A MUM has shared her “total shock” after her son flunked a number of his GCSEs despite coming from a “very academic family” and being in top sets.
She has even slammed the school for not caring about his “awful” grades as teachers were “too busy taking photos of their high achievers” to express sympathy.
Pupils were anxiously opening their results yesterday as the entire UK returned to pre-pandemic grading.
And while thousands of teenagers will have to resit their GCSE English and Maths exams after fewer than two-thirds achieved pass marks, the shocked mum’s son won’t be one of them.
That’s because, due to a system loophole, there’s “no options for resits” for him.
The gutted mum took to Mumsnet in search of advice.
“My 16-year-old got his GCSE results yesterday and they were awful,” she penned.
“Everything was at least two grades below what he was predicted.
“He only passed four, although that did include Maths and English.
“All of his plans to do A-levels are in tatters, as is his confidence – and my confidence in my parenting ability.
“I just don’t know where to go from here.
“School didn’t care, they were too busy taking photos of their high achievers so no help there.”
And as the teen’s school doesn’t offer sixth form, there’s apparently “no option for resits”.
“I wish there was,” the mum added.
“He’s going to look at a college course today, but with only four passes, he’s really limited with what he can do.
“All my family are very academic and have degrees, so it was a total shock.
Pupils are advised to speak to their preferred school or college to see if they can be flexible on entry requirements if they have just missed the grades.
In England, if a student is unhappy with their grade they can ask also their school or college to request that the exam board review the marking.
If there are still concerns after the review, the student can ask their school or college to appeal against the result.
Students can also choose to resit any GCSE exam in the summer of the following academic year if they are unhappy with their results.
But students can retake English language and maths GCSEs from this autumn.
In England, it is a requirement for students who do not secure at least a grade 4 in English language and/or maths GCSE to retake the subjects during post-16 education.
Students are funded to retake maths and/or English until they achieve a GCSE grade 9 to 4.
For students with a grade 2 or below, they can either study towards a pass in functional skills level 2 or towards a GCSE grade 9 to 4.
“I feel he’s limited himself at such a young age.
“I’m just so upset for him.
“He did all the work, had 100% attendance and was top sets at school… just something has gone badly wrong in the exams and we don’t know what.”
This year’s GCSEs saw the largest ever haul of certificates being dished out, with 6.5 million awarded.
Of the exams graded, 67.6% scored grade 4 (equivalent to a C) or higher.
This is only fractionally lower than the 68.2% hit last year, but higher than the 67.3% in 2019.
However, only 61.9% secured this “standard pass mark” for English Language this year, and only 59.5% did so for Maths.
It means thousands of teenagers will have to resit their exams, with recent rules meaning they have to keep trying to pass English and Maths until they are 18.
