Official Sixth Form rejection email. Expected, but still :(

[GCSEstress]

Hi,

So DD got her mock results a while a go and only had 4 5's or above and needed at least 5. She did get a couple of 6's and overall, I was very proud of her and she worked so hard, so it's really going to be a real kick in the teeth when she sees this rejection in writing later, although we knew the criteria, so was obviously expected.

She's not actually expected to pass Maths and this is by far her weakest subject and she needs to pass this. It honestly makes me so cross that this could hold her back from going far in the subjects she is naturally good at, such as English and Art. Seems so unfair and nonsensical!

Trying not to be too negative, as she does only need 1 more 5 as it stands, but that still won't guarantee her a place.

We've obviously looked at other sixth forms and colleges, but they either have tougher entry requirements or the courses (not A level) are just not what DD is interested in.

How can I best support DD through this? She's likely on the autistic spectrum and struggles to build new friendships, so staying at her current school is definitely her preference, but also just for general familiarity, not just friendships.

Be great to hear from those of you with experience of this.

Thanks 😊

Was it actually a no full stop or a only if she acheives these grades which you know she is unlikely to get?

Talk to the SENCo? Or have you had this conversation already?

Is it a state school sixth form? If so, they're not allowed to reject her based on her mock results, only on her actual results. If she gets the minimum results in August she is entitled to automatically transfer from year 11 to year 12 in her current school. Other schools will also need to consider her application against their oversubscription criteria.

I'm not sure it's correct that there is automatic transfer entitlement in state schools.

DD's secondary only has enough 6th form places for around a quarter of their Y11 students. The prospectus says no automatic entitlement, and they want minimum of 6 GCSEs at G9-6 including English & Maths.

I'm a school governor. What I said was correct, but many sixth forms don't know/understand the rules, or just get away with breaking them. Clause 2.6 of the admissions code is the relevant one. Year 11 students are already on roll so are not required to reapply to their own scho - they just need to meet the minimum entry criteria to transfer to year 12. If your school's policy says otherwise, refer it to the Schools Adjudicator who will check its compliance against the code!

That's really good to know.

For reference, here is an example of a school whose admissions policy was challenged for implying that Year 11 students needed to re-apply for Year 12 and that offers were subject to behaviour etc. The school says they were doing the right thing in practice, but the admissions policy was worded to imply otherwise, so might have misled people into thinking they w**ouldn't get in: assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1109825/ADA3979_Christ_s_CofE_Comprehensive_Secondary_School_Richmond_upon_Thames_07_October_2022.pdf

Anyone who is rejected for a place, and thinks their school's admissions policy doesn't comply with the Admissions Code, has very strong grounds for appeal, so long as they can show they would have got the place if the policy had been compliant.

Her first focus (and yours) should be on getting the best grades she reasonably can. Those (rather than the mocks) will determine what options are open to her for Y12.

Confirm with the school that they are following the code correctly and that if she gets the minimum grades required in her actual GCSEs she will have the place she is entitled to.

What else to do depends on whether she has a good match between the grades she is likely to get and the course she wants to do. The minimum grades required to do A-Levels are set where they are because students who can't get those grades tend to do very badly in the A-Level course. It's possible that you and she may need to start researching a plan B. For example, you can study art and design in a BTEC or similar and that won't restrict your ability to study at university since they're mainly interested in your portfolio.

It might be easier for her to cope with the idea of something different, once her results are in and can't be changed. If she's not keen on looking at a plan B now, then perhaps research and keep a very longlist of possibilities in your own back pocket, just in case you need to produce it after results day. There are only so many colleges and schools within a reasonable commuting distance from your house, and for the schools you can probably quickly scan to see whether their entry requirements are lower than her existing school. Colleges are likely to have a wider range of options, you could keep them on the list if there's something that might appeal to her and look briefly at what support they might offer her.

I'm pretty sure you don't need A levels for an Art Foundation Course. Would she be interested in aplying for that? It's basically the first year of uni, but fully funded, and if she passes she'll have a diploma and can go on to a BA in fine art, design or similar. She'd apply mainly on the strength of her art portfolio.