DS only sitting one a level subject

[user20]

Hi

So my 18 year old DS who has Asperger's is in upper sixth has chosen to drop to one a level.

His attendance is absolutely shocking - I believe it is sitting at 70% - he is never in school.

His attendance last year was awful as well but and he got 2Ds and an A in his BTEC ict.
Those grades are good considering he did no work last year and was never really in school that much - shows how much he could get if he did do work and attend school.

I think it's all gotten too much for him now and he knows himself he'll never catch up, he dropped Geography about a month or so ago and was told he could just focus on his ICT and the other subject but now he wants to drop it because he has fallen behind in it and just wants to do his ict, he is behind in it too.

Thing is, I don't know if the school will tolerate him only doing one a level - they may ask him to leave.

He just doesn't seem to give a dam about his a levels, having been so hard working at gcse and getting 4As, 1B and 2Cs I don't know what has got into him over the last year. He has just become so lazy and never really goes to school and doesn't see anything wrong with it - he claims he is depressed but I think it's an excuse - he just sits around listening to music all day and does realise that he has made a mess of his a levels and worries about his future.

He also doesn't lift a hand to help around the house - sits around in his pyjamas and doesnt do very much - his room is a mess. Such a change from somebody who used to be first up in the mornings as a child and keep his room clean and tidy.

I am just concerned about his future - he has applied to do BTEC ict at his local FE college next year but I'm worried he will do the same thing over again.

I think his school have given up on him regarding his attendance and deadlines - they used to call him in all the time and now they don't say a thing.

Anyway, my question was is it possible for him to only sit one Exam this summer? Will a school allow that?

Thanks

[countchuckula]

He also doesn't lift a hand to help around the house - sits around in his pyjamas and doesnt do very much - his room is a mess. Such a change from somebody who used to be first up in the mornings as a child and keep his room clean and tidy

You need to explore with him what brought about this change. That will be the key to all this.

[Mary19]

I feel your pain. At least your ds says he is depressed. I think the priority is to capitalise on this moment and get him to the GP ASAP. My ds is vey similar also 70% attendance also dropped to 2 A levels but won’t admit any problems

[Comefromaway]

The issue will be that one A level is not classed as full time education so the school may lose their funding for him and you will lose child benefit.

Dd is doing 2 A levels and that’s the minimum to be a full time course (needs to be in school/college for 16 hours per week).

[pointythings]

You say he isn't depressed - what you are describing screams depression to me. I think addressing that is far more important than how many A-levels he is sitting. He can get back on track when his mental health is stable again - there are other options available in terms of his education.

[clary]

I guess you need to ask the school. sorry it's not clear - is it the BTEC he wants to continue with or the other A level? If the BTEC, there are no exams anyway.

I would take him to the GP about possible depression. A levels are so much pressure, my dd is in yr 13 and she seems so weighed down with it 😥 I can't wait for it to be over tbh. Sorry op x