Fuming with school, I think they have made a cock-up

[CrochetPocket]

So DS is in year 10. He is doing triple science - science is one of his favourite subjects - and is looking at doing science A levels. We received an email telling us DS would be doing an assessed piece of work this week which would count for 25% of his GCSE grade (which surprised me so early on in the course, but hey, what do I know). It was emphasized how important this was.

Anyhow, the assessed work is being done today (I am going to call it an exam for want of a better word).

However, yesterday, kids who had won prizes in the school annual awards thingy had to go to a two hour rehearsal, which clashed with their last (double) science lesson before the exam. I told DS not to go to the rehearsal - the science lesson was more important as it was essential preparation for the exam - the kids were told it was vital they didn't miss any science in the two weeks before this exam.

However, DS was told he had to go to the prize award rehearsal by his tutor. DS found his science teacher, who said opps, but yes, he had to go to the rehearsal. So DS missed the science lesson.

After the rehearsal, DS and the other affected Year 10's were told there was a catch up lesson for them after school, so not to worry. However, DS had a hospital appointment (we've been waiting for months for his - it is important), so he couldn't go.

So, last night DS was pretty worried, then didn't sleep because he was worried, and has gone off to school to do this exam which counts significantly towards his final grade in his favourite subject, without getting the preparation he should have got.

AIBU to be flipping cross with the school, and more importantly, is this it? Does anyone know if he can do it again if he feels it doesn't go well this morning because, due to the school cock-up, he missed a vital preparation session? It sounded to me like the teachers at the school had not talked to each other by scheduling these two important things at the same time. However, it may affect DS's GCSE grade in an important subject

ISAs take place in lesson times. They are not all-day exams. They can be done anytime, so if a student misses the slot, they can catch up.

It seems that the school has made up for the rehearsal clash, and they couldn't reasonably be expected to hold up the whole class for one student's medical appointment.

The best you can hope for is to request a 20-minute one-to-one to prepare for the final paper.

My experience with controlled assessments is that the school publishes the dates for all subjects at the beginning of the year so that medical/orthodontic etc appointments can be scheduled outside of these time.

Poor OP, I think you're getting too much stick on this thread. I think that the school was lax and out of order. Hopefully it's not the end of the world and he has done ok, but I would certainly mention that you weren't impressed to the school.

Grades do very much matter if he is thinking of going for a competitive subject at uni, even GCSE grades. My stepson is appyng for medicine. Despite great A/A* results at AS level, his one B grade at GCSE is causing problems now in his uni applications.

But I also think that you need to find ways to help him relax and not worry before exams if at all possible. That could cause problems even with all the revision and preparation in the world.

Technically your lab skills are not assessed any more. You must participate in the practical but the quality of your data isn't marked as such, just your use of it.

So of your pattern of data is totally against logic, as long as you describe it correctly and conclude appropriately you aren't penalised for the quality of your data.

Which is just as well, as some of the practicals are ridiculous.

Haven't rift but you do two assessments in Yr 10 and they take the best one. If you get an A* on the first then you don't have to do the second one.

My son is in yr ten and is doing his tomorrow.

Boom...no they don't magically develop them but they should be encouraged from both home and school from primary age. And if the situation arises where you are unable to attend a session that you really feel is important then you do what you can to make sure you find out. Too often these days people complain when things are not handed on a plate without making the effort to go out and get it themselves! And its always someone else fault! We need to stop spoon feeding children and motivate them to do things for themselves. By this age it should be developed already!

Maybe it should ketch (I'm not so sure that 14 is old enough to expect that of all children). But it isn't. So it's not much use saying he "should" have done it. And there's no indication whether the school has been encouraging that sort of approach or would have facilitated it if the OP's son had asked. He asked to be able to go to the lesson, which was shot down. Why would he feel empowered to expect a concession from the teacher?

It is use saying he should as it will make sure next time he does. We had all learnt the hard way when we missed out on something and it makes us more aware in future. He will have learnt a valuable lesson from this. The school tried to accommodate the issue and the appointment meant he couldn't....how many dates should the school put on to ensure ALL children could attend? Bearing in mind the teachers would be doing this without pay? The hindsight should come from his mother, knowing her son could not attend and if he hasn't the skills to be independent then surely she should've told him to go find out the information?

have*

How many dates? In general I would say that if you are putting on something that is "vital" then you only have to do it once providing you provide enough notice and don't insist people attend something different instead. But if you are going to insist they miss the session you have scheduled and told them about, then one more session with significantly more than a few hours notice would probably be sufficient. Ideally on a different day but still within the school day. Obviously that wasn't possible at that point. They couldn't reasonably fix the problem they had created by putting on another session that evening.

Hindsight from the mother? What would you have proposed your son do to find out this information after the end of the school day with a hospital appointment later that evening? You could say to him "well next time you'll know better". Or even, "next time you could go and see the teacher at break and ask if there is any thing you can read or watch tonight that will cover the same ground". But just saying that isn't going to do much to make the difference down the line, because it isn't just about knowing what you are supposed to do, it's about having the confidence to do it. Becoming an assertive learner requires having your attempts at being assertive endorsed. And the OP's son didn't get that from his school. Learning behaviours isn't any difference for most people than learning anything else - it needs validation.

newlife4me Your comment about the DC attending state school is disturbing. Regardless of the status of the school I think they have the wrong approach. The fact you assume the child is at a state school explains why there might be the attainment gap there is when sitting comparing exam results of state vs private schools.

mrsleigh was right, that nasty sarcy comment was completely unjustified

Yes the school def did screw up the scheduling, but if he doesn't know what's coming up them that session wasn't going to help.
With such high grades predicted, it's hardly likely he's not going to be prepared is he?

I think the OP is right to be marked with the school, why on earth do you need a rehearsal for an award ceremony anyway

And as some PP have said, getting an A as opposed to an A* at GCSE can affect your uni application, particularly if it's for a subject associated with the degree.

How did he think it went OP?

So boom, this is how it works in most schools. The head says children must attend something so in effect missing the lesson. The teacher (who has no say in this) must then put on an extra session in his/her own time. This being at short notice and stuff what ever else commitments the teacher has. You expect them to put on countless sessions in 'good' time regardless of if it's a top down issue? Many people think the teachers decide on things in school and therefore they should put it right. Often its the people at the top and the teachers have to mop up the shortcomings. I think in this instance, the teacher acted well to put on an extra class at short notice. Probably cancelling his/her own things such as looking after his/her own children etc. But yet its not enough? Some want blood from the teachers and it is ridiculous! How about thank you for trying at short notice to accommodate the session missed instead of people acting angrily that they did not do enough. If teachers could voice what they could, this one would probably say they were pissed off with the missed session too as they know it is important....

And boom read my original post....the mother knew this appointment was happening as it had been planned for a long time. She could've easily said "You can't attend because you have to go to X so make sure you go at break to find out what you need to study tonight". Not difficult really is it?

Or after school if she found out she could've said "Run back in and find out" or while waiting at the hospital, rung and find out!

I haven't read the whole thread, sorry, but:

If he's in year 10 and doing triple science, to be certified in summer 2017, this ISA cannot count towards his final grade. The ISA must be done in the certifying year. This is most likely a practice (which is still an important thing).

The school (the science department any way) will have scheduled at least two "real" attempts in the certifying year and will submit his best.

I wouldn't worry too much.

(Also, that set of ISAs will be the last - none under the new spec)

If he's in year 10 and doing triple science, to be certified in summer 2017, this ISA cannot count towards his final grade. The ISA must be done in the certifying year.

DH says that's the old rules and not the case now.

The school scheduled a make up session for those affected by the clash fgs it's no ones fault that OPs son couldn't attend.

If you don't think your response to MrsLeigh was rude, then I'm afraid your rude-ometer needs a reset. It was appalling. And I don't think she was being dismissive.

I'd be pretty annoyed at the poor planning, but would have got in contact saying my ds would not be attending the rehearsal and I didn't give a fig what anyone else instructed him to do. Now it has happened I wouldn't worry about it. Schools say things are a must attend a lot as a last ditch attempt to corale attendance, more so for students who are on the cusp of achieving a particular grade. It doesn't sound like the op's ds falls into this category and will likely achieve exactly as he has been predicted. I'd just reassure him that he'll probably be fine and even if he's not there's another 75% to concentrate on. Beyond that, he may drop to an A. I don't think it's going to kill his life chances.

I agree with everything ketchup says! The best laid plans of any teacher are often trod roughshod over by senior management to suit their own ends and the teacher can do absolutely nothing about it. No doubt the teacher had been informed of the rehearsal that morn or the day before and is equally as frustrated as the op that their class time is being missed. And yes the catch up session is on their own time and unpaid.

Not all controlled assessments are able to be resat - in my subject it is definitely not the case - first and only chance. No rewrites, no adjusting after marking allowed - support in the process but that is it.

Departments do set dates for CA - but I have carefully planned mine for this year based on the published calendar we were given in September and so far 3 more events have been added (even though this is not supposed to happen) which directly impact the students I now have to work around.

I have target grades for all my Yr 10's and have had since September - the way we calculate our target grades I could have a pretty good guess at our Yr 7's targets for 5 years time as well! KS2 data is a VERY strong indicator in our grade prediction tool.

Oh and those who say let the student fight his battle - a huge part of my time is spent dealing with parents all the way up to sixth form!

It really is the schools fault that the OP's son couldn't attend. They stopped him attending the regular session and put on a make up session out of school hours with just a few hours notice. It maybe that the priorities they had were the right ones (though I disagree) but it was the school enforcing their priorities that created the situation. They are responsible for it.

Noodle - the CAs for my subject can't be 'resat', they can however undertake a different question (exam board approves this way of improving CA mark); from what I understand it is the same for science ISAs

I'm a science teacher. I teach ocr and I know the assessed coursework for that is worth 25 percent but takes ages and ages and ages in terms of lesson.
I have a feeling from what you have said that your son isn't doing ocr. Maybe aqa? If so that would take a few weeks also.

I'd be very surprised if this 25 percent was competed in one lesson only.

(Generally it's a massive build up doing practical work etc and certainly lots of prep before any test)

And often you get two attempts or at least the opportunity to improve. Would be interested in what school has to say