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Can 15 year olds study at college?

13 replies

PeaceAtHome · 06/09/2006 19:55

Hi All. I've a bit of a predicament here as my dd is REALLY struggling at school. We've just moved into the area and she started her new school before the summer hols, so, she's working up to doing her gcse's next year. The problem is she is being bullied (I have spoken to the school about this) and she doesn't seem to be getting much help with her school work. Unfortunately she's moved from school to school after several moves due to bullying and recently falling out with her Father, so she is very unstable and at a point where she feels she is absolutely worthless and incapable of achieving. The school she is in doesn't seem to be providing the help she needs (she's dyslexic and way behind everyone else because of it). My concern is that she has moved so many times, and the bullying is becoming a big issue for her as she's always the new girl in school and of course, kids are evil! So moving to another school is only going to cause the same problem. What she is asking for, and she has been in absolute tears begging for this, is that she goes to college to study something more vocational, along with gcse's as well. I know this will build her confidence up and I'm beginning to think that she's going to go further down staying at school, feeling belittled by teachers because she's behind and struggling etc. We get the impression that they feel she's beyond help! Does anyone know if the college route is at all possible? She's just turned 15 (in August) - I don't know where the law stands with regards to education and I know it's a bad time to start changing things, but she really feels at a loss. She's adament she wont go to school if things continue the way they do, and i know she wants to try. Any advice would be appreciated.

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saggarmakersbottomknocker · 06/09/2006 20:19

Peace - my ds2 does one day a week at college and 4 days at school. The school wanted to offer more vocational stuff and this was the best way they felt. He is with a group of pupils just from his school.

You're talking about transferring completely though I suppose? I'm sure it is possible - when I went back to college a while back there were definitely groups of younger pupils. The only thing I would be wary of though is that often these are children who have been pretty much rejected by mainstream; expelled numerous times and are at college simply as a way of keeping them in the system. They can be difficult groups to teach and therefore to learn alongside them may be hard going.

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PeaceAtHome · 06/09/2006 20:37

Thanks saggar....
Yes she was doing a one day a week course in london, but now she's moved here the school have said that it's too late to arrange anything. It's getting to the point that i'm realising she needs to focus on what she is interested in and that school is just going to make her lose any confidence, well what she has left. Maybe I am going around this the wrong way, but my feeling is that her education doesn't have to be done now. I didn't have the mind to study at that age and was able to achieve what I wanted to at a later date, and have become very successful. So I am trying to make her feel positive in saying all she can do is her best, and that her education doesn't have to finish at 16. Even focussing in what she is good at at school doesn't get her away from the fact that the kids and teachers have already labelled her as lazy and unable to learn, when in fact it's her dyslexia that's not helping. It's so upsetting to see and I can see how frustrated she is. At this stage in her life, moving from one school to another will probably just make things worse.

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nappyaddict · 06/09/2006 21:34

it is possible. my best friend tried to commit suicide twice when we were in year 11. the first time she begged her mum not to make her come back to school but she did so then she did it again. after the 2nd time her mum looked into alternatives and she went to college to do her GCSEs instead.

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PeaceAtHome · 06/09/2006 21:53

nappyaddict - that's a real worrying thought. dd is extremely distraught this evening sobbing her heart out because of this situation. glad to hear your friend was able to reach her goals before being pushed too far. thanks for that - i will need to start looking into this tomorrow. all i can do in the meantime is reassure her that i will do my best to work with her on this. thanks.

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Molesworth · 06/09/2006 21:58

ime LEAs can be more flexible than you might think - have you discussed this with the local EWO?

I've looked into this myself too, and I don't think it is possible to simply enrol a 15 year old at an FE college, but it might be possible if it is done via the LEA.

See tonight's Teenagers thread about school - I've posted at length there about the numerous options my LEA have offered dd (also 15 but her birthday was in May).

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nappyaddict · 06/09/2006 22:13

hmmm didnt really think before posting that! didnt mean to worry you .. sorry!

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PeaceAtHome · 06/09/2006 22:25

nappyaddict - don't apologise, I don't think it's quite got to that level yet, she just needs some extra support from me, and others

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PeaceAtHome · 06/09/2006 22:28

Thanks Molesworth. Sorry I don't appear to know much about this - what's EWO? So far i've only discussed this with the school who think she's just lazy and couldn't care less. In a way she has lost caring, but it's down to her dyslexia and therefore slowing her down.

My dd's a young one in the class (15 in August), so may be difficult to arrange. Will check out your other thread, thanks.

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Molesworth · 06/09/2006 22:32

Sorry, EWO is Education Welfare Officer. My blood is boiling on your behalf at the attitude of your dd's school. Frankly I think school's are more concerned with their ranking on league tables than they are with children's welfare half the time. Perhaps it will be worth contacting the EWO in your area - they are much more sympathetic if you approach them rather than leaving it until they approach you if you see what I mean!

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Molesworth · 06/09/2006 22:33

arghghghghgh I can't believe I wrote "school's" instead of "schools" just there - shows how much my blood was boiling, my punctuation went AWOL!

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PeaceAtHome · 06/09/2006 22:37

Mole - thanks for that. Yes I totally agree with you. It's got to the point that she's sitting in a classroom not knowing what to do, asking for help and not getting it and of course the kids are bullying her because of it. So, now she walks out of school and gets into trouble, and the school have turned it around pointing the blame at her. Although she is getting a bit bolshy with them now, it's hardly surprising at all. Shame they can't see where this all stems from in the first place. Will contact the EWO tomorrow. That's great help ta. Will let you know how I get on.

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Molesworth · 07/09/2006 10:18

Good luck PAH. Your dd should not have to put up with being treated like this

I hope you get a good response from the LEA. There are alternatives - I bet your dd would be so relieved if you could take her out of that school!

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PeaceAtHome · 10/09/2006 10:18

Hi Molesworth, how are things?

Thanks for your advice the other day. So far dd's first week at school didn't go so well. I phoned the school and spoke to the head of year and careers advisor, to explain dd's difficulties, again, but was quite firm with them. They're doing another dyslexia assessment and arranging for extra help. They had a long chat with dd (who only went in for 1.5 days last week) and she came out feeling quite relieved. I'm hoping for now she will give it a go and that they will do as they have promised. If not I will get onto the LEA immediately. Fingers crossed that this will boost dd's confidence and give her some hope. Knowing there are alternatives just in case is a great help, thanks Moles

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