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Original poster

Unwanted School Imposition

186 replies

LisaRear · 04/10/2021 09:47

Before the summer holiday, my DS's year was given a range of exams after coming back from Covid home education. The general results were poor for the whole year. The school is now seeking to impose a move into some easier subjects for many of these pupils, we feel to manage their generally good history of results. All the previous results for our boy contradict his own result, but the school is not budging. Apart from removal, or private, what remedy, legal or otherwise, do we have? We strongly feel that these subject choices will impact the future and wish to negotiate a longer evaluation period (such as up to Christmas), while some home support kicks in to ensure success. But the school is unwilling for this, we suppose as it might create a precedent.

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Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 13:07

@BungleandGeorge

I’ve never put my GCSEs on an application form as an adult!
Perhaps, but it's done. And many organisations look at GCSEs. Oxford admissions for instance consider GCSEs alongside As. If - and I hope not, but - he decided against tertiary study, then they would have added weight to complement the As.
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Comefromaway · 04/10/2021 13:07

If you are an emploer I would suggest that your incorrect assumptions are leading you to be prejudiced against what may be some excellent candidates.

I never swear but I recognise that a well placed expletive can covey a meaning better than anything at time.

You are going to have to either make time, or trust the school's judgment on this one.

titchy · 04/10/2021 13:05

Sorry that comment's got me really annoyed. If you saw a CV with Physics and Chemistry GCSE but no Biology, would you be equally as dismissive? After all the same number of GCSEs has been taken and the same number of modules studied.

Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 13:04

@Comefromaway

It's obvious that you truly beleive you know best in which case I would suggest that you try home education.
I do not have the time
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Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 13:04

@titchy

Because I wish him to continue on and do all three subjects to the required level, not a more superficial coverage that's reminiscent of the old divide between CSE/GCE. Because if I saw combined science on a CV it would cause me to have some initial assumptions.

Wow! Clearly you know fuck all about the difference between Combined and separate. If you are a recruiter do better. Angry

I'm an employer

And if you are going to use expletives to cover up for supporting a point, I would suggest you look to your own advice.

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Comefromaway · 04/10/2021 13:02

It's obvious that you truly beleive you know best in which case I would suggest that you try home education.

titchy · 04/10/2021 13:01

Because I wish him to continue on and do all three subjects to the required level, not a more superficial coverage that's reminiscent of the old divide between CSE/GCE. Because if I saw combined science on a CV it would cause me to have some initial assumptions.

Wow! Clearly you know fuck all about the difference between Combined and separate. If you are a recruiter do better. Angry

BungleandGeorge · 04/10/2021 13:00

I’ve never put my GCSEs on an application form as an adult!

Comefromaway · 04/10/2021 13:00

That's not how gcse's work.

Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:58

@myrtleWilson

Just echoing your assumptions about combined are wrong. Many schools only offer combined. Plus post a-levels and degree a CV would only list number attained at grade range and confirmation of specific grade requirements met for (usually) Maths and English. It seems to me your assumptions are possibly driving a decision that may not be in your son's best interests.
I see CVs periodically and that's not many look when they come across my desk
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Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:56

@Comefromaway

Your assumptions would be wrong then. Combined science is not a more superficial coverage.

Foundation level (in both combined and triple) is easier.

That's not logical. If you condense three science GCSEs into two to enable pupils to be less stretched, then clearly it is a shallower overview than you would get from covering three subjects.
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myrtleWilson · 04/10/2021 12:55

Just echoing your assumptions about combined are wrong. Many schools only offer combined. Plus post a-levels and degree a CV would only list number attained at grade range and confirmation of specific grade requirements met for (usually) Maths and English.
It seems to me your assumptions are possibly driving a decision that may not be in your son's best interests.

TeenMinusTests · 04/10/2021 12:54

Because I wish him to continue on and do all three subjects to the required level, not a more superficial coverage that's reminiscent of the old divide between CSE/GCE. Because if I saw combined science on a CV it would cause me to have some initial assumptions.

This is in no way the same as CSE v O level. There is absolutely nothing 'superficial' about combined science. If that is your assumption you are starting from the wrong place. Many highly intelligent pupils choose to take combined science, either so they can do an extra option, or so they can focus on getting top grades on 2/3rds content rather than average grades on 3 GCSEs.
There is a hell of a lot of content in combined.

The more I read the more I think you should listen to the school, as your assumptions are way off.

Comefromaway · 04/10/2021 12:49

Your assumptions would be wrong then. Combined science is not a more superficial coverage.

Foundation level (in both combined and triple) is easier.

Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:49

@Comefromaway

Private are not more flexible. If you disagree with them, they just ask you to remove your child.
Not in my experience. depends I suppose on the school and the circumstances.
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Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:48

@Bookmarket

Have you had a meeting with the school to get a clearer picture of why this decision was made? Where his exam results sit within his cohort? Have you spoken with them about his difficulties learning science content via remote learning? Can he convince his teachers that he has been doing extra work since those poor test results? Will they assess him again?
Not yet, just a series of email communications. I'm in receipt of the complaints policy and formulating this before offering a counter-option.

We have the year average and my boy's, his is about two marks under the year. My compromise will be - as mentioned well above - that he continues until December and then if results are not sufficient, I'll happily defer. Or they can retest now.

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Comefromaway · 04/10/2021 12:45

Private are not more flexible. If you disagree with them, they just ask you to remove your child.

Bookmarket · 04/10/2021 12:44

Have you had a meeting with the school to get a clearer picture of why this decision was made? Where his exam results sit within his cohort? Have you spoken with them about his difficulties learning science content via remote learning? Can he convince his teachers that he has been doing extra work since those poor test results? Will they assess him again?

Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:42

@crazycrofter

My ds is in year 11 at a selective school and didn’t cope well with online learning. His school are delaying deciding about combined/triple science entry until after the mocks in December.

Ds’ end of year 10 exam results are probably borderline, but we’re probably going to request he does combined because it’s one less GCSE to revise for. Year 11 is a nightmare with so many exams to revise for. Combined science won’t stop him doing a Science A Level if he wants to. I’m not sure why you’re so concerned about it?

Because I wish him to continue on and do all three subjects to the required level, not a more superficial coverage that's reminiscent of the old divide between CSE/GCE. Because if I saw combined science on a CV it would cause me to have some initial assumptions.
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Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:39

@Comefromaway

Oh, believe me, I am NOT a school knows best person. I've battled with the system for years (clever boy with SEN) and have had my kids in both state and private.

But in this instance I believe the school are probably right. People get very hung up about triple science. It would be totally different if it was a Foundation/Higher situation

Very similar circs here, though was originally considered SEN at the upper end.

I would be very content as a compromise for the school to have my child do 2 science in school and one at home. But state inflexible, unlike paid.

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crazycrofter · 04/10/2021 12:38

My ds is in year 11 at a selective school and didn’t cope well with online learning. His school are delaying deciding about combined/triple science entry until after the mocks in December.

Ds’ end of year 10 exam results are probably borderline, but we’re probably going to request he does combined because it’s one less GCSE to revise for. Year 11 is a nightmare with so many exams to revise for. Combined science won’t stop him doing a Science A Level if he wants to. I’m not sure why you’re so concerned about it?

Comefromaway · 04/10/2021 12:34

Oh, believe me, I am NOT a school knows best person. I've battled with the system for years (clever boy with SEN) and have had my kids in both state and private.

But in this instance I believe the school are probably right. People get very hung up about triple science. It would be totally different if it was a Foundation/Higher situation

Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:32

As a side comment, I'm quite shocked at how many effectively believe that 'school knows best' here. Sadly, this is not always the case and often issues like these are very political for those wider organisation and those at different layers within the structure.

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Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:30

@BungleandGeorge

You posted about catching up 2 minutes before me so no I didn’t see that. But tbh this is a difficult and packed term as it is, trying to fit in the catch up work on top may do him no favours. He may be able but there’s a limit to how much one person can achieve. And it’s unclear whether he will be able to participate fully in his lessons if the other kids are all ahead of him as so much of science builds on basic principles. How was his attainment in his other subjects? If he was in year 10 I might agree with you but I think this is going to be extremely stressful for him. A 1/2 year out of a 2 year course is a significant amount. There’s also no guarantee that there won’t be more periods of remote learning.
Attainment good otherwise. This is just going to be a period of 9 months crunch for the exams - test, evaluate, patch, repeat.
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Original poster
LisaRear · 04/10/2021 12:26

@Innocenta

If he doesn't engage well with online learning, why do you think it will be different with these online resources? It seems like you have unreasonable expectations for him, honestly.
My expectations are based upon 10 plus years of observation.

Watching a class lecture for 40 minutes is different to engaging with tightly coordinated tests which then outline areas lacking and allow a focus upon those.

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