So, changes to GCSE's

[CouthyMow]

I have just found out from another thread that my DD, who will start Y10 in September, will have to sit a linear GCSE in Maths rather than a Modular one. With no resits.

This means that she will not get the 'E/F' grade that she will have worked so hard for, and instead get a 'U'. This is so unfair on those DC who have dyscalculia.

Is the linear thing for ALL GCSE's from September? I'm panicking now, DD also has dyslexia, and dyspraxia, and epilepsy that causes memory retention issues.

OK, she is going to get a scribe and 25% extra time in her exams, but a one-off exam will result in her more than likely even failing (as in a 'U' grade) the subjects that she was expected to get a 'B/C' grade in if there is no chance for resits.

What do these changes mean for my DD? The course she wants to do post-16 is reliant on achieving 3 'C' grades at GCSE. If all the subjects are linear with no chance for resits, she won't get on the course.

As the college is an Adult education college rather than a 16-18 one, she will be competing for places with people of all ages. I doubt the college will change its admission criteria quickly enough for DD, who I assume will be the first Cohort doing the linear exams.

If she doesn't get any GCSE's above a 'C' grade due to them being linear, she will be unemployable, as she won 't get into college to learn Catering.

WTF do I do in that situation? All my work over the last 14 years trying to prepare her for independent living will be for nothing, and she will be unemployable. If she doesn't get decent grades or any due to linear courses not suiting her then how does she stay in education till 18yo?

WHAT education will there be for a 16yo who HAS to stay in Education until 18yo, but cannot get into any course because they haven't achieved the required results. DD can't work with DC or do care work, due to get own disabilities.

And to top it off, I am in Social Housing, and if she stops education at 16yo, when she has to carry on till 18yo, I will lose the TC's I need to feed her, sone of the Housing Benefit that pays my rent, and will not be able to afford to keep her here, as I will not be able to afford any more of a rent top up.

I'm panicking now, the school hasn't informed us that the GCSE's were changing to linear for DD's year, I thought it started for the year below.

Can anyone tell me if it just for maths, or in all subjects?

I know that English is going linear from September. I'm sorry :( It's hard on pupils who struggle. There may be the opportunity for her to take the whole GCSE at the end of Year 10 or in November of Year 11 so that she can re-sit the exam section and keep controlled assessments, if that's the school policy.

But she will barely be ready then, she has development delay too...

Aw fuck, this will mess up her life, and leave me trying to support an unemployable adult for ever when I'll only be earning NMW. I can't even go back to work until after she has left school anyway, due to needing the free 15 hrs childcare vouchers for my DS3 so I can afford the childcare costs.

How the fuck do I support her financially if her TC's stop because she is no longer in FT Education, and Child Benefit too? If she can't get a job due to lack of qualifications then she can't support herself either?

Oh FUCKITYFUCKITYFUCK!

I would go back to the college and ask them again about admission requirements etc. Could she do functional skills in English and Maths - would they accept this instead of Maths and English GCSE? My DD's school enters them for FS English and Maths routinely. Would she be more suited to BTEC courses where she builds up a Porfolio and no exams suit her better? Is there a foundation level 1 catering course she could do then go onto do this other course?

And I know it's not the done thing but ((((((HUGS))))))

I can't AFFORD for her to do the foundation lvl course AND the 2 year catering course, as TC's and ChB will stop after the first year of the catering course.

No catering employers in our town will take on someone without the two year course qualification because the college churns out 80 people every year that have passed it.

Functional Literacy and Numeracy courses will be a waste of time, she can read well enough at a basic level, it's the comprehension she struggled with, the basic courses are geared up to those who can't read at all.

She can do basic maths, it's things like Pythagorus theory and stuff like that she can't do.

Plus the basic skills courses are run in a college two bus journeys over an hour and a half away by public transport, she won't manage a bus change alone at 16, and I can't afford the travel, as there's no EMA any more. I can stretch to getting her to the closer college that does catering, but not to the further away one that does the basic skills stuff.

WTF do I do, other than call the school and talk to them?

My son has severe dyskexia and has chosen a mix of GCSEs and BTECs because of linear assessment. He cannot afford to put all his eggs in one basket. To do all GCSEs with a large number of written exams at the end is just too risky. The BTECs are good quality ones which he has strengths in and will support the practical side of the career he wants to go into. He also has enough GCSEs and in the relevant subjects to move onto A levels should they prove possible by the end of year 11. We felt the whole education system is being tinkered with so much currently that he needed to cover his bases.

Interestingly, he has already started one of the BTECs, in two weeks he has written a report on a computer and undertaken one practical piece of work - the momentum of the course impresses me and the descriptors for distinction are of an impressive level. The GCSE option which he has started which has assessment in two years time, is following a much more leisurely pace.

I am just grateful he isn't caught up in this return to the regurgitation O level papers.

No BTEC's offered at her school, traditional GCSE's or life skills are the only choices.

At your DD's school, is it possible to get a C in the life skills option? Also do the three Cs have to include maths and english? It's definitely worth having another look over the course descriptions for the GCSEs she can sit at her school. Some have a much more substantial controlled assessment criteria than others, so english language for example is 60% controlled assessment with only one exam. Geography too has quite a substantial controlled assessment section I believe. Might this suit her better?

Definitely go in and have a chat with the school though. The school might be able to put her on a reduced timetable so she sits 6-8 GCSEs rather than 10-12 which would reduce the number of exams at the end of the course and take away some of the stress.

The likelihood is, though, that fewer people will achieve three Cs so the college may re address their entry criteria. It won't just be your DD affected, so try not to worry too much!

As far as I know there will still be some controlled assessments rather than just exams, the exam boards are putting information on their websites, so you could perhaps have a look at exactly what she will need to do.

If the local FE is not going to be an option, another option might be Hereward College It is a specialist FE residential college for students with disabilities

I really would encourage you to write to your MP so that s/he can put these questions to Michael Gove. The man has not thought the changes through and is just spewing out one idea after another without considering the impact. he is not considering any young people apart from the very brightest.

Yes, and I will join you with that letter. Useless man.