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?

I did ask about syllabus but DD was very vague. They've not been told what to concentrate on revision wise as apparently tutors are waiting to hear back on this. I've had this confirmed by two other parents so it's not a DD ignorance issue.

Again, we are aware and worried on mental health, I'm unsure why some think we aren't. We are limited on what we can do due to wait lists etc.

To those saying school are not being truthful on special consideration, I will look into that. Senco is much complained about by parents since before Covid and can be slow to act/fob people off. I've not had cause to meet her as neither has sen needs but if it's a case of her being unwilling to do paperwork I will raise it.

I'm not pressuring regards further education. I didn't do uni myself. In fact I finished at 16. DD herself has a career goal, has taken part in work experience and it confirmed that's the end goal. That's what I've been saying as persuasion to them, that they have to get it together or they can kiss it goodbye.

I've explained times are bloody tough for school leavers if you don't have grades. It was hard enough for me but that was 25 odd years back. There's nothing really put there that doesn't horrify me such as UC, high rents and zero hours. It would be an utter loss if that ended up being her outcome.

I'm not blaming Covid. I've literally said they were a very different kid before it. It's something that sadly has touched many lives, not just DDs and I've explained she cannot let that ruin her future

Thanks to all the helpful suggestions

For the summer they will have to know everything.
For mocks they may or may not need to know everything, but that shouldn't stop her doing any revision / work. She could just focus extra work on maths right now - is she due to do Higher or Foundation?
I'd look at CGP guides rather than 'syllabus' especially for science. They contain everything needed and no extraneous information.

The syllabus and past papers are online, and CGP books are excellent and cheap.
There’ll also be a load of books floating around from last year’s Y11.
Local Facebook page: is anyone selling…?

It doesn’t address the issue of her mental health, but it sorts out her being “vague” about the syllabus.

CGP revision books are laid out topic by topic. Even without testing her, you can get idea of the size of the learning gap just by saying, “does SOH CAH TOA mean anything to you?” etc.

As maths is one of the key subjects, I’d download a past paper and get her to work through it with you. No exam time pressure. If she was middle set pre Covid she can score above a 1 on a Foundation Paper. You need to get the bottom of whether it’s knowledge gaps or her leaving the exam that caused the low mark.

You didn’t comment when I asked about this summer’s results - did the year above them perform as expected?

If she left before doing half the questions, how did she do on the ones she actually tried?

You’ve just had a curriculum meeting at the school.

what was actually covered, if not the syllabus? 😐

@Testina

the year above seemingly did very well

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

and they would have had a shit show of a ride too

All this will come out in your meeting op and I suspect you will leave knowing your daughter has been provided with full curriculum information. As were you no doubt at the curriculum meeting last week! The school won’t have been “vague” about the syllabus for goodness sakes.

and that your dd does very little studying and has clearly struggled very much indeed. If she doesn’t use next t 8 months appropriately -she won’t be permitted to come back.

and that the “entire cohort” certainly aren’t all “struggling”

I'm an experienced teacher and can give you some advice. In your first post you mentioned they still do a three year key stage four. That's massively frowned upon by ofsted, who argue that two years is not enough time for students to enjoy a wide ranging curriculum and schools should not become GCSE factories. Now most schools did this, but now with this new outlook schools/ academies that continue that model will not get a favourable judgement with ofsted.

Your daughter should have had a two year key stage three. There's nothing you can do about that, the only positive is that potentially she has a third more time studying her subjects compared to her peers.

Secondly schools/ academies are measured on value added scores, so there is absolutely no reason why your daughter couldn't attend their sixth form if she is meeting or exceeding HER target grades. Value added means if your child has a score of a 5 and gains a 6 at GCSE that is a gain of one extra grade to her predicted so it's a +1 score. If the same student attains a 4 that would be -1 score. So it's not about getting 9s it's about getting your target grade.

Finally schools/ academies are heavily measured on their NEET scores (students who don't go into training or further education) if your daughter doesn't have a pathway after school that school would be judged on that. So it makes no sense to me that you wouldn't get priority at their sixth form.

As for not putting pressure on your child to study after school! Whoever said that has very low expectations. It's incredibly important for your child's future that she has a pathway to become independent financially and find a career she enjoys. Those who become NEET very rarely are able to do this.

So again, thank you for sensible replies.

I'm not going to correct inaccuracies because I've done so to others but I guess a longer thread ends up with people misreading from other replies

Anyway, DH and I sat DD down yesterday afternoon. We explained that we know everything seems pointless now but it's not. In fact, it will become pointless if they continue to do nothing because the chances of having what they want in life will be next to impossible without complete their education.

We reminded them that once upon a time they did well, they kept up with work. That although yes, perhaps the management at school is slightly dropping the ball, there are teachers-and that's far more important - who do want them to do well. That if talking in front of other pupils is hard/embarrassing they can email for help or advice.

We have now put things in place that should we not see improvement by October half term, we will have to remove things they love to do outside school. We told them we are reluctant to do that but feel if they aren't going to be mature we will have to. This seemed to have an instant effect as they logged on to do some work afterwards.

They admitted they find stuff hard to remember but we reiterated that repetition helps. It's boring of course but a means to an end.

They will also come to a meeting if we get one with school.

We've explained that we know they are depressed but some of that stems from being lax at doing work and revision. Hopefully we can get somewhere soon.

What you have done op is the correct thing to have done.

I would see the school ho longer automatically allowing any and all existing student in as a good thing.l, something for your daughter to strive for.

Definitely her mental health issues need to be separately addressed though

good luck