DS unenthusiastic with A levels

[Sofrustratedwithmyself]

Is anyone else in the same boat with their DC? DS is young-ish for his year (end of May birthday) and not particularly academic but does ok.I'm pretty sure he went to sixth form because his friends were going and he just wasn't ready to branch out into a level 3 apprenticeship. He is taking 2 levels and a BTEC, which were pretty much chosen for him based on his GCSE results. He tanks in exams for reasons we're not sure of yet.He's not particularly motivated at A levels but I can see that he is somewhat dedicated as he doesn't want to take time off when he's ill, for example, as doesn't want to get behind. He's doing English A level and barely reads, which to me feels like what's the point in doing the A level as how can he develop the skills to even pass? He gets home from school at 1/2pm because he has 'free' periods and then basically hangs round the house, watching telly, gaming, on phone to girlfriend for the rest of the afternoon and evening. He's bored but is also nervous about going out and getting a small job. He trains/plays for a football team 3 times a week but that's his only hobby.I just wondered if anyone else has been in the same position and what have you done to try and give your DC a bit of a boost. We have a great relationship and he sees how motivated me and my DH are with work/voluntary work/hobbies, but I just can't make a breath-through with him on this.

Just on the English A level, what authors will he be studying? Even if he watches all the films etc, a few plays, historical context around them, that would be a start. I would start with getting him into the authors he is going to be studying in whatever funish way possible. Can include day trips to museums/plays etc

A level is quite a step up and getting them to engage at deeper level in their subjects in any way possible will always help.

I would also be encouraging a part time job/work experience as that helps with maturity and self confidence.

I'd find out what texts hell be studying and seeing the plays and watch the films.
Birdsong, Weathering Heights, Much Ado About Nothing and Handmaids tale are books I remember doing, and there are adaptations of all of these so would imagine anything he chooses will have them too.

I struggled with exams too and switched from A levels to BTEC and that suited me much better. Having to regurgitate information after two years is just so pointless.

Thanks both! I forgot to say I am an avid reader and found out what texts he is studying and I've read the books when he is reading them so we can discuss them. When we talk about them he sometimes engages but sometimes says 'mum, it's fine, I've got it under control'. But he's struggling to read most days and when he does sit down to read he can only manage 20 mins. When he was younger he used to read for hours at night but now he just can't focus

My DS is similar & "fell" into his A levels due to knowing what he didn't want & grades at GCSE. He's not particularly enthusiastic but also has no idea what he does want except to be rich one day (the earlier the better). He has a Saturday job (which pays peanuts)and loves going out with friends but has done minimal work for his mocks. It's frustrating but we're trying to let him get on with it, anything we say comes across as nagging to him.

Not the same boat but my not very academic DS dropped out of A levels and is at college now doing a more suitable (for him) level 3 qualification.

On the English, probably obvious, but audiobooks are another great way of "reading". If he has downtime/travelling time, he could audio book or listen to podcasts around the books. There's nothing worse than having to read if it's a chore.
English A Level is tough though, did anything draw him to it particularly or was it just to do with results and choices?
What else is he doing?

He’s also doing Sociology (says it’s ok but a bit boring) and BTEC business. He had his a levels chosen for him based on his not-so-good GCSE grades. He didn’t actually make the grade cut for his school’s 6th form but they like him, he doesn’t cause trouble and he works quite hard, although his GCSE grades don’t show it!

audio books a good shout. Might try him with these.

im not pushing him for high grades, but I would love to see some sort of enthusiasm or excitement because he does get quite anxious and down and I don’t like to see that happen

What else does he do @Sofrustratedwithmyself ?

Eng lit is a big step up. What GCSE grades did he get in his choices? Are his choices really subjects he favours? I assume he is year 12; can you get some teacher feedback on hiw he’s doing? What’s his plan for later? If it’s uni, what grades might he need? Could that motivate? Uni open days are still going on - would it be worth visiting a local one to see what’s on offer? Sometimes you need to see the next step.

He got a 5 in English lit, although his general level is probably more like a 6 as he has totally meltdown in exams. Need to address that before year 13 actual a levels

has no desire to go to uni. I think he’s seeing 6th form as a time to work out what he wants to do as he has zero idea. He prefers moving about and hates desk work. So not really conducive to a levels! He applied for an apprenticeship but blew his interview as he just couldn’t face leaving school

Perhaps it would be wise to research T-Levels or a Level 3 Extended Diploma BTEC incase at the end of y12 he reaches the conclusion that A levels aren't going to work for him and he wants to restart on a fully vocational course.

He's unenthusiastic with relatively low (for doing A levels) GCSEs and doesn't take to exams. Doesn't sound an ideal recipe for success.

It sounds like he would be better off on an extended diploma Btec

Yes agree with @TeenToTwenties while a 5 in Eng lit is great, it's a low grade for taking to A level. My DD got a much higher grade at GCSE and found the A level a challenge. She also struggles in exams btw and did much better at uni where she was able to pick coursework-based modules.

What are his other two subjects and what were his GCSEs? I think if you are sitting in a class with students who got 7-8-9 and you got a 5 it could be demotivating and challenging tbh. So if (say) he is in a similar position in his history (maths/RS/DT/business/PE) A level then yes, is it worth looking at a possible move to a BTEC that equates to three A levels and involves ongoing work? How is he doing on the BTEC he is doing?

He shouidnt be doing English Lit A level tbh.
English Lit is a tough A level and one cannot have a half hearted approach. In addition , he has problems with exams. He should just focus on BTEC level 3 where the focus is more on coursework

It is situations like this that convince me the system in Hants is good. Schools don't (with very few exceptions) have 6th forms, so everyone moves on to college and so has to make an active choice as to what to do next. There are downsides of course, but no staying on out of fear of the unknown.

DD was fine at gcse but the lack of focus got so bad we went for an assessment and she has ADD, attention deficit disorder - it’s the one without the hyperactivity.

She also needs to move around. Wr don’t know why it suddenly got worse. It’s always been there a bit but now at a level she’s really struggling to concentrate.

i do think phone usage doesn’t help so I’d try to get him off that even if it’s just watching telly. There’s a difference.

ive meditated for many years had a long gap and come back to it recently and I notice my mind fires off so many random thoughts, they just fire out of nowhere. This never used to happen. I am on my phone quite a lot and it’s made me realise phone usage is quite bad for our minds and for focus.

He needs to build his confidence. Hes in a comfort zone of sorts. Could he do Duke of Edinburgh or something like that?

he’d have to volunteer in a shop or library. Pick up an extra skill. Do a walk.

DD volunteered at Oxfam for a year for hers and it really helped her. She’s on the spectrum. You’ve got to help push your kids a bit, they get comfortable and then get frightened to try new stuff.

Also, if you’ve never worked in a shop, you don’t know what it takes to make money. Has he ever had a job?

Often low motivation is because they’ve got no plan for the future. So why work? He needs inspiring.

What did he love to do as a child? He sounds frightened and demoralised somewhat.

Maybe get some exam coaching, a tutor, to help him prep before the mocks so he has a few practice runs.

What does his dream life look like? Sounds like he needs coaching or similar.

You could try the Clifton strengths finder online it’s £25 I think.

aldo even 16 personalities test. Help him discover who he is and what he wants.

I’d say volunteering and a part time job would make the greatest difference.

And yes with a 5 at gcse in English lit, he needs a tutor or someone to push him. Otherwise what’s the point?
if he can’t push himself?

same where I live.

I really think you'll be in a pickle once he's in y13 because if he doesn't want to go to uni, there's not much he can do with these. Degree apprenticeships are notoriously difficult to get and he needs to be motivated in that field. He might change a lot in the next two years, he might not.
Have you looked at T Levels? Colleges? He has 3 years post 16 so I wouldn't push y13 unless he changes a lot. He might love an apprenticeship

Thanks everyone. Some good things to think about. I would love him to do an apprenticeship or move to college instead of A levels but I can’t force him. He’s actually pretty interested in some of the work and he sits next to some girls in English who must be very clever because he says they help him and he learns so much from them.

i don’t mind if he doesn’t get high grades, I just want him to enjoy his work and be enthusiastic. But the enthusiasm isn’t there

my daughter is neurodivergent - suspected autism (going through diagnosis), dyslexia, possible DLD, so I do wonder if my son has some attention difficulties as my husband and his brother have ADD.

I don’t think it’s too late to change and do something else. A levels aren’t really suitable if you only get a 5.
there are lots of applied A levels or BTECS like engineering you can do.

If your DD does, it's highly likely your son does too.
Sidenote, my DD has DLD, just so you know if she gets an ASD diagnosis, DLD becomes impossible to have so they end up calling any speech and Lang difficulties as ASD associated.

You don’t say what other subjects he does @Sofrustratedwithmyself (maybe you don’t want to) but is it just Eng lit that is the concern? FWIW most schools round my way won’t accept students for A level with grades less than 6 in the subject – and IMHO that should be higher if it’s maths or MFL. DS2 got an 8 and found A level maths a challenge.

It’s tricky as it’s probably too late to start a new course this year (and you say he doesn’t want to anyway). Doesn’t sound like you can do more than you are doing – offering support and being a sounding board when needed.

But if it all falls apart in end-of-year-12 exams (and please don‘t think I am saying it will – he may surprise you) then he can restart somewhere else, studying something that may be more appropriate, with two more years of funding available.

@clary English, Sociology & BTEC Business.

Audiobooks! They are great for enthusiastic and reluctant readers. A lot of famous actors do the classics - sometimes that helps with generating interest. I highly highly recommend Hugh Grant reading A Christmas Carol. But just having someone read with expression helps loads.

D’oh! Op says way back! Would suggest then considering L3 business BTEC if that’s of interest.

@Sofrustratedwithmyself no advice really except to say I could have written your post. My DS in year 12, used to read loads and loads and stopped at 13. Attention span now terrible and lack of enthusiasm. He also looks at loads of crap online about mainstream media etc and I think feels a bit that following a conventional route is pointless but HD doesn't know what he wants to do.
His GCSE results were reasonable but nowhere near MTG and he's plodding.
But like your DS he's a really lovely lad