School suggested DS might benefit from repeating Y10 on a different pathway.

I think here's a thought for him to consider: his friends now will not be his friends in 2 and a bit years regardless. He shouldn't be doing things because of what his mates/peers think because ultimately that's not right for him in the long run. Good friends will stay friends with him regardless (because they are good friends) and there's an opportunity to make new friends even if he's a bit older.

Does he want to be in a position in a years time of being with his mates all getting decent results and him getting terrible ones and thinking 'what am I going to with my life?' when the alternative is next year is seeing his mates getting decent grades and being somewhat bewildered about what they want to do, whereas he will be a year behind but will likely have a much clearer pathway to the future and be able to talk about that.

He has to consider when they all him 18 where they will be. He will be much better placed (even though a year behind) than many of them planning to go to university because he will be doing a practical pathway with much better and more obvious job opportunities because he's building up a clear skill set.

It's a tortoise v hare thing.

And actually it's got to be said that as soon as they hit 17 there a period where friendship do naturally change anyway because they all start having different levels of maturity and focus about what they want to do.

He will have maybe one year where others might make comment - because they lack maturity - but after that it really won't matter because they will all be making such different choices about their future.

Yrs 9 - 11 are difficult in a way because there's so many kids trying to prove they are the big I am and they are the best. Ironically this comes from a place of insecurity. If he's the kid who says 'yeah actually this is the life choice for me, this is really what I think I can see myself doing outside school', he actually starts being one of the more mature ones and that will show through despite maybe being with others in the year below. Precisely because he's got that focus and drive and theres nothing really that a dickhead can say to that.

He also will have the benefit in 18 months time of being the eldest with his new friends and there are certain benefits to this in itself.

It sounds like he's been given a fantastic opportunity here which would a) really suit him b) saves him from the potential of a bit of a car crash situation in twelve months time with difficult decisions to make then anyway. This is his reality and what others are doing is irrelevant to that. He might focus on the negatives at this point which are all very time limited. He needs to be really mature about this and consider his long term prospects, which isn't easy at that age. His big decisions about life are simply happening a year earlier than everyone else rather than him being left behind - it's actually quite the reverse and this is what needs to be stressed. He isn't going to be with the kids in his year for much longer regardless of what option he takes here so he shouldn't be worrying about his peers. They won't care at all what he's doing in 2 and a half years.

Thanks for the update. I didn’t say when I posted earlier, but my DS took a similar pathway from y10 (he has diagnosed SNs and had an EHCP). He took a mixture of 6 BTECs and GCSEs, including a land-based subject, got grades 4-6 or equivalent, went onto 6th form to another mixture of an environmental subject and A levels, get excellent results and is just about to hand in his final dissertation in an environmental studies degree. If you had asked me how this would turn out when he was in y10 I would never have seen him going to uni. What I would say, is that if you and / or the school suspect he has SENs, it is worth pursuing a diagnosis. He may not need an EHCP, but it will help him get support if he does go to uni and will mean he can ask for reasonable adjustments in the workplace in future. He may not need those things now, but diagnosis has long waiting lists and gets complicated as you approach 18 and transfer to adult services. This might not be the case at all, but if you think it might be then do think about it.

Why on Earth was he doing German? It's notoriously difficult and what's the point ? I would be embracing any help they give as it can lead to a fulfilling career option as opposed to a group of random possibly low grade GCSEs.

If i were his friends having to take gcses they aren't interested in, as if often the case (hello all sciences, I'm looking at you!), I'd be envious rather than judgey!

Have gone through the university clearing system, even the more academic unis we spoke to only required 5 GCSE’s passes, and none specified an actual grade to achieve (all asked for Maths and English). Not a single one asked for more than that. Newcastle, Oxford Brookes, Nottingham, Bristol were some of the ones we called

I would grab the alternative opportunity with both hands. My ds17 is about to leave school with a handful of average qualifications. I wish he could have done this. I think he would have been happier in school and more proud of his achievement. It's so depressing when people ask him how he did in his exams. If he'd been able to say "oh i did something different, I did xyz" I think that would have made a real difference to how he sees his school achievements.

His schol did offer some practical alternatives but they weren't very well thought through. They were more just to fill a couple of hours on the timetable, then didn't then lead on to anything further. I think this alternative your son is being offered sounds quite well planned out. I would definitely take it.

Is there an option for him to try out parts of the course in what's left of this academic year?

Taking the time to re-do the year and get some qualifications at the end should be something he sees as positive. He shouldn’t feel like a failure or thick or looked down on for investing in his future self. It is sometimes best to have a little bit of uncertainly to go down an unknown path that has possibilities than to stick to a certain one which is leading nowhere. I know this is easier said than done (felt?) but it’s true. I think you should have a good sit down with him and really explain this.

Friendship groups change. If his current friends can’t accept he is bettering himself and this is the right thing for him they are not real friends. He will make friends in the new year group and, in all likelihood, after next year they will all move on and some of them will never talk to each other ever again in their lives.

Remember you are the parent, you have the deciding decision, but he is stating to become a young adult so he needs to feel like he is involved in making the decision but supported and doesn’t have overall control. I would advise against letting him make the decision in case it goes wrong because then he will blame himself, better for you to say you made a mistake and you will help him fix it. He might not like it, you might not like it. But you are the adult and can cope and know there are alternative pathways through life. He will be a teenager with no qualifications so likely won’t cope.

I personally think you should go for the alternative route, but whatever your decision, good luck in making it and please remember this is for the best future interests of your son, not for his friendships (which will change).

I would definitely do the alternative pathway if your son is likely to engage with it. Yes some downsides socially but building his confidence and practical career based skills will be so much better than continuing to feel like he’s failing in his current pathway. Sounds like he will get qualifications from the outdoor pathway and self esteem is so much more important to his long term success. Even if he doesn’t get fantastic academic results, he can retake or do more GCSEs or whatever anytime as an adult. But that won’t happen if he doesn’t feel confident in himself with learning.

Either way I would make sure they do investigate any SEN needs, as that is still relevant in either pathway and again if there is a “reason” for underperformance knowing it helps to overcome any barriers and hopefully makes him see it’s not something he can’t necessarily help.

As a teacher, I’ve seen countless kids be targeted grade 6s and not even get 3s/4s in the end. Targets are often really aspirational, not necessarily realistic. So you may want a more realistic up to date predicted grades from teachers rather than targets if you’re still on the fence.

I think it sounds a brilliant opportunity (I wish I could have done something like this back in my GCSE days).
Is he confident enough to chat to his closest friends and see their responses? If they are good friends I should hope they are supportive.
Any that "tease" him about it or say nasty things are clearly not real friends and he should just ignore them. They aren't worth him wasting his thoughts on them.
His friendship group would likely be changing anyway in a years time as they move on to different schools/colleges/apprenticeship/jobs etc.
I had friends in school that I got on well with - but once GCSEs were done I never saw some of them again.

His mates will stay as mates. What out of school activities can he start now to secure non-school friends to help with his concerns.

I think it’s a no brainer and it’s very likely he has SPLD, been there with my DC. Ended up paying privately for an assessment when they turned 16.

I think even if there is a bit of initial teasi g for dropping a great, it won't become bullying if he's never been bullied before. Is he the kind of kid who can stand up for himself?

I think he's heading towards no GCSEs and it's amazing luck he's in a school that's willing to do this. Just wow, how lucky is that? Encourage him that he'll be so much happier doing something he enjoys and will make friends. Are there any other older kids who have done this? Surely he's not the first they've offered it to.

I really would beware of another year of discouragement and disappointment. You don't know how that may effect his self esteem long term, or what he'll get into in order to cope with those feelings. It could be pretty harmful to him even if he doesn't realise that. A bit of irritating teasing at the beginning of the year is mild and he can be taught how to handle it.

he needs to do something he loves and finds rewarding. Maybe he could do a taster day in the horticulture stream? He could look at apprenticeships after school.

I think that sounds a wonderful opportunity to achieve more before he falls through the gaps and ends up NEET. Schools are taking a risk when they allow students to repeat a year because once they hit non compulsory school age, they can just walk and there's nothing they can do to stop it - which is bad for the student, negative for results/retention measures and a nightmare for funding.

The other completely different alternative is home education but you would need an adult to facilitate it or some colleges do a14-16 entry course or look at any local outdoor college offers and what entry requirements are needed for age 16 then work back from that on how to get them. For context we removed our 12hr from school and they are now doing a mix of in person tutoring and online live lessons but focused on their interests but including maths and English.

I’m with this poster. If he had started this in year 10, brilliant. But going back a year, being removed from his peer group? If he is ‘feeling thick’ now, this certainly won’t help. Peers are so important at this age. What if he starts this and still struggles - where does he go then?

I’d pick up tutoring for English and maths, ask if he can drop German and get study support, talk to him about his aims for the future and this time next year he will be finishing year 11 and able to go to college. Can you look at courses and talk up options?

As an English teacher/examiner, if he’s getting 1s and 2s he just isn’t writing anything and if he can really focus on exam technique, that can help a lot. Predictions of 6s initially show he has potential.

Can I add that I think this alternative route sounds brilliant and I wish more schools were as switched on. I just think it’s come too late for your son.

I would do it because it doesn't sound like he's on track to get any GCSEs as it stands. As an alternative I would think about some tutoring, maybe dropping some subjects. My DD's school for example has a group that don't do a language and use the time for extra support in Maths and English. But honestly I'm not sure that will help with the behavioural issues. Maybe some ELSA sessions or mentoring could if they have anything like that?

He could go on from there to agricultural college to do horticulture, arboriculture, or conservation.

It's a no brainer. He will.enjoy being top of the class no doubt .

Yes, I agree that they should be investigating why he is in the position he is now, undiagnosed SENs for example

I would want to understand why he has gone from having target grades of 6 to suddenly getting 1/2. It implies he is capable but something has gone wrong.

What are his post 16 options if he doesn’t achieve any GCSEs. Would a different environment provide the change he needs but with others his age instead of being kept out of cohort in the same environment that he can’t access now. For example college can mean more comfortable clothes no uniform, varied times of attendance and different course options.

I think this is the number one question before any decisions can be made.

The alternative pathway sounds amazing for kids who would engage better with a more practical way of learning (and I wish this could be offered more widely in UK schools), but what exactly is it that your son is struggling with?