A Level timetable clash and holiday issues

[LoudBatPerson]

DS received his new timetable today, having just entered year 12. Two of his subjects (Physics and Maths) have clashing lessons, that are scheduled at exactly the same day/time.

I have contacted the school but am waiting for a reply. He will also speak to the teacher when he returns later this afternoon.

Has anyone had this happened and is this normally sorted out or will he be expected to either miss some of the lessons for each subject or drop one?

Surely physics and maths are a pretty common pairing!

He is set on staying at this sixth form, but in all honesty, I wonder if he would be better moving, this seeming like the final straw.

His A levels are actually spread across two schools within the same trust. Each of these schools has a totally different term time/holiday schedule. Before he chose to stay at his sixth form we were told all of the sixth forms had one holiday schedule. We had checked this as he was in this same trust for secondary, so were aware of the different holidays. This has disappointed us as we had booked an Easter holiday already based on the term dates we were told!

The way the holidays work out he actually only had 2 weeks and Christmas and 2 weeks in the middle of the summer when he is actually off for whole weeks. Apart from that, he will be in between 3-5 days every week of the year.

To make the timetabling even worse he has a lesson from 2pm - 4pm today at one site and then is expected to be at another site (about a mile away) for his next lesson from 4-6pm.

The whole timetable is just impossible

Does anyone have any advice how to approach this?

That sounds totally unacceptable.

Normally schools put a lot of effort into ensuring no clashes or if it is imkpossilbe they tell you in advance you cannot do both music and French in that school or whatever the clash is.

(One reason I pay school fees and work full time to avoid this kind of thing! )

So he's studying in 2 schools? If there's any other option I'd change that.

Totally unacceptable! What a nightmare for your poor son. Do you have any other options locally? My feeling would be that this kind of mess up does not bode well for the future as it seems there is very little communication between the schools. Do you know of anyone with older kids who have successfully been through A levels there with the split site model?

That is completely bonkers and unworkable. It may well be an admin error though so don't panic!

DD had to make her choices based on columns that work for the timetable. Same with working across split sites. Split site subjects are spaced to allow for travel to the other school, and usually either side of a lunch break or a free period.

It is good that my sentiments are being shared.

Waiting to hear back from them.

I have started to look into other locations that offer the A levels he wants and there are a couple of places that might be suitable, but we have to find out about spaces yet.

DS really does like the school though (he is even happy to forgo having proper breaks from school to attend this one), and the teachers so will be disappointed if he needs to move.

I am hoping that there has been an administrative error as apparently there are also some other clashes affecting other students.

Courses were picked by block, so I am trying to keep hope that there has been an error somewhere and it can be straightened.

That sounds terrible. Physics and Maths are a common combination. Would your son be happy to move?

I'd definitely enquire further - with an unusual subject combination clashes can be an issue, but I thought maths was generally a requirement if taking physics? Certainly at dd's college you can't take physics without it - and even if not compulsory it must be very unusual for a student to take it without maths.

Given which, if they can't even make sure that two subjects so commonly taken together fit within the timetable, I'd be worried about the school's attitude to pupil progress and wellbeing generally...

Is this a state school in the U.K.? Have never heard of normal classes taking place 4-6 pm

Sounds like a nightmare to me. Assuming he’s a pretty able student with those subjects, I’d imagine another sixth form would be happy to take him if there are spaces - bums on seats is money after all! But it’d need to be in the next week or so ideally.

Literally every aspect of this is ridiculous.

Yep a state school (academy trust), they have a very different approach at his main school to any other I have experienced but he has thrived in the environment. He has come up from their secondary which was 8:45 to 5pm days and very different holidays (a week off every 5 weeks and only two weeks off at summer). It was a big adjustment for him but he really likes the school and did amazingly well. The class sizes were extremely small (the largest was 17 and smallest 5 pupils).

He is able so I am hopeful we can find him a place elsewhere if they don't come back with some massive fix and reassurance tomorrow.

We have sat down and created a shortlist of places to try and approach which we will start doing tomorrow. DS really does like this school and would like to stay but only if he gets to keep his subjects, so is open to moving if needed.

The head phones earlier and has been most apologetic. Apparently the timetabling problems are an error and a new timetable is being given to DS today.

They also listened properly to some other feedback and I was impressed in how open and honest she was.

However I still am not sure on how to move forward. One local sixth form (at a very good school) I spoke with today is very sure they can provide a place for DS, however if the timetable is all ironed out I think my DS will want to stay put.

I think this weekend will involve a long look at all options and applications. I want to let him lead on this as ultimately is is his future, but obviously will nudge if needed.

Thank you to all who have given advice so far.

Does anyone here have experience of switching sixth forms? It is still early in the year so I imagine he will be able to settle in and not get behind.

I would say it is fine to switch within the first month.