School Have basically given up on entire year 11

[ReformedWaywardTeen]

Our school have been questionable at best for a while. I've allowed a few concerns to slide, haven't we all, putting it down to unforeseen Covid related kiboshing.

Our school is different in that it starts GCSE studies in year 9 rather than 10, so they traditionally choose options in March of year 8. It was promoted as being helpful as work is more staggered and worst case they could swap a subject if they hated it in year 9.

So, DD was due to choose their options in March 2020, with an options evening for of all dates the first day of lockdown.

When it didn't happen we assumed they would cancel options picking completely. Except they didn't, we did it with just a booklet giving some idea of the curriculum. They were slow to organise online learning so no virtual event took place (not a surprise, these were very strange times).

DD ended up picking 4 subjects, 1 of which they were on the fence with.

Obviously, as we all know, life didn't go back to normal as predicted, and a few of us parents did voice perhaps by December 2020 that maybe they should start from scratch for year 10. The school was hit hard by Covid isolations from Octopus onwards, whole year groups were off due to a lack of teachers. Then we had the January to March lockdown, and within a week of being back they were on school break.

This has had a hugely negative effect on DD, they've gone from a confident kid to being a shell.

Year 10 was a nightmare, not just for DD, for the entire year group. They did tests before the end of term and it was, to quote one teacher, a nightmare. How it's taken school this long to realise how badly behind they all are and the knock on MH effect of lockdown is beyond me. They also hadn't taken up the government offer of tutoring.

Meanwhile, DS didn't pick his GCSE subjects in 2021 (year 8), down to covid, he waited until year 9 and had the benefit of talking to tutors to ensure they are right for him. He has entered year 10 last week full of confidence and is thankfully very happy.

The one constant we had was the school has always had a place for any pupil who wanted it at the school's onsite sixth form.

Until last night.

We had a curriculum evening, not unusual, but this time, they are about to become part of an academy.

Suddenly, the school has been trumpeting their top 25% results for GCSE this year and top 20% A'levels.

They have now said the kids won't get a place automatically, and of you think they won't do well, then start looking elsewhere. Charming.

They have to apply, have an interview, get grades and have an exemplary record of great grades. DD does not have that since Covid.

On the way out a lot of parents were angry. It felt like because they were going on about the top 20% score and they realised the tests done at the end of last academic year were terrible, they are replacing kids they let down by not responding to covid in year 9 effecting GCSE study to be able to show off.

My AIBU is whether I'm right to raise this with the headteacher? I feel like they've let them down so much and the lack of foresight with their year group is ridiculous.

Is this what happens when a school is an academy?

DD was utterly broken last night, saying they may as well give up now, as even the school thinks they suck and will fail. They know what they want to do post A Level and need GCSEs to do it. It's been so hard to try and reassure a kid who is totally adrift thanks to two years of carnage.

What would you do in this situation?

Excatly, especially when someone that wants and will make the grades, would be more suitable.

“Let's just say, we embarrassed them more than a tad AND we got to keep our head.”

Do you think going to a part time head is the equivalent of setting a perfectly reasonable entry standard, as practised by every school the posters have so far experience of?

So your school:

• put together a booklet for GCSE options whilst unable to hold an options evening, like every other school in the country
• was hit badly by covid but did its best
• has had teachers phone you personally to talk through a poor grade
• has a teacher putting on an extra hour revision session a week in their own time
• has made a very sensible decision to get in line with almost every school in the country by saying they need to be able to be capable of A levels to stay on for A levels?

It is likely they don't have the staffing for resit classes anymore. And yes, teachers are leaving the profession in droves. It isn't just your school.

I am very cynical about big academy trusts and I'm sure the staff are too but nothing you have said so far indicates anything other than a good school with dedicated teachers being honest with and fair to their pupils in really difficult circumstances. I don't really see what you think they can do about your DDs mental health and lack of work?

Achieving a grade 1 or 2 in maths and English suggests that your dd is more than a bit behind. It suggests she is either messing about and not doing any work or that she is much weaker than you have understood. I think that blaming covid is now no longer accepted as a reason for not performing at the right level. Your dd also has the whole of Year 11 to work through. You also need to consider that a place in sixth form is no good if you can't cope with the work. Your best option will be to get all the guides recommended and start working with her yourself every weekend. Go through all her homework with her and start revising now. Get hold of some past papers to look at with her.

Covid has been a big problem for teens. The problem I think is that some schools did really well and some didn’t. I think though we have to move on and not dwell on it. My son suffered during covid emotionally and this year sat his gcse - his grades were down on pre covid predictions but he managed to do well enough in his a-level choices to stay at 6th form. You have to inspire your dd to not let the past few years ruin her future and move forward.

Not really, if I'm honest. They were already extremely stressed and negative at that point, and had been since the end of year 9.

Even I didn't think it would be that bad. The school did send out an academic info sheet based on whether the pupils were behind or had gaps in knowledge, on a traffic light system, in September of year 10. DD didn't have any red gaps, and two amber spots the rest were green so I have no idea how they managed to drop so quickly or more whether school just hadn't noticed due to Lockdowns etc.

Also, for any absence of doubt, no I won't be going to the press. It was more a quiet polite email to the head voicing a concern that at a time when the students need positivity, that meeting last night was the polar opposite and has left DD and others scared stiff.

And I would agree on not guaranteeing a place if that hadn't been the case for years before. To suddenly change that and worse do it when the pupils were there, after almost all did terribly in the exams they set up at the end of year 10, it felt rotten. They have all been through a nightmare, we all have in fact and I think some are still processing stuff.

I just think it could've been handled more sensitively and there was very little info on requirements for entry either. It would've been better to have all the info before springing on us all.

The practical solution is to make sure that your daughter is ready for the exams, by hiring a tutor if possible, doing online revision and buying past papers, so that she can get an idea of the questions that might come up.

Ok more questions!

The issue with my concerns on school is because they previously were great. Warm, approachable, if you didn't get a response from a department, you were always encouraged to email head of year and they would gain a response for you. However, it would never reach that point. DD was happy in school. It was great.

But in the last year it's like they've all had a personality transplant. I know things have been tough in education, they were thrown under a metaphorical bus during covid and yes, they've every right to be annoyed by that. But going from a warm and supportive school to being unapproachable, and ignorant it felt of the way the pupils feel is sad really and always going to be harder when it's so unexpected.

DD hasn't been messing around in class. I think they are so low and lacking in confidence it's hit them hard. The school was very slow to adopt any online learning. We weren't using Google classroom at the time, the school had to adopt it during the first lockdown but it took a while to get the hang of and adjust. Not slating them I recognise that Covid was so out the blue.

When year groups had to be put on rota due to staffing issues they had no work to do. I would check. And during the January to March lockdown, again, it was very dependent on the tutor. Some gave live lessons in full from their kitchen table. Some would just post work. But most didn't give feedback. Which possibly accounts for why DD was still getting good predictions.

From what the head of year said, the school was actually taken aback by how bad the results were in July. I think perhaps they took their eyes off the ball or thought they had put enough work online to get them through. They didn't. It's sad, it's not their fault. But the results are what they are and they now have a whole year group to get through to May next year and that's going to be some task.

The school doesn't just offer A'levels. They offer other options as well. For those who wish to do apprenticeships, they help them find one. Or they did. No idea if that's gone out the window too.

I'm not angry. Really I'm not. Disappointed yes. Think they could've handled it better, definitely.

I would just like the warmth and supportive environment back. It's why we didn't pick the alternative school at year 6 because all they went on about was academic high achievers and top sets. It felt like they only cared about the kids they could show off about. When you know your kid is happy in the middle, you want an environment that doesn't disregard them.

Going forward, it seems all students need to engage and study as best as possible, if they want any chance of improvement, yes from the seems of it, it's a pickle, but the situation is what it is, if students don't engage and study then failure is a guarantee.

I think you need to let go of your issues around covid - they applied to most schools. Your dd was doing OK going into Y10 and not coming out the end of it and schools were "back to normal " during that period. So what happened? That's what you should be worried about.

From your update I wonder if they have just realised that trying to be like a vast college in the 6th form (catering to all abilities) but with only a school sized cohort is just unsustainable and they aren't doing any of it properly?
They can't be offering a proper full range of BTECs alongside a proper full range of A levels.

I do wonder wrt progress, how much is the school and how much is your DD / mental health / just being overwhelmed?

This school has made a sensible and entirely reasonable.

It doesn’t suit your DD’s particular circumstances and so you see it as them being uncaring.

No, that is not the case. Allowing a 16 year with has zero GCSEs and has shown zero commitment (as I say not saying your DD but there will be some in this cohort) to automatically get a place is doing a disservice to the other students who will no doubt have lessons disrupted by them; the teachers who have to spend time teaching an 16/17/18 who failed their subject at GCSE and has shown no enthusiasm for the subject; and the child themselves - prolonging the inevitable - they are not going to get any formal educational academic qualifications.

The school is doing a good thing. Unfortunately that means some, such as your DD , will have to make other arrangements. The bigger picture is that it will benefit many many more in the long run.

I don't really understand the issue here. Or why you are blaming the school. If dd is struggling then you need to address it. Is the real reason that you're angry with yourself for not addressing it before. The school sounds fine and is doing nothing wrong afaics.

She needs to knuckle down. Dd1 has always found science her most challenging subject and I agree I think it was most affected by covid. In her year 11 mocks last autumn the science results were bad across the board as the teaching was weak Dd got a 3 and a 4 other bright girls also dropped grades. Dh found a shit hot tutor and Dd worked so hard. Ended up with 8s for science. So 8s and 9s for everything. So proud but she worked bloody hard.

"DD will need at least grade 5 in English and Maths. Their test results from July gave them a 2 and 1. "

Come on now. All this .... we didn't get much info on options. They chose 4 they weren't sure about..... is all nonsense. You do the subjects that you can according to the timetable choices. If you want to do geography and business so badly and it doesn't fit in the timetable then you move schools! then just accept it and knuckle down and get on with it.

This is not what you are talking about though. You are talking about children have been very badly affected by Covid, who need camhs, but it hasn't been available.

but really a 2 and a 1 is not a close fail. It's an absolute fail. The lowest you can get. they are failing, not just a little bit, but very very badly, getting the lowest grades possible. this hasn't been but should have been addressed before.

I do think the valid complaint is you weren't informed how much she was struggling before July. It sounds like they weren't doing sufficient interim testing. Presumably the end y10 results came back before the holidays though so this isn't new information now.

I honestly thought this was the standard to be honest. At my children's school I know we have to reapply for 6th form - yes you do need certain grades to be able to apply but I think this is because they only offer a levels and there are certain entry requirements. Same for every qualification, there will be conditions to be able to apply. Places aren't allocated by grade results though, if you meet entry requirements you are able to apply and then places allocated just like normal school places (distance from school etc).

This is the case for my niece's and nephews in a different part of the country too (my nephew this September didn't get the GCSE results he needed and couldn't be considered for 6th form). I'm sure this was even the case for me at 16. Do you think children who get 1s across the board should be able to go to 6th form and do a levels? Is that not detrimental to the other children studying a levels too? Another consideration is the number of spaces, does your school have the same number of spaces in 6th form as years 7-11? My children's school certainly doesn't so obviously not everyone can stay on

I feel for you and your daughter this cohort have had a tough couple of years. My DD is same age she was a G7-9 student pre-covid and then had a few G4s on the July exams. Schools attitude was they will pass 🤷🏻‍♀️ we’ve just found a tutor for English as she needs min G6 for A’Levels. It incredibly hard when she too is a quiet not disruptive A-grade primary kid just assumed she’d do A’Levels no problem and now she’s working her butt off. She has a friend who sounds the same as your daughter they were very shocked how low her grades had slipped. The mental health sounds key, what does she enjoy? What motivates her? Can you get her doing something non-school related that gives her a buzz for life, sport, photography, helping out at brownies / parkrun anything? It’s that stuff that’s kept my DD going and she has had to self motivate to revise as the school haven’t been able to cover everything. Inside I’m worried too as they are a huge failing academy.

We don't have a school sixth form and all I can say is thank goodness from both my point of view as a parent and from both my children's perspective. In my experience most children are more than ready to leave the formal uniform wearing, confirming insisting, rule bearing nature of secondary school and stretch their wings at local colleges. My DD has absolutely thrived at 6th form college and loves being able to express her individuality. My DS is currently year 11 and will be attending the local college open days. There's generally more choice of subjects too. Maybe see it as a positive opportunity.

OP. I suggest you start a separate thread in Secondary if you want advice on how to approach y11 given your DDs end y10 results and her career aspirations.

I am unsure though why you were shocked by her poor grades. The whole thread was about loads of missed schooling for covid, missed school for 3 months for illness, a demotivated child that you said you couldn't get to work and then no revision for her year end exams.

By the way having to choose options from a booklet rather than after an in school event is not an excuse at all as many schools have to choose subjects that way.

Blaming teachers for the style they teach only works if the whole cohort is doing poorly which presumably they aren't.

You know going elsewhere for sixth form might be exactly what she needs, a different environment, different staff, different friends, different atmosphere.

Neither of you are happy with the current school so start looking for positive aims going forward.

You may need to look further afield, I went to sixth form in a different local authority and it was a good move all round. A few people I knew did similar and they were all pleased they did despite the extra bus! My sister lived in at sixth form (I know a couple of other teenagers who did too and loved it) then there are apprenticeships to consider.

Please start looking at this as an opportunity to do something positive

Please don’t get into the mindset of blaming the school for your dd getting such poor grades in her mocks. It won’t help your dcs. She didn’t revise and was incredibly stressed during her mocks.

Idk how much time you have on your hands but I would be helping your dcs with the work if you are able. As they’re only a year apart, you could perhaps even work with them both together for certain topics. If there are particular areas to work on, there are great resources out there. I wasn’t a fan of the few Oak Academy year 9 maths classes I saw but perhaps some other were better. I love the Corbett maths explanations for example. The guy has such a soothing voice.

This is the man behind them. John Corbett giving students advice on last minute revision and how to prepare the morning of the exam

As for the English, I will be reading the GCSE texts in case dd (year 10) needs to talk through them with me. I did this with the text for her end of year 9 exam as she’s a bit lazy and despite studying it for a very long time and professed not to know the story! Idk how much or the oak academy is useful. But it is also worth looking at. They have revision sections for example.

A poster upthread said if you say the exam boards and subjects your dcs need help with, they will suggest resources, which I thought was a very kind offer.

Cross post. Agreed. Totally.

Head of Sixth Form here. Schools are completely reasonable in setting academic criteria for entry into sixth form and now, due to the Admissions Code, they waver on some students' grades (ie: their own Year 11) and not others. Also, with A Levels being the way they are now, there will be no Covid adjustments for this cohort and they are entitled to talk about need for work ethic. Too many students sail into A Level thinking it's an easy ride and it really isn't. We don't have many vocational pathways for our students so we are kindly honest about the fact that there is likely to be something out there which is better suited for particular students, and we work hard to advise them on what that is. I have seen over the years that there is nothing confidence building for young people in getting Es and Us throughout the two years they're with us, when they could be succeeding in something more appropriate for their learning needs.

That said, they are absolutely not allowed to interview to decide if a place should be given. You should have the opportunity to have an individual discussion about options and pathways, but this should not form part of the decision making process. Moreover, if your child gets the grades, she should get a place, unless the sixth form is oversubscribed - but I would be highly surprised if the oversubscription criteria ranking is anything other than looked after children, children with an EHCP, then Year 11 from their own school. In which case your daughter should get in.

Look forward. Support your daughter in turning things around (it's September of Year 11, of course she can!) and building her confidence. That way she will have a range of options available to her, of which sixth form is one.