GCSE subject withdrawn

[Schooldilemma01]

DD is in year 10 she has been told by school that one of the subjects that she is studying is no longer going to be taught as a GCSE but at Btec level instead. The reason given is that not enough of the group were expected to pass. The change will be for all students of the subject in years 10 and 11 irrespective of ability.

I have contacted the school for clarification but there has been no response so far.

AIBU to expect that DD who is capable of doing the subject at GCSE level be allowed to do so and insist that this be the case?

What is the subject? Is it computer science or something similar?

The subject is Business Studies

The new BTECs aren't easy qualifications. Will it affect your daughter's future plans? If not & they think they'll get better results, is it a big issue?

The issue that I have is that DD is capable of sitting and passing GCSE exams in all subjects. I would like for her qualifications to accurately reflect her ability and do not wish for her options at either A level or degree level to be impacted by having a Btec qualification and not GCSE. She is likely to be looking at either business or law in her future plans.The decision has based on the collective GCSE group but my child is an individual.

Having BTEC business is v unlikely to impact on her A level choices or law/business at uni. Is she planning to stay at school 6th Form (if there is one)? I understand she's an individual but the school system is such that she's in a larger group. School should be managing this better though & reassuring you.

Neither business nor law require gcse or even A level. Could she pick a different subject instead?

I'd be far more concerned if I was one of the Y11 parents though!! Is it a BTEC or has it been sold to the kids as a BTEC? There are a few business qualifications out there - most commonly BTEC or the newer VCerts. You could do with some clarity on the actual qualification, awarding body & reassurance that she can go on to post-16 study in business with this qualification.

Which other GCSE subjects is your dd studying?

LIZS' suggestion was my best one - school should accommodate a switch into an academic GCSE course running at the same time in something else.

What level is the BTEC?

Some schools do more subjects than others. Could you think of it as an extra fun subject?

Can she do it at another school? I say this because my DD goes to another local school one day a week to do one particular GCSE subjet although this is a shared education plan agreed between the schools, you could enquire if they run something like this that would mean she could sit a GCSE, the only other thing I would say is is she set on doing this subject if not she may actually find another one more interesting tbh.

As neither business nor law need business studies at GCSE oe A level then I would ask rather than doing that what other options are there in that block (they timetable by blocks) for her to switch to a different gcse if you don't want her to BTEC.

It shouldn't matter or have any impact on her A level choices.

I don't have the full details relating to the Btec level, school have not responded to my request for further clarification and discussion and DD wasn't sure. She has been studying her GCSE subjects since year 9 and some subjects are being examined this year so I'm not sure whether a new subject could be taken but I could enquire.

I like the idea of shared education and this could be an alternative alongside private tuition in this subject.

Better to just switch onto a different academic GCSE. She doesn't need bus studies at GCSE to do it at A level or Uni.

You don’t need a business studies GCSE for any other A Level or degree subject. Get her to pick another GCSE.

The GCSE is a difficult qualification, grade boundaries have shot up, the new spec (which as your DD is year 10 Will be studying) covers a much larger range and is unknown. The BTEC L2 is a recognised qualification and is the same spec for year 10 as previous years so this might also be a factor.

The fact she will undertake a BTEC rather than a GCSE will not affect her future; I have previous BTEC students who went on to Cambridge, Durham etc

If she was year 11 then I would be concerned as there is a lot to do for that year group (3 coursework units plus a difficult finance exam).

If you want more detailed info OP on GCSE/BTEC then message me.

For those who PP who suggest a more 'academic' subject - if Cambridge are not only happy with the subject but a BTEC then I suggest you get your heads out of the sand!