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Teenagers

Parenting teenagers has its ups and downs. Get advice from Mumsnetters here.

Original poster

Falling behind at A level - when is it too late to catch-up?

26 replies

WhatsitallaboutAlfie1 · 24/02/2022 12:05

For various reasons, including friendship issues, absenteeism, some MH issues (depression/anxiety) and Covid etc, our dd has really fallen behind at A level. Her attendance rate is around 65%. She is in lower sixth. We are trying to 'sort' the issues with school, GP, CAMHS (hopeless) etc but at what point do you think it becomes untenable to sit A levels? We might be able to secure a tutor etc (although dd would have to really engage with that in her spare time), and endless propping up seems a little counterproductive, but just wondered if others had been in this situation and if they had really managed to pull things round? When is late too late?

OP posts:
TeenPlusCat · 24/02/2022 13:19

Would it be better to focus the next 6 months more on recovery, and then 'restart' y12 again in September? Either to do A levels again or a Level 3 Extended Diploma BTEC?

My y12 missed all y11 due to MH so I get where you re coming from. I can't see how she can be coping with attendance at 65%.

Is she on meds? Anti-depressants were a gamechanger for DD. We had to get them prescribed privately but now get them on the NHS.

Phineyj · 24/02/2022 13:27

It's pretty much now I'm afraid. I'm an A-level teacher. I aim to cover 60% to 65% of the course in year 1. We're 6 months into year 1 so we've done over a third of the course. Most schools have year 12 summer exams in May or June. UCAS predictions are largely based on those exams. Year 2 of most A-level courses usually draws on year 1.

Is the course choice right? If not, what alternatives are there? Are there friendship group issues? Has she met with the SENCO? The cognitive demands of A-level often show up previously unnoticed dyslexic difficulties. Are school supportive? Can you afford some private counselling?

You don't need to answer those questions but that's what I'd be pondering.

Original poster
WhatsitallaboutAlfie1 · 24/02/2022 14:11

Thanks @TeenPlusCat and PhineyJ for yr responses. The GP said he could not prescribe meds so we are in a queue for a psychiatrist (another 2 months). PhineyJ; your post was really helpful to my understanding this better. (I had thought the school might spell this out.) They are heavily supporting DD academically (and offered a school counsellor - but my DD has to actually go into school to access him). DD is not helping them with that - a mixture of depression and defiance. I might ask for SENCO assessment. One of the issues for us is that she is in a fee-paying school and we would really struggle to afford a retake year even if it were an option. I sometimes think moving schools/colleges would be a good idea but we offered DD this option before A level and she was adamant against. Friendships have been an issue, definitely. I think the subjects she chose were the right ones for her, but her capacity for serious study seems totally missing.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 24/02/2022 14:16

I thinking restarting year 12 is a good idea. I know several people who have done this. It doesn't have to be at the same school/sixth form college.

Is this an independent school?

Original poster
WhatsitallaboutAlfie1 · 24/02/2022 14:23

@RampantIvy - yes. I am surprised they haven't suggested it's a bit pointless carrying on tbh. While I wouldn't welcome the news, it has left me thinking if I am the only one thinking this...

OP posts:
Phineyj · 24/02/2022 15:03

OK, I thought it might be private! We don't like spelling things out! Maybe better to consider going down to two A-levels then and doing the third independently at a crammer? University entrance on a points based offer is also a possibility with 2 A-levels, or via a four year course including an Access course in year 1. Add the school careers or UCAS advisor to your list.

Original poster
WhatsitallaboutAlfie1 · 24/02/2022 15:17

@PhineyJ - Do you mean DD doing 2 A levels where she is, and then, in what should have been her first year at uni, taking a 3rd A level at a state crammer? (The issue for us partly is, we will have run out of money for fees by then)

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 24/02/2022 15:26

I'm surprised that the school haven't suggested it. You would have thought they would be happy to take your money for another year.

In the state sector students get funding for up to three years post 16, and if your DD has friedndship issues at school a clean break to restart year 12 in a state 6th form college might be the best idea. She can then decide to start entirely new subjects, or if she continues with the same she will have a head start because a fair amount will be going over stuff she has already learned.

Please don't dismiss the idea of state education for 6th form. Where I live the best 6th form provision is at a state 6th form college, and students leave their private schools in droves to go there.

Original poster
WhatsitallaboutAlfie1 · 24/02/2022 15:40

@RampantIvy - it's definitely not something I would dismiss. I was keen DD did this in the first place, and we had 2 decent state sixth form options lined up, but she wanted to stay put, in a familiar environment, and DH didn't want us to rock her boat. Seems ridiculous now.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 24/02/2022 15:43

Sometimes these things just don't work out. All the students I know who redid year 12 went on to do extremely well at university. It isn't a failure to redo year 12. I wish your DD luck in finding her feet.

At least with 6th form college everyone is new and looking for new friends.

PotteringAlong · 24/02/2022 15:47

I teach A-levels. I would be getting really twitchy now. By easter I would be saying that it was game over with that attendance.

intwrferingma · 24/02/2022 18:51

Very difficult. And worrying for you. I've had two go through state sixth form (not even a good one). I'd cut losses and re start in September with fresh A levels or if she prefers the same again. She needs breathing space and a chance to regroup. Those friendship issues won't be fixed at this point where she is.
It's really not a big deal. Lots of students re take after upper sixth. Your DD is just doing it in a different order
Good luck x

TowandaForever · 24/02/2022 18:57

Can I clarify something?

At a state school you can re do years?

@WhatsitallaboutAlfie1

My child has 60% attendance. Waiting for asd assessment. Suicidal.

TeenPlusCat · 24/02/2022 19:05

@TowandaForever

Can I clarify something?

At a state school you can re do years?

@WhatsitallaboutAlfie1

My child has 60% attendance. Waiting for asd assessment. Suicidal.

You can't normally 'redo years' in state. Except you can do 3 years in 6th form if you haven't gained level 3 (A level equivalent) qualifications. (I think I'm right, not an expert).

So you could do a Level 2 BTEC followed by a 2 year Level 3 btec.
Or you can start A levels, bomb out after the first year, and restart different subjects A level/BTEC.

What you can't do is do badly at A levels eg. DEE and then get a free 'resit' year.

intwrferingma · 24/02/2022 21:18

@TeenPlusCat in my children's state sixth form you could do exactly that - resit a year or even start again because you've had a simple change of mind. After all we're dealing with 16 and 17 year olds who might have no notion that they say want to be a doctor at GCSE exam stage but a year later know for sure that's what they want to do. They can change tack entirely and start again.

RampantIvy · 24/02/2022 22:10

Can I clarify something?

At a state school you can re do years?

Yes, you can @TowandaForever and @TeenPlusCat. There is funding for 3 years. I know a few people who redid year 12, and one who redid year 13. Unless this has changed in the last couple of years you definitely can redo either year 12 or 13 in state school/college.

That sounds really difficult @TowandaForever Flowers

tiredanddangerous · 24/02/2022 22:21

The honest answer is drop out, spend the remainder of this year sorting her mental health, start year 12 again in September.

In the meantime look into apprenticeships. A-levels aren't the right route for everyone.

TeenPlusCat · 25/02/2022 07:22

Just to be clear I said this: You can't normally 'redo years' in state. Except you can do 3 years in 6th form if you haven't gained level 3 (A level equivalent) qualifications. (I think I'm right, not an expert).

The Except you can shows I also agree you can do 3 years in 6th form. Smile

The previous bit was trying to show you can't usually suddenly redo y5 or y8 for example.

@RampantIvy Did the person you know who redid y13 actually sit and pass A levels? (I thought I you passed you couldn't resit. Obviously if they didn't sit them that would be different.)

Phos · 25/02/2022 07:26

Re the 2 A-levels where she is and her 3rd at a state crammer, if uni is where she is headed this is not a great solution as most (if not all) university offers are made on the basis of 3 a levels taking in the same sitting.

RampantIvy · 25/02/2022 07:32

The young man in question had to deal with some distressing family issues @TeenPlusCat. So he didn't sit his A levels at the end of year 13. He just redid year 13 and then the A levels were cancelled due to coronavirus, so I'm not sure what the outcome was.

In the other cases one retook the same subjects in year 12 because her grades were too low, two moved to another college to start again with different subjects and one stayed at the same school and started again with two subjects, but swapped another to start a new subject from scratch. The outcomes were very successful for them (As and Bs).

intwrferingma · 25/02/2022 07:40

@RampantIvy are there such things as state crammers? I don't know anyone who's ever been to a Cranmer but pretty sure they're not state.
Honestly OP if things aren't right I'd find a way of jumping ship and starting again in a state sixth form. It's what your child wanted to do in the first place. Give her some agency and take some pressure off. She can't power through this.
Start contacting likely sixth forms. They'll have seen and heard everything and won't bat an eyelid.
Good luck. It's a stressy situation. But take it from me, don't let mental health issues grow if you can do something now x

Phineyj · 25/02/2022 07:41

Phos it depends what she wants to do and where/if she wants to study, but you absolutely can seek points based offers in this situation. We did this for a student in a similar situation last year, so that she had an achievable insurance offer if she had to drop an A-level. Students can also apply via the Access route (the courses would be called e.g. BA/BSc Something with an Access Year. This would be a good route for a student with passes at low grades.

Phineyj · 25/02/2022 07:44

I also think you'd have to pay for a crammer although possibly some 6th form colleges let you do A-level in a year?

OP, do be careful to keep discussion of finances away from the child - I'm sure you are.

RampantIvy · 25/02/2022 07:51

I don't think cramming is the answer here. Given the mental health issues the OP's DD would be better to leave now, regroup and focus on improving her issues then have a fresh start somewhere else in September.

Felixthefish · 25/02/2022 07:53

I teach A level in a 6th form college. I really would recommend restarting Yr12 - the chances of your DD achieving anything close to her target grades are poor at 65% attendance.