) they don't work all that hard for them (relying solely on what they have done in lessons in many cases with very little revision) and lack the maturity to see the bigger picture. 5 boys at our school now have Us in all 4 subjects they took! In reality OP how committed was your DD to her studies in year 12? is this actually a wake up call?

To the PP who said about resits : most schools would say there is no point if you are pushing on to do full A level as it does not contribute any marks to that. It is a stand alone qualification.

I think if you gain a U it doesn't need to go on UCAS, so it's as if it didn't exist in fact.

What is her chosen FE/ career path? Is that what bothers her and you?

Almahart · 02/09/2017 07:42

My kids are miles away from this yet but the pressure sounds immense. First year of A levels used to be for kicking back and doing other things (at a very academic school) This just sounds awful

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2017 07:49

It is definitely very different form the way it once was. The positive side of it is that the schools tend to teach with more focus throughout now and students, on the whole, are more driven and diligent throughout and more focused. There are definitely negatives : it can be exhausting for all concerned and there are those who drop by the wayside

I have been teaching a long time and I would argue that a student I taught 20 years ago who coasted a bit and then got a B or C at A Level was happier and more relaxed - but uni offers were a bit lower then too. The same student now would probably be pushed harder and push herself harder, would probably get more revision strategies and sessions put on for her (another double edged sword!) and would probably get an A or a B . There are numerous studies which show that students work harder - as a body- than they used to.

noblegiraffe · 02/09/2017 07:50

A U does need to go on her UCAS form.

This is a completely different situation to the one in the news. There pupils were being kicked out to protect school stats. Here your DD is not being allowed to continue a course that she failed. This is because if she failed Y12, there is very little point in continuing in Y13 as she will most likely fail again or do very poorly and it would be a waste of a year.

This case in the news is annoying as parents and students are now going to demand their 'right' to continue failed courses (didn't revise, exam didn't count etc etc) when it's probably going to end badly and schools are trying to do what's best for the student. No the exam doesn't count, but the content hasn't been learned, and the next year has a whole lot of new content so there's not much time to go over the previous stuff. St Olave's case was completely different - there the kids had passed Y12 with good grades.

MongerTruffle · 02/09/2017 07:52

At St Olaves students with respectable grades are getting kicked out, though.

They've now been told that they can come back.

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