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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSE results and sixth fom place

16 replies

mrk2024 · 17/01/2024 08:00

Hi all! My son’s offered a conditional place at an independent grammar school for sixth form as an academic scholar. He needs to get an average gcse grade of 7.5 which, after two mocks so far, he’s more than passed. He wants to study maths. The school wants a 9 for him to include maths to his subjects as they said most students including their homegrown ones would get maths. At the moment, he got an 8 on both mocks. I worry that if he gets an 8, he won’t be able to get a place for the subject. He’s in a vey good state school now. Most of his gcse’s are predicted a 9 including maths. My son said that he’ll get a 9 so I have to trust him. He’s done further maths gcse already and he got a grade 8. He’s also doing additional maths now. He wants to study (well with my influence) economics at uni and one of the requirement subjects for the course is maths. He originally wants to do business studies/management. In case of a grade of 8, is there a possibility for the school to still offer him a place to take maths? Me and my wife don’t want him to miss the opportunity to study at an independent school and also a good look for him being a scholar. He’s actually looking forward to it. But we also don’t want him to restrict his options at uni. At his school now, we are sure they will offer him a space for maths and any subject he wants. But the grammar school is still one-twon tier higher. I guess I just worry too much. Thanks all.

OP posts:
spearthatbroc · 17/01/2024 08:12

i am thoroughly confused!

You sound like you’ve got yourself in a right twist about this and that will no doubt be very obvious to your poor son

chill out and don’t stress him out

spearthatbroc · 17/01/2024 08:12

In case of a grade of 8, is there a possibility for the school to still offer him a place to take maths?

FGS how on earth do we know

spearthatbroc · 17/01/2024 08:15

i see you posted this exact thread on another thread this morning

only on this one you have omitted He wants to study (well with my influence) economics at uni and one of the requirement subjects for the course is maths. which posters responded to that you were applying too much pressure to him

Back. Off

Spendonsend · 17/01/2024 08:22

We cant answer what the independent school will decide.

I can say, in my area, people accepted more than one sixth form place and then decided where to go on results day.

There didnt seem to be a penalty for doing that. Although possibly with the independent you lose a deposit but if they dont take him on the course he wants that might not apply.

Octavia64 · 17/01/2024 08:26

A student with an 8 is more than capable of studying maths a level.

We can't predict t what the school would decide but your son (and you) should have a back up plan.

mumonthehill · 17/01/2024 08:27

They want a high grade in Maths as maths a level is hard, so different from GCSE. I would focus on the now and have a second option in case he does not get what he needs. Step off the pressure, they change their minds about what they want to do and you need to be able to support this. I say this as someone whose ds wanted to be a vet right up to uni application and then changed his mind!

fishfingersandtoes · 17/01/2024 08:30

Either way he'll be fine! If the private school won't take him he'll definitely be able to do maths A level elsewhere and he'll still get in to an economics undergraduate degree if that's what he wants. Deep breath!

StillEatingXmasLeftovers · 17/01/2024 08:30

It sounds like he’s wants to do well so he will put the work in. Wait till he gets his results and see what is available to him based on those. A child that is academic and hardworking will do well wherever they go. Now leave the poor lad alone and stop influencing his choices. Be interested and supportive but not controlling.

Blueberry911 · 17/01/2024 08:32

He wants to do business studies, how about you help him achieve that instead?

gremlinz · 17/01/2024 11:10

mrk2024 · 17/01/2024 08:00

Hi all! My son’s offered a conditional place at an independent grammar school for sixth form as an academic scholar. He needs to get an average gcse grade of 7.5 which, after two mocks so far, he’s more than passed. He wants to study maths. The school wants a 9 for him to include maths to his subjects as they said most students including their homegrown ones would get maths. At the moment, he got an 8 on both mocks. I worry that if he gets an 8, he won’t be able to get a place for the subject. He’s in a vey good state school now. Most of his gcse’s are predicted a 9 including maths. My son said that he’ll get a 9 so I have to trust him. He’s done further maths gcse already and he got a grade 8. He’s also doing additional maths now. He wants to study (well with my influence) economics at uni and one of the requirement subjects for the course is maths. He originally wants to do business studies/management. In case of a grade of 8, is there a possibility for the school to still offer him a place to take maths? Me and my wife don’t want him to miss the opportunity to study at an independent school and also a good look for him being a scholar. He’s actually looking forward to it. But we also don’t want him to restrict his options at uni. At his school now, we are sure they will offer him a space for maths and any subject he wants. But the grammar school is still one-twon tier higher. I guess I just worry too much. Thanks all.

Are you sure it is an "independent" grammar school, i.e. a private school that you will pay fees for? If it is, then nobody will be able to answer your question except the school itself.

However, if it is a state grammar school (no fees) then it will have a clear admissions policy on its website that it will need to abide by.

TeenDivided · 17/01/2024 16:18

Ask the school as and when the time comes.
He could succeed well at A level maths with an 8, so HE needs to decide what is more important maths or the school.

He also gets to decide what and where he wants to study at university.

AllProperTeaIsTheft · 17/01/2024 16:42

Stop trying to make him study what you want him to study. Stop neing preoccupied with what would be 'a good look' and accept that neither he nor you can guarantee he will get a 9. If he's already in a very good school now, I'd make sure he applies for a place at the sixth form there as a back up, and stop panicking!

Original poster
mrk2024 · 17/01/2024 20:05

Thank you guys for the comments and advice. Just to be clear, I may have given the wrong impression when I said I influnced him. It’s more of like we had a chat about uni and economics came up in the conversation and he looked into it and somehow considered it. We never push him with his studies. Just the normal reminders of submitting homework on time and stuff. We did not even get him a tutor. He does everything himself. We never even asked him to apply at a grammar school as we’re happy where he’s at now. He’s the one who wanted it so we tried and lucky got an offer. Whatever it is he wants to do at school, we always tell him, as long as he’s happy and enjoy it, that’s all that matters to us.

OP posts:
Original poster
mrk2024 · 17/01/2024 20:11

It is a private grammar school and he got a full academic scholarship. He needs to get an average gcse grade of 7.5 and he can take any subject he wants. Only with maths that they’re asking a 9 as most of the students wanted to take maths a levels

OP posts:
Postapocalypticcowgirl · 17/01/2024 21:13

mrk2024 · 17/01/2024 20:11

It is a private grammar school and he got a full academic scholarship. He needs to get an average gcse grade of 7.5 and he can take any subject he wants. Only with maths that they’re asking a 9 as most of the students wanted to take maths a levels

I think you have to assume that when the school say they want an 9, they mean it. There may be some flex on results day if others miss the grade too, but you can't rely on that if the school are saying they normally fill the class with grade 9 students. Equally it is very possible to improve a grade from mocks, however your son can't guarantee he will get a grade 9 in the summer.

Accept a place at your current state school as well as a back up, in case he decides he wants to take maths at A-level and the independent school won't let him. In the summer, it has to be his decision.

gremlinz · 17/01/2024 22:37

For context, my DS attends a super-selective state grammar that requires a 9 for Further Maths, but not Maths. It seems quite unusual to require a 9 for maths, though potentially reasonable for a full scholarship to a private school.

Your DC sounds like they are pro-active enough to do well anywhere, so don't be dazzled by the 100% scholarship - it's highly likely that the school needs your son as much as, or more than, he needs them.

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