The Student Room Group

School Leave for A-level

Hi,
so I do Maths, Physics, Economics and Further Maths AS and at the moment it doesn't look like I'll get A/A*'s in either Economics or Physics. We have finished in Physics, Economics and soon to be Maths.

I'm incredibly self-motivated, having done a combined time of 30 hours since Monday this week off, but I can't do this whilst school at school. Lessons, especially Economics and Physics are unproductive: doing work in class that isn't relevant or having the teacher address topics people don't understand, leaving me doing work I can do whilst simultaneously knowing what I need to revise. For my GCSE's I just stopped coming in for the last month to revise but hesitant to do that again.

I would like to study at home for Economics, Physics and when finished maths and potentially self-teach the rest of Further maths. Anyone got any experience with this because I know for certain I'd do better studying at home so frustrating to have to sit in lessons wasting time. The school don't doubt my hard work but guessing rules and regulations are the problems with school leave. Any help is much appreciated (other than insulting me :wink:)

Many Thanks,
Guy
(edited 4 years ago)
Original post by Joshua.Hudss
Hi,
so I do Maths, Physics, Economics and Further Maths AS and at the moment it doesn't look like I'll get A/A*'s in either Economics or Physics. We have finished in Physics, Economics and soon to be Maths.

I'm incredibly self-motivated, having done a combined time of 30 hours since Monday this week off, but I can't do this whilst school at school. Lessons, especially Economics and Physics are unproductive: doing work in class that isn't relevant or having the teacher address topics people don't understand, leaving me doing work I can do whilst simultaneously knowing what I need to revise. For my GCSE's I just stopped coming in for the last month to revise but hesitant to do that again.

I would like to study at home for Economics, Physics and when finished maths and potentially self-teach the rest of Further maths. Anyone got any experience with this because I know for certain I'd do better studying at home so frustrating to have to sit in lessons wasting time. The school don't doubt my hard work but more worried about potential bureaucracy.

Many Thanks,
Guy

If you are so incredibly motivated, then why are you behind in the first place?
TSR gets lots of these threads about this time and for the next 3 months.
Speak to your parents and then your school.
Your school may resist because you would be absent, they dont get paid and they have no control over you whilst away when you should be at school.

If they say yes, then fine but imo its more likely to be a no, because you arent any more important then the school or other students.
You could decide to take it anyway and they could expel you, which then leaves you to sort out your exams if you have the money.
By potential bureaucracy you mean the law that both you and the school have to abide by.
If you are 18 you can just leave.
Reply 2
Original post by 999tigger
If you are so incredibly motivated, then why are you behind in the first place?
TSR gets lots of these threads about this time and for the next 3 months.
Speak to your parents and then your school.
Your school may resist because you would be absent, they dont get paid and they have no control over you whilst away when you should be at school.

If they say yes, then fine but imo its more likely to be a no, because you arent any more important then the school or other students.
You could decide to take it anyway and they could expel you, which then leaves you to sort out your exams if you have the money.
By potential bureaucracy you mean the law that both you and the school have to abide by.
If you are 18 you can just leave.

Why am I behind? I take 3 academic A-levels and an AS, whilst aiming for A/A*s. Unless you're incredibly naturally smart (which I'm not) then anyone would be struggling. I get A*s in every maths and further maths paper I take but due to my dyslexia I struggle with the worded question in economics and for Physics, it's known for giving away far less A's and being generally harder than maths.

Bureaucracy was the wrong word. I'm afraid they'll say absolutely not due to the rules and regulations. I just know people would have had the same problems but don't insult muy efforts because I work bloody hard and in half my subjects that yields good grades (hence me doing maths at uni and not Economics).
Original post by Joshua.Hudss
Why am I behind? I take 3 academic A-levels and an AS, whilst aiming for A/A*s. Unless you're incredibly naturally smart (which I'm not) then anyone would be struggling. I get A*s in every maths and further maths paper I take but due to my dyslexia I struggle with the worded question in economics and for Physics, it's known for giving away far less A's and being generally harder than maths.

Bureaucracy was the wrong word. I'm afraid they'll say absolutely not due to the rules and regulations. I just know people would have had the same problems but don't insult muy efforts because I work bloody hard and in half my subjects that yields good grades (hence me doing maths at uni and not Economics).

I gave you good advice about the issues as your school will see it. Take it or leave it, but we get threads such as these every year on a regular basis.
You wont know unless you ask and ultimately its down to the school. Insult or not.
Are you in Y12 or 13? Judging by the AS I suggest Y12?
Reply 5
Original post by Rashbeck
Are you in Y12 or 13? Judging by the AS I suggest Y12?

A-level. My first exam is Further maths AS on the 14th May
Reply 6
Original post by 999tigger
I gave you good advice about the issues as your school will see it. Take it or leave it, but we get threads such as these every year on a regular basis.
You wont know unless you ask and ultimately its down to the school. Insult or not.

Alright, I guess it's just very frustrating and it annoys me. I'm generally very stressed about it so might just be honest and see if any compromise can be made.
Reply 7
Original post by Rashbeck
Are you in Y12 or 13? Judging by the AS I suggest Y12?

So yeah, made my life super hard my doing an AS in the second year but really I needed it for Maths at university.
Original post by Joshua.Hudss
Alright, I guess it's just very frustrating and it annoys me. I'm generally very stressed about it so might just be honest and see if any compromise can be made.

The issue is if they allow it for you they have to give it to everyone. If they do so and dont get paid, then they have issues, never mind the legal duty to oversee your attendance. The only way to do it is to leave and pay for your own exams if they wont give you what you want.
Original post by Joshua.Hudss
A-level. My first exam is Further maths AS on the 14th May

Quite frankly, it is highly unlikely that teachers within your institution will permit you to attain any period of time off due to regulations, and whilst there have been successes regarding to stories similar to yours, albeit a little more extenuating, the time off wasn't great. I guess it's worth a try though. Good luck!
Reply 10
Original post by 999tigger
The issue is if they allow it for you they have to give it to everyone. If they do so and dont get paid, then they have issues, never mind the legal duty to oversee your attendance. The only way to do it is to leave and pay for your own exams if they wont give you what you want.

Also, I did engineering at a college for a year, so I can't retake year 13. Its a one and done deal this time. I might ask, then if they say no I'll ask whether they'd pursue me if I took the time off school. It's totally illegal but I say I'm really stressed (given I'm one of the only ones doing 4 subjects) it's up to the school whether they take action. Also helps that one of the sixth form heads identified that I was stressed in a meeting/checkup and asked if I was gonna cope over exam season. evidently not.

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