is there really any point ds going back to school

[lemonice]

he's done the first year of sixth form but got a u in business (although he said his course work was fine?) and they haven't told him the results of his other exam...I don't think it was AS either gnvq or something similar

What can he do job wise?

[Lucycat]

What does he want to do? Has he asked why he hasn't got the results of his other exam?

How about a trade if he's interested?

[laughorcry]

Barrister's clerk a great job. You can make loads of money and don't need anything but adequate GCSEs.

I think there's an expectation now that people will stay on at school regardless of whether academic things are for them at that moment.

He can always go back into education if he wants to later - there's not much point in flogging away now if he's not really interested.

[mumtosomeone]

Does he want to go back? thats the real question!

[hercules]

I would say not. I was a 6 th form tutor and there were several kids who fell into it but should really have been doing something else more suitable. There is a huge range of courses out there and rather than wasting another year get him to research alternatives. His head of 6th form should be able to help or a local connexions.

[chloe55]

I started 6 form but left after 6motnhs because I just had no interest. Got myself a trade and did further qualifications that way in something I was actually interested in.

Like laughorcry says it seems that at this time people are almost looked down upon if they don't go into further eductaion

[lemonice]

he rang up for his results yesterday and he looked gutted, I didn't know what tosay...he just said well there's no point going back then...

So I left any further discussion, as he clearly wasn't in the mood but last night he implied in a roundabout way that he was going back...

I've got to get him up this morning to talk about it as I've had an email from his dad asking what he's going to do as he has to pay his school by 31 August (his dad has heard that he hasn't done well but doesn't know the exact results, as ds hasn't been in touch)

He did have an idea of doing something in estates management I think but i am stumped

He is above average intelligence but his gcses are not good (doesn't have the requisite 5 A to C's) He retook Maths but got a D again

[chloe55]

Maybe he just goes to pieces in exams? Seems a shame if this is the case. Sounds like he probably does want to still be in school but was maybe just having a down moment because of his grades. It sounds like he probably does need to talk to a careers advisor.

[lemonice]

I'm more confused now...Right the post just came and in Leisure and Tourism GNVQ there seem to be 6 units and he got

out 73%, 72%, 73%, 87%,40% and 54% (I presume the last 2 are exams and the rest coursework)

So his overall grade is Merit and the exam level is Intermediate

I've no idea how this is judged in relation to GCSEs and AS/A level???

They haven't sent his Business results but there should have been coursework in those as well.

He is dyslexic/dyspraxic but that shouldn't be too dramatic as he is allowed to do exams on computer

[mumtosomeone]

has he got another year of leisure and tourism to do?
My bil has just done that and got another year or is it 2 to do!!
Try and talk to him some more and find out what he wants to do and then help him go about it!
Good luck

[chloe55]

Hopefully that rsult will lift his spirits a bit. A GNVQ is just as important an exam as GCSE's and in my opinion A-levels because they focus solely on a particular field. I have an NVQ in veterinary nursing and am actually much more proud of that exam than any of my gcse's. And can I say was sooooo much harder too so well done to your son!

[lemonice]

I don't think he understood the results (I woke him up to open them) They are written in a rather gobbledigook way in lists and numbers

mumtosomeone I presume he's now got the gnvq at merit as it is the official edexcel print out. What is your bil planning to do?

I think he was doing it next year as well presumably a higher level?

These results look good to me now..the school didn't even tell him them yesterday which is such a pity

[mumtosomeone]

think L+T is in a few modules. I dont know what BIL is doing..wasting time if you ask me!! He wants to be a football coach, but wont do the course yet as it means leaving school and going to college!!!WEt or what?!!!
Whats the point in waisting time on a course you dont want and putting off what you do want. MIL and FIL need to kick his butt!

[potty1]

lemonice - his L&T sounds fine. He could just ditch business and pick up something else for a year. If his IT is good he could try that.

You have my sympathy. Ds1 has done AS levels, he's not very academic and I tried to steer him away but he wanted to do them. His results were 2 D's, an E and a U (Biology), unsurprisingly, as he didn't work very hard. He's also resitting his Maths over 2 years.

He's insisting he's carrying on to the full A-level (except for the Biology).

[Rowlers]

Lemonice, if neither you nor he are clear, his best initial path would be to go into school / college and speak to head of 6th form for advice. Our school operates "drop-in"s for students who need to talk over their options.
Phone school / college and ask?
I wouldn't do anything else until I had been down that route first.

[lemonice]

Potty, if your ds isn't very academic they sound quite good results...it's so hard to interpret them when everyone around seems to get As and Bs.

Ds had an idea of going to University, which I think would have been madness but it seems that the culture pushes them in that direction willy nilly regardless of how appropriate it is...

I'm feeling a bit better now.

I've just emailed his Dad but feel a bit pressurised to suddenly decide on ds future over the weekend, he had been so confident before that i thought his results would be alright.

[potty1]

Lemonice - I think you're right.

Ds1 has this thing about going to uni - yes it's brilliant for him to want to go, but I just don't think it will be worthwhile. I think he's been influenced to think that's what he should do. We've had a chat about it this week and I'm trying to support his aspirations whilst also being the voice of reason.

[PeachyClair]

My Mum and Dad didn't see the point in Uni for me either, it has taken me sixteen years to get to the stage where I am able to start in two weeks (YAY! You can't imagine how many dreams come true that is for me)... I don't necessarily need it to have a good career- I had one anyway- it was kind of a very deep need to achieve at that level and prove myself capable. I can't explain it easily, but it's been an incredibly important thing for me to aim for.

[PeachyClair]

Oh, and I got U in Psychology (was at the beach ), and an E in Biology (was at the beach most of term ), but really good results on my Access course, I just needed to mature enough in myself.

[potty1]

I think maturity is an issue with ds1 Peachy - he is the youngest in his year - just 17 yesterday - so if he goes to uni he'll be barely 18. I think a couple more years, working or studying at a lower level would make the furure a bit clearer for him.

[PeachyClair]

If it is an issue, a year or two of work experience then an Access (they now take from 19 years old) might suit him? We had a couple of young ones on our course and they flew through and into Uni places (we all got offers so that's not as much of an issue as people will have you believe either- I got six as a late applicant, one was Bristol).

Perhaps that would suit him? He could even take an early gap year experience if you were OK with it, would mature him a bit.

[lemonice]

Good News update

I emailed his Business Studies teacher and she has replied

He did get a U, but only in the exam module on finance and he will still have earnt a few points for that.

At the end of next year all the points for the modules in Business Studies are added together to give the final result. He has really high points in some of those modules he has done as coursework so if he does as well next year, good marks on course work and poorly in the exam units he will still end up with a double AVCE which is the equivalent of two A Levels at a C or D.

And apparently the Tourism GVNQ is the equivalent of 4 B grade gcses.

So he didn't fail dismally as we first thought...I can't believe this has turned round.

A big thank you for your supportive posts, if his Dad hadn't emailed me this morning and I hadn't posted this then I don't think I would have tried so hard to talk to ds and he came up with his teacher's email and asked me to email her.

[lemonice]

Potty, I tried to dissuade ds from thinking of university as I don't think it is the right way forward (in fact I was surprised he'd even thought about it), he won't get all the support he has at school and I just can't see it but it's difficult to say anything without undermining their confidnece (ds is fragile to say the least as this exam episode shows)

It's hard isn't it?

[MascaraOHara]

Sorry I know it's late to come into the convo but I thought of my brother when reading this..

He did terribly at school, has never been diagonsed with dyslexia but I'm almost certain he has it mildly (if that's possible). Anyway he did a year or 2 in sixth for (Leisure & Tourism and Business GNVQ's funnily enough). He left school having done reasonably well in those. He worked in a warehouse for a few years then decided that he would go to uni, he had to do an access course as his grades from school were poor/irrelevant. He left to do that in his mid 20's and he's been there a couple of years now.

He's really enjoying it and doing much better than school. So I would say don't worry too much and if he's interested in uni encourage it, it gives him time to think about what he really wants to do as well.

I think you mentioned estate management at some point, has he thought about looking at agricutlural college? I think they do courses in estate management.

[lemonice]

Not too late at all MOH, I think it's interesting to hear different experiences.

Ds had a terrible terrible time until he went to this school at secondary level and he has changed from a miserable and bad tempered child into a confident (lazy) teenager who can carry on a sensible conversation with adults.