ECDL

[Sunnystars]

Can anyone tell me if the ECDL qualification my dc attained at level Distinction* will count towards the amount of GCSE's required by sixth form/ college?

How funny Teen, we're in exactly the same area!

As a school, we have also always been somewhat discouraged from encouraging students to leave - funding and all that. Happily, with our own on site careers adviser, that is shifting a little, so more students are choosing appropriate pathways.

Sorry Piggy, I have only skim read, are you a Year 11 parent or a teacher? Or both?

Well Don't just in case, I would like to say that the advice and information we had from school was fine and I suspect better than in many other schools.

I do think the Hants system has one major issue though. The schools don't teach A levels, so can't tell you whether your DC would cope, and the colleges don't know your DC so can't say whether your DC will cope.

I think we hit a perfect storm with DD and college, lots of things conspired to make it a difficult 2 years which we couldn't have predicted. But DD2 is going to same college over my dead body

The main issue of comps not having sixth forms for me would be the difficulty of hiring subject specialists for 11-16 that won't have the opportunity to teach A-level.

don't . Teacher and year 12 parent !

Different schools.

I find this obsession with needing such high grades at GCSE to do A levels very odd.

They are different exams.

The kids can specialise in the subjects they like.

They are older, so hopefully more mature, and will work harder.

I did much better in my A levels than I did in my GCSEs.

The idea that you should be written off if you "only" got Cs or 5s is a nonsense.

I'm not sure about the Cs. I do think there needs to be a cut off. But schools that state ^s/ 7s and above are nakedly trying to protect their results! Which is ridiculous, as they can't have great Value Added measures to be honest.

To some schools, it is as if Ds and Es at A level don't exist. they certainly don't want them at their school.

That said, I don't think it holds true any more that there are many degree pathways available to students leaving with, let's say, 2 A levels at DD or three at DDE, whereas there definitely used to be.

I would definitely enquire about 2 A levels - one of DD's friends only did 2 A levels at her sixth form (attached to the school) because they knew her character and knew she was a hard worker, and that she wanted to do a very specific course after sixth form that only required 2 A levels. Generally they asked for 5A*-C including English and maths (though these could be retaken) and Cs in the subjects taken for A level aside from maths, where a B was needed (although some of DD's friends got on with Cs after an interview with the head of maths - again because the department knew their work ethic and skill set, and capability.)

Coming from the lower school could put you in an advantageous position and it's definitely worth lobbying for an option that suits your DD.

A school won't receive funding for a student doing two A levels so this is almost unknown these days, unless other things are found to stuff the timetable...

We don’t get funding for students unless full time which is three a levels or Btec equivalent.

Oh - this was two years ago so it must have tightened up!

I have well and truly had my eyes opened in the last few days.
It seems that post 16 education is anything but flexible to incorporate the interests and ability of individual students, rather more a 'sheep farming exercise' to make sure they all end up in a pen somewhere.
Box ticked.

Teen Now desperate to know which college we should avoid!

Stick I'm sure the college on the whole is fine, generally gets a good Ofsted etc. I think we probably just hit a load of circumstances that conspired together. However, if your DC has any level of SEN then PM me if you want more info.

Thanks for the offer. In the midst of applying to two of the larger trad A level colleges down here.