Help! My non arty dd has been given gcse art!

That was me…… I got a C and As in everything else

doesnt matter a jot - so don’t stress over it

OP, I understand your frustration, especially if you're worried about your DD getting 5 GCSEs to begin with.

But I'm gently going to say that I think the outrage on this thread is a little overblown. The vast majority of schools simply have to set up option blocks. It sounds like yours has three option blocks available, and your DD got her first choices in two of them - history and health and social care. Those are her absolute priorities and she got them, correct? So it's really only the third option block left, and of those course options your DD got her second choice because her first choice is full. No, it's not ideal. But a student getting their first choice in two blocks and their second choice in the third is not egregious, and I can see where the school would not be moving mountains to fix this.

I think you're going to have to take a deep breath, settle yourself and DD down, and review options for that third block. If food & nutrition stays full, is art the best of the rest? Find out what will be covered in art, D&T, and PE and what her medium/sport/project options within the course would be. If art is still her #2 then I'd just tell her it's ok for that to be a course that she doesn't worry about the exam grade on. Art (and D&T) can be a massive time suck but it could also be a pretty relaxing break in the day if you and she are able to frame it as just that and she doesn't invest time on it outside of lesson time. After that, stress to the school that your DD would really like to be on the waiting list to be moved into food & nutrition. And as courses progress, you can ask about dropping art for some sort of additional study period (schools call them different things) if your DD is really struggling with her more academic GCSEs.

Plus in the end she hated it so much. Her art folder is still at school! If she had brought it home she would have put it in the bin!!

If she doesn't like art definitely make a fuss. I did food tech because I hated art. I still hate anything arty. It would have been no good for my self esteem or mental health to have had to do art. I understand the need to do core subjects even if you don't like them but not art.

Has your dd been diagnosed with any SEN / additional needs? The school shouldn’t be treating her less favourably than children with no diagnosed needs. If she is, I’d ask for an explanation citing the disability clause under the Equality Act 2010.

As for PE. What sport does your dd do op? Could she do fewer hours of this sport and join a team sport out of school? Do be warned if you want to start filming yourself for any sport, it’s a lot of work. My dd did PE. School used their videos of Netball and I can’t remember what else (she had to do 4 sports). They had to film the students doing a range of activities in the sport to hit certain grade. Dd submitted videos of horse riding and dancing. Dancing wasn’t too bad. Dd has a few private lessons then near to submission date, we hired a hall to refilm the dance as she’d progressed from the summer the previous year. Riding was a nightmare. Lots and lots of videoing time for that one and we even filmed in France as the British riding schools are reluctant to jump their horses the required 90cm to get top grades. Plus as I say, the theory isn’t easy.

This^
especially if she struggles academically a free period will do her good. Art and design is a very time consuming subject even for those who are good at it.

I picked Art GCSE and could just about draw a stick man! I was terrible at it. The teacher spent no time in teaching anything as it was assumed that those who chose the subject were already “good” at it. I just about submitted the portfolios by tracing 😂 but couldn’t sit the exam as I was terrible at drawing. It was a wasted GCSE. They also didn’t allow me to change to another subject (even though it was requested a few weeks after starting)! So, I would definitely make a fuss about it.

What is the point in improving in art if you have no interest in it? It's not like maths or reading where it's necessary in adult life.

It doesn’t though.

As a teacher you have to hound kids not pulling their weight. It can make it really hard for them.

OP said she can't do Food and Nutrition because the classes are full.

Spend the summer reading carol decks growth mindset. Maybe this will be life-changing for your child. There is no such thing as 'arty'.

I think you are right to make a huge fuss - it's not on to force a kid with no interest/ ability in art to do Art GCSE. (Secondary school teacher here.) it's an absolute joke.

Is dance available as a team sport at her school, OP? Or is there something that is related to her main sport eg water polo/swimming, squash or badminton doubles/tennis singles? I feel like those might be less cliquey than more common school team sports 😂

You can't force a kid into art GCSE when they've no interest or talent. They'd be setting her up to fail. I think it's terrible to push any subject on someone at options. Especially something that you can't just suddenly get good at by studying hard. I would be speaking to the school.
Find out why she can't do Food Nutrition? Thats more science and maths based, if she's more into those type subjects.
I hope they see sense and don't force her into doing it.

The point of education is to get exams as it stands currently.

Dojng something yoh are good at increases the chances of getting that qualification.

l used to teach art. Its actually a difficult subject. Lots of exploration and requires the ability to be very independent. It’s quite unstructured.

Is it worth considering Digital Technology? My son is doing that and it's not too hard and at least gives useful life skills.

Not many people realise that education is devolved in Scotland, Wales and NI, so no worries!

I'd be emailing HoY and asking what can be done? Play dumb : Was there some mistake, did she submit late? Ie why did she not get her chosen subjects, or why no movement?

Ah ok. Not heard of single science capped at a C grade before, that’s all.

@clary, we’re not in England. We don’t have Foundation and Higher papers here.

@caringcarer the food tech practical is early but the written exam is often one of the last. This year it was on 19 June. Not that that’s a reason not to take it.

Food&Nutrition has quite a lot of theory.
Plus some of the practical work is experimenting & taste testing not just cooking. (Eduqas)

@Hairyfairy01 if she does a sport out of school as you mention, PE might be a better option? Esp if she is interested in nutrition.

@Dominicains where are you with the letter grades? And what is single science with a max grade of C? Foundation maybe but that’s not a choice option time?

You are right to be concerned. If you can't draw, you are not artistic or creative GCSE Art is a nightmare. There is a huge portfolio of work to get through and the exam takes the entire day. Food nutrition is fine my teen son did it. It involved practical cooking as well as learning about nutrition. He enjoyed it and it's a useful skill to learn. Also the exam is early so it's out of the way before the other subjects appear.