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Secondary education

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Original poster

Hmm so DD has had her options book and...

30 replies

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 10/02/2011 22:04

I am wondering if it is worth trying to have a fight with the school.
Basically she will be doing
Triple science
English
Maths (with Statistics thrown in as BOGOF)
RE
She can choose two from a group of Humanities/Languages. She has chosen
German
History
She then has to choose two from a group of technology and arts subjects, but one MUST be a technology subject
She had chosen Music but would also like to do Drama. Instead she will have to do Food Tech as her dyspraxia makes all the other tech subjects utter misery for her.
Now as Gove has withdrawn specialist status from schools I can see no reason why she should be forced to take one of a group of subjects in which she has no interest and for which she has no aptitude when there are plenty of other subjects they offer which would suit her very well (Drama, 2nd language).
It's probably not worth making a fuss though, is it?

OP posts:
MoonUnitAlpha · 10/02/2011 22:07

Even if you do make a fuss, it may be impossible to take two arts subjects due to timetabling.

When I was at school, taking a Tech subject was compulsory for everyone though.

GnomeDePlume · 10/02/2011 22:59

Dont argue but do ask. Also are there other students wanting similar combinations? If there are then it may be possible for the timetabling to be changed.

However, I'm afraid that it is often a case of choosing least worst options rather than getting all your favourites.

GetOrfMoiLand · 10/02/2011 23:06

It would be well worth your having a conversation with the school about it - however don't hold your breath.

I know how you feel - dd got an array of what seemed like daft options last year.

Her school is also a technology specialist so she had to do a tech subject - she is dysliexic/dyspraxic so graphics, resistant materials and electronics were no good, textiles she would have loathed, so she chose food tech grudgingly.

She has quite a academic timetable in teh end (out of her options she chose history, geography triple science was an option as well) which is quite a lot for a dyslexic, so food tech has turned out to be a blessing, it is a very enjoyable and easy subject for her, which takes a bit of pressure off. I am glad that she managed to take food tech as opposed to art, as the workload for art is very high.

I do sympathise as it is a horrible time of year - so pressured for you all.

Silverstreet · 10/02/2011 23:11

At our school you are pretty much expected to do a technology, but if you have an educational reason why you want to do something else they will consider it. We said DD wanted to do music in this option as she is grade 4 piano already and she is expected to get a very good grade whereas would not in the technology. We expect to win on this based on what teachers have told us. Worth a try.

senua · 10/02/2011 23:12

I feel your pain. I was so looking forward to the end of Y9 when dyspraxic DS could drop Tech ... and then found it was a compulsory GCSE.Sad Ho hum - I am sure it is character forming to have to struggle through these things.Hmm

EvilTwins · 10/02/2011 23:14

It is very likely to come down to timetabling,which can be incredibly difficult. IME, option blocks are set, and then those subjects are timetabled against each other. If music and drama are timetabled at the same time, then obviously she won't be able to take both. That seems a fairly standard set of option boxes, TBH. By all means ask, but it simply may not be possible to accommodate your DD's wishes.

Original poster
LadyGlencoraPalliser · 10/02/2011 23:31

I'm sure timetabling must be a nightmare. I guess it's probably not worth saying anything - food tech can't do too much harm, although god help them if they expect more than one potato peeled in a double lesson.
I sometimes wonder if I should have made more of an issue of her dyspraxia in the first place - but we made sure she had extra-curricular stuff to help with her fine and gross motor control and she is so high-functioning academically that it seemed pointless as this more than compensates for the lack of coordination, poor muscle tone and disorganisation, which are her main problems.

OP posts:
roisin · 11/02/2011 02:37

Yes, make a [polite] fuss. You'll probably be allowed.
As long as it's in the same option block, it shouldn't be a problem timetabling wise.

At my old school they told everyone they had to do a tech subject (tech college), but if students/parents complained they were allowed to not do a tech!

roisin · 11/02/2011 02:38

ds2 will almost certainly do a tech subject.

I'd go nuts if ds1 were told he had to do one. (Rubbish co-ordination and he's just not interested in that sort of thing: prefers academic/cerebral subjects.)

cory · 11/02/2011 09:10

We are in similar situation: dd is disabled and will have to do one tech GCSE and a BTech in PE (she hasn't taken part in PE lessons for the last 3 years). But then it is a tech college and they have always been open about that.

I got very worried about it, but then I decided to go in and see the relevant teachers before I made a complaint. I was reassured that though they do do practical things, the actual marks are mainly for theory, at least in PE and food tech. Food tech is mostly about a folder with meal planning, evaluation of meals. PE is about physiology and lesson planning. It seems like dd could well without much involvement from her body. And that the things she could learn are quite valuable: balanced nutrition, healthcare, physiology. And she can still have 10 more academic GCSEs. So I've gone from fuming to accepting in a short time.

Original poster
LadyGlencoraPalliser · 11/02/2011 13:42

OK - based on Roisin's and Cory's responses I think the strategy is

  1. Make a polite fuss, just in case.
  2. Learn to live with another two years of being told at 8.25am that she needs the ingredients for a souffle NOW! (or rock buns, if we are being totally realistic). As you say, Cory, Food Tech is useful enough stuff - but she is a good cook already, so it seemed a bit of a waste. Roisin - my DD2 is quite different as well - she starts Y7 in Sept and can't wait to get stuck into Textiles.
OP posts:
cory · 11/02/2011 15:58

I probably won't get to do the dawn COOP raid after all- dd has decided to go for Resistant Materials. Am torn between wondering if this is really sensible and pride that she has the confidence to opt for something that is going to be more difficult for her. Food tech would be such a nice safe option. From the work I saw a lot of it is about nutrition- e.g. evaluating the nutritional contents/value for money of different recipes.

Fennel · 11/02/2011 19:30

Our local comp is a tech college and apparently you CAN get around doing a tech subject, they don't actually force you, just encourage very hard.

I would certainly query it (politely but firmly) for a dc who wasn't tech-minded. As it happens all my dc are bizarrely good at tech subjects, and love them, so it's probably not an issue. They all love woodwoork and graphics and sewing. I'd have loathed doing one myself.

DP the physicist is very funny on the topic of "Resistant materials". He quizzed the poor tech teachers on our open day. What does it mean? ALL materials are resistant to something. Resistant to WHAT?"

Original poster
LadyGlencoraPalliser · 11/02/2011 19:43

Fennel, even butter counts as a resistant material to DD. Grin
Thanks for this - I feel I owe it to her to have a go at getting around the tech requirement. Especially since Gove has withdrawn everyone's specialist school status anyway.

OP posts:
pointylug · 11/02/2011 19:48

I don't see what the advantage is to specialist schools. Is there one?

Original poster
LadyGlencoraPalliser · 11/02/2011 19:50

Yes, schools got extra money to spend on the subject area of their specialism.

OP posts:
harpsichordcarrier · 11/02/2011 19:55

I don't see what the advantage is to specialist schools. Is there one?

Yes, there is.
It gives a school a focus; I work at a business and enterprise college and this runs through a lot of the curriculum, brings in a lot of interest/money/opportunities from the local community.

The school ends up being a centre of excellence in a town/area. So, for example, if you have a language specialist school in an area then parents can choose to apply there. Additionally, the school can provide links to other schools and support their specialisms.

It can also act to form links with businesses/employers to the benefit of the schools and pupils, providing substantial work experience etc.

pointylug · 11/02/2011 19:56

I see. But is it an attraction for all the catchment pupils if a school has a specialism?

I could see that it might turn me off but I do like my dc to go to the local school. Being constrained by timetabling is enough without being constrained by having to do a tech subject.

pointylug · 11/02/2011 19:57

Ok. I see what you mean, harpsi. SO children just move about a lot more to get to their sort of specilaist school, do they? Buses and whatnot.

harpsichordcarrier · 11/02/2011 19:59

Well, it is a pretty small part of the whole picture of a school. I can't imagine anyone who would choose AGAINST a school because their child would have to take a tech subject (say) for GCSE.
OTOH, you might be attracted in a more positive way to an Arts college if your child was talented in that way (or you valued that side of education) or ditto languages

harpsichordcarrier · 11/02/2011 20:00

Not necessarily. Some do, I know (esp for music, for example). BUT generally (IME) it just gives a particular focus/expertise within a school for the WHOLE school, and not just as an attraction for potential applicants.

Original poster
LadyGlencoraPalliser · 11/02/2011 20:01

Well that's the downside Pointylug. The advantage only exists if pupils have access to specialist schools for whatever their interest is. But if the specialist technology college happens, as in our case, to be your bog-standard catchment comprehensive, you are stuck with it regardless of whether it matches your DC's interests or not.

OP posts:
pointylug · 11/02/2011 20:01

I react strongly against being told what I (and the dds) have to do.

Dd1 chose her subjects last year and there certainly wasn;'t a teach subject in sight. Dd2 will choose nect year and there is little chance she will do a teach subject either.

pointylug · 11/02/2011 20:02

teach subject. Not teach obviously

pointylug · 11/02/2011 20:02

Oh God. Tech.

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