Aspergers and ADHD 14 yr old: is this discrimination?

[Ladyleia]

Hi all, my DS has been diagnosed ADHD and Aspergers since he was 11 and is now 14. His school have been aware of his learning needs since he was 8 when it was first picked up.

He really wants to take Computing GCSE at school and the school has offered it to two other boys. They have now told me that my DS can't do it as it will be an extra subject and so take away from his other studies. I am fuming as it is something that DS is really confident in and really good at. Also the exam is right up his street as it's short questions and reviewing code. Would I be right in thinking that if they are offering it to the two other boys, they need to offer it to my DS too? It's a private school but I still think that they are denying my DS an opportunity because of his SN.

Any advice/ opinions would be much appreciated.

[Runningtokeepstill]

Hello,
I think it's hard to be sure, based on what you've said so far. I know of schools (state) offering an additional GCSE to students who are viewed as "bright" on the basis that the school thinks they can do the extra subject without risking dropping grades on everything else. So if the school have allowed some students to take an additional course but refused others (not just your son) on the basis that they think they cannot keep up then I think it would be difficult to establish discrimination as he wouldn't be the only one singled out.

Does your ds have any problems in keeping up with any subjects at the moment? Are his grades/assessments similar to the boys who have been offered the extra GCSE?

How flexible are the school? Would they let him drop another GCSE and do this IT course instead?