Drop a GCSE for Functional Skills

[Meheh8]

My daughter has been offered to do Functional Skills English and Maths. She's already dropped a GCSE for extra study (which is being turned in FS English). Shes been offered to drop another GCSE option for FS Maths.
She struggles in both Maths and English so FS would be ideal but we're unsure about her dropping another GCSE. There is a high chance that she won't get the Level 4 needed in Maths so will need to redo it post 16.
Part of me thinks that given that Maths and English are important for any post 16 and apprenticeships that she should drop the extra GCSE to do the Maths. Also it would be less pressure on another load of coursework and she could focus on other 3 and the FS. On the other hand that means shes only doing 3 other options (rather than 5).

In terms of jobs, the option she'd have to drop for the Maths is relating to what career she wants (working with children). But she could easily pick it up post 16 or apprenticeships so not a huge hindrance.

Any advice would be great please!
Thank you :)

AWBU - dont drop another GCSE. Doing FS post 16 isn't a big deal etc
AWNBU - drop the GCSE and do FS Maths. Maths is more important and it will save her post 16

I voted YABU @Meheh8 , but not according to the criteria you set out, but for another reason.

I 100% wish my DS had been given the option of FS. It would have been far better suited then an exam he was very unlikely to pass.

Definitely do it. Getting maths and English out the way is a huge achievement and frees up her future years to do the subjects she enjoys.

And functional skills has less content so I would so do it.

You need English and Maths for everything. 3 GCSEs + the two FS will get her into a Level 3 course.

If the college have said FS is acceptable instead of GCSE, and she wouldn't also need to do GCSE resits as well, then I would do functional skills now (if she is willing) as it will improve her college experience.

Depends what level functional skills, be careful to ask which.

I’ve just done my L2 functional skills maths and English as I’m currently doing a L4 apprenticeship. The English was pretty straightforward but the maths isnt easy and I passed on my second attempt (I’m dyslexic). My further maths A level qualified daughter was confused by a lot of it as is didn’t align with what she’d learned at gcse at A level and is more aimed at adult levels of problem solving.

If your daughter has started the GCSE course it might be worth sticking with that.

As above, check which level. She needs FS level 2 to be considered equivalent to GCSE. Check whether she would be able to do FS at college if she doesn’t pass either gcse or level 2. How’s her science? Some courses will take that instead of maths.

I would say do both!

FS level 2 pass is equal to a 4 so worth doing but sitting the GCSE is also valuable - she might pass but also, some colleges ONLY offer GCSE so if she has to retake (getting FS L1 only or a 2 at GCSE) she will have the experience.

With regard to maths in post 16 - there has been an increase - from next Sept, in the hours post 16 institutions are required to teach - I think it's gone from 4-7? so it could mean a whole day of maths added to her timetable.

Better to get it now - I know from my experience in work lots of kids skive the maths and English post 16 - leading to them being kicked out or not being able to progress - so always best to try and get it now.

I understand not wanting to have to resit in the future.
However... Taking away the gcse your daughter wants to have a future in means that she must enjoy that subject. Taking away the subject she does like and enjoy may very likely make school even harder. We are now so heavily focused on English and Maths that those children who don't enjoy or struggle with those subjects then lose that love for learning and school is a constant chore with no glimmer of hope.
Why can't school allow her to drop one of the other GCSEs rather than the one she actually wants to study further? Is there a local college who runs the functional skills? Can you hire a tutor and then ask school to still allow her to do the functional skills seeing as the tutor had helped her, but you might have to pay the entry fee. Questions to consider and ask about.
At the end of the day she isn't guaranteed to pass functional skills so could end up resisting and having lost the love for the subject she had to drop.
Plus I would double check if FS can be used as the entry requirements for the course she wants to do at A level. Schools in my area don't do FS, which is weird as it would make sense to have kids not having to resit as we have a big problem with staffing it and engagement.

No, don’t drop GCSEs for english and maths. Hire a tutor. Or make her do Khan Academy (or similar) from scratch

My daughter did functional skills maths and English. She never stood a chance of getting gcses. She now works in childcare. Is your daughter likely to pass gcse? If not, there is no point imo. Functional skills are fine.

Will she be doing functional skills maths and GCSE maths lessons as well? Thats a lot of maths in a week for someone who struggles with it, and presumably doesn’t enjoy it. Especially if you’re going to take away a lesson that she enjoys in exchange.

Thanks for the replies so far.
To answer some of the questions:
She is due to start her GCSEs this sept.
The idea is she would do Level 1 in Yr 10 and Level 2 in Yr 11.
She still has to do Maths and English GCSE but she is really unlikely to get a Level 4
She can't choose which option to drop due to timetabling. It has to be that one.
She could still do the Level 3 version of the dropped GCSE if she has her FS in Maths and English

If she is headed to an apprenticeship, FS at level 1 or 2 are the quals she needs. I d far rather get some success and gain confidence with an FS than get a low GCSE grade.

My DD was on a 2 at Christmas in year 11. We got an amazing tutor and she passed with a 4 (2 marks off a 5)
surely it’s got to be worth at least throwing everything at it to get a GCSE rather than FS?
the different styles of question are likely to confuse things if she’s going to do both

Be aware that Functional Skills Maths level 2 has a lot of reading in it. The questions are embedded into a paragraph of information. My foster son found it much harder than GCSE Maths because he struggled with English and reading.

Functional skills in maths is a good option and you can resit quite quickly. English FS is not accepted by a lot of universities so it depends where she wants to go next.

Why is she struggling so much with English and maths? Is there no chance to offer more structured help in the next two years?

She has SEN needs, dyslexic, low working memory, processing etc. She has a lot of help and this is being offered to her in a small group of others

As previous poster pointed out FS maths is a lot of reading. Perhaps have a look at some past papers to see how they compare to help you decide.

Does the college she's going to offer FS as an alternative if she doesn't pass the GCSE?

How many GCSEs does that take her down to?

I think asking to look at a past paper is a good idea. Is she going to get any enjoyment out of studying if she drops her preferred course?

My daughters whole class failed the FS maths and had to resit it, even the teachers were saying it was hard. Not sure what level it was though.

8 GCSEs. She'll still do English and Maths and I'm sure she'll get at least Level 2/3 grade so still pass just not with the 4 needed.