What when your children are NOT going to pass their GCSEs?

[Toomanystorieslost]

DD has some learning needs but was predicted 4/5 and one 6 initially.
She however has had a tough 12 months at school for a variety of reasons and couldn't even manage to stay in class for the whole lesson without feeling anxious.
Combined with a huge staff turnover in 12 months, some serious issues with another child and a particular teacher who basically rams down their throats that if they don't get a certain grade their life is over she gave up.

I've been working heavily with school but we are looking at 1-3s.
She's got a place at college based on her predicted but they have said that they could accommodate on a lower level but what does she do without her GCSE Maths and English?

All the retakes I've seen mention three which she won't get.

She will have to redo her maths and English at college

Most collugues offer maths and english retakes or equlivent level courses in maths and english as part of their courses.

If college are saying they can accomidate her lower grades they probley are aware she'll need to retake maths and english

What course does she want to do at college? Could she do her maths and English alongside it? Or she could spend a year just focusing on Maths and English then start her course the following year - she’s still very young. Or she could try functional skills Maths and English (level 2 is equivalent to the lower level GCSE).
She has options!

She's changed course to public services.

DC2 is y10 and forecast 1s & 2s. They're finally assesing for dyslexia, on top of hearing impairment and mild ASD.

Resits for maths & English in 6th form. DC2 will likely be doing BTEC in something very practical (and will no doubt end up earning waaaaay more than highly academic DC1!)

If you don't get a 3 they put you in for functional skills instead (I think).

See how it goes. Round our way if you get a 3 in Maths or English, you retake until you pass, alongside your main course; if you get a 2 or below they look at Functional Skills.

All the best. We had a fairly horrible year with DD through GCSEs, but college has been brilliant. Still hasn't passed Maths, but she's got yet another retake soon [sigh].

I second the people who say college could well be the answer.

My DS failed everything except maths and English, and when we went to see the local college they were fantastic. They were a bit bemused by him only having maths and English, as they were mainly set up for students who needed to resist these. However they spent time with him talking about what he wanted to do, and he then did a level 2 in IT, which got him onto the level 3.

He’s now half way through this and it’s lovely to see the way his confidence has come back.

Please don’t despair, there are ways forward out there.

My dn has a range of sn. He went to college at 16 and did a 1 year level 2 course followed by a 2 year level 3 course. He has continued with English and maths, initially doing equivalent courses. He got his GCSE pass in English at 19 and is due to start uni in September. There is a good reason that you get 3 years of education free post 16.

I just want to say thank you OP for this thread. My DS is likewise slipping from 4/5's to 2's. For a variety of reasons, I feel he's checked out already.

Reading the replies has given me hope. College and a new start may well be exactly what he needs. So difficult as a parent though. All you want them to do is make the most of their opportunities and his teachers right now are more than meeting him half way.

Thanks everyone.
The reassurance is massively appreciated.

to you Blastandtroph.
' I feel he's checked out already. '
Can completely relate to this.