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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think a school can’t just cancel a GCSE/A-Level course halfway through?

134 replies

ChocBanana · 05/09/2023 21:01

This is on behalf of a friend who’s not on MN.
Her children have gone back to school today, one into Y11 and one into Y13. Both were taking the same subject, one at GCSE and one at A-Level.
They have been sent a letter today saying the school has dropped the subject with immediate effect and they won’t be able to take it this year.
They have said they will meet with each student “over the coming weeks” to discuss how to move forward. There was absolutely no prior notice and the teacher is still employed at the school. He only found out at the inset day on Monday.
I can’t find anything online to this effect to confirm or deny, but surely there is some kind of legal requirement to finish what they have started? I can almost understand not starting anyone new (my son was down to do the subject but is happy with the alternative because they have moved the timetable around so he can now take something he had to drop before).
But my friend is distraught and her 17 year old is frantically looking at his uni options because he doesn’t know if he will get in without this course.

Does anyone know whether this is legal/illegal and what law it come under? I’m going to help my friend to draft a response (English isn’t her first language).

Any ideas or advice?

OP posts:
OhBeAFineGuyKissMe · 05/09/2023 21:06

Is this a specialist course with only 1 teacher at the school? If that teacher has left they simply might not have a replacement and so can’t continue with the course. In which case there really isn’t much the school can do.

For the GCSE student then reducing the number of subjects is fine, so long as they get 8. For Alevel it is a lot harder. Have they done enough to take the AS in the subject and pick up another AS? Is it a subject they could do via online learning?

cryinglaughing · 05/09/2023 21:08

What subject is it?
Sadly some schools are getting rid of the creative subjects, rather short sighted of them imo.

voxnihili · 05/09/2023 21:11

We have had to do this with one of our subjects (only at GCSE though). The teacher left and there is no one who can take the classes on. We’ve tried to recruit but had no luck. We’re doing the best we can to get the students an additional qualification.

If someone needs the subject for further / higher education it might be worth looking into whether there is a private tutor available who could support them. The school may be willing to enter the student for the exam anyway if they’re being tutored outside of school (we would do this, and have done this).

Original poster
ChocBanana · 05/09/2023 21:11

The teacher hasn’t left. He has had his hours cut to remove this subject.

OP posts:
Takoneko · 05/09/2023 21:14

This is really odd. I’m not sure it’s illegal but it’s highly irregular. What is the course?

If the teacher is still working there then it’s very very strange. Either something has gone horribly wrong with the timetable or the school has an issue with the subject or teacher. I would be wondering if there’s been some sort of catastrophic downgrading of coursework or disastrous results and they think the kids are heading for a fail. That or perhaps the teacher has resigned effective from Christmas and they aren’t confident they can replace. Depends how niche the subject is, if it’s History or English then that would seem an extreme reaction but if it’s Japanese or Music then finding a replacement teacher short notice can be a nightmare.

NeverDropYourMooncup · 05/09/2023 21:16

It might be that the subject has had abysmal results this summer. Or they're so understaffed in high demand subjects/another part of duties that means he's needed more elsewhere.

Would you be prepared to say what subject? That could give an indication of possible reasons.

FrippEnos · 05/09/2023 21:22

It could be that the school is looking to force the teacher out by reducing their hours and making it uncomfortable to work there.

CorvusPurpureus · 05/09/2023 21:25

NeverDropYourMooncup · 05/09/2023 21:16

It might be that the subject has had abysmal results this summer. Or they're so understaffed in high demand subjects/another part of duties that means he's needed more elsewhere.

Would you be prepared to say what subject? That could give an indication of possible reasons.

Yes, could be this.

One of my colleagues teaches about 40% maths, 60% something a bit niche.

If we lost a maths teacher at short notice, I'm pretty sure colleague would immediately lose his niche thing so he could take on more maths classes.

In my department, we have someone who hasn't returned due to unexpected ill health. The rest of us are all being pulled off assorted responsibilities, duties, extracurriculars etc to compensate for being over timetable.

Shadowboy · 05/09/2023 21:28

Is it to do with funding cuts? If the school is struggling to fund subjects with low levels of students the course may not be financially viable.

Takoneko · 05/09/2023 21:32

ChocBanana · 05/09/2023 21:11

The teacher hasn’t left. He has had his hours cut to remove this subject.

If the teacher’s hours have been cut then I suspect catastrophic results.

Shinyandnew1 · 05/09/2023 21:36

What’s the subject?

ConnieTucker · 05/09/2023 21:36

Id suggest getting a tutor.

parietal · 05/09/2023 21:37

I suspect funding cuts. If this a niche subject with only 5 or 6 kids in the class, then by cutting that subject, the school might save 50% of a teacher's salary. and that might be what is needed to fix the roof / cover all the other classes etc.

PastTheGin · 05/09/2023 21:42

We made contingency plans in my MFL department in case the one teacher who taught a particular language resigned and we would not be able to recruit a replacement. To do something like this from the school’s side without the teacher leaving is highly irregular. I would kick up a fuss and get a tutor as a last resort.

Mirabai · 05/09/2023 21:42

I would get together with all the other students in the A level class and insist the school finds alternative provision. The GCSE isn’t so important.

Compose a combined letter to the head, the governors, the LA and even your local MP.

Unexpecteddrivinginstructor · 05/09/2023 21:45

Maybe you can see what the results were in that subject on the website. One of my dc's schools didn't finish the syllabus for a couple of the A levels. At GCSE I wouldn't worry, for A levels it depends on the subject and how well he was doing at it but I would consider getting a private tutor, maybe shared between a few students. They should be at least half way through the syllabus.

Maddy70 · 05/09/2023 21:46

Sounds like that subject teacher had left and they can't replace. It's happening all the tien. Staffing schools is a nightmare.

Bluevelvetsofa · 05/09/2023 21:52

I reckon the results in that subject were poor and they’ve removed it because they don’t think the teacher can deliver. I’d agree that a tutor in that subject might be a solution, depending on whether the students can be entered for the exam.

SmallTreeDeepRoots · 05/09/2023 21:53

This happened to us at the end of yr 10. Teacher left and couldn’t be replaced. Half the class gave up and half cobbled together the rest of the course from YouTube and textbooks we bought ourselves. Managed to pay a retired teacher from another school to teach two full days in Feb half term between 12 families. Then found someone on the internet to mark some mocks with a bit of feedback. School dragged their feet but eventually paid (grudgingly) for the kids to sit the exam. 10 out of 12 passed the exam with 5 or above. It was a mission, but doable. If we hadn’t managed to organise as a group, I would have gone with online courses. It’s a subject DC wanted to carry on with to A level.

Airdustmoon · 05/09/2023 21:53

This happened to a niche subject back when I was at school but on a very small scale - there were a handful of pupils who were halfway through a GCSE when the sole subject teacher left and the school decided to drop the subject. I don’t know all the detail but it was arranged for them to finish the GCSE via a local FE college that offered the subject, so do ask whether this is an option.

BibbleandSqwauk · 05/09/2023 21:57

But in this case the teacher HASN'T LEFT! Why do people not read the OP? I agree with what pp said that if it's a niche subject with few students, it may be an efficiency thing, or the teacher may have ill health or caring responsibilities and has to drop down. It's awful and I'd hope that a non specialist could at least guide the A level kids through it with some mugging up. I've done that before. It's far from ideal but an experienced and competent teacher in same area, eg humanities ought to be able to do it if they can be spared of course.

Hankunamatata · 05/09/2023 22:01

Ring collages that offer night classes and see if they do subject? Interhigh and do it online?

SabrinaThwaite · 05/09/2023 22:10

I had this many years ago - O level
in lower sixth and A level in upper sixth. Only 2 of us wanted to go on to A level and the school wouldn’t offer it (which left us both with only 2 A level courses so not great). Fortunately another local school was running it (for only 3 pupils) so I was able to join their class. Was a bit stressful but timetabling was just about OK and all worked out in the end.

MaudGone · 05/09/2023 22:13

You can sit any GCSE or A-Level as an external candidate.

LIZS · 05/09/2023 22:17

Is it their other language? If so could they take it out of school and sit as an external candidate?

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