GCSE reduced subjects advice needed

Absolutely agree with this. You sound wonderful.

This is really frustrating and I completely understand why you're upset about the lack of communication. On the maths side specifically, being moved to bottom set doesn't mean he can't improve significantly, it just means he needs a different approach. Our DS is 15 and went through a rough patch with maths where his confidence hit the floor and everything felt impossible. The thing that turned it around was finding something with a gamification element, making practice feel like a game rather than more of the school experience that was already making him miserable. Points, progress tracking, beating his own score, that sort of thing. It completely changed his willingness to engage with maths outside of school. Whatever pathway the school puts him on, building that confidence back up is the most important thing right now because a kid who believes they can improve will put the work in. The subject reduction conversation is a separate battle but don't let it distract from just getting his maths confidence back.

One of my DC has a very spiky profile, OP. They were hyperlexic (self taught to read at 2) but later diagnosed as dyslexic as a teenager. That may seem contradictory but I believe some studies suggest people who are hyperlexic or dyslexic may use a different part of their brain to read.

@Arizona29 I hope.it helped, she cpuld.use a reader but refuses tonin exams, takes.alot.of highlighters and has 25% extra time. As its shorter questions she finds that best. We have discussed this alot! She is doing well with a foundation year which is what she needed at a top 10 uni. Half her course have SPLD and just needed a little longer to adjust. Its been very good for her.

This was my dd, diagnosed late, she could read the words and initally was fine, as things got more complex yr 9 and above it took her longer to understand whst was written and she would need to read many times. So if she had question "explain where eggs have a role in the lifcycle of a flea", she would really need to read that several times to undersstand what it said. She may also see it as explain the life cyle if a flea and miss the egg bit. Her dyslexia is predominalty visual processing, but she also had dreadfull spelling. She now uses a text reader for accademic papaers at uni, its a game changer thanks to DSA. Wont use in exams though! We suspected as she started tinsay she could finish paper, and the word just didnt make sence under pressure

No advice to add to the excellent advice already given, but just wanted to say you sound like a fab mum, OP. Your DS is lucky to have you.

@Needlenardlenoo I agree about A levels. We did see them as academic back in the day. We don’t seem to be able to make alternative qualifications stick as well as we should and use them as a passport to a degree! We are besotted with degrees. Many are not really needed and we should have HE routes that aren’t degrees.

I have two dyslexic DS's and one was late to read, the other not but both are diagnosed and have extra time in exams awarded.

I think we are fully in agreement @OhDear111.

Successive governments have certainly behaved like 50% was reasonable! But A-levels were never designed as a mass qualification. I find a surprising number of students don't know what the A stands for.

@Needlenardlenoo You do know that it’s “only” around 37% of school leavers who go to university don’t you? It’s never got near 50.% so that’s a total red herring. We are nearer to having 50.% with a HE qualification in the workforce but we also need to understand that HE doesn’t have to be a degree. Schools need to be far more clued up about what route is best for dc and not pursue A levels when the likely result is a low grade. Success in a more suitable exam is a better way to get into work. Yes, they need to do something, but there are vocational qualifications.

DC need much more guidance on how to build a cv too. We need to recognise volunteering far more and persuade dc to do it. They need more than study. I’m sure many pupils are not sure of what they went to do, and Saturday jobs have dried up. Msny only gets job because of who they know these days. Schools need to look at how dc get a better cv and advise accordingly,

Yes, it makes sense academically, but it's a fact that a significant proportion of English DC don't reach those levels at 16 (disproportionately ones from certain socioeconomic and ethnic groups) and they've got to do SOMETHING from 16 to 18.

I suppose on the plus side, although we're international outliers with our public exams at 16, at least we have rigorous data on it.

In most countries, to access higher education, kids have to continue with study of maths and main language until end of secondary education. Skills in maths/main language are prerequisites to access of higher education. Strong pass in those at GCSE level is already a compromise.

Yes I know this, I have taught thousands of sixth formers. Increasingly over the years there are fewer with the right skills for A-level and fewer with enthusiasm for that kind of academic study full stop! But government policies to send half of each cohort to university and downgrade and defund alternatives are not their fault.

To get back to the OP, her son does sound like he has some academic interest at least, but has run into issues with the national obssession the educational establishment has with the English & Maths "strong pass". Hopefully the OP can get some clarity next week.

@NeedlenardlenooSome dc don’t have great enthusiasm for any subject. Yes, they might find a new one but if they requires essays and English is a 4/5 it’s not going to be easy. A grade below C starts to give problems. Yes, some dc do get a U!

Depends what you mean by "fail" I guess - you don't mean "get a U", presumably.

Of course there's a relationship, on an average, between GCSE scores and A-level outcomes, but data isn't destiny and students mature (and some high fliers peak too soon and/or overload themselves).

Interest in a subject is really important, especially if you hope to continue with it at university. I'd always advise students to do subjects that truly interest them. It's about learning something, as well as a narrow focus on top grades at all costs.

Most of my students haven't even taken the subject at GCSE!

I actually got 3 As myself back in the pre grade inflation days, but I learnt the most from the A-level I got a C in.

@Needlenardlenoo it’s pretty well known that a 5 or even 6 at GCSE can be a real stretch to A levels and what do dc do if they fail? It’s better, probably, to do a BTec with maybe one A level. It’s not in anyone’s interest to “fail” A levels. Inclusivity has nothing to do with it. It’s about realistic, sensible, advice.

@Kepler22Bit is, but I thought it was worth flagging the options for OP. It’s a difficult one as perhaps if my daughter had dropped her options in favour of maths and English, she might have passed. But given she failed again in November after 2 months of extra tuition, I’m not so sure. So I’m pleased she got the others under her belt as something to show for her time at school.

7 GCSE (or rails ent - BTECs are just as good) and then 🤞🏻 getting maths and English this summer bring her up to the full set of 9. Well done her, this is a good set of level 2 results.

That's a strong view. Some schools are inclusive and have high achievers and less high achievers on the same courses. It means the grade spread will be wider. It doesn't mean the A*/A percentage can't be decent.

Students are still developing academically at 16 (15 when they pick the subjects). Some really excel once they can drop all the GCSEs they didn't have so much interest in.

There are exceptions of course and entry requirements for e.g. Maths and the sciences are there for a reason.

@Needlenardlenoo Bums on seats schools will take dc with 5/6 grades to get the money. It’s utterly wrong and their A level grades won’t be great. It’s poor advice to say a grade 5 dc is an A level candidate.

The real issue is the lack of communication from the school. You need a face to face meeting with senco and head of his year group (might be called something else on his school). They need to explain his difficulties and why they had never told you.

I’ve know my DS struggled with aspects of school work and was raising issues since year 1. He had a dyslexia screener in year 8 which showed he likely was but schools don’t diagnose. I paid for a private assessment, only way to get one, and he does have dyslexia. He’s a brilliant reader but doesn’t process all the information. When reading a paragraph of instructions, he’ll only do part of the task and think he’s finished. He has very poor handwriting, despite years of extra practice, so mostly uses a laptop. Poor working memory but excellent long-term memory. He should get longer for tests but I’m not sure if that is happening. He’s now year 9 and finally seeing an educational psychologist at school.

Unfortunately you do have to be a pushy parent. My son could scrape by but with right support and adjustments he could do so much better. Not all his teachers get that. Even getting lined paper for maths instead of blank paper has been a drama. You would think he was the 1st child with dyslexia.

SENDIASS are really helpful. I would contact them already tomorrow and not wait.