What minimum grade do you think is required to continue a subject at A-level

[Theodicilent]

DS got 5s in GCSE mocks for science. He wants to do science A-levels. The 5 meets the college minimum criteria but realistically should a higher grade be obtained to consider taking the A-level?

His current school has been in special measures etc throughout so he thinks that he would do better once he gets to college. I’m worried that he will struggle.

Do you think a student that got a 5 could still do well at A-level or should they do something else?

Do I just let him go for it anyway and not interfere?

for my kids school they took Bs last year but after the science A level results last year they require 7 for all sciences to be studied and a 7 in maths to do a science, so it's gone up a grade.

Get him looking for online study guides and maybe some books if you can afford it. MY DD studied the whole of her science courses and Textiles from study guides because of poor teachers or non existant teachers. I taught her maths.

She got a couple of As (Textiles and Art) and the rest Bs and Cs at GCSE.

But at a decent college she got 3 Bs at A level (English, Art and Media) which was plenty for the creative course she wanted to do.

This surprises me as our local, Ofsted outstanding and with excellent results, sixth form college requires just 5 GCSEs at 4/C and above.

To do Maths and Physics Chemistry and Biology at A Level is hard and to have a chance to get good grades in them you really need 7/8 grades at GCSE. Ideally 8. Many colleges have a range of courses such as the BTEC Level 3 subsidiary Diplomas which are equivalent to one A level but not as difficult. However they attract UCAS points in the same way. At our college it’s popular to mix and match the two types of qualifications ie. one or two A levels with one or two BTEC Sub Dips. Most universities accept BTECs but sometimes an additional A level is required. What is your son interested in doing in the future does he have career ideas? There is a BTEC in Applied Science available which is good and perhaps with an additional A level alonside in his best Science would keep a lot of options open.

My comment above refers specifically to entry for A Levels.

I got As in the old model and took chemistry ... I got a U. All my other A levels I got As .

If he works hard he could do it but they’re really fucking hard.

I got B in GCE maths and scraped a D at level. I got B at GCE Physics and failed A level with a U grade. Both were with dedication and plenty of hard work/revision in the sixth form. They're VERY hard.

OP, your posts indicate that your DS is bright but being badly let down by inadequate/non-existent teaching. I would therefore strongly advise you to get advice from MNers about what the best online resources are for maths and science at GCSE and then encourage your DS to work through them methodically. If you have time, perhaps you could actually sit with him and work through them together? Even if you don't understand everything, the moral support may still encourage him to do more independent study than he would if left to his own devices.

I think Uninspired sums it up well....he sounds bright and motivated, but circumstances are poo. For what its worth, the low grades (abysmal, in spite of great GCSEs) I got at A level were also circumstantial, and I ended up with a 2/1 at Uni nonetheless: circumstances do make a huge difference when you're young. Good luck to your ds, and good for him for knowing what he wants - I hope he makes it!

He has text books and study guides so I sort of think that if he was bright enough to do well at A-level he should be able to study well enough in his own time for good gcse grades regardless of the school.

Not sure that he fully realises that how different it would be at A-level so am hoping he will change his mind or surprises me with better results on the day

Did he try his hardest in his mocks? I can remember whenever I've had mocks I never put in 100% effort. Sometimes I deliberately haven't revised to see what level I'm at, and how much effort I need to put into the real thing.

I got b's at gcse 20+ years ago.
Went on to alevel maths and bio and chem. Got only CDD. It was very hard. If you struggle in one (chem) it affects the rest. However the move to modular the year after would probably have imoroved my grades as the shorter books more specific.
A level is very different fewer waffly questions.
About 10 years later i did a language a level and got an A. With only half the teaching time doing an evening course. So the subjects really make a difference, what you are interested in and good at.

I teach all boys and my current yr11 class are all targeted 7’s. I consider those getting a 5 in the mock they just did to be on target.

He needs your confidence in him right now more than anything. If he’s dealing with a shitty school/supply teaching then he needs bolstering and optimism. It sounds like he deserves it

I’m in Biology and we take a minimum of a 6 for Alevel

For what it's worth, this is the first year for the new format science GCSEs and the new grading system.
My DD's science teacher told us at parents evening that as these were the first mocks they'd done on the new system they had "marked cautiously" and also been over cautious with grade boundaries.
My DD and most of her class are targeted 7s and 8s, DD got 4,5,6 in the mocks and hers was one of the highest results.
(Top set Triple science in a large comprehensive)
Could it be that your DS's school are also being over cautious with the new format?
Do you have a parents evening coming up so you can discuss it?

Will schools get individual marks for each subject in combined? DD is really struggling with physics but she loves biology - I think the physics is likely to pull her grade down.

orange You get the marks/UMS per paper on the results slip (or at least you did with old GCSEs).

ps Try to think of it at biology pulling the physics up rather than the other way around. Might make you feel better.

I think it depends on the child and subject. My DD got A, A and A for GCSEs in her chosen A level subjects and is currently assessed as working at A, B and C now at A level (her target grades A, A and A). We know a boy who got A in physics and is really struggling with it, he's been given a target of C!

As mentioned, the results are mocks and there is room for improvement, a few subjects should see improved grades and there may be one or two unexpected increases. However, it's wise to keep his options open and if he has a place lined up for A levels and college that's great. After he's done his exams, he'll have a few weeks to really think about what he wants and can decide on results day. If his present school are any good, they'll have plenty of staff on hand on results day to talk to him if he doesn't quite get the grades he wants but still wants to do A levels.