a level nightmare

[shorter01]

hi my son is supposidly bright and clever, well to be honest he is but he is having a nightmare with his a levels just goes to pot in exams and is a bag of nerves throwing up etc, am worried he won't get the results he needs to go to university and just don't know what to do for the best, think he could work harder or smarter whatever it is they call it but would appreciate some advice from anyone who has been there or is there xxx

What does he want to study?
Does he have good offers?
How helpful is the school he is at?

The build-up to Alevels is hideous and does not help the student at all IMO. My DS didn't get the grades that his Uni of choice had asked for, but he had been interviewed and despite being desperately disappointed results day (envisaging clearing and different courses) the outcome was that he did get in and on the course he wanted.
Nothing is ever cut and dried and there is always an alternative. If he's determined in what he wants to do it will all come together. Talking to the subject staff may help, but so much depends on the subjects he's doing and the staff in school. All you can do is encourage and be there. (And see what the alternatives are (if applicable))
Not sure that helps you much, but you need to keep positive!

You can do some things.. but he has to do the rest!
You can be supportive in a relaxed way..make sure he has a decent quiet place to study, provide his food and check he has anything he needs. You can also do gentle nagging..but that's about it I'm afraid!

Is he yr 12 or 13? A lot of very bright students who sailed through their GCSEs come BADLY unstuck at AS level. I have two who have sat A levels in the last two years and have seen it over and over again (including my own DD2) . The jump from GCSE to A level is BIG and in particular the sciences and maths can be a real blinder for those who found it easy before. My DD2 did badly in one of her AS levels (she had Glandular fever for 4 months which really didn't help, but she also didn't work hard enough) and it was a massive wake up call.. she pulled her socks up and miraculously has just jumped two grades in the resit but it's been a hard slog.

Is he doing the right subjects for him? Quite a few students I know realised they were not doing the right subjects and restarted the year again.. it's a long two years if you are doing something you aren't enjoying at all.

Does he JUST panic in the actual exam, or is he panicking because he isn't well enough prepared? For pure nerves maybe rescue remedy, or maybe even visit the gp and see if he can have something to calm him down.. however if it's panic because he isn't prepared well enough, then he needs to get his study prioritised.

One thing we have done was to get a private tutor for my DD1 for the subject she was doing badly in (if he's doing bio I can give you a link..she does it online via skype and it has been fantastic!). Again we found that several of my DD1s friends are having tutors for weaker subjects.. that extra concentrated 1:1 support has made a huge difference.. £22 a week but worth it!

In the end, if he wants to go to University, he will HAVE to be able to perform in exams..be prepared etc because that's what continues at University! It may be that if it's not lack of preparation related, or being in need of a bit of help, it might be wise for him to look at all the other options out there for him...there are may routes to success, not just a degree:)

I totally understand your worry.. been there twice!

Hypnotherapy works; find a good therapist who can work with teenagers. Honestly, he/she will use relaxation methods and other stuff to get those nerves under control.

he wants to do history at uni and loves the subject has a real passion for it and has five offers from the uni's he has applied to now has to whittle it down to two but am worried he won't get the results he wants to get where he wants god it's such a worry has always loved history and in class get fantastic feedback and results just he gets to exams and it's a nightmare

Same here. DS1 very capable, but just cracks in exams. One of his teachers recently told him to do his work in a room sort of set up as exam conditions - no music, not down here talking about things to us while doing homework (talking about homework topics), giving himself a set time to do stuff. Don't know if that helps. DH is the same. He's doing home study and the last time that he had to take a module exam (for the third time), he got some Diazepam from the doctor and he passed. That might have been coincidence or a placebo, but it worked.

I think that pupils don't seem to do enough exam preparation at school.

My DD has panic attacks and was late for her last exam with an attack. She has just been told that she will have the option of a 'time out' in the exam - if she freaks out in the middle of it she can leave the room for a break (monitored of course). Might be worth seeing if this is possible for your DS?

It sounds new-agey, but breathing and relaxation techniques can really help. As can even just knowing the relationship between anxiety and physical reactions.