A level grades question

[Inesyoucantbelieveawordshesays]

This is a question really for teachers of KS5.

I teach KS2 so this is really beyond my area of knowledge but I hope someone could advise.

My DD is in Year 13 and things are not going well. She did early-entry for university because she was applying for Oxbridge -she interviewed but didn't get a place but tbh is fine with that because her heart wasn't set on it. She has 4 other excellent offers - 2 RG, 2non-RG - to read a subject with very high entry requirements (her lowest offer is AAB). All of this was great in Sept/ early Oct; she was flying and predicted A*AA.

Problem is, since then, everything has taken a turn for the really quite shit. Her mental health has nosedived, lots of disruption at school, some social dramas... She tanked the mocks and got CDD.

Is it too late? Do we accept the A levels are a bust? Or can it be pulled back? Any thoughts?

(Obviously, I hope it should go without saying that we're trying to address the MH and of course that's more important. But it isn't going to help her if she gets poor grades and doesn't have a uni place either).

If she was predicted A*AA in September then presumably she has solid knowledge of the Y12 content and did badly on these exams partly because of her mental health issues affecting her performance rather than just total lack of knowledge.

It's not too late to pull things back but obviously it depends on whether the issues that have affected her are still ongoing.

Can you afford tutors? That might help build her academic confidence back. Ask the school what she needs to do to improve.

And if she doesn't get top grades it isn't the end of the world and doesn't mean that she can't go to uni either. Clearing is always an option even if it means taking a slightly different path to the one she had planned.

It's definitely not too late. There are still a few months left. I've taught students who were on Ds all year then pulled out a B grade in the actual exam. So it's totally possible to increase her grade from the mocks. Especially with the topic lists for revision now released and they are being more generous with marking, it should be easier than the mocks.

Hi, OP -

Former RG STEM Admissions Tutor here, so I hope I am not completely out of place. I am very sorry to hear about your DD's problems, but I am also thinking about the bigger picture. I believe her MH is the key issue here.

Based on my personal tutees and what I've seen from sitting on Mitigating Circumstances panels, the single biggest problem UG students have stems from partially solving a chronic problem (often health) or just plastering over it, then limping along as it compounds.
These days HR Departments of most major employers are binning applications from new graduates who do not have a 2.1 degree, so a student can't afford too much of this.

If your DD begins uni this autumn she will be taking her first exams in less than a year. What kind of shape will she be in? She deserves to thrive. I wonder if you can consider whether it is good for her to continue to A Levels now or whether, with her potential, it would be possible to stop the clock so she can recover her health and confidence first. I don't know whether she would be supported for an extra year of schooling, but if she were not I believe there is good online tuition available. Yes, it takes extra motivation but many do it.

Of course if she can recover now that it the best option of all, but this very large drop in grades suggests the possibility that something serious could be going on. It would be good if she were able to earn the grades to get to a uni where, and when, she can really set up her future.
Best wishes