Dd getting Bs and Cs in A level essays and freaking out!

[Trewser]

English Lit A level. She's just got a C in her most recent essay and is a mess! She suffers from anxiety anyway but it's ramping up. She's year 12 and wants an A, not sure if thats achievable, haven't had much feedback yet. She got a 9 at gcse and a 7 for lang. I've told her to talk to her teacher about it, but is it normal to get so upset, and surely the odd C is fine? The school usually gets excellent Lit results, lowest was a B last year.

That level of anxiety needs addressing, regardless of what she is or isn't intellectually capable of - and it seems way too early to tell. Get her help for the anxiety.

I second help for the anxiety.

She needs to speak to her teachers. She has two years to focus her skills and it’s rare for anyone not to improve.

I'm trying. We live quite rurally and counsellors that specialise in teens and anxiety are few and far between.

Have you spoke to to school or GP about it?

Not gp no. School has a counsellor but dd refuses to see her as apparently she told a girl something confidential about another girl

Essays are marked at a level standard from day one so it's normal to achieve lower grades at the start. If you can't get to a counsellor there's an online service that's for 16-25 year olds, see your gp for local nhs options. Work on the stress now as it's going to get worse in terms of pressure

My DD has been getting B’s and high C’s as well, she’s in year 12 also. She’s predicted A for her subjects.

It’s only been a couple of months into A levels, they have s lot of subject material to cover and exam technique to learn.

I keep telling DD to use the test results to look at weak spots to improve on.

She (and/or you) need to talk to the subject teacher. It's surely entirely normal for grades to be below the final result in the first term of A levels.

Do you know what sort of grades her classmates are getting? I wouldn't necessarily ask her outright if you don't know, but it's something you could check with the teacher.

I think some are getting As (pretty academic school) and dd did get an A first essay but then Bs and now this dreaded C!

So, the ones getting As now are probablyheaded to A* ultimately? Your DDs Bs then might suggest ultimate A. The C may be an anomaly but it sounds like she really needs to ask the teacher for specific guidance on where she lost marks on it.

Gosh bless her! There’s SO much time left of the year but I appreciate that doesn’t help when it comes to anxiety. Definitely keep pushing for camhs involvement though. I took three years to do my a levels with an inpatient stay for anorexia and ended up getting d’s and e’s (and a u in maths I slept through 😂). It’s not the end of the world now but having a difference in prospective over time helps me see that! You sound very understanding or trying to and that will make all the difference.

Yes i have told her that she really needs to listen AND work on it. She's stubborn as well as anxious

onehanded i might take her to the gp. They are pretty useless but they might surprise me.

If these are being marked against exam criteria she is probably doing fine this early in the course. She will need to take more initiative in getting feedback as to how to improve next time. Getting help for her anxiety now is worthwhile to get most benefit in time for A levels.

My dd1 got 8s at gcse in his a level subjects.
He is also getting Bs atm.
Your dds school should hsve made clear to the new year 12s that their grades would drop initially.
Could her tutor speak to her?

Hi @trewser, feel your pain.
As other posters have mentioned positive marking which waymarks avenues for improvement should be standard. She certainly should not be getting just a mark. If this is the case then it might be an idea, AS YOU SAID, if she goes quietly to see the teacher and asks him/her what she can do to improve. Just doing this ought to persuade the teacher that she is serious about getting better grades.
Lower grades at the beginning of yr12 are normal, if she was getting A* straightaway it would be a bit bizarre. If really worried, maybe a tutor? But I would leave that until either nothing happens or she sees the teacher, gets guidance but finds it difficult putting it into practice.

Meanwhile maybe download the syllabus from the exam board, with past papers and markschemes, to see what they are looking for? This should sit alongside advice from teacher.

She has arranged a one to one with the teacher. She's admitted that English lit is her least favourite A level, I think because it's hard! She's constantly getting As in RS and As and Bs in Classics.

Tell her instead of getting stressed about it, to talk to her school and get support via her tutor or student support services. Most six forms offer extensive essay writing support

OP, I'm an English teacher and I haven't even set my Y12s a proper A level style essay yet. I'm not lazy; they've been doing other written work and I've been teaching them skills whilst reading a set text. I don't want to set them an A level essay quite yet (I will soon), mark it against the exam criteria and disappoint them.

If your DD was learning to drive, would she expect to be able to get into the car and pass straight away, without any tuition? No, of course not. A levels are a two year course; there's lots of content, skills and technique to learn. I think she's doing really well to get Bs and Cs at this early point.

Thank you so much. She's spoken to her teacher who was reassuring. They've actually set A level English and she's in the top set, but her teacher wants to keep her there. She's setting another essay and going to work through the plan with dd before she writes it. Dd is feeling a lot better. BUT i do need to do something about her anxiety before next year.

For my GCSEs, I got an A, a whole load of Bs and a C. At A Level, I don’t even know what I got. I can’t remember and I’m only 25. I got into uni on the course I wanted at my insurance choice. I was happy to go to either choice though. I ended up graduating with a 2:1 four years ago.

I understand the stress your DD feels. I wanted to get the highest levels possible and cried every results day. I suffer from anxiety and depression so know how that feels too.

Please try to reassure your DD that A Levels are not the be all and end all.

I really really wish I could make her understand that.

My dd is also in year 12 and doing English Literature, she has just had her essay marked and got a B, her teacher said at this point anything from C and above is really good and she doesn’t expect any changes grades till easter.

I really really wish I could make her understand that.
So many parents must be echoing your thoughts.
Her self esteem with a sense of control and progress in her life may be over invested in marks and A level success. With that comes lack of perspective and therefore amplified feelings of anxiety causing loss of rational thought when she imagines failure. Since she is at an academic school others will have the same tunnel vision and likely reinforcing that her anxiety is justified although actually she is already at a high level and if she listens to feedback will progress.
If not already in place she needs other aspects in her life to relax her and provide self esteem and perspective. Exercise goals is an obvious one, something creative, doodling, volunteering as a dog walker or whatever. They can also contribute to making her more resilient.
Might be worth looking at some of these or similar TED talks and see if there are any that may help her.
www.google.com/amp/s/www.student.com/articles/11-ted-talks-students-must-watch/amp/

sendsummer

Absolutely bang on. She plays hockey BUT is constantly being threatened with being dropped to a lower team = stress. She has singing lessons but constantly being told she should take exams = doesn't want to/stress.

She refuses to let me talk to the school about any of this. Her school has long days and Saturdays (private). Not sure its totally the school's fault as lots of girls seem much more chilled and haven't achieved as highly and don't seem to care about it.

She's also got a thing about smoking. Hates it and all her friends smoke so she's decided she can't be around them socially. I've suggested thst she hangs out with non smokers but she says they aren't her friends 🥴 the whole thing is really confusing.