Withdrawing child from a subject they don't enjoy

[LittleMissGossip]

I've read parents have the right to withdraw dc from RE lessons, and I'm wondering whether this applies to other subjects (none compulsory subjects). Have dc who has zero interest in music, not gaining anything from the sessions at all, so wondering whether they can do alternative work in that time?
Unable to find exact information on the legalities of it all.
This is year 7 child, and if it makes any difference, at a grammar school.
Thank you!

You can ask of course. In our school pupils can go to the nurture centre if there is teacher agreement - speak to the HoY.

There is no legal requirement but often schools are more accomodating than many parents think, so long as you accept there will not be alternative teaching provision. But 'can my child sit somewhere else' is not necessarily a difficult ask.

They might say no though!

Children will be taught the national curriculum.... all schools, unless it's an independent private school where the curriculum is very similar, are taught the national curriculum. There's always the option of homeschooling of you don't want your children to be subject to certain areas of education. It's not pic and mix for each individual

Well to start with I wasnt very sympathetic, but as you have posted more you are starting to describe a child who may struggle in certain circumstances. Please try to arrange at the very least initially a meeting with the SENCO - please remember in a secondary school that they will have a (reduced) teaching timetable, a whole cohort of SEN students they are currently supporting, and the new Year 7's like your DC, that they are starting to get to know, but get your child on their radar quickly. Please also start any process for diagnosis - that will take months and more likely years.

You couldn’t see the post by OP made a whole day before you posted? I don’t think so. So many judgemental people that know nothing about things like this on this thread. Even before OP mentioned any issues, it was obvious there was potentially something more going on. Think before you post nonsense with silly emojis.

It wasn't obvious before the OPs update. Dislike is very different to visceral hatred.

OP have you read The Out if Sync Child? Worth a read. I have a bad noise hater too.

Yes I responded before getting to end of thread when I was reading clearly !

Either way , we all understand now with OP update

I've taught a child with sensory issues around noise - he still came to music but stepped out of the room when the xylophones started. It was a jarring sound and just being out but looking through the window took the volume down. It wasn't a big problem. Headphones are another option. I would encourage you not to try to withdraw completely from the lesson though, I am sure he can be made more comfortable within it even if he doesn't enjoy the subject.

OP. You need to talk to the SENCO and get a diganosis process started ASAP.
By home schooling for primary you have avoided the problem up to now, but for school to make 'reasonable adjustments' they will need information/evidence.

I'd start by thinking how your child could cope within a music classroom doing something vaguely musical. e.g. Would they be able to put headphones on and listen to different types of music to enhance their knowledge even if they can't cope with a cacophany of music making?

I think you are unlikely to get adjustment to remove from the lesson entirely due to supervision issues without a diagnosis and recommendation from an expert.

Also how is he coping in other tech lessons such as Food tech? Are sensory things going to cause an issue there too?

Yes you can. I’m an ex RE teacher.
I’ve only ever experienced a student been withdrawn from certain aspects of the curriculum.

Don’t be ridiculous.

can you image the carnage that would ensue? Who would look after him? Can a dyslexic be allowed not to study English? Or someone that hates German.

I’d work on finding some music he does like and engaging with the school rather than pandering to him

I guess you could go one of two ways: get your child's SEN assessed to see if there is an adjustment needed here, which will help them mitigate the effect that music lessons have on them. Or leave them to develop their own coping mechanism, which might make things easier for them later in life, including in the workplace or social situations where music might be played. You know your dc best, so will know what's most appropriate.

At least one child wore over ear headphones when they were in my son's music class to lessen the noise as it just felt too much. Do you think that would help your son at all? It was described as sensitive hearing so that everything seemed louder to him.

I think I would try to explore keeping him in music for the benefit of it first of all but then request to review it at the end of the term perhaps.

That is different - get him diagnosed then

In fact, in life we frequently have to do things we don’t enjoy. Everyone does.

This is a different circumstance, in the sense that OP’s child is nee to school and will be unused to the more formal setting of lessons in a grammar school.

It would be a reasonable adjustment, I hope, for him to have noise cancelling headphones in the classroom, so that he isn’t exposed to the cacophony of a class playing instruments. Perhaps he could research composers during the practical part of the lesson. I imagine there won’t be daily music lessons as there might be for core subjects.

In the meantime, OP could start the process of finding out whether the sensory issues require a diagnosis and additional support.

My autistic kids have these exact same sensory issues, they spend a lot of time wearing noise cancelling headphones now.

But they did suffer through music lessons at school (awful, boring because they had private music lessons out of school, so the pace at school was too slow some times).

Please see the school SENCO and discuss your son's needs OP. There might be more issues that he will need support for, now that he's going to school.