Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

DS wants to drop an AS level...school say no because of funding???

41 replies

LondonBus · 30/09/2015 18:05

DS is in Y12 and has started 4 AS levels. He is absolutely hating one of them, and wants to drop it. He says he doesn't understand a thing being taught, and his teacher confirms he's doing badly in tests. DS is stubborn as a mule, and I'm pretty sure he hasn't even tried to achieve in the tests. Today he missed a lesson.
I've asked if he can take three subjects this year, rather than be forced to continue with four with a view to dropping one at the end of the year and i'm told it's not possible as the school receive funding based on how many hours students are in lessons, and with only three subjects he won't be studying for sufficient hours.
There are no subjects he's willing to swap to in the option blocks available.
Basically, how do I convince the school to let DS do only three subjects, when they consider him to be academically able enough? I'm genuinely surprised DS is struggling with this subject, as he's finding similar subjects fine. Confused - I feel it's a lost cause trying to persuade DS to apply himself (although obviously I'm doing that!) so please don't tell me this is the answer. You have to know my DS to understand that's not going to work.
The next step is to meet with the teacher, but I also need to know how to persuade the school to let DS do three subjects. Thanks.

OP posts:
New posts on this thread. Refresh page
Molio · 02/10/2015 19:13

LondonBus it sounds as though the school is trying to not let your DS narrow his options later on by being in the unusual position of having only 3AS, and using the funding thing to persuade him. Of course funding also matters to the school, but most decent schools will have the student's interests as the priority.

The fact that this very stubborn boy was crying is dreadful. Something is badly wrong which isn't the fourth AS. You need to find out exactly what it is, talk to the school and get external help if needed. This AS sounds to me like a symptom, not a cause.

Best of luck; I feel for your poor DS.

Brioche201 · 02/10/2015 19:08

Well how about investigating correspondence courses and see if there is something he would like to do.Then ask school whether ho could do it in one of the option blocks?

Original poster
LondonBus · 02/10/2015 18:20

Atm he's not keen on uni, but neither does he have a career in mind so I'm not even sure which way to direct him re BTECs or apprenticeships.

He does love geography so I think he would be happy to do a Geog degree, but obviously he'd need A'levels. Atm I've agreed he can change direction next year and look at college courses, although there doesn't seem to be anything to suit him.

OP posts:
Millymollymama · 02/10/2015 18:00

I know someone who recently went to Durham to do Sociology with 3AS. Unusual but possible. Very sporty though. Generally 3 AS is not good enough but lesser universities will not be so bothered. If he is so stubborn he does not really sound university material where many students end up doing something they are less keen on. It is the way of the world.

Original poster
LondonBus · 02/10/2015 17:03

Brioche - that's what school have said. DS refused to go to school today and lay in bed crying at the thought of having to go to the lesson he hates. I've told the school it's 3 subjects or nothing.
Now I just need to get him through the rest of this year.

OP posts:
Ta1kinPeace · 02/10/2015 14:36

Suddenly I feel even more relieved that its 6th form colleges round here who do not have such silly restrictions on timetables.

Brioche201 · 02/10/2015 08:50

If it's a funding issue then that's it.
You do have to declare 'U' s in UCAS and the school will have to sign off his application so lying isn't really an option.It seems very early in the day to be declaring a subject is too hard!! He needs to be proactive in finding resources to help him, and putting the time in til he does understand.

Original poster
LondonBus · 01/10/2015 17:14

Autumnsky - Sorry that was a typo I meant expeced an A in his GCSE. I don't expect him to get anything in this AS level, as he says he just doesn't understand it, and isn't applying himself.

I was wondering if persuading DS to keep on for a while longer, until the school received funding and then not being entered for the exam was the way to go. The school surely don't want pupils doing badly in exams and dragging down league tables. But then I wondered if schools are audited, to make sure they don't do things like that. Confused

I can see the school are trying to do the best for him, but I'd rather he was at school happy doing three subjects, than miserable doing four or give up completely. I can't tell you how happy I was when I was allowed to drop English Lit Alevel

OP posts:
scatterthenuns · 01/10/2015 13:16

By the way, I copy and pasted from one of the official TSR specialists on university admissions. Not some random forum poster, as Molio's post seems to suggest. Should have been clearer.

Autumnsky · 01/10/2015 12:08

Sorry, can't make DC do what we think is right thing.

Autumnsky · 01/10/2015 12:07

In the subject he wants to drop he got a mid-B, although I expect him to get an A (it's the only subject he got an A in his mocks, while he managed D's and U's in other subjects).
-------
Am I right that OP's DS want to drop the subject that he might get A, but keep other subjects that he might get less grade?

I am surprised about this, but I do understand that as parents, sometimes, we just can make DC do what we think is right thing.

Molio · 01/10/2015 08:05

I think I'd tend to base my application on the advice UCAS gives rather than TSR..... You do need to declare all grades or the uni can withdraw any offer since it's based on incomplete and misleading information.

OP the funding thing is about hours of directed study, as someone explained above, and doesn't apply to GCSE.

But beyond the funding issue, it sounds as if the school may well be trying to encourage an obviously able student not to give up on a subject, especially this early in the course. It's very unusual not to have four AS these days, and would mean his university application wasn't particularly competitive. Stubborn is a mixed blessing and the school will have seen it all before.

If I was you, I'd explain that there are serious risks if he wants to go to a decent uni, and that he should suck it up.

WhyDontYouProveIt · 01/10/2015 07:34

Does this funding thing apply to gcse too?

BrendaandEddie · 01/10/2015 07:33

1st October is audit date

BrendaandEddie · 01/10/2015 07:31

find out when the funding audit date is = I think its soon. then bin it

scatterthenuns · 01/10/2015 07:30

I think they have the right to withdraw, but it doesn't mean that they will.

Risky move, but it worked out for my sister last year.

GloriaHotcakes · 01/10/2015 06:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

scatterthenuns · 30/09/2015 22:37

This is the Student Room's official advice on declaring grades, so it may appear that there has been a change in declaring 0 usm U grades.

A U grade in an AS or an A level does not have to be entered UNLESS you plan to resit it. However, the 'check this before you pay and send' page in Apply includes this statement: "Don't forget that all subjects for which you have received a result must be entered, including those you have failed." That seems to mean that everything must be entered, even if you failed it and even if you don't plan to resit. The page I've linked to above does not make this clear, so you may like to ring UCAS and see what they tell you! Update: it appears that the UCAS advisers answering the helpline are telling people that U grades must be entered regardless of whether you are re-sitting the subject or not.

scatterthenuns · 30/09/2015 22:35

All exams have to be declared should he need to complete an UCAS form.

Not true if you score nothing. My sister sat her A Levels last year. My family are very up on the rules, so unless there has been a change since August, whole subjects (not just single exams) can be omitted if you score 0 ums.

Ta1kinPeace · 30/09/2015 22:17

It must be different at 6th form colleges then ...
then again the funding they get per pupil is much less than schools anyway

TeenAndTween · 30/09/2015 21:26

Odd that would be fine then. Pay the fees for the subjects you want to be entered for, and not the one you wanted to drop. Smile

OddBoots · 30/09/2015 20:41

Be careful about not going to the lesson, hopefully you will have heard about it right from the beginning if this is the case but I know of sixth forms that have the rule that if attendance falls below 95% students/parents have to pay the exam fees in order to be entered.

Original poster
LondonBus · 30/09/2015 20:32

Ignor my last post...eve I don't work 50 hours a week! Blush So it's 13.8 hours a week he needs to do?

OP posts:
WhyDontYouProveIt · 30/09/2015 20:20

Schools have a duty to act in the best interest of the child - making him do something he cant cope with is not in his best interests. Can you check with LEA if he can drop a subject without school's consent?

HeyBells · 30/09/2015 20:18

Would doing an EPQ count as guided learning instead?