To think it Is it a feasible proposal that a school might consider allowing a currently pregnant Year 12 the opportunity to repeat year 12 next yeara currently pregnant currently pregnant year 12

[redhilary]

I have reposted this thread from chat due to limited traffic.

Is it a feasible proposal that a school might consider allowing a currently pregnant year 12 girl the opportunity to repeat Year 12 next year.

I am asking for advice on behalf of a friend, whose daughter's is pregnant and due to give birth in December. My friends DD will be 17 in January, and is currently in year 12 studying 3 A levels. The school she is studying at are indicating that post pregnancy, it will be unlikely that she will be able to study at the appropriate level needed for A level study.

My friend tells me she gets the impression, the school are looking for reasons to farm her daughter out either temporarily or permanently to a local Further Education College. Thus, she believes they are trying to resolve themselves of their responsibilities.

Therefore, is it feasible my friend asks the school to consider that they re admit her daughter to year 12 in September 2022.

Here is the background, so I don't get accused of drip feeding.
My friends daughter is at a Grammar School (this is important because, the school seem to be more concerned about exam results rather than their duty of care towards a vulnerable pupil) . My friends DD does not have an E.H.C.P.. However, she has had S.E.N support for her Autism and Dyslexia throughout her secondary schooling. Despite her struggles she still attained 4 Grade 7 GCSE's last year thus she deserves her Sixth Form place. The senior management of the school are questioning the appropriate level of study and application my friends DD is capable of attaining.

The senior management argue that the externally and internal exclusions given to my friends DD for 3 days and 1day respectively are indicative. They suggest that external difficulties can make studying extremely difficult for her.

This attitude not only stinks, I think it contravenes disability guidance, that a school should make reasonable and fair adjustments for a child with disabilities.

The attitude towards my friends DD is coming solely, from the senior management. The subject teachers want to support her any way they can and would be supportive of a fresh start next September.

Why has she been excluded so many times? That's a lot in 1 month.

Is she achieving well currently?

The reality is that she’ll be starting A-Levels with a 9 month old and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone let alone a teenager with autism and dyslexia.

If it is a 6th form would they get funding if she repeated the year?

The exclusions also add another element the situation.

An FE college might be better for her? She might get more support as a young mum.

I'm not sure it would be disability discrimination if you were arguing that the year needs repeating because of her being pregnant, as that wouldn't count as a disability Some other kind of discrimination, perhaps

It seems totally sensible to me to allow her to restart, especially as there are usually three years worth of funding, I believe.

But, the school could realistically want to know how she would be intending to manage that level of study - has she got childcare, support, accommodation, money, not just for school hours but for all the outside of school hours needed to study? Has she come up with a realistic plan to deal with the issues? Why has she already been excluded - has she missed lessons because of illness/appointments, or not done the required work? Is she responsible enough to catch up when she does miss things?

Is she vulnerable (e.g., because of the autism) and thus there are questions around whether she was able to consent? That might be another reason the school should be giving her more support.

I think the previous poster has it. A grammer school just may not be the most appropriate place anymore. Does it matter where she gets the A levels from? Does she want to do them? What are her career aspirations?

The college may be the best option tbh, she could be entitled to grants and financial help that she wouldn't get through school and possibly help towards childcare if they have facilities there too.

Has your friend looked into exactly what help she would be entitled to in both scenarios rather than just pushing for the school?

What were the exclusions for?

She only got 4 7s at GCSE in a year when schools graded the students generously themselves, so is it really the right environment for her anyway? She might be happier at a 6th form college.

For full disclosure I'm a teacher (and have taught a level). I also have a lot of experience working with vulnerable teenagers.

The thing that stands out to me in your post is that they are concerned about her "application" - ie how much effort she's putting in.

Is it possible to have a baby and do a-levels? Of course it is. Is it easy? Hell no!

Of course her teachers want to support her. But it is their concern about her effort that is being relayed by senior management.

Having a child at any age is a big step up. If she wants to complete her a levels then she needs to pull her finger out now while pregnant to give her the best chance of achieving that. Then SHE needs to discuss with the school (maybe with her mum's support) what time off she needs for maternity and what additional support she might need.

BUT if she isn't prepared to work her arse off then she's probably better off taking a break and coming back to it later.

Sorry the exclusions were in year 10 and in year 11 . The first one was an internal exclusion for 1 day for Swearing at the Head teacher . The external 3 day one was for an incident last year. She got very stressed due to the lockdown thus kicked and broke chair in class ! These are both symptoms of Autism especially the broken chair incident. She is very sorry for both incidents . She did not mean to break the chair.
The school have now given her a "card" to use as a firebreak when she is anxious to leave the classroom.

Why did she only get 4 GCSE’s? Even without the pregnancy, the fact that she only managed to pass 4 GCSE’s suggests that she wouldn’t cope with 3 A-Levels.

Honestly, and based solely on what you've posted, I would remove her and send her to a community college not attached to a school. Much better support, some have child care on site.

She got 9 GCSE's above grade 5 but 4 were at grade 7 including the 3 A levels she is currently taking. This is above the school's requirement for Sixth Form Study.

I’m amazed any grammar school allowed a pupil to stay on for A levels with those GCSE results. My local, fairly low achieving grammar requires 8 GCSE’s of grade 6+. Or did I misunderstand and she got the 4 grade 7’s plus other, lower graded GCSE’s?

Ah, apologies - X post

The three girls who got pregnant in my year at grammar school all disappeared. They didn’t come back. But that was 12 years ago…

The reality is that she’ll be starting A-Levels with a 9 month old and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone let alone a teenager with autism and dyslexia.

I think this is really worth considering, to be honest. If she’s already struggling, a 9 month old on told is likely to be a challenge too far. If she wants to try, she’s going to need as much support as possible, and much as I loved my grammar school, in my experience, she won’t get it there.

3 of the GCSE grade 7 were for the A Levels she is now studying for !

Many further Ed colleges have a crèche onsite and are used to supporting parents

She is better off somewhere that wants her. My friend became pregnant in year 11 and didn't start her A levels. She went to FE college a couple of years later got 3 As and went to university.

For this particular girl as you've described her, it sounds like an FE college might be a better fit for her than grammar school. Less rigid rules and more help likely with support and childcare. Why is the girl's mother so insistent on trying to return to the school?
With her vulnerabilities she will need a lot of help with parenting. If she's prone to losing her temper and kicking over furniture, will she be able to cope with the frustration of a baby who won't stop crying??

@Merryoldgoat

Is she achieving well currently?

The reality is that she’ll be starting A-Levels with a 9 month old and I wouldn’t wish that on anyone let alone a teenager with autism and dyslexia.

This.

I can't see her being in a position to re-sit with a small baby.

I think they need to be careful of just fighting for fighting’s sake. It sounds like this isn’t the right environment for her even before taking the pregnancy into consideration

I think it’s fantastic she wants to carry on her studies but if I was her I would wait a year and then go to college where she is more welcome.

Unless her parents are going to help it’s going to be very difficult for her and she’s going to have added pressure knowing she’s not actually wanted there and they’ll find any excuse to get rid of her.

Is she happy there?
Does she want to go back there?
What plans does she have in place for the baby?
The incidents mentioned would suggest that she's already struggling a bit, throw a baby into the mix and things could go downhill fast.
A fresh start, maybe with a chance to meet other young mums... might be just what she needs.