Why Year 13 Can Be the Danger Zone Without the Right Support

In my previous blog, I wrote about the hidden dangers of drifting through Year 12 without the correct support. I also mentioned that the potential pitfalls in Year 13 are far worse. In this post, I want to explain exactly what I mean.

The Common Year 13 Pattern

Every year I see the same story unfold.

Some students move into Year 13 with gaps in their Year 12 knowledge. They scraped through, perhaps with a shaky result in their end-of-year exams, but they convince themselves that things will somehow be better this time round.

For the first few months, nothing much changes. Then the first assessment point arrives — and the results are disappointing. Suddenly, their options for the future look uncertain, because almost every course they are aiming for requires at least an A.

At this stage, some students finally get support, and while there is still just about enough time to turn things around, it’s far from ideal.

Others, however, assure their parents that they’ll really “double down” in the final months. Sadly, most don’t. Another poor assessment after Christmas forces them to seek help — often with only weeks to go until the final exams.

This is a stressful and preventable situation, but I see it happen every year.

Why Early Support Matters

The reality is simple: if many parents could see ahead of time how this story tends to play out, they would have gladly put support in place from the very start. With the right guidance, their child’s outcomes could have been transformed.

Too often, tutoring is thought of only as an “intervention” — something to rescue a student who is failing. But a far better way to think about it is as having a mentor or coach.

You don’t need to be failing to benefit from support. In fact, the right support at the right time can be transformative — turning a good student into an excellent one, and giving them the confidence to secure their future.

An Inspiring Example

Just this week, I was fascinated to read about Hannah Ciaro, the 17-year-old student who solved one of the world’s most enduring maths problems. She’s a prodigious talent — but importantly, she has benefitted from the correct support throughout her academic journey.

While not every student is destined to make global headlines, every student deserves the chance to thrive. And often, that comes down to ensuring the right support is in place before the danger signs appear.