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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

Options Evening??? No good options ... HELP!

22 replies

spendy · 27/01/2012 20:05

Hi everyone, been a while since I posted on here, but hoping you guys might be able to help me.

I went to options evening yesterday, and we received a folder which included a list of subjects that my DS could choose from.

None of them are subjects which my son wished to do!! I could not believe it. When I asked about it, I got a very muffled response about only certain children got the other options for the English Baccalaureate.

So what I understand by this, is either they think my son is not clever enough to do the EBac (even though he's in top set) or they would prefer him to have a miserable time doing subjects he isn't interested in.

Maybe I've been misguided here, but can anyone please, please shed some light on this. I've had a very sleepless night.

Thanks.

OP posts:

captainbarnacle · 27/01/2012 20:10

What subjects does he want to do?

bumpybecky · 27/01/2012 20:12

also what are the compulsory subjects and how many choices does he have?

Kez100 · 27/01/2012 21:13

Blimey, nothing he wants to do at all fits? I remember my daughter having a problem picking a reserve and, currently, my son is having angst over one block (out of four) but to have nothing at all... That's pretty unusual.

joanofarchitrave · 27/01/2012 21:16

What?

TBH at this point I would strongly consider pulling him out and signing up with the National Extension College.

MigratingCoconuts · 27/01/2012 21:16

you will need to be a bit more specific about the options he has been offered. I get the impression that you are suggestion there is a separate bacc list of options held back for certain pupils?

MigratingCoconuts · 27/01/2012 21:17

suggesting

sorry. v tired!

crazynanna · 27/01/2012 21:19

I thought,as in dd's school, that all subjects were available either through the Ebac route or another route.

mosschops30 · 27/01/2012 21:20

What subjects did he wish to do?

Original poster

spendy · 27/01/2012 21:26

He had his heart set on Geography and French. He said he would like to do the Ebac as those were subjects he was going to do anyway.

At the moment in option 1 where he has to choose 2, he's got all the GCSE Combined Humanities, Textiles, Leisure and Tourism and the like.

Does anyone know if he can go down the Ebac route at this stage?

OP posts:

practicallyimperfect · 27/01/2012 21:33

My school put pupils on "pathways". This means brighter kids are offered traditional subjects, and I imagine ebacc this year. They also have choice of higher level diplomas. Then other students get choice, but less subjects (same subjects but less overall subjects). Then BTEC mixed with GCSE, then alternative curriculum students (asdan)

I think this is wrong. It disadvantages some students.

Haziedoll · 27/01/2012 21:36

Thats very odd and not acceptable.

Original poster

spendy · 27/01/2012 21:40

It's killing me, but worse yet it's really affected my son. He's really disheartened. :(

OP posts:

Haziedoll · 27/01/2012 21:45

It's just not good enough. Combined Humanities? What is the point in that? What do other parents think?

In my experience it is only a small minority of students who don't take the Ebac.

Phone the school on Monday and book a meeting with the head.

Original poster

spendy · 27/01/2012 22:31

I am sending an email to the Head now and insisting on a meeting.

Does anyone know what my rights are regarding this?

Thanks

OP posts:

Clary · 28/01/2012 00:37

Just to clarify, the Ebacc isn't a qualification you can take, as such, just a measure or suggestion of good subjects to cover (the idea is a range of academic subjects). It's certainly not true that "only a small minority of students" don't do the Ebacc subjects.

I teach MFL and there are certainly plenty of students in our year 9 who would not be encouraged to do French or German! One school in our area hasn't even had any studets doign MFL at KS4 in the last several years.

That said, the situation does seem bizarre for your son OP; I would have thought if he was capable (and top set suggests it) then any school would encourage him to do French and Geog.

MigratingCoconuts · 28/01/2012 08:03

I agree and the email is a good idea spendy.

As for your rights, i am not sure you have many. However, I would always recommend making the biggest noise you can and not going away when they try to fob you off!!!

hellsbells99 · 28/01/2012 09:07

At my dd's school the only option that is restricted to the brighter ones is triple science - need to be level 6 or above. Everything else seems to be open to all. Dd has chosen Spanish, geog, music and science. She is not too sure about the geog tho' - she did fancy art! I advised her she was too lazy 4 art!

bumpybecky · 28/01/2012 14:25

geography and french seems like a sensible combination, I can't understand why it isn't possible

agree with the comment above - make a big fuss! polite but firm is the way to go

Original poster

spendy · 30/01/2012 21:04

Hi everyone ... just thought I'd give you an update on this. 4 sleepless nights, and 2 calls from the school later ... he's doing the Ebac. :)

He's so happy (as am I).

When I asked why they hadn't put him on it, I was told it was because in yr 8 the effort his put into his languages were up and down, so they weren't sure he could cope with a language at GCSE lvl.

I really just wanted to thank you all so much for the advice and for pointing me in the right direction :)

OP posts:

Haziedoll · 30/01/2012 21:11

Excellent.

hellsbells99 · 30/01/2012 22:56

Well done!

bumpybecky · 30/01/2012 23:07

brilliant news :)

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