What happens if failing A levels?

[Orangesandlemons77]

Can they do a BTEC instead afterwards or are they just for those leaving at 16? Thanks

Level 3 BTECs are the equivalent of A-levels. Level 2 BTECs are the equivalent of GCSEs. You can go to uni and it's BTECs rather than A-levels if that's the goal tor your child's next stage.

Is your child in year 12? Some schools will allow year 12 to be repeated but it depends what kind of school it is (a grammar school would ask you to leave)

Have you got a local college near you? Check out with courses they do for 16-19 year olds.

Pupils receive 3 years of post 16 funding. So it isn't unusual for some to transfer from taking A levels at the end of y12 to take a more vocational qualification such as a BTEC.
Obtaining 3 grade Es at the end of Y13 is considered to be 3 A level passes, so it is harder to obtain funding in these circumstances.
Other possibilities if you have completed Y13 include an Access course for university entry or a foundation degree / course or an HND/HNC.

OK, thanks. they are in Year 12, getting mixed results, some Ds...it is a selective school but not a grammar school.

So it may be better to move after Yr 12 rather than Yr 13..might save them getting poor results and finding it hard for more funding after A levels?

Possibly yes, but you also need to be aware that Ds in year 12 very often translate to Bs or better in year 13. You need a realistic idea of end of year 13 grades, rather than assuming she's going to get Es and planning accordingly.

Some Ds in Year 12 is not exactly failing ... is your perspective being skewed by the fact this is a selective school?

As others have said, you get 3 years of Post 16 funding, so your DC could decide to abandon his current A Levels and do something different next year. It's worth trying to unpick what the issues are though (if there actually are any). There's no point starting something else to have all the same problems.

Also worth thinking about is what grades they went in with from GCSEs. I think you need to find out why they are getting Ds. Is it lack of homework, lack of enthusiasm, lack of understanding, understanding but difficulties in answering questions on exam papers?

Some sixth forms/colleges will not allow a resit of the same subjects restarting year 12. Funding is often cited for this. I think arranging a meeting with his teachers may shed some light on whether grades can be improved or whether a transfer to BTECs would help.

What are the goals post 18? Uni? Job? Apprenticeship?

Hi so the results are back a C, E, D still waiting for another (C is core maths) they want him to resit them in June :-(

Apparently quite a few have to resit them though so he's not the only one...

Seems with the E it was an essay based paper, DS gets extra time in exams anyway due to writing speed...but one essay was on something he hadn't covered in revision, with the D very specific language was required...they are going over the exams in class atm

Of course this lot didn't have proper GCSE exams either and were given specific topics to revise so it's the first lots of proper exams...will have to keep fingers crossed for the re-sits.

The teachers have said they also use other assessments (C for these subjects) as well when giving predicted grades.