School is forcing me to drop a level chemistry...

Hi! I'm a year 13 chemistry student, and I got A's at GCSE and now I'm predicted an A. I had a really rocky start in chemistry since if I'm honest I didn't really care for it and only took it as it is necessary for medicine (not applying for medicine anymore but yeah). It was so much more intense to start with in the first month than my other courses and I didn't like it at all and wanted to drop out. My teacher was rude and doubted me ('are you sure you can do this?' 'its going to be very tough for someone like you to get a B' but that just pushed me on to work harder. After a few poor test results in the first term I pushed back and now I'm doing pretty good, and I honestly love the subject and I'm fascinated by it.
You have one less set back than me as I can already tell that you want to do the subject and have a developing passion for it. Now you need to prove your teachers wrong, do it not only for yourself but to spite them!! A levels take a lot of work, it's almost impossible to move from gcse and then ace the first few a level style tests as everything is completely different and you need to adjust not only to the content but the style of questions. With practise, I know you'll be able to do it fine!

I think bringing your parents in will be the best thing. my first ever chemistry test in as I got an E 🤔 yet here I am in a2 still doing it! if your teachers won't budge with your asking, ask your parents to come in. And if they're still being persistent, maybe think about moving colleges?

Yep, I'm planning to bring my parents if the meeting tomorrow won't work out (I have a feeling it won't) Would I still be able to move colleges/sixth forms at this time?
And thank you for your comment! (:

hopefully you won't have to move college and if you would, I hope that it is possible x

I am in year 12 and have taken chemistry too, we did a test and I just about barely scored a C. But that was many people in our class, and the teacher said that it was fine, as long as we know what we did wrong, I think that your teachers are being a bit unfair.

(Just to let you know, I'm in year 12, and I moved to a different school for sixth form, which has outstanding results, I got 2 As in my chemistry exams)

For my a levels I'm doing: bio, chem, history (and polish, although I won't count it in). I tried out maths a level, but since everyone is genius in my new maths class, I felt pressured and decided to drop it.

About a week ago, our assistant head teacher told me that I should drop chemistry. I didn't exactly understand why, and never got a good enough reason for it. She gave a few "reasons"

a) my terrible initial exam results (In week 3, we had an mini practice a level exam)

Firstly, I got 50% on my exam. It was my first ever a level exam though! Our teacher hasn't even taught us any a level exam skills. Personally, I think that getting 50% on an 'a level exam' is good for me, especially when I've been only in the course for 2 weeks. I know overall it's not a very good grade, but my exam is literally in less than 2 years. I think the highest % someone got was 67 anyway. They can't just drop me after one exam result, can they?

b) I "haven't done" any of my homework

I have done all my homework given. My chem teacher said there was an issue with my account and my progress was somehow deleted? (suspicious tbf) But since the points still stay, on the leaderboard, I'm still on the first place, meaning that I've done the most work out of my chemistry class.

c) I don't have a "talent" or the "skill" to do chemistry

Once again, not a valid excuse. I may not be that good in chemistry as all the other students (let me remind you, that school is one of the best in the area), but I'm quite certain that skills are learnt, not inherited. If I lack certain skills, then my teacher should simply try to teach me them. (Also, I only did double, and most of my class did triple, which may be why I lack skill)

My head teacher made me do psychology a level, which I don't enjoy. Some bits are interesting, but I have already missed quite a lot of content and do not want to quickly learn all of it to catch up with the rest of the students. The other day I asked the head teacher if I'm able to finally drop psychology, but she said that we'll "talk about it" on Monday. Although I'm 99% sure she'll make me do psychology anyway.

My teacher let me do chemistry for another few weeks, I've been pre-reading from my chemistry textbook (which we have finally received), and tbh, I'm improving, especially in practicals. I'm trying my best, although there wasn't much I could do in a period of a 2 weeks. I'm afraid to ask or participate in lessons now, because I'm scared that if I say something wrong they'll want to drop me. Same thing is with my homework, when I don't get something right, I get anxious about them using it as an reason for me to drop.

I know that chemistry a level is one of the hardest a levels there is, but I'm willing to put in the work. Our assistant headteacher told me that with my skills, I won't get anywhere above a E. (very harsh) That really made me lose my motivation...


Any tips/advice?
Thank you so much for reading.

wtf is wrong with your school if there system is ****ing everything up then that's not your problem . I can't believe how far schools will go to push people away from what they love to do , this happened to me to when i just started yr 12 . Talk to your parents about it and get them involved , i don't understand how the school can just remove you from the course without a valid reason that's such bs

I know right? (Your reaction is amazing btw)
They changed the meeting to Thursday. I'm planning to bring my parents in if they refuse, then I might as well leave the school. I lost my motivation to do chemistry now tbd ;;

But thank you for the advice!

aha yeh sorry for my over reaction , probably because i'm in the exact same position as you are , as in my school don't want me to chemistry cause they will think i'll fail (even though since term started i've been doing just as good as my classmates) but even they're not dumb enough to threaten to kick me out without valid reason .

You know what the sad thing is , the fact that you have lost your motivation to study chemistry because of the TEACHER themselves rather than other classmates bringing you down ,which is the normal thing to happen , it says alot about your chemistry teacher and how unprofessional they're that the fact that they're responsible for you not wanting to learn . You should bring this up on Thursday hopefully they'l sack your teacher and find someone who believes in you , gl

So many months late but that's literally my situation right now lmao. I joined Chemistry in early October and haven't been getting straight A's (and I'm not the only one) and now they're basically saying there is no way I can continue it. No one else, just me. They keep saying they have years of experience and know what's best for me, uhhh no you don't. I know what's best for me smh.

It all started because I wanted to drop Sociology, which i dislike, so that I can focus more on Chemistry. And now it's going south XD.

Are you still in that school? Do you still do Chemistry?

(Just to let you know, I'm in year 12, and I moved to a different school for sixth form, which has outstanding results, I got 2 As in my chemistry exams)

For my a levels I'm doing: bio, chem, history (and polish, although I won't count it in). I tried out maths a level, but since everyone is genius in my new maths class, I felt pressured and decided to drop it.

About a week ago, our assistant head teacher told me that I should drop chemistry. I didn't exactly understand why, and never got a good enough reason for it. She gave a few "reasons"

a) my terrible initial exam results (In week 3, we had an mini practice a level exam)

Firstly, I got 50% on my exam. It was my first ever a level exam though! Our teacher hasn't even taught us any a level exam skills. Personally, I think that getting 50% on an 'a level exam' is good for me, especially when I've been only in the course for 2 weeks. I know overall it's not a very good grade, but my exam is literally in less than 2 years. I think the highest % someone got was 67 anyway. They can't just drop me after one exam result, can they?

b) I "haven't done" any of my homework

I have done all my homework given. My chem teacher said there was an issue with my account and my progress was somehow deleted? (suspicious tbf) But since the points still stay, on the leaderboard, I'm still on the first place, meaning that I've done the most work out of my chemistry class.

c) I don't have a "talent" or the "skill" to do chemistry

Once again, not a valid excuse. I may not be that good in chemistry as all the other students (let me remind you, that school is one of the best in the area), but I'm quite certain that skills are learnt, not inherited. If I lack certain skills, then my teacher should simply try to teach me them. (Also, I only did double, and most of my class did triple, which may be why I lack skill)

My head teacher made me do psychology a level, which I don't enjoy. Some bits are interesting, but I have already missed quite a lot of content and do not want to quickly learn all of it to catch up with the rest of the students. The other day I asked the head teacher if I'm able to finally drop psychology, but she said that we'll "talk about it" on Monday. Although I'm 99% sure she'll make me do psychology anyway.

My teacher let me do chemistry for another few weeks, I've been pre-reading from my chemistry textbook (which we have finally received), and tbh, I'm improving, especially in practicals. I'm trying my best, although there wasn't much I could do in a period of a 2 weeks. I'm afraid to ask or participate in lessons now, because I'm scared that if I say something wrong they'll want to drop me. Same thing is with my homework, when I don't get something right, I get anxious about them using it as an reason for me to drop.

I know that chemistry a level is one of the hardest a levels there is, but I'm willing to put in the work. Our assistant headteacher told me that with my skills, I won't get anywhere above a E. (very harsh) That really made me lose my motivation...


Any tips/advice?
Thank you so much for reading.

Girl..still do chemistry but also do Religious Studies like me #A*

I really can't do RE a level, especially half way through my first year xD

Fine!!! But pursue your dream of chemistry and become a fashionable Culinary Chemist!!!!

Don't worry I meant it in a good way (:
Thank you so much! I know this is a late reply but the whole thing got sorted out. How is chemistry at your school?

Aww thanks! xD