Hello!
This blog is another important blog entry about information people may be wondering about: What if my GCSE grades don't allow me onto A-level courses? I feel like this blog post can be aimed at both people who are genuinely wondering about the re-sit programme or students that are currently on the re-sit programme.
When I was 16, I actually thought it was game over. I didn't get the GCSE grades I needed to get onto A-levels at first, and not to sound like a weirdo, but Cadbury kind of did save the day. On enrolment (the interview you have with a member of staff here at college who puts you on the courses you want), I was advised to go onto the GCSE re-sit programme, as I was only one GCSE grade down from the usual requirements, and had to re-do my science GCSEs as well.
At the time I felt sad, and in all honesty, slightly annoyed with myself. I didn't want to be on this programme, I wanted to go onto A-levels and stay with my year group. Going into the GCSE programme, I was going to be older than everyone else when I eventually did move onto A-levels, and already being one of the oldest kids in my year (since I was born at the beginning of September), I didn't like that idea WHATSOEVER!
But, from day one, I realised this was the right choice. Going onto the GCSE re-sit programme showed that maybe I wasn't ready for the A-level courses just yet, and I just needed another year to nurture into someone who was.
I did Sociology, Geography and Double Science on the programme. Frankly, the only reason I'm here writing on this blog as a second year student is because my teachers managed to get me through that! Doing the GCSE re-sit programme made me realise how much I enjoyed Sociology as a subject as well, having never done it before. A two year course being studied in one year, I found it so interesting that I ended up getting an A grade at the end (All thanks to my teacher on that one!). My GCSE sociology teacher even ended up as my A2 sociology teacher, which leads me onto another advantage of doing the re-sit programme: I knew my way around college. I knew staff members and it wasn't as scary as being a brand new A-level student with other people who didn't know their way around. I became one of those students who, at first, unofficially helped people around at the start of my AS year, and then officially became a student representative to help out on open days and parents evenings (I’m planning to do a whole other blog post about that, so I’ll just keep it short and sweet here!).
The GCSE re-sit programme isn’t easy, though, whatever people may think. Commitment is needed to the highest level and you have to be totally determined to do your best. This is your second chance, make the most of it!
All in all, don’t be ashamed of the GCSE re-sit programme. It’s there to help and support people who maybe did not get the support they needed during their actual GCSE year. It’s going to be a period of your life that you’ll look back at and will feel proud about (at least that’s how I feel when I look back at it). I’m a different person now than who I was back then, maybe more of a grown up I'd say!
