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Original poster

Was there any point in picking options?

55 replies

reddA · 20/06/2017 12:03

Sorry, I'm probably over reacting but DS is in year 8 and we chose options from 3 different blocks of subjects earlier in the year.

He chose Geography, Graphic Design and Triple Science. He has received his subjects for September and has been given History instead of Triple Science. The Deputy head has told me that Science now clashes with Graphic Design as they have changed the option blocks.

I asked if he could do Science instead of Graphic Design as it was much more important to him - he's currently amongst the top in the top set and it is his best subject. I was told the class was full so no.

Not sure what to do now, we are happy to change any of the subjects if he could do triple science so it's not like we're being completely obstinant! It's not really a GSCE he could do outside of School either as far as I'm aware - unless anyone knows if he could?

It's annoying that he was never going to get his 3 options anyway as 2 were in the same block without us knowing so would have clashed regardless.

Sorry for the ramble, just a bit pissed off Angry

OP posts:
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honeysucklejasmine · 22/06/2017 15:31

Great news, well done OP. Shame on the school for not getting the relevant subject teachers to glance over who had selected each option. That would have avoided this whole mess.

fannydaggerz · 22/06/2017 14:36

Something similar happened to me. I needed physics to get into uni but it clashed with another option I had picked so they moved me to chemistry and physics was full.

My mum complained and the school taxied me to another school to do physics.

user1489830224 · 22/06/2017 14:29

reddA. - Yikes, I missed a page out when reading this thread and posted above! Anyway, I don't care - very, very pleased that you got it all sorted. A lesson for all we parents to watch what the schools offer our DCs as they can make obvious human mistakes or assumptions. This is what the funding shortage does to our DCs future career prospects!

user1489830224 · 22/06/2017 14:23

reddA. Stay calm. They obviously have loads of space in Graphic D and History! Be persistent, firm and very, very polite. Plan your course of action and get letter writing to the Head teacher (not Deputy) stating that you require DS to do Triple Sci. Tell them he is shocked that they have not offered him Triple Sci. Quote his previous excellent scores in science subjects, in top set, etc. Say it is affecting him, not sleeping, lacking appetite, possible? emotional state. Go for the pastoral care angle if you have to. Explain this affects the A levels he wants to do. Research some science type careers that you could tell them he is interested in. Basically - just pile on the pressure. If they still don't budge then write to the governors, in good time before summer hols asking for a prompt reply. Keep it formal if you can - phonecalls can be emotional (from the parent end) and there is no record of what is said. Good luck.

AndHoldTheBun · 22/06/2017 11:28

That's excellent news OP.

Wh0Kn0wsWhereTheTimeGoes · 22/06/2017 10:54

Well done, sounds as though you played that just right!

ifonly4 · 22/06/2017 10:50

That's great news, red

catslife · 22/06/2017 09:56

Am pleased it has worked out for you OP.
At dds school they were very clear what the tiebreaker was for Triple science if oversubscribed and it was the marks achieved over the past year.
dd is taking a Graphic Design A level and you just need a GCSE in a relevant creative subject so moving to this other Art subject should still be OK for the future if needed.

choccyp1g · 22/06/2017 09:55

I think I can see what happened here.

Because his original choices included Graphic Design, they assumed that he was a low achiever and would be happy with double science.

Well done for being assertive.

Original poster
reddA · 22/06/2017 09:45

I spoke to the School yesterday and asked about the number of children who did not get to do triple science and he said there were less than 10 so no chance of creating another group also no science teachers (hmm.. maybe if more children were encouraged to do Science there would be more science teachers - and if they got rid of compulsory RE GCSE that would free up more funding!!)

Anyway, I asked him to check how DS was doing on the system so that I could use his current predictions when contacting other Schools. This was the first time he had actually looked at DS's school record and he then realised, his grades were 'that' good and he was on student council, a peer mentor, no behaviour issues, lates etc. He sounded quite impressed, told me there was still nothing he could do himself but would take the matter higher up the School.

DS came home and said he had spoken to his Science teacher who was astounded that he wasn't doing triple science, said there must be a mistake and even checked the school system! He said he would speak to head of Science.

I received a phonecall late afternoon to say they have created an extra place for DS - so he will be doing Triple Science after all :)

The only problem we now have is which other subject he should do for the other option group, as they are not great. I've looked at Graphic Art IGCSE online so he may do that once he is 14 later this year from home as an extra, he is good at art.

So, moral of the story is to definitely not give up, keep stating your case to the School and hopefully you will get the right result for your child!

Thank you so much for the support on this thread, I obviously can't say anything in real life (not that I know any other parents) as it could cause a problem for the School, so as far as we are concerned another Student dropped out and a place became available. Blush

OP posts:
motherintraining · 21/06/2017 12:25

God they need to put more money in but I guess that's a whiole other thread I'd fight hard this would be seen as a poor decision by admissions tutors especially if he picks a science based degree.

Badbadbunny · 21/06/2017 10:12

no lockers so they have to carry everything around with them all day including PE kits, coats etc.

Sadly, very much the norm. Our son's school has about 100 lockers for nearly 1,000 pupils. Nothing new either, at my comp in the 1980's we had to do the same, there were no cloakrooms and an average of around 10 lockers outside each form room, so that's 20 people out of a form of 30 who'd not have a locker.

TeenAndTween · 21/06/2017 09:51

bringOn (and some others upthread)

Although the OP hasn't explicitly said so, her DS will be doing Double Science. It isn't triple or none, it is triple or double she is rightly concerned about.
You can do A level sciences with only double, but why make it harder than necessary. Most students will have done triple, and the teachers will be pacing to the incoming knowledge of most of the class.

Original poster
reddA · 20/06/2017 21:54

The school doesn't have a sixth form so he'll have to do A Levels elsewhere depending on their criteria in 3 years time and who else he is up against for a place.

I wasn't keen on DS1 doing Law after reading many posts on here about the current difficulties getting a job after qualifying, but he's keen and an adult so I'm butting out :)

I think staff shortages may be to blame or maybe just a cock up! His first end of year report last year mentioned how much better he was behaving after detentions etc - he's never had a detention and is a model student (swapped at birth I think!! ;-) ) They had mixed him up with someone else ffs!!

OP posts:
BringOnTheScience · 20/06/2017 21:16

A truly outrageous situation. Science in one form or another is compulsory at my DC's school!

Complain
Complain
Complain

Science is far too important to miss altogether.

honeysucklejasmine · 20/06/2017 21:08

If he wants to take science further, try to get it in writing that doing double award will not restrict his access to the A level course.

In every school I have taught in, science was just taught as a block, with the top two sets doing triple at a faster pace (in the same number of hours as double award).

Regarding teacher retention. I'm a chemistry teacher. When I left (SAHM now) the department dripped from 10 staff to 5. An ex colleague has left to work a full time office job (compared to part time teaching) and celebrates the extra time she has with her family. Another has just secured an admin job in HE and has been told she won't be replaced - non subject specialists will be covering her timetable.

Budget cuts. Nuff said.

BertrandRussell · 20/06/2017 21:06

Bear in mind that it would be outrageous if universities discriminated against people who have double science.......

Blanketdog · 20/06/2017 21:00

And law is often best studied as a post grad....no need to panic over getting into undergraduate law. Law firms often prefer to recruit graduates who have other interests....ie a good idea of the area of law/industry they'd like to pursue.

Blanketdog · 20/06/2017 20:57

DS is the top 10% in science for his leafy comp - combined is his choice because Universities pay attention to the top 8 GCSE marks. They do not care that you have gone for combined or triple - even for Medicine and Veterinary Science. Ds is doing 9 GCSE's, triple science would make it 10 and he's concerned that given the new GCSE's are so much more challenging - with extra course content, he doesn't need an extra GCSE to bring grades down in the other subjects.
From what I've read, physics is the biggest problem when it comes to the jump from combined to A level... in the event that he wanted to do physics he could catch up quite easily over the summer before he started A Level. It's not a crisis - being happy and content at school with a good positive friendship group is more important, much more important.

Original poster
reddA · 20/06/2017 20:53

DS1 is going to uni in September to study Law after having a year out and competition is so fierce despite fantastic A Level results he was rejected by a few universities, I think I'm more aware having seen him struggle with the rejections that they will look at a childs whole education and not just A Level results when it comes down to choosing between candidates, that may just be my experience though.

OP posts:
user1497480444 · 20/06/2017 20:47

and as previous posters have said, there are nothing like enough science teachers in the country. Its not specifically physics teachers, it is all science teachers, you don't need to be a physics teacher to teach physics GCSE,

BertrandRussell · 20/06/2017 20:40

And double science and graphic design might even keep doors open that might otherwise be shut.

user1497480444 · 20/06/2017 20:38

doing double science instead of triple won't limit his options for the future at all.

nocampinghere · 20/06/2017 20:35

if they are short of teachers to offer triple science to all that want it (common due to a lack of physics teachers) then they usually award it according to ability.

nocampinghere · 20/06/2017 20:33

Be that parent. I can guarantee you won't be the only one fighting it at the moment. It will help that your ds is doing so well. I'd be furious.
Don't give up. Keep battling. Try head of science too. Be a nuisance.