Applying to college with borderline predicted grades

[flyingfoxes]

Hi everyone,

My DD has just gotten her predicted GCSE grades and I was happy to see that they're better than needed for her to get into the local selective sixth form (into the programme as a whole, but they have individual requirements for each course). However, she wants to study chemistry and her predicted combined science grade is only 5+. She needs a 6 to be accepted into their chemistry course. 😫 Does anyone have any stories good or bad about kids getting accepted/rejected with borderline grades? I'm hoping her actual results will be higher than 5+ but admission is based on predicted grades, as I understand it!

It's not a great idea to do an A level with a 5 or below tbh, there is a big jump from GCSE to A level. My Dcs' school is not unusual in asking for a 6 in chosen subject tho there is usually leeway eg if a student did much worse than expected or was really close to the boundary.

Most sixth forms make a conditional offer which is only firmed up on results day IME. If she can work hard and bring the grade up to 6 she should be fine, unless you know for certain they only admit based on predictions, which would be odd. Check she is doing higher btw.

There is little evidence that anyone doing a challenging A level with a 5 or 6 at GCSE will get a good grade at A level. It’s a huge risk. With low A level grades after 2 years, what would she do then? The grammar schools near me require a 7 minimum. That’s because the jump up is hard and from double award (where the syllabus is reduced when compared to triple science) the jump to A level is even greater. I would not consider it.

The gap from the 9-1 combined science to A level Chemistry is much less than it used to be for the old Double award. All the topics needed for A level are now studied in the combined course.
For sixth form applications my dd had an aspirational choice for if she achieved slightly higher than predicted, a safe choice where the entry requirements were in line with her predictions and a back-up choice in case her results were lower than expected.
Most sixth forms allow swaps to different subjects once results have been received.

As it transpires from your AIBU that your DD is only in y10, she just needs to work hard at science and show that these early predictions are too low so that they adjust them upwards.

If she’s only y10 then she definitely has time to improve her predictions so don’t panic. But I would urge caution tbh. I have a DS sitting GCSEs this summer and his school’s 6th form is selective (requires minimum 6, ideally a 7 to study maths or the sciences). And at their open evening all science staff stressed the big jump from GCSE to A level even for those doing separate science GCSEs. It’s not one to undertake unless you really have a solid foundation to jump from and a 5 possibly wouldn’t be solid enough.

DS is taking triple science and getting 7-9 grades in GCSE assessments but he was completely put off taking chemistry A level because it was the science that seemed to be emphasised as the hardest to do. Enjoyable (if you like chemistry!) but super tough. All teachers emphasised that to do well at A level you need to really like the subject AND be strong in it as well. DS has since discounted chemistry completely as he doesn’t feel he’d be up to it and that’s with a strong grade 7 in his mock exam.

I think that most of the above posters thought that your dd was in Y11.
In my experience, as a parent, the "predicted" grades that pupils are given in Y10 aren't that accurate. You need to see how your dd does in the end of Y10 exams. If she does well the target grades are likely to be increased and vice-versa.
The trouble with your question is that the first pupils to take the new 9-1 GCSEs in Combined and separate Sciences haven't taken their A levels yet. They will be taking them this year in 2020.
Having said that I am not sure why your dd is taking Combined Science when she is interested in A level Chemistry. My dds school strongly recommends GCSE Chemistry and other separate Sciences for A level.

cat (From the other thread, the DD didn't make the 'cut' to be allowed to do triple by the school).

I haven't read the other thread. Will go and have a look.
However sometimes sixth forms ask a higher grade for Combined Science than if pupils have taken 3 separate Sciences i.e. Triple.