Dd had to put in her potential A Level options back in July. Obviously the school can't finalise the timetable until after GCSE results, but they try and get an idea and start thinking about possible clashes etc.
Dd wants to do French & Maths (as well as 2 others). They were put in the same "column" and therefore can't both be taken. As far as we knew in July when the options columns came out, she was the only student wanting to do these 2 subjects.
I contacted the school at the time, as they advised parents to do if there were any problems. I have said all along that I understand that they cannot change the whole timetable to accommodate one student, and I don't expect them to do that. What I hoped they would do would be make some suggestions as to how we could work round this - would distance learning work for one of the subjects? Can she do one of them in another local school? Would they be able to fit her in outside the curriculum? I am not an expert in education, and don't know what is possible or doable.
Dd is quite sure that she wants to study both subjects at Uni, so really doesn't want to have to choose between them.
The first person I spoke to (head of upper school) was basically clueless and the conversation ended with him saying "I don't really know what to suggest".
I therefore emailed the head teacher, went through the whole explanation again and said I was disappointed that the school didn't seem able to help us deal with this issue. He emailed back saying he was sorry I was upset about the options, and that they can't always cater to every student. He thought there may be some "slack" in the French department for dd to do it outside normal lesson times, but they couldn't say for sure until the results came out, and he would get one of the deputy head teachers to call me in the meantime. No phone call was forthcoming.
GCSE results day comes round, as expected dd does very well, including A* in Maths & French (amongst others). I try to talk to the deputy head about the subject clash, but she basically brushed me off, telling me that we should focus on what dd wants to do in 2 years, it's not just about A level choices. I tried to explain that dd wants to do these 2 subjects in 2 years' time, but she just would not engage. I didn't want to spoil dd's day of celebration by getting into an argument so didn't take it further.
Dd went back to school yesterday. They said they may be able to accommodate Maths & French for her if there was only one overlapping lesson (ie she could go to all 4 Maths lessons a week, and 3 out of 4 of the French ones). They said we would have to get a tutor as well though to ensure she kept up with the French. They pressed dd quite hard to say which of the 2 subjects she would choose if she had to, but she was clear that she wants to do both.
Today, she has been told that actually, it's not going to be possible and therefore we will have to find out about her doing one of them outside school. No offer of assistance with this, no pointers, nothing. DH has called the school (I'm in work -supposedly!- he's got a day off) and is awaiting a call back from the head of sixth form.
There is a part-time A level maths course (1 evening per week) starting tonight at a local HE college. I am trying to get through to them as I type.
I feel very angry that the school wouldn't take us seriously back in July and have now put us in the position where we have no time to get something else sorted. I think they thought we would just give up on the idea.
Dd is one of the star pupils in the school - never given them a moment's trouble, won prizes every year, but they don't seem to want to help her achieve her potential.
As I say, I know they can't move everything around just for her. But surely they should give us more help in trying to find some alternative solutions?
AIBU?
To feel really let down by dd's school
emsiewill · 03/09/2013 13:33
As I have said, I just hoped they would come up with alternative solutions or suggestions that may not even involve the school, but related more to the wider education arena. I thought they were the experts in that, whereas I am not.
Foolishly I thought that as they weren't doing that it was because they were going to sort it out. They never once told me it wouldn't work. They said they really wanted to keep dd as a pupil.
Of course, I have learnt my lesson. I am an idiot. And dd will suffer for that. 
Well something's going to have to give, that's clear.
Dd and dh have been to the HE college to see about the Maths. They have to go back later to see the actual tutor. They don't know yet whether they are even offering the course, as it depends how many people turn up 
. But I guess that means she will get on it if they run it.
Hopefully even if she isn't doing Maths through school, they will still help her in school with Further Maths, although one will be in English and one in Welsh, which might prove challenging...
She is adamant that she doesn't want to change schools altogether. I have told her something will have to give...but there's no point forcing her.
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