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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:
IfYouGoDownToTheWoodsToday · 02/09/2017 07:53

So to clarify is she been ask to leave completely? If so that is ridiculous as she has 3 other great passes. You should complain, via the giveners.

If she's being told to just stop taking one A level, that's fine. Both my DDs only took 3 A levels (plus General Studies), having dropped one after year 12. This was school policy- drop the one AS level to concentrate in 3 great A level grades.

Almahart · 02/09/2017 07:53

its all a bit pointless though isn't it. In my day BBC was perfectly good enough to get you into eg Manchester or most red bricks.

OP it sounds to me as if the school should be looking into what went wrong . Very good luck

NewIdeasToday · 02/09/2017 07:55

The first year of A levels isn't for 'kicking back'. It's a really important year when teenagers really start to study subjects in much greater depth. The step duo from GCSEs is huge.

To the OP. It sound likes you want someone to 'blame' and you're focusing on the school rather than talking honestly to your daughter. The AS may not count towards the A level now but it counts in other important ways - notably in allowing pupils to see how they are progressing after a year's study at a higher level and also as a signal of ability to Universities if applying through UCAS.

Surely that is obvious?

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2017 07:56

A U does need to go on her UCAS form.

That I did not know!

Bluntness100 · 02/09/2017 07:59

This doesn't make sense. If she was doing four a levels, and failed one as and the college suggested an alternative because she failed, then it would seem like good advice. However why would she be kicked out? Did she fail the other three? You don't get kicked out for failing one of four. Most kids only take three a levels.

Ktown · 02/09/2017 08:02

But she failed then there is no point continuing now. At best she might get a D, and no decent university will accept such a poor grade.
She would be better off switching courses.
It doesn't sound like she is reading around the subject at all.

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2017 08:07

Oh, and to clarify the 1/2 in your OP, they'll be advising her to do Applied Science AS whilst in year 13 to supplement and complement her full A levels (and to replace her psychology in terms of her suite of results) because she wouldn't have time to do the full A Level. It's solid advice, although , as others have pointed out, she could just do three full A levels, assuming she was studying 4 in year 12.

Copperbeech33 · 02/09/2017 08:11

it wasn't taken that seriously

the assessment summarising and applying everything learnt in the first half of the course wasn't taken seriously? can you hear yourself?

Not fair for the student to carry all the responsibility and consequences.

well, this could be the attititude that got he r into this situation

I have been following the legal challenges re the grammar school who were denied progression to year 13

there is no comparison, they were excluded for getting C, she has been withdrawn from a course because the indications are she is failing it

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.

that is nonsense, every exam result has to go on every application, forever, and to omit it is fraud.

Shadowboy · 02/09/2017 08:15

I teach in a sixth form. All students are told that an E/U grade at AS is not sufficient to continue into the second year. I can't see the issue with this? The AS is worth 40% of an A level which is harder. So. If a student can't score over 40% on an easier paper why do so many think that pushing them onto a further year will be beneficial for them? It often makes them anxious and depressed continuing on a course of which they are failing.

Original poster
Dollytwoshoes · 02/09/2017 08:15

We've just received the email re-Mark from AQA: she's gone up two grades!

OP posts:
onadifferentplanet · 02/09/2017 08:17

So is she being allowed to continue with the other 3 subjects next year? Seems sensible to concentrate on 3 rather than struggle with 4. I thought it was the norm for most students to drop one subject in the second year, thought I may be out of date with that

ErrolTheDragon · 02/09/2017 08:25

The norm now seems to be moving towards only starting 3 - the start 4, drop one was better IMO, especially with subjects not studied before or for the many not certain what they want to do after.

Good news about the remark, OP - but depending on what the other subjects are and what she wants to do, it still may be sensible to drop it.

SuburbanRhonda · 02/09/2017 08:25

Two grades? That's amazing!

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2017 08:26

Copper , I did say 'I think' and have already been put right. You are very rude sometimes! Confused

whenyouwish · 02/09/2017 09:04

Bizarrely I got an A at GCSE psychology and then an E at a-level psychology so I never took it further than AS level. Really strange though as I attended all classes and revised really hard. I'm not entirely sure what went so wrong and 15 years ago we didn't really get feedback. I just continued with my other a-levels for the second year.

Bluntness100 · 02/09/2017 09:05

Is this real? She's gone up two grades, and you were told on a Saturday. And she was being kicked out for failing one as, when doing four?

Is it just me or is this unbelievable and bizzare?

loopsdefruit · 02/09/2017 09:07

So your DD's grade went up 2 grades, have you asked for feedback from AQA, you can do that if the grade was changed 2 or more grades. Also, it was nice of your school to contact you on a saturday morning.

pikk · 02/09/2017 09:09

This has happened to my son too. Really unexpected and unprepared. We've had good news in one of his AQA remarked papers but still school won't take back as only has two poor passes. I haven't enjoyed parenting son and little support from secondary education. It affects whole family. It's all grade focused nothing being taught in schools about career pathways. Pleased it's all worked out for you, worth the battle in the end.

loopsdefruit · 02/09/2017 09:10

bluntness I am curious too, this seems like a very quick turnaround for a non-essential/uni place at stake request, and to be contacted by the school on a saturday, and to also go up 2 grades with AQA (just like a pp).

Copperbeech33 · 02/09/2017 09:32

Copper , I did say 'I think' and have already been put right. You are very rude sometimes!

sorry, didn't mean to be rude, I was responding to the first page before reading the second, and it is a misunderstanding I feel I need to correct strongly, just having had an ex student taken to court for omitting grades on an application.

Almahart · 02/09/2017 09:56

I do actually disagree that first year sixth form isn't for kicking back. It's a time for doing other projects, reading around the curriculum etc.

So not doing FA but spending some time away from the narrow curriculum

But that view is from the 80s, I can see things are very different now

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2017 11:03

That's all right copper. I like learning things so am happy to be corrected nicely!

You haven't actually got the AS when you get a U , so I am guessing it is still all right to omit it form job applications as it isn't a qualification?

Disclaimer: I haven't got any Us my DS probably will in a year though

Piggywaspushed · 02/09/2017 11:04

Two grades in psychology ?

Must have been an admin error??

TheNoseyProject · 02/09/2017 11:09

So she got a C now? Is that inline with her other AS results? Personally I'd still apply for a remark.

Not sure why you kicked off at the school rather than asking for a review/remark in the first place. Sounds like both sides have been too hasty.

Hope your dd hasn't been too knocked by this.

mogulfield · 02/09/2017 11:12

What are her grades now then? In al her AS subjects?