Reassure me with tales of kids who didn't do well at GCSE but turned things around at A level

[HairLikeAnEasterEgg]

Mum of a y11 - I am panicking about his GCSEs, sadly he is not. He's bright but young for his year and I think the penny is only just starting to drop with him on what is required at this stage. He did nothing for his mocks and got mainly 5s so I feel confident that with more time (!) and better study skills he'd be ok. In the real world, he has a mountain to climb in terms of the sheer amount of content he has to learn. I'm trying to help him prioritise as I think that's the only way now.

Anyway, assuming he is allowed to stay on at his school next year (not a given), I'm.hoping that his experience of GCSEs will give him the wake up call.he needs for the next stage. I remember the jump from GCSE to A level being immense, and I was studious and worked hard at school. Maybe the gap has narrowed now, I'm not sure.

Hit me with your tales of kids who have turned things around in 6th form...I need a glimmer of hope here ✨️

Forgot to say OP-me. I scraped my GCSEs. Was allowed to stay on purely due to my teachers knowing me and my ability. Stayed there for 6 months but hated sixth form. Did an apprenticeship for 6 months then went back to sixth form but this time in college. I either grew up or just loved the more grown up atmosphere. It was all people my age in my lessons but it was still so nice. I left with 2 As and a B and went straight into work.

My daughter didn't do well at all in her GCSEs, but college accepted her for a BTEC with the chance to get functional maths.She really flourished in the college and passed both.
She earns more than I do now....

Maybe it’s not that common but my daughter got all 5s and 6s at GCSE, with one 7. She went on to do A levels, and ended up getting A* in Psychology and B in her two other subjects. What changed? She worked incredibly hard, and was hugely motivated by wanting to do a particular vocational course at university (and getting an offer to do so).

Was this a boarding school by any chance @ohthejoys21 ?
This is us this year as things stand.

No it wasn't a boarding school.

OP, if there is any doubt about whether he will get the grades required for the current school, do you have a Plan B?
Are you aware how lenient the school are, especially for current students, when it comes to grades dropped?
Having said that, if he is getting 5's without much effort he could easily gain 6/7's in the summer.

Our school is inclusive and most students taking A Levels, sometimes alongside BTEC's, will have 5/6/7's. We also have a sizeable number who are 4/5 and the occasional 6 students. Many do very well when they can 'get rid of' Maths, or English or Science or whatever they find difficult. And some outperform the 8/9's (although in general those who performed best at GCSE do so at A Level).

Pleased to hear that he did well afterwards @ohthejoys21 . DS in a top boarding school and heading for very poor results by their standards. It's been a dreadful mistake and financially disaster.

They want to keep him ( we won't be staying)
They have taken us for the complete fools but it's time to walk away. They will have to find other fools to fund their burseries.

@WarraK no, no plan B 😬 Tbh I think we need to get through the next few months and then see where we are come results day. I imagine there is a lot of movement with courses/ schools/ colleges when that happens. No idea how flexible school are on grades either.

Thanks @WomensRightsRenegade you've given me a bit of hope!

I'm really just asking this question for myself. I know there's no point stressing until he gets his grades but it's not easy and I'm v prone to middle of the might worrying.

Some a levels are much easier than others.

Obviously if you have a talent for a particular thing (eg languages) you will find it easy.

But more generally MFl and science/maths a levels need a lot of knowledge and that knowledge builds on previous knowledge.

If he's looking at things like Geography this will also be true to an extent but not as much. In addition a lot of the less traditional a levels - politics, sociology, psychology, theatre studies, etc don't rely on previous knowledge and allow students to shine who maybe found the more traditional academic GCSEs and a levels not for them.

We found the opposite they were desperate to protect their results reputation. Go with your gut and get him out.

@HairLikeAnEasterEgg I know you hope that your DS will get what he needs for A levels, but I would strongly advise at least having a look at options elsewhere. It may be, for example, that a sixth-form college accepts lower GCSEs to do A levels; or it may offer BTEC options alongside an A level or two (less common in school sixth forms IME); or there may be a vocational course that would really be suitable (I am thinking of a L3 business sport science course btw rather than the traditional options).

I would browse a website or so and make some enquiries. I think if you get to August and your lad has not got what he needs then it's good to have at least some idea of what else he might do.

We will , thank you. I'm pleased that things improved for your DS..

@clary thanks. I think you're right. We have a couple of colleges not too far from us which we could explore as a back up plan. In fact ads keep appearing on my Facebook feed which suggests they are still recruiting. Can't see him going for sports science but I'm sure there must be lots of other options too.

Everyone is talking about BTECs. Many level 3 extended diplomas (size of 3 A levels) have been replaced by T-levels which are possibly a bit more academic and some places are asking for 5s not 4s. Leaves a gap in the market for grade 4 students.

Yes indeed @TeenDivided you are quite right wrt BTECs. I'm a bit off the case on this as I have not followed it up, having no current skin in the game. What is there for students who might previously have done a BTEC? DS1 took NVQs which I think are gone now (this was 8-9 years ago).

@HairLikeAnEasterEgg sorry I meant to say business OR sport science btw - not knowing what your DC plans but trying to suggest that a vocational qualification is not just in traditional things like bricklaying or hair and beauty. Certainly local to me the college offers post-16 HNCs or diplomas in subjects like engineering, business, personal training and customer service.

@clary I'm not up to date with status of T-levels as DD ended up doing Level 1 for 2 years, isn't at college right now, but may return for level 2 in September if the stars align.

The impression I have is that some colleges have slightly upped entry requirements, eg maybe asking for some 5s instead of 4s, or not taking people needing GCSE resits when maybe they accepted 1 resit before.

I think that those just missing entry requirements would now do the Level 2 first for a year and then be able to progress to T-Level if they did well enough.

But it is course / college dependent.

My son got a mix of B/C at GCSE. In one of his mocks he got a D. He got a C at GCSE maths.
In sixth form he got A* A B and another one that I can't recall. He graduated last year with a first class integrated masters in maths.
In Year 13 he changed his work ethic completely so yes, there is hope!

My son screwed up his GCSE’s and then did okay ish in his BTEC. He’s now in 3rd year of uni and absolutely excelling doing a subject he thoroughly enjoys. The only issue is that cos he hadn’t done academically that well in his exams at 16 and 18, he had to do a foundation year at uni which cost many thousands extra! But it’s been worth it as he’s the happiest he’s ever been right now

Only just seen this. Haha!

No: one went to Uni of Glos and the other got a degree apprenticeship which was delivered through employment but attached to a ex poly Uni. They both got firsts.

Their degree and Uni has made absolutely NO difference to their progress. However the skills they learned have. Both are pleased they did a degree.

Oh, and one found a partner at Uni! I did say he was an expensive purchase 😆

As this thread has been bumped...he did pretty well! He prioritised the subjects that mattered to him and really pulled it out of the bag in those. Passed everything, some v well, and is staying on at school 6th form to do his choice of A levels.

Hope this is useful to any worried parents of the next cohort of y11s!

That's fantastic!

Adding to my previous posts. My son is very, very switched on. He is also very ND. He found doing his best at school difficult because it didn't deliver education in away he could easily access. The annual change of teachers doesn't help that as just as one seemed to "get him" so they moved on.

When Gove changed the English grading virtually overnight to split the grade so speaking wasn't included, his teacher literally told him the next day he was being entered for English Language in November, just a few months away, as it would be the last sitting where speaking was included in the grade and he was a shoe in for an A* level in that. He managed to pull off C grade English because of her.

If you gave him a subject to talk about, he could literally stand up and give a 5 minute fluent talk on what he knows about it - and if he knows nothing, he can turn it around so it's related. But he can't write it down for toffee. Even now he's mid 20s his spelling is appalling (but it phonetically works) so his actual communication is fine. Surely English Language should cover assessment of both? Otherwise its not English Language!

I digress.

I'm.very very proud of both of my kids. They learned to do their best and getting x percent in a exam is just one very tiny bit of what makes them them and is only a part of what's needed to be successful.

Between you and me, someone like my son who knows his s**t, can empathise with others, but also talk a hind leg of a donkey is truly blessed in my view.

Fabulous! Well done him! Prioritisation nailed - a skill for life!

You must be very proud and delighted for him