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Secondary education

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Original poster

Maths A Level test

16 replies

Curly1010 · 22/09/2021 23:32

Hi,
My DS started 6th form 3 weeks ago and has been told if he doesn't pass his Maths baseline test then he can't continue with the subject. He only picked 3 A levels rather than 4 and now really worried he won't be allowed to stay on at 6th form to do 2 A levels or change to another subject. I find it quite harsh that after having the points and the grades to get in, after 3 weeks he could be told he can't continue? Has anyone else come across this before? We were never told this when he chose the subjects. Thanks

OP posts:
TeenMinusTests · 23/09/2021 09:44

I've definitely read about it on here before.
To be honest I think it makes sense, especially this year when people qualified based on teacher assessments not exams.
It is better to switch now to a different subject than to continue until it is too late and then to get an E or U.
Again from reading here, there is likely to be a lot of algebra on the test so he should make sure he is solid on that.
Presumably the results of the test are within the college's switching window, otherwise that would be ridiculous.

sashh · 23/09/2021 09:58

Surely if he does have to drop maths he can pick up another subject?

TeenMinusTests · 23/09/2021 10:12

He wouldn't be allowed to continue with just 2 'because funding' so it must surely be within the permitted swap window.

Quidity · 23/09/2021 13:54

I think this is pretty standard for Maths and is because Maths at A level can be a big step up even for pupils who attain a 7 or 8 at GCSE.

HasaDigaEebowai · 23/09/2021 14:01

They’ll switch him to another subject. We are only a few weeks in. What other subjects is he doing?

It’s very sensible. It’s quite common for pupils to struggle with the move from gcse to a level maths and the reality is that unless he got an 8 or a 9 he might struggle.

converseandjeans · 23/09/2021 14:07

What are his other subjects? I think for example physics teachers like them to be doing maths A level.

However if his other subjects were maybe history & politics them it might not be a problem to change subject.

Original poster
Curly1010 · 23/09/2021 14:19

Thanks, I'm hoping he can swap as the deadline was last week but they only got maths test results this week. Other subjects are physics and biology which he is finding easier than maths. I wish we'd picked 4 now not 3 then it would just mean dropping one of them. I'm just disappointed that it wasn't made clear that maths would be decided within the first 4 weeks.

OP posts:
HasaDigaEebowai · 23/09/2021 14:30

It is pretty normal. At my DSs school existing pupils are told if the teachers don’t believe they should do maths. New pupils who have joined in sixth form are assessed.

What would he do instead? Presumably he had a fallback choice in case he didn’t get the right maths grade.

TeenMinusTests · 23/09/2021 14:54

That is pretty disappointing he didn't know in advance. (Are you sure?)
So has he had the results back and failed, or hearing today/tomorrow?

It would definitely be grounds to complain if they say he can't swap as after the deadline if they have chosen to set the test to miss the deadline.

HasaDigaEebowai · 23/09/2021 16:04

They will want him to be able to swap though and so I’m sure it will be the case that random voluntary swaps had to meet the deadline but swaps required by the school fall outside of that deadline

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 23/09/2021 18:27

What grade did he get in maths for GCSE? If he got a 7 he is likely to get a C or D as the potential A level grade unless he puts some effort in.

A level maths can be a big jump from GCSE. In Ds's sixth form half of the further maths class dropped further maths to concentrate on bringing up their A level maths grade. You had to have a 7 at GCSE to take further maths.

Hellohah · 23/09/2021 21:23

DS did a Maths baseline test last week.
I just asked him about it and he said they were told that anyone seen to be struggling would have a discussion as to whether they felt it was the right subject for them (the teacher did apparently say they factor in that some of them wouldn't have done any Maths for 3 months so can be rusty).
He said the test wasn't difficult and all algebra they had studied at GCSE. But his college has given a deadline of 1 October for movement across subjects.
Seems stupid to have the test after the deadline for moving at your college.

noblegiraffe · 25/09/2021 12:43

I think the school could be in trouble if they try to kick kids off a course for failing a test that wasn’t a listed entry requirement however, if they do do badly on the test, they should take the advice to switch subjects.

We’ve had quite a few students do badly on our baseline assessment over the years, stay on the course and then do badly at A-Level (Es and Us) despite working hard. If they haven’t nailed those basic topics by now, they will struggle.

KittyMcKitty · 25/09/2021 12:46

It’s fairly standard. At my dc school they do them for all STEM subjects (on the entirety of the GCSE syllabus). They did the Chemistry one last week.

cptartapp · 25/09/2021 13:11

DS1 got a 7 at GCSE and came out with a B this summer. He struggled massively with the pure maths and sweated blood and tears over it. Took up so much of his time in the end.
He actually got 75% in the initial year 12 test but found it just got harder and harder.
DS2 (level 9) has just started A level maths and said loads dropped out already.

1forward2back · 25/09/2021 14:16

This is really standard practice - maths is by far the most challenging a level and so most sixth forms do this sort of thing. Better to find out now, swap and get great results than to continue and fail

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