Highers problem - advice please!

[Higherproblem]

I've nc for this.
At my DC's school children were asked to choose their 5 Highers. We were specifically told that it was extremely unlikely that they would not get the 5 Highers they asked for. But just in case, they were asked to put down 2 reserve choices. We were again specifically told that in the very unlikely event that the school was not able to agree to all 5 Higher choices, they would contact us to discuss what to do, before allocating one of the reserve options.
They sent out the list of Highers allocated to all the children, having already finalised the timetable. My DC was allocated 4 of his choices, but was not given a 5th higher. The one left out was the one that he is most keen to do, and has based his university and career plans around. They did not contact us to discuss, and have not allocated him a 5th higher from one of his reserve choices (or at all).
When DC wrote to the school to point out the mistake, they told him that they could not re-arrange the timetable.
DC is strong academically, but as far as the school is concerned he will now be taking 4 Highers only. And not the subject that he wants to study at university and that he will need for his planned career. He had already told the school that he wanted to study that subject for Advanced Highers. He doesn't want to do the Higher in S6, as he plans to do it at Advanced Higher level and may possibly want to apply to Oxford or Cambridge, which would in any event require an Advanced Higher in the subject.
I have written a letter to the school, asking them to come up with a solution. Any advice would be welcome. I think it unlikely that any other accessible school would be able to accommodate DC's choices at this stage, and of course he would be very unwilling to move school (he is doing very well at the current school and is settled there) and a move would probably mean serious transport, time and expenses issues.

Glad to hear you got it sorted, we find ourselves in a similar situation with my daughter with two of her higher subjects being in the same column. She has ADHD and dyslexia and has worked incredibly hard through s4 but often feel the school don’t see her challenges. During a work meeting at another school they mentioned that they have to look at children’s needs when creating the timetables does anyone know if this is policy ? I understand they can’t change it to suit her but need to see if they will allow her not to do her enrichment subject to make it more manageable as swapping higher PE for higher maths is going to be challenging!

It's a bit of a fluffy assertion. No disrespect to the school who said it. How do you qualify or measure that? It sounds like the sort of positive ethos statement most schools would have in their handbook. That could be justified by amazing measures and systems in place or by very little piecemeal gestures.

It's perfectly reasonable for a pupil with ASN needs like your DD to have personalisation and adjusts made to her timetable tailored to her requirements. In reality, that doesn't mean they'll change the columns (or whatever timetabling system is used) to suit her more that her timetable is appropriately constructed. That could be enhancement when that is not generally an option in S5 to reflect the challenge for her that 4 Highers would represent. Higher Maths for Higher PE is not exactly a "fair swap" .

Higher, I'm really glad you got it sorted. Don't worry about being "that parent", I've been one of those for years and now find my queries are answered quickly and with full explanations

Thank you Lidlfix. I totally agree that, that the statement the other school made could be interpreted or implemented in so many different ways.

We just got the timetables through this afternoon and trying to work out the best way to approach it, her other subjects choices are English, Biology and Modern Studies so P.E was chosen to help break up her classroom time as physical exercise really helps manage her ADHD. I am hoping we can make adjustments to her timetable to make it manageable but frustrated that P.E to Maths is seen as a suitable alternative!

Glad it’s sorted, I agree that it wouldn’t have been acceptable for her not to have got to do it. When I was at school the other high schools in the area would take students for highers they couldn’t do at their own school, there were a few in my higher French class that had come from other schools.