GCSE Eng grade 5 - worth re sitting for future uni application?

[Maneattraction]

DS was predicted a strong 7, 8 if lucky.

He got a 5. School have seen both the papers, the Lit is close to the boundary, but the Lang is not. He has done well in other subjects.

I have also seen the Lang paper and compared it to a mock paper he had marked. They aren’t massively dis similar, but the mock was given a strong 7 and the exam a 5. 90% of his friends are in the same boat with a significantly lower actual grade compared to mock. It’s a bit irritating as it looks like the has been mock has been graded way too generously. I can’t change that though.

I think he should re sit Lang as the uni courses he has his eye on require a 6 in Eng Lang. School said don’t bother, you’d have to declare the resit (I don’t have a problem with that) and pick a uni course that doesn’t need a 6 or above. Also, some unis don’t accept a resit at all.

Does anyone have any experience
of resitting and can advise if it makes a difference or not.

Other grades are 8/7s
and 2x6s

To provide a bit of balance, not all uni courses need English lang at grade6.

Dd is doing fine studying Pharmacology at Bath (1st choice course at 1st choice uni) with a Grade 5.

Absolutely re sit - DD1 did great in mocks etc, but got a 4 in English Language, but then re sat and got an 8 .

I'd find a tutor who is an examiner from the Examining Board and pay for them to look over the paper, and have a chat about the way forward.

This isn’t just about uni, it’s better to have a better mark in Eng Lit full stop.

Presume you mean Eng Lang?

I guess it is 'better' to have a higher mark, but other than getting into preferred uni is it really any more practical use to have a 6 rather than a 5?

Or do you mean the better mark is an indication of more fluency / ability in day to day speaking, report writing etc?

Yes I did mean Lang. If most of his other grades are 7/8 there’s no reason he can’t achieve that in Eng Lang. It’s helpful for job applications not just uni.

Apart from a very few career fields, no one cares what your GCSE grades were when you have a degree.

He just doesn’t his GCSEs so doesn’t know yet if he’s going to uni. He might decide to do something else.

done not doesn’t

Thanks for all your input.

The Nov resit is booked. He is having a weekly lesson with a tutor who teaches Eng Lang and marks for the exam board. She said he has the ability to do better than his actual result given. She has been through his paper with him, his answers, cajoled some better answers out of him to demonstrate a consistent high level of L3/4 understanding etc.

He knows the next 8 weeks will be a bit of a challenge, but he is ok with that. He wants that better grade as he thinks he can do better and thinks it will open up more options in the future.

As a side note he is singing the praises of Uplearn for his A level Maths, but it’s very early days with that.