17 year old not going to school

[ohmygoshteens]

i have a 17 year old who is doing the bare minimum for their a levels.
attendance is around 70% (if they're lucky)
they are not engaged with attending lessons.
they say they want to pass and were forecast A's. but the school and i are worried.
i really don't know what to do to help them focus and just go.
has anyone else been in this situation and how did you handle it?
i've told them it's not optional to just not go, but their actions continue in their own self-absorbed way.

It is optional for them to go.
17 year olds do not have to do a levels if they don't want to.

It’s not so optional though if they hope to have a professional career.

i guess there is something stopping them. have you asked what the problem is? are they anxious?

He sounds burnt out. Was it a very pushy academic school? He may need a gap year working dead end jobs to appreciate that qualifications are vital. May give him more motivation.

If they’re predicted grades are As, then they’re doing their coursework and aceing their tests to date despite low attendance. So why the concern? If they were doing bare minimum, their predicted grades would be Cs not As.

Some people learn better outside a traditional classroom/lecture hall format than in it. Attendance is actually optional at age 17. I would back off.

I was the same. There just wasn't enough to keep me going in. I ditched it half way through and did an apprenticeship (was yts back then) was a shock to all concerned as was projected a's etc but I'm just not that motivated. Ended up studying part time and still got my professional qualifications (no debt though as employer paid). I'm just a very lazy student. Make me do it part time and squeeze everything in and I thrive.
Don't be too disheartened. I believe if it's meant for them they will get there one way or another.
My teachers all told me I was staying. Nope. Not for me!

What are the most recent mock grades. Oh grades are ok, who cares?

@FemmeNatal there are plenty of ways to get a professional career without Alevels. I assume you have heard of Apprenticeships and Btecs?

I have, but they are still not the best way into the professions. If you want a good career in an area such as finance, law, medicine or the like then the traditional route of A-Levels then degree is still normal.

I actually have an apprentice on my team at the moment (banking), but this is rare, and he’s really going to need to do well if he ever wants to follow the same career path open to the graduate intake.

i really don't know what to do to help them focus and just go

Find out what the reason is.

@FemmeNatal maybe he has zero interest in working in law or medicine etc. There are 1000s of other professions out there.
Alevels aren't for everyone.

Prev mocks were a a c. They are doing mocks this week as well which will be interesting to see the results.

Concern is that yes they seem to be doing well at the moment but are missing a lot of lessons which are foundations for the next level that will be taught from sept 22.

We have said you don't have to do a levels it's not the only route. But they say they don't want an apprenticeship at this point

They are sick of education.... But excluding holidays they only really have 8 months left. I just would love them to hang in and not just have GCSE as their final level of education.

I'm getting daily texts and emails from the school asking where they are . Which is not a whole bag of fun.

My other concern is can a school kick you out for low attendence.

Main lack of motivation seems to be sick of education

If they are not interested in A Levels, maybe see if something else appeals more? BTecs? An apprenticeship? There is an option at the end of Y12 (as 3 years of funding available) to reassess what to do.

thank you for the empathy and to all the other responders aswell.
we have talked to them to try and establish, maybe it's not just for them. however, they say (though actions say otherwise) they want to continue.
i just wondered if anyone had any brilliant approaches with their teens that got them to turn around their attidue/approach.

Do they have a goal in mind?
Why are they not interested in an apprenticeship? It's much more hands on than classroom if they are "sick of education" What sort of things do they enjoy doing that isn't 'school' - could that lead to a job?

For what it's worth my DC was also totally disinterested in A Levels in Year 12. He has hopefully pulled it round to some extent in Year 13 (sitting the exams now). But he had to want to do it for himself, no amount of pep talks etc motivated him.

Looking back I really wish I'd more strongly suggested that he could swap to something else at the end of Year 12. I think the fear of the unknown and starting again was greater than the fear of failing.

Also, and I say this as lot on these threads (and have to remind myself as well) - your DS should know that there is more than one route to where you want to go. Just because you don't go by the most direct route, doesn't mean you can't get there in the end.

Have they done any work experience/ part time jobs? Do they have any idea what they want to do?
knowing what working is like , what jobs you can do without a levels etc, or a reason to study may help. What are they passionate about?

In solidarity here OP, no real advice but have a DS who is resitting two mocks end of this week after not doing that much work for them...I have noticed a few posts on here recently from parents of yr 12 DC having similar issues...maybe it is a tricky time for them

They could just go and get a job.
It is allowed at 17 despite what people seem to think. Technically the rules say "work a minimum of 20 hours a week while also studying a college course" (this is England - I am assuming the OP is in England) but really if they drop out of the college course no one follows up.
The only thing is 17 year olds cannot claim any benefits and any benefits that parents received that are child related (ie child benefit or child tax credits) will stop.
Maybe he just wants to 'get on with life' and be out working.

talk to them? what do they want to do? it seems to be you doing all the worrying - not criticising but you can take a horse to water and all that so maybe have a heart to heart about where they want to go in life.

or get them to talk to someone else who isn't a parent or teacher?

thanks all x

I got kicked out of 2 colleges for low attendance. I didn't really understand why I had lack of motivation to go into class until I found out it was because I had depression and then it all made sense. I did go to college for a 3rd time after a year off and completed it with good grades.

And despite going to college 3 times, I didn't even go into the career path of my BTEC. I also didn't go to university as I just found school didn't fit for me! Some people just don't get on with school, and that is totally fine. I ended up getting a job (book keeper) based on my GCSEs, not my BTEC and I've been doing it got 10 years.

Being 17 is very young to have to have your life figured out. I'd suggest don't force them to finish 8 months of school if they are just going to fail. They can always go back as an adult learner.

It took working a shitty part-time job in retail to make me appreciate the opportunity by degree was offering me, and make more of an effort with my grades.

The boyfriend at the time dropped out of uni for a year to work in construction before he understood the only type of work he was interested in required a degree (he was an idiot who thought construction would be mindless and easy money).

A part time job or volunteer work might be good for your DS and give him something to think about besides constant academics. And give him a chance to work with other adults and consider what kind of life he might like to aim for (and he might really love that kind of work, and then feel more confident pursuing that rather than going through the motions with school).

Only other obstacle I might consider checking in about is if there are any people or a social situation that he's avoiding at school.