Hello,
I was just wondering if anybody can offer any advise for my daughter please?
She's in year 11, thinking about A-level options. She is absolutely passionate about physics, has been for the past year and is desperate to take it at A-level and further, though she's no idea what to do with it yet. She is fascinated by the subject and reads books and watches TV programmes on the subject, her interest extends beyond what she is taught in class. She got a grade 8 in her May exams and in a recent test, so seems to be doing well.
However, her maths is not so strong. She scored a 4 in her May exams, and is generally working at a low 5 (data from May), though she got 6 in recent test.
To take physics, she obviously needs maths. Her school require a 6 in physics to take physics, which should be achievable, and a 7 in maths; this will obviously be hard for her to achieve, but she's a hard worker and is trying to get as much help as is available at school, so although it is still a long shot, there's some hope for her. She is starting 'to get' maths more recently, really just with lots of practice and asking for help.
In order to take A-level maths though, her school require a grade 8, which seems very high to me. There is no flexibility on this. I was told that this is because students with grades lower than this don't do well at A-level.
I feel so sorry for her as she has no idea what to take if she can't take physics, she loves it so much.
There are other sixth forms or colleges that require 'just' a 7 in maths, which will mean that she'll have to change schools (if she can get a 7). But, do you think that what I've been told by her school is true, that with a grade lower than an 8, she is unlikely to do well at A-level?
Also, do you think it's possible that she, who is not a natural mathematician, but works so hard, could achieve a higher grade than predicted and would she find A-level maths too hard?
Her school allow students to take A-level physics with a 7 in maths, but they can't take maths as they need an 8. They are the only school I know of locally that allow physics to be taken without maths (so, if she got a 7, she could stay and do this if she wants to stay there), but then her her future options would be limited.
Any advise would be gratefully received; I don't think she should give up on physics but what if her maths really isn't up to a good enough level to support the physics? She's really confused, and so am I!
Thank you : )
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