I need some advice as I really do not know what to do. DD just received some rather disappointing A level results. She is really cut up. She had intended to take a year out anyway so had not applied for any Uni places last year. She has decided that she would like to retake two of her A levels. However she is adamant she does not want to go back ti school or college. She feels she can study independently. I am not so confident. I do not think she can be self motivated for a whole year.

Any experience or advice to share???? please......

Oh dear sorry to hear your news West Kent. This happened to a friend of DD1. He successfully retook 2 A levels with the intermittent help of a tutor (ramped up towards the end). The deal was he had to pay for the tutoring himself, which meant that he focused on both work to earn the money to pay for the tutor and work to pass the A levels as he was, paying for them himself. I think this helped with the self motivation. He went from a C and a D to two As, which is what he had originally been predicted. He has just graduated with a 1st. However, his results were a huge shock and he had to take a good look at himself and reflect that he had not worked as much as he should/could have. She has another friend who retook, whose results were hardly better, but she was someone whose (parents?) aspirations/expectations always seemed to be higher than others' (ie the school).
Before making a decision I think it is important to consider why this happened and what would be different in a re-take scenario.
Given that your DD has already planned to take a gap year you/she have time on your side, so can use that to reflect and decide the best course of action.
Good luck, trying times and wishing you well

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mad?

Yes!

My daughter just did this.

She had a major operation just before her A levels and was not fully recovered.

She retook all three of her A levels and did not go back to school or college.

If you apply for her scripts it will help her see where she lost the marks. DG

Wow well done to her. Did she sit at home and revise all by her self or did she have access to extra help. When did she actively start revising again?

Have experience of a number of students who have done this. For some it worked when they had the self discipline and motivation (usually when the shock of the results really hit home and the honesty about level of work that had taken place was acknowledged). But it is most successful after a serious conversation with a teacher/tutor who gave clear direction about what areas to work on. Otherwise it can be difficult to identify how to change study methods etc. How open to helping are college or school? Many schools will help at arms length as they recognise not all students will want to attend school again, indeed some won't want them to attend as they may not get funding for them. They can allow them to retake at the school though and will help with a work/revision programme if approached. Hope this helps.

I don't know if my experience is still possible nowadays.
I also resat two A levels. I couldn't have done it myself (sciences which I wasn't that great at in all honesty).
I went to a sixth form college where everyone in my class was resitting. We did physics all day Tuesday and chemistry all day Thursday. The other days I was off. It worked very well for me.
I don't know if colleges still offer this though. We only found one that did and I had to travel over an hour and a half each way to get there.

Multiple decades ago I retook Physics A level by attending a once a week evening class at Matthew Boulton Technical College - Aim was to increase the grade a bit,

Turned out I was the only girl in the class and the only student who had actually passed the exam previously - tutor (who was a star) was somewhat bemused on both counts . "is there any gentleman or um er um... lady who like to have a go at the answer for this ....?"

In the end I got an offer without needing to retake so only did about a term but it was an interesting experience. I think the extra year and previously having done the exam means that students approach it differently - whatever route your sort I hope it all goes well

Many moons ago I went to what was then West Kent College and did an A level in a year on a very part-time basis and others were certainly doing re-sits.

If, as your name suggests, you are near said college I would definitely look at what they offer, it would give your DC some support but also the flexibility to get a job.

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Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad !

Hermanmunster, my experience was almost identical! I was the only girl bar one and on the first day we had to go round the class telling the tutor what grades we had. Everyone else was U U U and I was the only one who had passed.
I also then was offered an unconditional offer but decided to stick out the year anyway.

Hi West Kent

My niece fell very ill in her first A level with gastroenteritis and ended in hospital on an IV drip. Subsequently she sat one or two but was too stressed so her parents pulled her out of the exams and withdrew her papers (I think this is there term). Anyway she is resitting but has moved to London and will sit them independently.

She has already identified local exam centres via the exam boards where she can sit the papers as an independent student and has discussed how to get the coursework transferred over and the fees. Her college were happy for her to come back but she felt she needed a fresh approach. She has found some online tutors to go over the work. In between she will be getting a part time job.

She feels she has taken control of the situation and hopefully this will give her the impetus she needs to work this year without the college support. Maybe your DD needs to also take control of the situation or just wants to just get away from the school environment? Are there local evening A level courses near you? Maybe working part-time will make her feel she is moving forward as I remember when I re-took my A levels I felt stagnated whilst all my friends had moved on to university.


StowMum