Is it possible to drop a so-called "compulsory" subject for GCSE?

[NigellasGuest]

DD hates languages, is not good at French or Spanish and already feels she's not going to do well in her chosen language for GCSE (currently in year 9 and in the process of choosing options for September).

She has mentoring / counselling privately, and also in school (so school are aware of issues) to deal with anxiety. My feeling is that things will be made worse by being forced to do a language. And that may have an adverse affect on her other GCSE's.

Does anyone know where I stand? Can they MAKE her do either French or Spanish? TIA

Im sorry but my overwhelming opinion is 'just get on with it'!
Anxious or not, this whole idea that you dont have to do stuff because you dont like it/arent very good at it is just ridiculous and is producing a whole generation of kids who dont want to go to school/do exams etc because it makes them anxious or depressed.
Sometimes mostly i dont want to go to work but i have to because it pays the friggin bills, or i could go on the sick with mt PTSD but i wasnt brought up that way.

In my house the answer would be 'tough, get on with it'. Dd is no brain box and had SEN input at primary school but with some seious pushing at high school is turning out to be n excellent student. Lots of subjects she doesnt like but had to take at GCSE hey thats life, there are gonna be lots of things youre not good at in life.

There is a huge difference between 'struggling with something you're not very good at' and 'being set up to fail'.

There are kids who could never ever learn another language. Until recently my DD was definitely one of them (and she was excused from French). She couldn't learn new vocab in English, (or how to read or write) so there was no way it was reasonable to expect her to learn words in a different language.

(Obviously this is a very different problem from anxiety)

I totally agree with Dust. Pick your battles. There are enough hard things you have to do in life - and learning French isn't one of them.

The most successful people in life 'play to their strengths'. ie they spend most of their time doing the things they're good at, and they get other people to help them with the things they're not good at.

My DS does suffer from anxiety (although he has been dismissed from CAMHS). My approach has been to reduce his anxiety for a few years. It's been very successful so far, in that now, finally, he's doing very well at school (and in life).

Far be it from me to ressurrect an old thread but i had no idea I had had so much response! just looked at it again today. I have read most of the replies so thank you every one very much.

I think I need to clarify a couple of things : I said in my OP that DD hates languages and may have given the impression to some of you that that is the overriding reason for my trying to get her out of languages - that is not actually the case. She hates science and maths but I'm going to support her all the way in those! She is borderline dyslexic - has never had an official diagnosis though - but I am convinced that this is the reason why she finds languages incredibly hard. I have sat down and tried to help (I speak French and Spanish) but I can just tell that she's on a different planet, even when she's trying really hard. (older DD on the other hand is taking 3 MFLs at GCSE and is a completely different kettle of fish).

When i say DD suffers from anxiety, specifically this is OCD, manifesting itself in an urge to tidy her room when she gets really anxious - it is spotless though! and getting out of bed to rearrange ornaments etc. Then she finds she has got out of bed an odd number of times, and needs to get out again to make it an even number. And so it goes on. When it's bad like this, she needs me sleeping in the same room on the blow up bed on the floor next to her - that's the only things that makes her feel safe apart from sleeping with me in my bed (but DH is fed up with that, understandably).

DD in question is a talented dancer, specifically ballet, and dances most nights and all weekend. She loves it. She is carrying an injury ATM so can't dance and it drives her up the wall. She wants to go to vocational school at 16 but has auditioned at the Royal Ballet school last month for the experience.

I will stop now but hope that gives a bit more context and THANK YOU everyone. perhaps I should visit the SEN thread..