Should DD forget A levels? Latest GCSE mocks 4’s and 3’s

[Michiamo]

DD latest mocks results aren’t great.

She was planning to do A levels in sociology ( predicted 3- so out of the question)
geography (predicted 4)
Psychology (doesn’t do GCSE).

Do people just wait and see how the real results are before deciding?

Shes predicted a 3+ for English language so presumably that will be a resit?!

It’s all a bit depressing. Not sure if she has a learning blockage or just can’t be arsed. She is revising sometimes but she’s not exactly a grafter.

We’re in London where it seems you have to get 5’s to even get a 6th form place (she’s planning to stay at her school).
Perhaps vocational courses may be best for her.

Advice welcome!

@bizbazboz Thankyou

Yeah I'd have a look into alternative options.

Most of my group got all A*s/A's at GCSE and some of us (including me) still came out of results day crying at AS level - with a results card full of D's and 1204939 resits on the cards. A levels are an enormous jump and really quite tough - my psychology A level was a lot of work.

Is there a careers service at her school? We used to have one based in the library which we could go to and ask for advice regarding next steps - they'll know about all the options.

Make sure she knows that not everyone has to do A levels/go to uni. Some of the most successful people I know, who run their own businesses now, didn't do either!

Honestly, A-level study will not suit her.

I would look at local colleges with her and see what courses that would be accessible on her likely GCSE grades look appealing.

If it looks like she won't pass English or maths first time round she will need to factor in having to study for resits as well, so doing even two a levels would actually mean doing two a levels plus one or two GCSEs, so it's a lot of work.

I have done a BTEC and it was in heath and social care - which involved psychology, I would just make sure you do your research. The BTEC I did was equivalent to A-Levels the difference is the marks are based on course work rather than relying on passing exams so they are great if exams are causing problems. I used my BTEC to get a place at a Russell Group uni - so it is possible the work placement you can do means you can make a personal statement stand out - don’t rule out Uni there are lots of degrees that are more vocational - Good luck and try to make sure she knows that there are plenty of successful people who don’t go down the typical A-Level route.

BTECs tend to have exams these days as well as coursework.

DD found the jump from GCSE to A level incredibly hard! She's coping but it's through a lot of effort on her part. At Uni she wants to do a more vocational course. I think she's going to do well enough to get into University but she's tired of academia.

I would look at local colleges too, and also The Educational Hub (Gov.uk. website)

Are her GCSEs this year or next year ?

DD got mostly 5s with a couple of 6s. She's really struggled with A levels and is not likely to do well in the coming weeks. This is partly her (lack of) work ethic, partly additional needs but mostly, she's just not cut out for this intensity of study. I tried to dissuade her from doing a levels but she was dead set on doing them and regrets it now.

Too many kids default into A levels because they don’t know what else to do.

In my neck of the woods, you have to get a GCSE grade 6 to do an A level in a subject. Quite right as they are hard.

Have a good look around at post 16 providers. I bet there’s loads of courses neither of you have even thought of.

Beat of luck. Encourage her to revise hard for Maths and English Language, to try to avoid re-sits.

Maybe a bit late in the day to suggest this but are there are A level students who could give some weekly/regular lessons to your daughter for a month or so until they start? It really helps with the confidence and because these kids only recently sat their GCSE's they are really up on the subjects. It's a win win as they make a bit of money (you can agree a fee) and your dd has some good practice.

mine got pretty much all 9s at gcse and still needed a tutor to pass one of their a levels as the jump is so big

My DDs dream is to do A levels and she works around a grade 7 in class but her exam results are 3s as her mind goes blank in exams.

She’s already applied for A levels but she’s most likely going to have to do a vocational course.

I’ve decided to sort it out after the GCSEs so she doesn’t get down about the courses she’ll be left with.

If I was you I would do the same.

You can do an access course after 19, which is equivalent to A-levels and so your DC could aim for this so they don’t feel too down about it.

As PPs have said A levels are much harder than the vocational courses and you don’t want them to be struggling.

Wow that’s really interesting.

Yeah I got A*s at GCSE in all the subjects I took for A level.

My AS level results were BCCD. It was a massive shock & took a lot of hard work to pull it back in second year with lots of resits

Given the A-Levels she would have chosen and the fact that she doesn't know what she wants to do, it would be best to throw the net as wide as possible for vocational courses rather than going too specific. So perhaps she could look at:

Business
Public Services
Exploring the Care Sector

I’ve decided to sort it out after the GCSEs so she doesn’t get down about the courses she’ll be left with. If I was you I would do the same.

I partly agree and partly disagree with this advice.

I agree that maybe not discussing with the DC this side of GCSEs as they are so close.

However I think the parents should be researching options now so that discussions can be had / visits made end June before colleges close for the summer (they tend to close vv early July). If you wait, then you can't talk to teachers etc and courses get full and then in August you may end up having to make a quick decision from a limited pool of options.

I guess there is the possibility that when exams are out the way, if she gets low grades it may spur her to re-take and have a realisation that she needs to take control of what she wants to do - obviously only if her low grades are down to low effort rather than anything else.
Good luck to her!

As mentioned upthread it could be worth looking at Health and Social Care Btec L3. DD got mostly 5's at GCSE so A levels weren't an option but she's really thriving on this course and is due to get good results. It is mostly course work with 2/3 exams. DD has got conditional Uni offers with her predicted grades. Although it's unlikely she will go to uni this year the Btec has definitely kept options open.

Thanks all,lots of good advice and support here.

Dd is currently in the thick of GCSE’s.

She already has a maths tutor.

She will have to choose what direction she wants to go in,even more so if she is going to go down a vocational pathway post GCSE. At the moment she seems set on A levels 🫤.

How did things work out? My DD is in a similar situation.

Hi @newmum1976
Dd’s results were a little disappointing but she has two subjects upgraded so she has passed quite a few.

She is staying on for 6th form but she’s not doing A levels,she’s doing a diploma and health and social care and seems happier.

How is your dc doing?

@Michiamo Glad she has something sorted. I have a thread running in Further Education for vocational courses in case you are interested.

My dd got 5/6's but massively struggled with a levels. She failed her first year and ended up doing health and social. Much better for her.

@autienotnaughty Will she have to do an extra year at school?

I think dd would have struggled also and she didn’t have 5/6’s.

She did yes but she now works in a school and loves it