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

Yes we went over some yesterday at the information evening. She was able to do the entry level quite easily but they do get wordier. She does qualify for a reader though so that would help negate some of it.

She has SEN needs, dyslexic, low working memory, processing etc. Sounds like my DD who is nearly 20, and I have looked at both FS Level 2 Maths & English for her.

English I would say is a no brainer. It is more straight forward (and useful) than the GCSE and, more importantly the 3 sections can be sat separately and retaken separately.

I have looked less at the maths but I am undecided on that. The content is reduced from GCSE and there is less exam time. However my impression is the questions can be quite wordy which could be less good for a dyslexic student. My DD likes algebra which is not in the syllabus, so I am going to take advice from her current English tutor (who also tutors for maths) once the FS English is done.

The other thing to consider is how stressful school might be if there is too much English & Maths (and Science) and not enough subjects that actually interest her.

Will she still be put in for the GCSEs as well as FS? It also runs the risk of confusing what is required for what papers.

I wouldn’t be doing this if she has to take the GCSE maths and English anyway. She’d be better focusing her efforts on passing those.

I have a daughter with a similar set of issues and I would do it unless she is very against it. My dd just got her gcses and over others that did not on the same courses she got so much more opportunity at college for work experience and extra experiences.

If she's been offered Functional Skills take it, it is more important for her self esteem that she 'bank' a grade and then try for a higher one like GCSE if necessary in the future, rather than fail her GCSE and not get a 4 - become switched off from it and then attempt another qualification later.

She will still have to resit maths and English in college if she doesn't get the GCSE grade 4s even if she gets functional skills level 2.

Check the requirements for the college course (nearer the time,). If a Maths or English GCSE grade 3 is achieved the student is required to do resits until they get a 4, regardless of whether they already have FS too. My DS struggled with English, was awarded a grade 3 during COVID and had to keep doing English classes and resits all the way through college, never passed.

If a DC is struggling and gets the L2 functional skills I'd not enter the GCSE.

As a senior manager at an ITP I would say do the FS: L1 in Yr10 + L2 in Yr 11. It is much more important to build her confidence and pass these than persevere with GCSEs. It will take the pressure off especially if she already qualifies for a reader/scribe.

Surely if you are at the level you need to be doing functional skills and struggling with GCSEs it's unlikely you will manage a level 3 course anyway

I'm not sure my last post was correct, but anyway updated guidance here
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/16-to-19-funding-maths-and-english-condition-of-funding

I'm not sure why she needs to do the maths and English GCSE at the same time as functional skills (if I've understood right). It's a waste of her time, effort and energy doing both and leaving less time, effort and energy for all her other subjects, including the one she wants to do. I would stick with the option GCSE and do functional skills later if she can. Ideally, she would do ONLY the functional skills but if that isn't an option then drop the functional skills 'extra' maths and English. This will give her a nicer experience of school doing things and enjoys. I think doubling up on subjects she hates to dump something she likes is really silly.

The only caveat is that not all employers / higher education colleges accept functional skills instead of GCSEs as ds2 found to his cost & it is sometimes unpredictable as to who will and who won't.

My daughter has all sorts of sen too. Does your daughter have an ehc plan?

This is true.
However if she can get the FS level 2 it takes the pressure off a bit.
My DD 'left' college still with 3s. If she had had option to get FS we wouldn't be doing it privately now.

Functional skills maths level 2 really requires a lot of reading and literacy.

In my experience it's often harder for students to pass functional skills maths level 2 than it is for them to do well on the normal maths gcse foundation paper.

Maths functional skills level 1 is a very good idea and will support her to make progress.

Of course she can manage a Level 3. It will be in a topic she excels in. Difficulties in maths and English do not mean there aren't orher subjects you're good in

She will get a reader for the maths FS paper so that is a non issue.
She doesn't want to do an additional year at college. If she doesn't have a 4 or Lv 2 in FS maths and English she will have to start at Lv 2 rather than 3.

It is a reasonable question. Level 3 courses require a certain level of ability in research, writing and analysis, that my own DD (see above) would find hard, even in her particular area of interest. T levels also from the outside appear harder to me in this respect than the old BTECs.
It may well be sensible to start on the equivalent level 2 if having to resit the GCSEs even if they let her in to the level 3 course, and aim to take 3 years.

Level 3 is A level right? I know the schools round here won't let you take them without a minimum grade C in maths and English even if you are brilliant at Art and wanting to do that at A level

Level 3 includes BTEC vocational courses and Level 3 apprenticeships.
These are far less academic and (depending on subject) accessible to YP with basic English and Maths. I didn't mean ANY Level 3 course, but one that interests the YP and aligns with their practical skills.

If she continues with GCSE Maths encourage her to 'question pick', decide what her strengths are and concentrate on those first of all eg if Algebra isn't a strength then leave those questions out or until the end. Having just marked Foundation Maths it's obvious that the unstructured questions cause most problems for students who struggle yet often score the highest marks. One of the biggest problems is not reading the question properly so practice on comprehension would be good for her.

Don't let her become too reliant on her reader, that person will read the words but isn't able to interpret.

She only needs 5 GCSE's really. As long as dropping another doesn't take her below 5 then I'd go for it. Concentrating effort into a smaller number is going to help her hit her potential on the remaining ones.

Could be quite depressing though, especially as the OP says she'd need to drop her favourite subject.

That's what I think. 2 years is a long time when you're 14-16. To double up on subjects you find really challenging and don't enjoy it's going to make that a tough 2 years.