GCSE 2022 Results - the moment of reckoning!

[Rollergirl11]

Hello everyone, here is a shiny new thread ready for DC’s results day tomorrow and a much needed hand hold for us nervous parents. 🥴🤪

Tomorrow is the culmination of an incredibly turbulent 2 year journey that our young people have had to navigate. Fraught with ups and downs. They have done us all proud!!

Here is a link to the previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/talk/secondary/4566030-current-year-11-2-more-weeks-of-exams?page=37&reply=119483572

Can I please get some advice for my son who didn't get the grades for A-levels he needed and has completely shut down and refusing to talk to anyone.

He needed 7s to get into the school of his choice to do Biology, Chemistry and Economics. He got 5s in science and 6 in English Language, Business Studies and Maths.

He doesn't want to stay at the school he is at.

What are the options for him? He wants to eventually go to University abroad, but at this stage he feels like a complete failure and I just want to help him see that there is future for him and this is just a setback

What a lovely post @Leftbutcameback

There is another thread about BTECs as an alternative to A-levels if anyone is interested

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/further_education/4618846-reassuring-btec-thread-for-those-who-dont-get-the-gcses-they-need?page=2

(University teacher here): In fact, unless she has very definite plans in a specific area which requires particular A levels (e.g. Medicine might require all sciences), it can be a positive advantage to take a mixture of sciences and humanities subjects at A level. It keeps options open, and demonstrates to universities and employers that you're both numerate and skilled at writing essays. Of course I'm not saying that you shouldn't specialize in one or the other if you prefer it or are much stronger at it! But the idea that pupils should do either humanities or sciences and not both probably stems not from any educational benefits, but from administrative convenience at secondary schools at a time when far fewer people took A levels. Pupils in other countries and systems, e.g. those who take the International Baccalaureate, routinely combine both.

Sorry to hear that @lovesunshine247 - he must be disappointed. But there should be options. can he or you talk to sixth form advisors at his current school for advice to see if he can do science with 5s? Assuming he doesn't have a fallback offer, look at all local comps and sixth form colleges to see if they are still taking applicants - many of ours are. Also ring the first choice and beg - they will have a waiting list. But it may be that BTECs are the way to go with those grades to carry on in science. hope the other thread on that helps.

Congratulations to all, especially after the two years the children have had!

@WhatNoWay - definitely go with what she enjoys. A friend's dc is doing two languages and a science at a-level with the intention to do law.

There are actually very few degree courses that require three facilitating subjects - usually just one or two.

Dgs took Eng Lang in yr10 as did all of his cohort. He got an 8 and we are very happy. Let’s hope we are equally happy when he does the rest next year!

You must be so proud. I'm so sorry for the terrible year you've had.

Not possible to say. Foundation doesn't have all the same content to learn or the same questions. My DS aced foundation but doubt he would have got higher if had done higher paper. In fact he may have got lower. The level and amount of content was right for him and allowed him to consolidate his learning.

It's good to do an essay-based A-level as many universities ask for it.

@NiceTwin great results, well done to your dd. Your post caught my eye as my dd is in a similar position, diagnosed with ASD aged 11. She is going into Year 11 so GCSEs next year but Year 10 was terrible for her, lots of anxiety and school avoidance. I am hoping next year will be better.

Doing a trade is fantastic, I wish more kids would consider them.

Good luck for the next stage in her life.

Ds is a bit bemused by his English results. In his mocks and past papers he normally gets 8+ so it was two subjects he felt most confident about but he ended up with 6s. He's not quite sure where he went wrong with those exams. But he's not too disappointment and he didn't go to pieces during the exam period which is amazing.

assuming it’s a BTEC, P2 is a level 2 pass (BTEC firsts can be achieved at a level 1 or level 2) which is broadly equivalent to a GCSE grade 4.

BTEC science could be an option with 5s.

Did he apply anywhere else, or only to the one school?
Does the school he applied for offer other courses eg BTEC, or only A Levels?

I know that he doesn’t want to stay at his current school, but he may be able to get advice from his current Head of Year?

Otherwise is the council offering any advice sessions for Y11 students on what to do next? Ours ran one today.

You need to look at all other colleges and 6th forms in the area and find out which have places for the courses he wants to do. A Levels are not the only options - many of the students at my school have done very well and gone on to University with BTECs.

I'm so sorry to hear this, what an utterly awful experience to live through. You must be so proud of your ds' resilience. We champion the top grades but this sort of achievement is every bit as valid. I'm so pleased to hear he has future options that interest him and wish you both all the best.

Mixture of humanities and sciences at A level shouldn't be a problem. My son took Music, Maths, English and History at A level. He then did History at Durham and then went into the Civil Service fast stream.

Hello everyone,

I hope it's ok to join today. Well done to everyone.
My DS is very disappointed ☹️. He was hoping for much better results and set his sights higher.
His results were

Maths 8
English 8
History 8
Geography 7
Physics 7
Biology 7
French 6
Chemistry 6
Spanish 5

He was attending a very high achieving private school but although they are happy to have him return we don't it's right thing for our family to do.
He has a place as of today at a 6th form college.
He has ask me to look for advice form the Mumsnet experts , if he managed to turn things around and achieved A* at A level could he apply to a top university with the results in hand. He August born and a year after A level "s wouldn't be the end of the world for us.

He wants to study Maths, Economics and History at A level and hopes to study at LSE, UCL, Warwick etc.

Thank you, it's been a difficult day in our house.xx

@Shongle

Your sons results are amazing

It's a sad indictment of today's pressure if that is a disappointment

Surely he has done brilliant in the subjects he wants to take forward and good passes in everything else so why the angst ?

My dd comprehensive school got
Two 8
Three 7
Two 6
Three 5

We are thrilled.

@Shongle With the unis you mentioned is he hoping to do Economics? If so you may find they like them to have done FM too, if offered.

For those who replied to my post regarding dd2 who’s severely autistic, we finally got her grades. I know compared to what others got it may not seem great it to us it’s huge as we never ever thought she would sit any exams. She got a 5 in maths, a 4 and a 3 in science and a 2 in English (kind of expected in a child that’s almost non verbal), she also got entry level science level 3 and functional skill level 3 ICT. She already has a place at college in a SEN base.

@Shongle Please tell your DS not to be disappointed. Those are amazing results, and it is worrying that he's getting the message from his school that they aren't. I would say the world is his oyster - and there is nothing to "turn around" - he just needs to do more of the same.

My DD didn’t get one of the grades she needed HOWEVER, the college still gave her a place on the course given her other results.

it’s always worth asking even if you think you don’t have enough.

@Lovemusic33 - fantastic! What an achievement for your dd.

I hope she has a fantastic time at college.

Fantastic! You must be so proud!