To be utterly dumbfounded

how is classics A Level a language subject? Isn’t it the study of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece? Literature/art/culture etc?

I thought it was predominantly latin/greek language. Or perhaps op means classical civilisations which is broader?

Either way you need neither for archaeology. The content in a-levels isnt really so important with arts subjects, its more the skills of analysis, interpretation, inference etc, which is why most decent unis generally like a mix of "traditional" subjects at a-level and don't love subject specific courses like law.

Classics is not required at all for archaeology or anthropology.

I can't speak about the anthropology but I know for sure it's not for archaeology and yes it will need further study if they want to stay in the area - but DH and I wandered from our first degree areas so know that's common experience. So always worth checking subject entry requirements for where she wants to do a degree.

However I do know how worrying it is DD1 Y13 lost a A-level subject teacher just before a major hand in date for course work and only just before exam prep/end of course started - being a more common subject they did manage to find a replacement.

DS had to sit one of the GCSE in a year and for 6 month of that had no subject teacher. DN different school and part of UK has been left with no subject teacher in one option since March - she's Y11 as well.

It is worrying but I would contact the school and see what they actually say and then see if there is tutoring or on-line sites you could access if needed.

@Kleptronic haha, I agree with you but the first approach really doesn’t need to be heavy handed, you can always go there if necessary further down the line. It doesn’t have to be unpleasant, give the private school the chance to be helpful and do the right thing first. The DD could ask for a meeting with head of classics herself (check the school website) and put her case. They may fall over themselves to help and then put a small “look how community minded we are” post on their social media pages when DD aces her exams. I know that’s what my kids school would do! They will want a happy story rather than veiled threats.

Sorry just re read your post.

The teacher couldn't leave until September term anyway so will you child not have finished by then, or are they first year?

@Schoolplacechoicemyth how is classics A Level a language subject? Isn’t it the study of Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece? Literature/art/culture etc?

I would ask the school to approach the private school with the proposal that the private school helps maintain its charitable status by enabling the state school students to finish their A Levels, as otherwise adverse publicity may be damaging to the school's reputation.

So not quite the same in terms of the speciality of the subject and the importance of the exams, but this happened to me when I was doing it GCSEs. I was studying business studies (didn’t even want to, my school simply placed me there as I joined in year 10). At the end of year 10, the business studies teacher left and the school decided to stop offering it as a subject.

So for year 11, we had a series of different subject teachers or governors trying to teach us the subject. To give them credit, they clearly spent time prepping for each class and followed the curriculum, that a lot of us still got top grades.

I know it’s worrying, but it might be ok. Ultimately it’s just a curriculum that needs to be followed and an experienced teacher should be able to do that if they put the effort in.

If the school have offered these subjects, then isn't it up to them to find a solution?

@pantjog the op says “local private school” in her post.

Why assume that the post won’t be filled?

Teachers are like hens teeth, classics teachers are rarer and they can access better pay and conditions in the private sector so you don't get many in state.

Friends daughter might be me then 😂

The point being - classics is not a necessity either way.

It’s very difficult to know age 16 or 17 what you want to study at university or do as a career. The ops DD may not have the obvious A levels for archaeology as posters say. I think anthropology might like Classics A level a bit more?

However if she has a passion for ancient history and classics then she should keep going. It’s not just for rich kids. Don’t be put off. She should ask her old teacher (who having successfully negotiated their masters degree being paid for, maybe they can also ask to finish teaching their old classics class) to help, ask the private school to help. Don’t give up at this hurdle. If your DD does the contacting herself it will be more impressive, if she can be her class rep on this it will be even more impressive. Just be very polite and upbeat. Assume they will be delighted to step in and help having inadvertently created this problem. In my experience classics teachers are a funny bunch (my 3 kids have had 5 different teachers between them), but extremely generous and so passionate about their subject.

I have an 0 level in Latin
I really enjoyed the historical side
However, the qualification has had no bearing on my career in the future.
If no offer from private school, I would swap to English Literature

Secondly, world cultures are more diverse than just Romans & Greeks !

What are the other students going to do on her course ?

There is no law that says you have to go into the field you did your degree in. Friend's daughter with an archaeology degree found her degree was highly valued in a number of areas of potential employment and she is now earning silly money in the city.

I am surprised you would not ask the school what their plans are before posting on MN. You never know, it might not be that bleak.

"Those fields don't have good career prospects anyway. She'll need a PhD and there might be 500 job openings a year. All very competitive."

This. Archaeology pay is piss poor, the work is insecure and project/contract based. Jobs in museums & academia are terrifically hard to come by & even then aren't well paid given that most people applying have masters and phds from highly ranked institutions.

Classics is not required at all for archaeology or anthropology. It's a language subject!

Useful subjects - History. Geography. Biology. Chemistry. Maths.

Archaeology is increasingly scientific, statistical analysis, fields like sedimentology, GIS, zooarchaeology, dendrochronology & and carbon dating etc.

I understand your frustration, however, its appalling to be faced with no teacher half way into the course.

Those fields don't have good career prospects anyway. She'll need a PhD and there might be 500 job openings a year. All very competitive. It'd be a shame to go through all the years and expense of study to find she can't get a job in it and ends up working in an unrelated nmw job.

I'd ask the school whether they can talk to the private school about sending pupils over for lessons with this teacher, or maybe even borrowing her one day a week.

Our local college offers it. Where are you?

Why is she taking classics and ancient history, surely at a level they are very similar? (I did ancient history at degree level).

Is she taking another as level -most take 4? Even if she was planning on dropping that I'd keep it and drop classics as ancient history will be easier to teach herself/with support of whoever they put in place to cover the class. Ancient history and 2 other a levels plus as level classics will be more than enough to apply for the degree she wants to do -most state schools don't do either and candidates get in for ancient history with just normal history a level.

Otherwise if you're desperate the only option is to take out a loan to pay for 1 years fees at the private school.

I don't see the point in angsting over state/private-you'd be in exactly the same position if the teacher had retired, gone off sick or on maternity or just left teaching!

Agreeing with those who say contact the private school and ask them to help. My kids are at big name secondary private boarding school and I am confident they would absolutely help in this situation, they already send their classics sixth formers to the local primary schools to teach the older kids as a fun intro to classics as an extra curriculum subject. Our school would probably even send a mini bus to scoop her class up.

Get in touch with them and see if your DD can be timetabled in, my kids school day is 8.50 am till 6 pm most days, Saturdays (half day for matches etc). Saturday mornings might be a perfect time?

There is a syllabus in place, so hopefully any teacher with relevant history will be able to teach it. It sounds lime your daughter is bright and driven if she is taking these subjects and has a career in mind. Not great, but don't give up all hope.