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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think it's wrong school has cancelled the 4 day AS art exam?

33 replies

Cuddleczar · 20/04/2015 17:21

Exactly that. It was due to start today and last 4 days, during which they complete their final piece. It meant they missed four days of other lessons but they would have got the full attention of the art teachers in the art department (other art lessons were going to be cancelled). This normally happens every year. I've checked the examining board website (AQA) and it doesn't seem to be specific about how the final piece is carried out. My DC has come back from school very upset--her art teacher told her as a result she might get a lower grade, possibly even not pass. Apparently the head of sixth form told someone this was because "art is not so important as other lessons".

OP posts:
honeysucklejasmine · 20/04/2015 17:24

You need to phone immediately to find out what happened. I am a science teacher an absolutely support students missing what will be revision anyhow in other lessons for a REAL exam. If its not revision by now, the school need to pull their fingers out.

That is outrageous.

asmallandnoisymonkey · 20/04/2015 17:26

You've got to love the attitude of some people towards art and humanities. This is a professional illustrator speaking and it severely pisses me off when art is undervalued like this.

evmil · 20/04/2015 17:26

Defiantly phone the school, they shouldn't just cancel the exam!!

ShouldIworryornothelp · 20/04/2015 17:28

Phone the school and if it's correct then write to the governors

deedee33 · 20/04/2015 17:28

Bloody hell, I'd be tamping!

binspin · 20/04/2015 17:30

I loved my art exams.

Call them. Ask what lessons are important and which are not.
I hate that the arts are not taken seriously at school.

ShouldIworryornothelp · 20/04/2015 17:33

This is the equivalent of cancelling the performance element of a music a level or the show in a drama/theatre studies course. It's appalling! Will all the arts get the same treatment?

mumeeee · 20/04/2015 17:52

The school should not just cancel the Art exam. Phone the school and find out what has happened. Also phone the exam board and tell them what the school has done. DD1 did AS art about 10 years ago and it was then a big part of the final grade. Think it's still the same now but you'll need to check that.

EvilTwins · 20/04/2015 17:57

It doesn't sound like they've cancelled the exam, just changed when it is. Art exams have a certain number of hours allocated to them and it is up to the school to organise that.

It may be that the school has decided to spread it out more for a number of reasons. One of those reasons may be the impact on other lessons.

I am a teacher of Performing Arts. Every subject has to be flexible. I want my yr 11s off timetable for a whole day for their practical exam but can't as it means they would miss Maths. So we're spreading it over two days to have less impact. This does not mean my school doesn't support the Arts.

EvilTwins · 20/04/2015 18:00

I really don't think you should phone the school to complain. Perhaps email the art teacher to ask about the revised arrangements. Contacting the exam board is a stupid idea. They would not care - as you said, OP, the board does not specify how the exam should be organised.

Cantbelievethisishappening · 20/04/2015 18:01

You have heard one side of this. I would be amazed if ANY head of sixth form had said Art is not as important as other lessons. I suspect someone has got the wrong end of the stick
At this time of year it is very difficult for ALL subjects as exams loom so it may well be the school are trying to re-schedule it so as few subjects as possible are affected. Her art teacher really shouldn't have made a comment re: a possible lower grade or not passing.... that is what I would want to know about.

And for what it's worth arts subjects will always be marginalised.... blame meddling governments for that.

Jessica2point0 · 20/04/2015 18:05

Check with the school. I'd be really surprised if it is because "art isn't as important" at a level. That sound more like playground gossip to me. All a levels count equally for the school's stats / OFSTED rating. More likely it's been rearranged (perhaps because they couldn't find enough cover for all the other art lessons). Everyone involved in teaching exam classes has to be flexible at this time of year, and the vast majority are.

If it is true, however, it's obviously outrageous and you should write to the governors.

pieceofpurplesky · 20/04/2015 18:07

I also think the art teacher acted unprofessionally saying your dd may get a lower grade and causing panic. I also
Imagine the head if sixth form did not say that - the key words are 'apparently' and 'someone'. It will just be rearranged rather than cancelled, could be down to any number of factors

Luciferbox · 20/04/2015 18:08

If that is the case then you need to kick up a fuss. If enough parents complain they'll be forced to address the issue.

EvilTwins · 20/04/2015 18:10

There is no issue! The art exam will not have been cancelled - don't be ridiculous. They cannot cancel an exam as it is a compulsory part of the course. The bit that has changed, as far as I can tell, is that the students are no longer doing it over 4 consecutive days. The school has done nothing wrong. People need to calm down.

Original poster
Cuddleczar · 20/04/2015 21:02

EvilTwins is right in that they haven't cancelled the existence of the exam, but its format. They are now expected to get the hours in over the course of scheduled lessons and any extra time they can get in the art departmentinstead of getting four days to become immersed in what they are doing, with the full support of the art teachers (if they make up hours outside of their lessons, they will be competing with pupils from other years who are having lessons). What I feel cross about is that my DD went to school today thinking she was about to start a four day exam, and ended up going to other lessons (which she hadn't brought books for). She was keen to get art "out of the way" and then be able to concentrate on revision for her other subjects. Plus, it's possible that the teacher would have tried to arrange some other way for them to get protected time for the exam, if she had known about this earliermaybe over the Easter hols etc. My DD asked the teacher directly whether this could affect her grade and was told yes; was she supposed to breezily say, oh no, you'll do just as well?

OP posts:
asmallandnoisymonkey · 20/04/2015 21:14

I think people are calm aren't they? I mean, nobody is calling for the head of the teacher on a pole.

The sad fact is that OP is right - art is a creative subject and immersion in a project will produce the best results. The fact that the arts are not regarded in the same high esteem as other, more worthy subjects is frustrating.
Bearing in mind literally everything you own has been designed by someone, somewhere, you'd think they'd value it more.

TwoOddSocks · 20/04/2015 21:27

I can't imagine that's really what the head said (although perhaps it reflects his attitude). Either way it sounds pretty horrific. When I was at school the art exam was always conducted as a proper exam with complete use of the art room over a few days so the students could really get into it and concentrate. I'm pretty much the opposite background but would never accept art being dismissed like that.

Jessica2point0 · 20/04/2015 21:28

Art at A-level is exactly as important as any other A-level. I think 4 days off timetable for exam classes is a lot to ask. We struggled to get one morning off timetable for physics practical assessments to be done. In our school we'd be expected to come in over the holidays if we required that amount of time with our students. A level art students don't do the whole thing as an immersion project in our school, dunno what it's like in others.

RaskolnikovsGarret · 20/04/2015 22:12

But to change the plans on the day is a complete disgrace. I'd be furious.

Mia1415 · 20/04/2015 22:17

That's appalling! I'd definitely be contacting the school to complain.

TheIronGnome · 20/04/2015 23:32

That's absolutly appalling. The art exam in its nature needs to be fully immercive. No excuses at all to cancel it on the day itself and non negotiable if they don't do as well because of it

textfan · 20/04/2015 23:40

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

BoneyBackJefferson · 21/04/2015 06:55

At first glance it seems to me that there could be several reasons for this

The art teacher may have made a mistake when booking the days for this.
There is a new manager somewhere that has kicked off.
Somebody has screwed up a booking somewhere.
Or as others have said the "not as important" bit could be a rumour (I have heard management/teachers/parents say things like this).

Unexpected · 21/04/2015 08:27

Four days off timetable for one subject at this time of year is a huge amount. My DS is doing both music and DT for AS, both of which have large practical elements in and they have had NO time off timetable for either. Music, in particular, has a composition element which has been done over the whole year and has just been submitted. The DT project also has consumed huge amounts of time but the only off-timetable time has been going in and working on it for an Inset day. Why has the Art project not been done in the same way over the course of the year? The whole thing shouldn't have been left until now when all subjects and teachers are under pressure?