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

Absolutely not. Some people think that art is a relaxing subject. If you don’t like art it definitely not. Mu children hated art and couldn’t wait to give it up. They found maths relaxing

Agree with all those saying Art is a time thief. My Y10 spends more out of school time on it than all other subjects combined - I’m not exaggerating, but that can’t continue in Y11. It is her passion though.

So first point is I would push back. Being specific that you know it takes a lot of time may be more persuasive than just, “doesn’t want to”. If Food is off the table, push back on how she was one of those not to be included, ask about her “position” for any changes next term. Be the squeaky wheel.

However, if she’s stuck with it, here are some positives.
• Often the time thievery is because kids love it - plenty in my kid’s class are doing the bare minimum and scraping a pass
• If it’s actually “Art & Design” as you mention, don’t assume it’s Fine Art, mostly drawing and painting. A&D draws on textiles, photography and sculpture too, and possible 3D modelling though I’m not sure on the latter. It may be more interesting than she thinks
• it’s not all fine pencil detail photorealistic drawings even if it is Fine Art - if they do an Abstract topic, there’s lots of different skills to try (pour paintings, screenprinting…) which don’t require the same technical skill to get something from
• if you want to focus on other subjects, it’s an easier subject to just do the minimum than some others, e.g. no memorising or understanding type study for exams
• it’s quite different from academic or academic component course, so it’s a break in the week
• there is no cramming for exams
• the final exam is around early-mid April, so it’s all done before the main series, reducing pressure on that period

I had to take Art (not my first choice) and it was incredibly time consuming! If you love art and have passion for being creative, that might be fine but it took a huge amount of time away from all my other GSCE subjects.

If you can’t change to something more suitable, tell the school to withdraw your daughter from the GCSE and she’ll spend the time in supervised study instead.

Seems a complete waste of time taking an art gcse if you’re no good at art.

Yeh as others say
Timetabling clashes
Numbers on a course - max and min - no room for 32 in food tech; not going to run music with four students
Availability of teachers - want to run CS but teacher has left and we cannot recruit

That kind of issue. That's why most schools ask for some alternatives. This is not OK tho.

@Hairyfairy01

Which GCSEs will she be taking apart from that one, OP?

Will it be possible to get extra tutoring for her in the crucial subjects, such as Maths and English?

It's not always possible for students to get their first choices for numerous reasons. If a course is oversubscribed and there is no capacity in the timetable or teachers available to teach an extra class then unfortunately some children will be disappointed.

Teacher availability, timetabling, cost pressure.
If only 4 children want to do music, it may not be cost effective.
Of s food tech room fits 16 but 18 want to do it you can split to two classes of 9 or say 2 can't do it.
Pretty much all state schools will have some limitations somewhere in the system.

I simply don’t understand the stance of “I understand not every child will get what they want”.

I expect every child to be able to choose and get the GCSE options they want.

I would be absolutely furious is this was a risk at my children’s schools and would be looking for an alternative school.

In reply to the pp asking about taking GCSEs in subjects you are not good at...

I mean, if (for example) you yearned to learn a specific MFL and were offered the chance to take it ab initio, or had been studying it in KS3 and not made much progress, but were v keen to improve, then it might be a thought to take a GCSE tho you probs wouldn't get the best grade.

There are subjects where it is less of a thing to be "good at" them (I am thinking humanities, science to some extent) - if you can study then you will do OK. But I do think art (and as I said, music) is different. If you don't have a talent and are not interested then you won't get far.

Note I said 'interested' - if someone loves the subject, even if they are not great at it, that makes it worth taking. But I was always weak at art and did not enjoy it. Even now, given a creative task to do I am a bit flummoxed and need guidance. Art is not for me. Give me some biology to learn and yes I will have a go even tho it's not my passion.

Absolutely! This is why I flunked my degree - I was terrible at maths so thought I ought to improve for, you know, an education, but alas, I didn't achieve as much as a Desmond. So now I'm floundering in the pool of unemployment wondering why I didn't choose to study a subject I found interesting and halfway doable...

I would definitely try to change it (possibly at the beginning of term in september)

It's really not a soft or easy option

If her choice is not available there really should be some discussion before nominating a GCSE she has no interest in and hasn't ever put down as a back up choice.

Is that how GCSE’s work? I thought you’d choose gcse subjects that played to your strengths?

Because your knowledge at the end of year 9 is no where near what it'll be at the end of year 11 or 13.

No one picks the subjects they're worst at in order to be a bit better, get mediocre GCSE results and then pick A Levels they're not good at in order to do a degree in something they've never studied, do they?

Yes I agree - deffo make a fuss.

Allocated history when would prefer geography, or food tech bc textiles didn't run - yep, fair enough. But allocated art (or music or tbh drama) when not creative and not interested in doing it - that's not OK. None of my DC would have wanted to take art, and only DD was interested in taking music.

Also it is a massive thief of time, even if you love it, so it's hardly a 'turn up to the lessons and get a grade' type GCSE (not that any are, but at least for, say, RE, you don;t have to do loads of extra work out of school apart from revision).

If she is going to struggle with GCSEs, does the school offer a hub/SEN option (not a free period, that's unworkable!) - my DS1 did fewer GCSEs and spent one option block time in the LS dept with others working on maths and Eng support. Is that an option?

My DD did art and design by choice after the two years never wants to do art ever ever again. It was the writing and explaining her art she hated.

Of all the things …art is not really something you can just “do” without any love of it or talent.

Anything would be better as a subject than one she doesn’t want or is good at.

Definitely keep trying the school. Its annoying that they waited until the last day of term to let you know what they've got. My DCs school let us know a few weeks ago. My DC didn't get either of their top options, one of which they want to study at college and uni, I emailed the school and they were brilliant, called me straight back and told me why they didn't get it and what we could do. They put DC at the top of the list for their preferred subject and we have had an email today to confirm that someone has dropped out so they have moved our DC into that subject. Added bonus is it replaces their last choice option they really didn't want to do so they are very happy today!

You could also ask what else is in that lesson block and see if she will prefer any of those options. I hope you manage to get in touch with the school and get it sorted.

Yes make a fuss, there is no point in her doing art if she doesn't love it, it's a lot of work and DD spent a lot of time doing art work. I would point out to school that she will be failing this GCSE if she is forced to do it as you won't be making her do all the extra work when she needs time to study other subjects that she needs to pass in order to do whatever she wants to do next. That will probably persuade them to change her subject as they won't want a student they know who's going to fail from the start. You can't fudge a GCSE art nowadays as the moderators always come in to assess the work.

What other options were in the same block ?

Erm to get good grades to give you more choices for 16+ maybe?!

I think art is one where you need some natural talent and if you don't have it you are a bit stuffed. I am crap at art, would never have taken it voluntarily and it would be really demoralising to study a subject you have no hope of getting a good grade in.

No, the point of doing GCSEs in subjects you are good at and have an interest in is so that you can potentially go on to do A-levels or other qualifications related to your interests in the hope of it being the building blocks of a career.

Why can’t she do the food and nutrition if it’s in the same block? Is it oversubscribed? Art GCSE is very time consuming, even for someone with ability, so to ask someone who hasn’t chosen it and doesn’t enjoy it to do it, seems pointless.

Is there a chance that she could do one GCSE less and work on the other subjects for those lessons? We used to run an Option Support for students who needed extra help with core subjects and other options.

My dd took food & nutrtion at GCSE. She’s really loving it. She already did some cooking with me at home, but her interest has really picked up, and it’s a great life skill to have. Try your best to push for this for her if you can, if there’s nothing else she would choose. I had to fight for dd to get this subject, as it’s a popular one, but just kept phoning and emailing until she got in.

Email back ask if there's been a mistake and ask for a different option.