Do you have questions about your child’s options following A level results day? Q&A with The National Careers Service - £100 voucher to be won

[JustineBMumsnet]

With uncertainty at a peak surrounding A level results day this year, we’ve partnered with the National Careers Service to bring you an expert careers adviser to help answer your questions about your child’s choices - including apprenticeships, university, internships and more - following their A level results.

Find more information on post-18 options here.

Francesca Cinotti, a qualified Careers Adviser, will be answering your questions. Read on if you’d like to know a bit more about her background: “Francesca is a qualified Careers Adviser, usually covering the Central London area. Francesca has been a part of the National Careers Service London team since 2018 and her areas of expertise include working with customers who are hoping to change careers and helping customers who have been out of work for a long time.”

Post your questions for Francesca on the thread below - she’ll be online to answer questions on results day and periodically in the days following.

Please note the advisers will be giving advice with the education system in England in mind. If you're living elsewhere, any advice given may not be relevant.

All who post on the thread with a question for Francesca will be entered into a prize draw where one MNer will win a £100 voucher for the store of their choice (from a list).

Have a child awaiting GCSE results? Keep an eye out for our Q&A next week.

Thanks

MNHQ

Insight Terms and Conditions apply

@Letseatgrandma

DS has been awarded AAB with the B in maths.

He was given an A at AS (and A at GCSE further maths). They didn’t do any mocks in maths (because they do AS in Y12) so would his AS Grade A count as a mock result from the ‘triple lock’ point of view? I know Wales have said they will look at AS grades, but will England?

Hi @Letseatgrandma thanks for your question. I would suggest you contact your school/college for further clarification on this - you may also find the following website helpful: www.gov.uk/government/news/triple-lock-for-students-ahead-of-a-level-and-gcse-results

@alem17

Surely A level students from England will be at a disadvantage compared to A level students in Scotland when applying to English or Scottish universities?

Hi @alem17 thanks for your question. As decisions have been made very rapidly, I think the universities themselves are still trying to establish a process and what would work in the students' best interests. I would suggest you contact the university that you had in mind for the latest updates as it could vary between different universities.

@FruityMumma

What's the best bit of careers advice you've had or can give to help us support our children?

Hi @FruityMumma thanks for your question. It's a good idea to keep as up to date as possible with the current changes that are happening in the job market. Talk to your child about their career choices and encourage them to explore different routes into work (Apprenticeship, Traineeship, Degree etc). Work experience will help them become 'job ready' and help them to consider what type of career will give them long term job satisfaction. You are welcome to contact us at the National Careers Service for a 1:1 session if you would like any further support on this:

nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/careers-advice

icould.com/ (useful website for young people wanting to explore their careers)

Hi Everyone,

Please note that comments may not be monitored over the weekend. If you do have any urgent questions, please call 0800 100 900, open between 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week, for further support.

All the best!
Francesca

FrancescaCinotti, Thanks for your reply we are MN!! If anyone will keep on badgering its us lot!

Is it possible to appeal if you don't agree with your child's given grade, and how does this process work?

Do you think that exams are outdated now? Should there be another way of testing?
I understand the need to show you have gained knowledge but they have always been a burden on those that are not exam minded or have learning difficulties.

If a student resits in autumn when would they get the results? Does that mean they're being forced into a year out?

There is the opportunity to re-sit exams in the autumn, but is it better to settle for a lower grade and an alternative uni place given that anyone re-sitting would have missed the opportunity to start a degree course this academic year; and for that matter, if there is a spike in Covid19 across the country can anyone guarantee that resits would even be possible in the autumn?

What are the options for apprenticeships for those with A levels in the arts?

How will future employers view the results?

Thanks for all of your good advice so far, things are changing so fast, and the govt seem to be backing down re the downgrading of teachers forecasted results, if my daughter does not get her C,C,A, amended (she needed B,B,B to get in to Liverpool. What are the preparations I need to put in place if she re-sat the year, and applied to University again - or would they keep her place open next year if she was to sit again and increase the grades (just want to keep her options open) but financially how will this affect her (student grant etc)

So... the latest is ...Pupils CAN now use teacher's predicted grades to challenge GCSE and A-Levels results as ministers are accused of doing a 'Sturgeon by the back door' after major U-turn
Office for Qualifications and Examinations Regulation last night revealed U-turn
Students can now appeal their A-level and GCSE grades using predicted grades
But pupils cannot use mock grades when appealing after Ofqual changed mind
It mirrors the move made by Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week

What chaos, can you please advise what this means for us, does this mean we wait for new results - this would make such a difference to us if grades were the teachers predicted grades.

Thanks for all of the great advice and weblinks so far,

@alwaysataldi

So... the latest is ...Pupils CAN now use teacher's predicted grades to challenge GCSE and A-Levels results as ministers are accused of doing a 'Sturgeon by the back door' after major U-turn Office for Qualifications and Examinations Regulation last night revealed U-turn Students can now appeal their A-level and GCSE grades using predicted grades But pupils cannot use mock grades when appealing after Ofqual changed mind It mirrors the move made by Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon last week

What chaos, can you please advise what this means for us, does this mean we wait for new results - this would make such a difference to us if grades were the teachers predicted grades.

Thanks for all of the great advice and weblinks so far,

I’m not sure that’s the case.

At 5pm yesterday, Ofqual released guidance on what constitutes a valid mock and said that students could appeal their given grade based on their mock, presuming their mock wasn’t higher than their CAG.

They then suspended this piece of information at 11pm last night and said they would release further guidance. Nobody is any the wiser.

My son is undecided whether to do apprenticeship or not what would you recommend?

Won't it be unfair that students from Scotland are given their predicted grades, while English students aren't?

Is everyone in England getting marked down, or does it vary between schools?

Now that the government has said there will be no charges for appealing the grades given, do you think that will affect the numbers appealing?

Do you think that students results this year are going to be seen as valid as in previous years?

If your child wants to re-sit as the grades are lower than expected, but you can`t afford to keep them at home another year what help if any is there. Let me explain, if they are going to Uni they would get their grant, if they were under 18 you would still get child benefit.

My grandson has lost motivation, and now feels that he does not want to continue with any education at all, and would rather travel to Africa teaching English. This does not seem like a wise move to me. His parents are backing him in this, though, believing if he wants too, he could go to Uni as an older student. Is that wise, or do you think, education first, and life experiences later?

If appealing still doesn't provide the expected grades, would it be worth taking the exams later this year or would this be too difficult with the amount of work missed? If restarting year 13 is an option, is that sensible?

Will there be an extended clearing system this year?

@villagefox

Do you think that students should appeal their scores if they luckily got into their first choice university but did significantly worse than predicted? How much emphasis do you think future employers will place on the grades from 2020 and therefore would it be worth appealing?

Hi @villagefox thanks for your question. It is up to the student if they wish to appeal their results, I appreciate it can feel very frustrating if the student feels these results do not reflect their academic abilities. For more information on appealing, please see the following website: www.gov.uk/appeal-qualification-result

The exams regulator is currently reviewing its guidance on the appeals process so I would continue to keep an eye out for all of the latest updates - www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53795831

I can't speak for all future employers, however they are likely to consider these grades in light of the circumstances and take this into consideration when shortlisting applicants in future.

@bethymorg

Is it possible to appeal if you don't agree with your child's given grade, and how does this process work?

Hi @bethymorg thanks for your question. It is possible to appeal, although the appeals process is still currently being reviewed. With this in mind, please keep an eye out for the latest updates - www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-53795831

For more information on the appeals process, please see the following website:
www.gov.uk/appeal-qualification-result