My daughter's a level teacher just threatened

[LNSL]

not to even enter her for her a level exam. Seems a little harsh no? She's in the lower sixth. Got an E on a recent test, which I thought was decent enough.

What do you think to this?

An E is not a decent grade. Schools are ranked on their students' results, it is not in their interests to enter people into exams they can't pass.

An E won't do her any good, if that's the best she's capable of she'd be better of not taking the exam. If she's capable of better, maybe this will be the kick up the arse she needs to achieve it.

If an e is her best she's better dropping the subject and focusing that time on others

My children's sixth form kicks students out if they don't achieve a D at AS in Y12 - I think that's harsh.

If your daughter is capable of better than an E, she needs to wake up and pull her finger out.

E is a rubbish grade. How can you even remotely think that’s a decent grade?

Is E actually even a grade? I thought that was a basic fail

Depends on OP's DD's ability whether E is a decent grade or not. Not everyone is an A* student.

And an E at this stage of Y12 would hopefully translate to a higher grade in actual A Level.

Was it intended to encourage your DD into making more effort? Is she at an very academic school which won't entertain anyone getting less than a B?

It might not be appropriate for your daughter to sit A levels if she's getting Es. If her tutor thinks she is unlikely to be able to gain the qualification she is right to take your daughter off the course. Otherwise she is purely setting her up to fail.

It may be though that she is "threatening" your daughter to scare her into taking her work seriously. You need to speak to the teacher. If A levels aren't right contact your local FE college to discuss other options for level 3

I think it sounds reasonable, E is not a good grade.

Is that the best she can do? If yes then it’s only fair on her to switch to a subject she has hopes of succeeding in.

What is the subject? Does your DD enjoy it, and how does she feel about continuing it or dropping it?

They have barely done a term of the course yet and I imagine it has been very disrupted because of the Covid 19 situation. What grade did the teacher think that she should have been able to achieve given the current circumstances.

With so little of the course probably complete you wouldn't be expecting As and Bs surely, not if they were given a full A Level paper.

An E is still a pass, and is surely likely to improve?

Wow- you think an e is decent? It's the lowest possible grade above failing outright. I would suggest she either needs to pull her finger out or drop the subject altogether

Perfectly reasonable to spell out to her that if she fails to improve she won't be entered. Most schools or colleges have a cut off point - often a C at the end of year 12.

E is not a decent grade and this was a test, so presumably only covered a section of the syllabus.
Did she revise for the test?

Surely theres room to improve though, shes only a term through the course!

She needs to talk to her form tutor and she needs to switch courses or do a Btec or equivalent.

Tutor sounds like they are quite sure she'd fail the exam to be honest.

@Popfan

Surely theres room to improve though, shes only a term through the course!

That is what I think too. Of course an E is a low pass, but as you say, only a term through the course. A pretty disrupted term too, with schools currently closed to so many students.

Is she taking 4 A levels or 3? If 4 then I would look at dropping this one as an E is not great. However she needs to look at what went wrong with this test and if she can learn from the mistakes. What does she need to get in this A level for the course she wants to do at Uni? I would hope this gives her motivation to improve and her teacher supports her to at least try and improve before a decision is made. The leap to A level is huge, and they are not for everyone.

Yes, overly harsh to make this decision effectively one term and a few weeks into her course. I doubt she's had adequate teaching in that time either (if my son's Y12 experience is anything to go by).

E is not an acceptable grade really .My DS tutor at A level was not happy with a C grade! (He got to Uni with 2 Bs and a C) The point is they will massively struggle with that grade .Could you look into some private tutoring maybe ?(Not sure if possible in a LD) unless online of course .

My 6th form did this, D or higher or you're out.

Fair enough really.

I think it's quite common from what dc1 is saying at the minute with his friends.
Dc1 is taking a btec level 3 (so equivalent to a levels) and they're being told regularly at the moment if they aren't getting high d's /c's they won't be able to stay on next year. That's how they get their 'amazing' pass rates.
I think it's a kick up the arse tactic and also when they get to may/June and they're told they can't continue you can't complain because you were warned.

E is nowhere near anything resembling a good - or even adequate - grade. The teacher clearly feels that she needs a metaphorical kick up the backside.

What's her grades like in other subjects? What is she wanting from these exams? As in what's her future plans?

It’s probably nothing more to do with the work your DD is submitting now rather than her last grade. She’s telling her to buck up her ideas

Random “nothing” in there! Ignore!