What to do if your teen fails a ministry exam

If your teen fails a course, a note to this effect will appear in their report card. The note will explain your child’s options, which may include repeating the year or retaking the exam. As soon as you receive it, you should contact the school team and discuss your next steps.

Your child’s marks during the school year are generally a good indicator of how well they will do on their ministry exam. To help your teen bounce back from failure and avoid nasty surprises come exam season, make sure to support them throughout the year in tandem with their school team.

If your child is doing poorly in a particular subject, their school will probably suggest that you register them for summer school ahead of their ministry exam to ensure they get a spot. If your teen ends up passing the exam, you can simply cancel their registration. 

If you want to contact your child’s school to discuss their marks in one or several subjects, use the template below. Simply adapt it to your needs and email it to the school principal.

Dear _________ [principal name],
 
My child, _________ [first name], is currently in Secondary _______ [grade level]. I’m writing because he/she recently failed _____ [exam] and I’m concerned about his/her academic future. I’d like to know how to best support him/her.
Could we schedule a meeting to discuss possible ways to help my child recover from this setback?
Please let me know the date and time that suits you best.
 
Thank you for your understanding and support.
_______ [your name]

When a student fails a course, summer school is a great place to review the material that was challenging for them. Summer school can also help students catch up after a prolonged school absence.
If your child’s school recommends that they take a summer course, no need to panic! This is their chance to review a subject without having to repeat a year. While summer school is not required for retaking a ministry exam, it is strongly encouraged. Here are a few points to remember:

• Most school service centres, school boards, and some private organizations offer summer courses. Fees vary depending on the organization. In many cases, you can reserve a spot early in the year.
• Some school service centres and school boards have mandatory summer courses to ensure a higher success rate on the exam.
• Some schools only require summer courses for students with a final mark of 50 to 59 percent.
• Registration is at the beginning of the summer. An information and registration day is usually organized by the school service centre.
• A guidance counsellor may be available on registration day to answer your questions.
• Classes generally run from mid-July to early August.
• Be prepared to pay a registration fee. At the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal (link in French), this is usually $100 per course. For parents on last-resort financial assistance, the fee is reduced to $35. Fees vary depending on the school service centre and are often higher for private schools.
• Some regions in Quebec offer online summer courses (link in French).
• Courses end with an exam.

If your teen retakes their ministry exam, they may improve their mark. Keep in mind that your child’s school will not register them automatically for a retake (unlike the initial exam). It is therefore you and your child’s responsibility to complete the necessary steps leading up to registration. Be sure to check the registration dates and exam schedule.
If your teen needs to retake a uniform examination, we strongly encourage you to speak to their school principal for advice.
Furthermore, if your teen has an individualized education plan that allows for certain accommodations, check with their teacher or specialized school staff to see if they’re permitted to use these aids when retaking a ministry exam. They will be able to assess your child’s needs and determine what accommodations, if any, are allowed.
Here are a few tips to help your teen prepare for their retake:

• Talk about what might have caused their poor performance the first time. Here are a few questions you can ask your teen:
  • Did you struggle with the subject as a whole or with specific concepts?
  • Were you feeling very stressed or anxious during the exam?
  • Did you have trouble managing your time?
  • Did you struggle to stay focused?
  • What strategies will help you succeed this time?
  • Etc.
• Nothing beats a good study plan. The earlier your child starts studying, the more likely they are to succeed! If they have questions or need help with difficult material, encourage them to use our Q&A services–the Help Zone and Ask a Teacher). . You may also want to find a tutor.
• Help your teen manage their time and set priorities. They will likely want to relax and have fun on their summer break, so maintaining a study routine is key. If they study a little bit every day, your child will learn consistently throughout the summer and have an easier time staying motivated for their exam.
• Give your child every chance to succeed by finding out important details about the exam, such as the time, location, and required material. Help them develop good habits, like getting enough sleep, eating well, and staying active, so they feel great on the big day. Make sure they pack everything they need in their school bag.

Most importantly, try to be there for your child and help them keep their chin up. Remind them that failure is a part of life and that we learn from our mistakes. You can also reassure them that ministry exams are not the only measure of success in high school; how they perform will not dictate their entire academic path. After all, students no longer need to pass them to obtain a high school diploma. While ministry exams do weigh heavily on a student’s final mark (worth 20%), several other factors also come into play: the class average, the conversion and moderation of results by the Ministry, etc.