A level lessons - timetable clash

[ZippyZipper]

My son, who is going into yr 12, 6th form, chose his A levels months ago and enrolled the day of his GCSE results. He's arrived for his first day today only to be told that 1 of his physics lessons clashes with one of his Product Design lessons - the solution given by school is that he miss the clashing Product Design lesson and instead attend a yr 13 Product Design class where he can sit at the back. I am absolutely floored by this, surely it's not an acceptable solution? Has anyone else had a similar issue/"solution" by the school? I'm not sure how much of a fuss to make to be honest (instinct is a LOT of fuss!)

Is he the only person doing physics and product design? They seem like subjects that go well together.
Maybe the school could offer something more, so that he could do the Y12 lesson but in the Y13 classroom. I'd be wanting a better solution that just "sit at the back" for a year. Also, can they guarantee there won't still be a clash in Y13?

Yes, it affects 2 pupils (incl my son), so not many, but you're right, the 2 subjects are definitely not an uncommon combination (esp for engineering pathway). I hadn't even thought about what might happen in year 13, thanks for highlighting!

The best "solution" might be that he does Physics in that slot one week and PD the next.

If they can't staff it, they can't staff it.

I had this at school (many many years ago mind)

There were 3 of us - so we swapped around and shared notes from each class. Not ideal and worked OK for the 1st year as only one lesson clash. But in the second year all the classes clashed - so I dropped the subject.

If there's two of them, one could go to each lesson then meet up and swap notes, go over topic. Then the next week they swap over, so only m missing one lesson of each per fortnight?

PD is mainly messing about - from what I saw of my son's school (not to mention, no teacher in Y13!). I would definitely attend Physics and buy the PD text book which he can work through at home, or in a free lesson each week to compensate. To be honest, he'll probably get through way more course content like that.

And just to add, he got a B in PD despite lack of teacher, zero teacher and most kids messing about. Physics he got a D, which to a lot of work and tutoring for a year. They are really not comparable in difficulty.

Tbh you're lucky they aren't a complete clash.

I'd attend physics and catch up with PD in y13 time. Teacher of PD can plan to not deliver new content in the lessons the 2 aren't in.

Thanks for the replies - you've given me some food for thought (and perspective!) before I speak with them tomorrow...

It's not good planning at all by school.

I would suggest the lesson that clashes is recorded by the teacher each week and the boys have a supervised slot scheduled where they sit and watch recording

This sort of thing is really really common.

Most sixth forms spend the first week sorting out timetable clashes. Depending on how many students it affects there are a number of solutions:

Move a lesson to pre- or after school if the teacher and students are happy with it

Get other students to take notes

Teacher should be putting PowerPoints etc on teams anyway so he can catch up

Recorded how?

It's not good planning. It's probably a situation they've been forced into - Physics and DT teachers aren't ten a penny.

The other option is for them to scrap one or other course completely.

How bizarre. I know I am in awe of how schools manage to finalise timetables but this seems quite an error.

The sixth form that ds is at (and another one we were looking at) had subjects in blocks and so all block A subjects are at the same time, block B another time etc. It did mean that ds couldn't do Geography and Further Maths as they were in the same block. (He does Sociology instead of Geography) Strangely at the other sixth form he wouldn't have been able to do Sociology and FM.