GCSE "compulsory" subject. DS doesn't want to do it.

Quelle est le date de ton anniversaire.

Pamplemousse.

That's about the extent of my GCSE French in later life - and I'm quite sure I learned pamplemousse off the back of a Lancome juicy tubes lip gloss.

Dig your heels in if you can. There's no point doing a language he isn't interested in, unless he wants to bag an easy pass for himself.

good advice from @MidnightOnceMore esp re keeping it low key.

Friend of mine's ds (in my DS's year) didn't take German; she told school he wouldn't do well and wanted to do business instead, which he did; I had no idea till afterwards, as I imagine they were asked not to shout about it.

I’d just go to head of year and tell them your DS isn’t going to do a language.

No it’s really not. Human languages are very different from computer languages. There isn’t any overlap in aptitude or skills.

Have you actually discussed this with someone in a relevant leadership position?

Don't get wound up until you have had a proper conversation with someone senior about it. Don't waste time with form tutors etc - just email and ask for a phone call with the relevant senior person. Explain why it is really important that your child is able to do x subject.

One good thing to get into the conversation is that you understand that it is important your DS doesn't make a thing of this and will keep it low key so as not to undermine the general rule.

If they won't allow it, you can complain.

Same situation but for my O levels in 1974. I really didn’t want to do a second MFL (German) I was good at sciences, maths etc but not MFLs at all.

I negotiated a place in a bottom Biology set (for those not doing German) it allowed me to do physics, chemistry additional maths and woodwork - which was my real aim.

Fortunately they saw my reasoning (and how crap/potentially disruptive I was at MFL) and let me do this.
Gave me a career - so thanks are due to them.

So look through the whole options list, see who’s teaching what, get some support from individuals and present your case. Its probably doable.

all the best

Have you got an options block yet? What is blocked against french? It might not be able to put it on the timetable, depending on the rest of his choices.

People are talking about moving schools - but what do other schools do? DS's school get probably 2/3 of the kids to do a MFL and a humanity. It might not be as simple as moving to remove the compulsory French.

If he really doesn't want to do it then talk to the school. Yes it's good to do an MFL but forcing a student to do the subject or any subject really is going to end badly for everyone involved.

And not doing an MFL GCSE will not close any doors. Again, yes it's good to do an MFL GCSE but it's not the end of the world at all if he doesn't. It's not going to hinder his prospects at all in Engineering/Computing.

My DS had this with Spanish the school wouldn't budge he was forced to do it. Its all about the Ebacc even though they will never admit it. DS went to lessons but didn't complete any homework and didn't revise for the exams as he needed to put all his efforts into passing the subjects he actually needed. Got a 2 inSpanish but got what he needed in the other subjects and secured his dream apprenticeship.

How determined is he to get what he wants? If he is happy to follow through you and he tell the school he will be dropping French and taking computing. When they say he can't tell them either he will be leaving on the such a date to start at more accommodating school - my boy would definitely have done this, but yours may not be so bloody minded. Or that he needs to be entered into the computing exam at current school as well and they can support him to do the project work but he'll home study the rest. A bright and determined kid can very easily get themselves to GCSE level.

I studied French as part of my degree. Don't think I've used it since 1998. Only took it because it was easy & the other subject on my degree was harder....

I'd happily go stamp my feet on his behalf if I was you op x

Agreed. And i say that as the person who refused to study it (I was terrible at it, brilliant at everything else)

Learning a language is good for computer scientists who have to learn to code.

What do people think D/T is? Taught properly it develops all kind of skills that are in short supply. It is not solely about cutting up wood/metal/plastics to make second rate artefacts.

The only thing that matters is what your ds wants to study, to take him where he wants to be. Not what the school wants for itself.

Does not having Ebacc close any doors (for unis, A level colleges, etc)? I shouldn't think so, but that would be my only hesitation. Easy enough to find out.

I'd support him 100% and fight the school on this all the way. They're not doing this because it's in his best interests.

I don't think schools do get extra money based on numbers of students sitting ebacc subjects? I've never heard that.

It is a measure that schools are judged on tho - but that shouldn't worry you @sugarhopper , it's your son not the school you need to be thinking about.

And you could learn those skills in an afternoon. We all use IT.
OP if he wants to work in computing he could still do A Level Computing. Although maths, sciences and humanities would be even better.

Ds will have to do Welsh as a gcse. He hates it and is pretty shit at it, despite having allegedly been taught it since he was 5. We live right on the edge of Wales and he will, in all likelihood, end up working in England like most people round here. I did 2 other languages at gcse, and continued one to A level. I dropped Welsh in yr 9.I have never needed it.

I agree with @Octavia64 . Start being crap at French. That's kinda what I did - but I was actually crap at French. One decent possibly accidental test mark put me in top set - but I really was terrible.
(btw - I got Grade D 😂)

Which decade are you living in? Computing will be a much more useful qualification than French. I did French and German at GCSE out of choice, and a short course ICT that was compulsory which I put the bare minimum of effort into.

Guess how often I use French or German in my daily life? Yes, that's right, never.

Guess how often I use computing / data skills? Yes, that's right, every day.

Exactly, just say he won't be doing it.
They'ew making him do it due to this Ebac thing, so they get extra money if children do a certain range of subjects. Unfortunately, modern language teaching seems to be so awful in the UK that I would certainly do something else.

GCSE French won't get him to a level where he can do anything useful with it.

People often say things like this on MN but I don't agree. Yes, if you don't use your French (even your degree!) at all for some time afterwards then you will forget. I can't recall much chemistry, having not touched it a great deal in the last 40 years, but no one says I shouldn't have studied it. Including me btw.

A student who passes French GCSE with a grade of 7 or above will be able to speak for a few minutes about subjects such as hobbies, school, the environment, holidays and their family. They will be able to write a few paragraphs on the same subjects with reasonable accuracy. Yes, speaking with a French person might be a challenge because of their speed of speaking, but they would be able to be understood and have a meaningful conversation.

(I am not saying this ability will last forever - like any skill, if not exercised, then yes, it will atrophy).

At my school they would not bend on this. At all. You have to prepare yourself that they might not allow him to not do it. Best bet would be to move sets now.

No, it won’t.

Which doors do you imagine will be closed?