To move year 9 DD due to GCSE options?

[MojoDojoCasaHouse]

Current school pulled one of her favourite subjects due to lack of staff and now there is a timetable clash between two other subjects. All her subjects are quite normal and not unusual combination.

She is very quiet and shy but school want to keep her due to how good her grades are. School trying to improve local reputation with DC like ours. She is well liked and nurtured by current teachers and is reasonably happy at school.

Alternative school has a place in current year 9 and can accommodate all subject choices. It’s a bigger school and I fear she will be lost and less valued.

So should we stick with current school with less optimal GCSEs but a track record of support and good grades? Or risk a change for desired subjects?

She can do desired A-levels at either school.

YABU stay put
YANBU move schools

Id move her if its the only way for her to do the courses she wants.

With the current school they know which children will get good results so want to keep hold of them to improve reputation that’s all. If they really wanted to have and keep good students they would do the subjects that entice them there rather than “valued member of our school” every parent (unless their child is naughty or a under achiever) who mentions moving schools gets told the same 😅

What does she want? I'd go with that.

Do the choices she has affect her ability to do the Alevels that she wants to do? Would she be happy to stay with the choices she has? If so She would her. Ultimately there is no point in her doing subjects that will not help her progress to the next level.

Depends. If she wants to study medicine at uni and can't do triple science I'd move her. If she wants to study medicine and can't do art I'd leave her.

How important is the subject and can she do it outside of school?

Yes @MojoDojoCasaHouse what subjects? If she wants to take German A level maybe but they are culling the GCSE then move. If it’s history bc she quite likes it then no.

She can’t decide. Anxious by nature though. One of the subjects she wants for GCSE she also plans for A-level. She can do it without GCSE. I’m concerned now school have pulled the GCSE the A-level will follow so she would need to move for sixth form anyway. She can do her preferred A-levels with either schools options.

Can your DD do at least one of the subjects at A level without having the GCSE? If so, I'd not move.

Move her now then

If she might have to move to do the A level as if the school have dropped gcse due to lack of teacher the A level is likely to follow as you say.

Better to get her moved over to the new school, make new friends and be used to the school and its ethos and rules. Rather than moving between the two when she’s anxious anyway.

That’s what I’m thinking. Just scared about anxious, awkward child starting somewhere new 🫣.

I'd not move her but rather do the GCSE privately and as an extra. You could speak to school about them giving free time during the day for lessons.

I did GCSE Law in Year 8 at Night school and then A Level Year 9-10 because it was something I was interested in.

It’s more normal to move for sixth form if you need to. Also a level choices can change a lot you’d be surprised. I’d be inclined to leave her where she’s happy as that really is the key to learning success

Does neither school do any of the GCSE content in Y9? If so, you need to know if they do the same board and what units of work each school has already done and whether they match up. My DS is in Y9 and has already done a big chunk of each science subject.

Thankfully both schools start GCSE content in year 10.

What is the subject. I’d also do it privately if that important rather than move a happy child.

This is a question for your DD, not a forum of strangers. Why not have a tour of the other school with DD and discuss all this with her. It is her future, her education, what she thinks and wants is the most important info towards making a family decision.

What subject is it and how crucial for her future plans? Is it one where you need a cohesive group for some of the practical assessment elements like drama. I would tend to agree that not running it as a gcse suggests that A level will not be viable either,

This. At this age you need to discuss the pros and cons with her

I would be worried she didn’t settle in and make friends at her new school, unless she has existing friendships there already.

GCSE choices don’t matter that much in the grand scheme of things, as long as she takes the basics.

Isn’t the whole point of MN to discuss things with a forum of strangers?

We have toured the other school and DD is writing a pros and cons list. Just interested in other peoples views and experiences.

If she can still do the A levels she wants with the limited options at GCSE, I wouldn’t move. I’d only move if it impacts the next stage of education. GCSEs are forgotten about so quickly, and even more quickly they become 5x 8, 2x7 (for example) and nobody mentions the subjects other than the key Maths/English.

The upheaval of being the new girl at a bigger school may well be more detrimental than second choice subjects.

Thiking back my my own experiences of being shy and anxioud at school I would worry that moving her could be very unsettling, and possibly negatively impact her work. Its hard to make friends already when you're shy and anxious and by year 10 everyone will have long established friendships making it even harder.

She wants to do some version of history at Uni and she can do GCSE and A-Level at either school. It’s RS that she wants to do which would complement it well but there would be other subjects at A-Level that would get her there.

If she is thriving then there’s no way I’d move her unless the subject was critical - e.g. pulling GCSE French when she wants to do Alevel French, a degree in French, and then go and live and work in France as a French interpreter. But if it’s Business GCSE and then Business A level then it’s not worth the risk, and it’s unnecessary. After A levels nobody cares what anyone did for their GCSEs. I’d concentrate on making sure she had a good range of subjects, was well supported, and she doesn’t close off any pathways she might be interested in. Going into a big new school where friendship groups are already formed can be tricky at that age. I’d encourage a move after GCSE to an Alevel college which is more challenging and more like a stepping stone to uni.