GCSE Choices for ASD - Going into Y10

[SchoolSENFrus]

NC

I’m in a conundrum and need urgent advice please.

DS is autistic and attends a very small independent school.

He went into y9 doing only 4 GCSEs. He gets overwhelmed so we wanted him to do as few as possible. We wanted him to do Maths, English, science, Geography and Computer Science. He was eager to do the last two because he loves them. He’s also wanted to do French but school said they couldn’t make that happen because they’d very limited space for language.

School gave him a different subject in place of geography because it’s “compulsory”.

Now he is struggling with the subject and school wants him to drop that subject but won’t let him pick up Geography.

They want him to drop CS too and pursue something called ASDAN in science and CS.

He’s predicted 4/5 in GCSE maths and Eng.

TBH, we’ve always known the school is not strong academically but we chose it for him to be nurtured but now he really wants to pursue CS and they’re asking him to drop that too.

We’ve said no for now but they’re asking to review and we know they’ll probably insist in future.

We intend to get him tutors but need to balance that with his mental health.

I just need help options please because at the moment, I just feel too stressed to see any.

Can he do a partial timetable at school and then we complete the rest with tutoring at home?

Why do they want him to drop CS?

I think as it is an independent school you can do whatever part time arrangements they will agree to.

As it is small are there timetabling/staffing issues?

Why do they think the asdan is more suitable?

Does your child have an EHCP?

My understanding of ASDAN is that they are for life skills courses and personal development so you may have misunderstood, it sounds like they might be great for your DC.

Honestly, Id focus on paring down these year and focusing on his MH and decreasing demands and look into Colleges and seeing if he would be able to pursue his chosen GCSEs there later. He will be older and quite often ASD behaviour settle as they come out of secondary school and life is more manageable, college students want to be there so the class environment is better etc and then do A levels uni after, hell be behind chronologically but that added maturity might do him and his MH the world of good.

You also have the option of using a distance learning course to deliver the chosen GCSE at home. However if he is anything like my DD she believes school work should solely be done at school and will not entertain homework at home although will do it in the local library.

ASDAN is an acronym like GCSE referring to a cerification system rather than a particular subject. Its courses are especially for people with learning difficulties and an ASDAN level 1 pass is equivalent to a grade 5 at GCSE. ASDANs can be done in a variety of subjects including Geography and Computing but also probably more useful topics like citizenship and personal finance which will help him towards being able to function in society.

GCSEs aren't always the best choice and are often not well suited to people with additional needs. My own DC also has ASD and is in a mainstream independent school with some additional support and accommodations for learning needs, but is doing just one fewer GCSEs than is "normal" for the school. One thing we have been made aware of is that DC will probably get a pretty poor grade for GCSE computer science because the GCSE exam doesn't actually test for the things that DC is brilliant at. Actual coding skill (where DC would get 90%+) counts for less than 20% of the grade, and most of the grade relies on discursive answers - long paragraphs of explanations which aren't going to go well for DC to be honest.

I wouldn't dismiss the school's suggestions, find out more about the specific courses they are suggesting and whether these will be useful.

Your son can stay in education for many years yet and can choose to try for further GCSEs later on. Choices for year 10 aren't the end of the educational story.

Thank you all for your comments, lots to think about.

The school certainly has timetable issues. They only do one language for example and although DS has brilliant aptitude for language, they wouldn’t let him do it because it didn’t fit with their time tabling. He’s doing it at home in his own time, so we didn’t mind that.

He has an EHCP but they’re not sticking to it at all. I’m trying to decide whether another fight is worth it.

They think ASDAn will be suitable because he’s not likely to achieve a good GCSE in CS.

Regarding CS, he absolutely does not want to drop it. He gets very excited he talks about his CS computer science. Like your DC, @JaukiVexnoydi , DS is not likely to get a good grace at gcse but I asked him how he would feel if he were to drop it and he said he’d be devastated.

We’ve decided we don’t mind if he doesn’t do the geography but because of how he feels, he’ll stick with CS for now.

I’ve been looking into ASDAN and i’m struggling to find colleges that accept it. There’s probably an obvious website i’m missing.

He needs to go back into the specialist provision to access ASDAN and the trade off for extra curricular stuff such some leadership and development opportunities, residentials abroad ( not very important), etc

I’m feeling better and more hopeful, already. Thank you

With the ehcp he has til 25 to get these things done.

If you know where he wants to be next, you could call and ask if they accept an asdan as entry for that course.

My gut feel is a low grade in gcse might not meet entry requirement as well as a high grade alternative qualification but it would need checking.

If he is capable of CS he should continue with it, not ASDAN.

If you are paying for tutors as well as school try to get a tutor who will teach him, 'exam technique' and strategies to cope with the exams.

Eg many people with ASD are quite literal and quite black and white so you have to teach them to sometimes not tell the truth eg in MFL (I know your DS isn't taking a language but this is easier to explain) the examiner doesn't care if you are an only child, they are assessing vocab so if you say yo have three sisters, one brother and two cousins who live with you you get marks for all the words / grammar, you don't get marks for telling the truth.

One thing we have been made aware of is that DC will probably get a pretty poor grade for GCSE computer science because the GCSE exam doesn't actually test for the things that DC is brilliant at. Actual coding skill (where DC would get 90%+) counts for less than 20% of the grade, and most of the grade relies on discursive answers - long paragraphs of explanations which aren't going to go well for DC to be honest.

Thant surprises me, I wonder what specification they are using, the move from IT to CS focuses much more on terminology, programming and the nuts and bolts of computing.

My latest email from school reads like they’re going to move him to the special unit anyway in the new academic year, after a few months. Can they do that?

Do they not have to say they can’t meet his needs and then we review with LEA and then they leave the choice to us? Or is it going to be that they have the SEN unit that can meet his needs so they can just move him?

I feel like i have no say and that’s very annoying.

Blimey, is ASDAN still going?

My son took three GCSEs and 2 BTECs.

I had to argue against ASDAN quite loudly.

You'd need to approach colleges individually about the ASDAN- there won't be a national list. Some will accept non GCSE qualifications to make up their GCSE requirements, and some won't. Some will likely accept it for some courses, and some won't.

It's worth being aware that in 2025, funding for level 3 BTECs will be significantly reduced, and so there may be less options at college for him, if he doesn't have the grades to progress to A-levels. Do you have a plan in mind for him post GCSE?

It feels like the school are pushing for your son to do what suits them best- rather than what suits him best. Is going back into specialist provision going to be good for him/his self esteem?

I know you said you chose this school because you felt it would be nurturing, but I'm not sure how nurturing this is.

Are there any state options locally that might be suitable, or would he not cope?

I would add that I teach in a school with a large sixth form and we accept a lot of external candidates. We wouldn't accept ASDAN for progression onto any level 3 course- we only count level 2 qualifications.

Teach me your ways!
I’d never even heard of them until recently tbh

Thank you, that’s very informative.

He’d like to attend college to continue CS. We’ve been exploring the available options and we are starting to think about which sort of setting would suit him best.

I feel the same way, it sounds like they are doing what is easiest for them.

I agree with you on the nurturing bit. I almost moved him to a bigger indie with an SEN attached earlier this year but DH was not keen.

He’s been asking to go into mainstream but i’m hesitant because i don’t know if he’d cope. I think he might but a big school would be such a change. The advantage would be more expertise in teaching and (hopefully) supporting him though…

So sorry to hear this I had the same problem my son is in year 10 with ASD. I left the private system having been there since age 3. I have an EHCP he is in a great state school they have the same opinion regarding CS GCSE but offered us the BTEC which is easier and more aligned to his learning style. Independent school I found stressful , unhelpful and more concerned with grades. I didn’t feel any of their suggestions were really in his interests but theirs. Independent schools are not suitable for Sen children.