Can anybody help me write a letter to the school PLEASE?

[SuperB0F]

I'm all up in my own grid with being upset about this and I'm finding it hard to articulate this, so I'd really appreciate any help.

I have tried calling on the phone, but I'm waiting for them to get round to ringing me back, and I'm worried I'll get over-emotional talking about it.

It's about sixth form provision.

My daughter hopes to do Maths at university, ideally Oxbridge or somewhere equally super duper, you get the picture. I know all MNers think their progeny are especially gifted, but really really she has a lot of potential.

To achieve this, she needs a top result in Physics as well as Maths.

The school has just converted to an academy, running its own budget etc, which is presumably behind their decision to not employ an extra member of staff...

The A Level physics class has thirty five pupils in it.

There aren't even enough seats!

I'm gutted for the kid- their science results are shit anyway, and of course she is very insistent on not moving.

How do I change their minds?

I've gone from being ecstatic about her straight A* results at GCSE, and thinking she got a chance here to do well in life (God knows her background is poor and challenging in lots of other ways; I'll never be able to help her financially), to being raging furious and upset that the school don't seem to give a shit about supporting their students.

How on earth do I word all this? Please please can somebody help?

oh BOF, that sounds awful.

are there any guidelines as to optimal maximum class sizes for A level? maybe try talking to some admissions people at other sixth form provision to see whether they would give guidance on this?

I hope you can get this sorted - I can't even begin to imagine that many pupils in an A level class - my largest was 6 (in fact, my whole year was only 40 odd people!).

the main reasoning is surely that there are not adequate facilities for all of them, since they do not even fit into the lab all together (and not like you can just switch rooms for science)

That's ridiculous! Surely other parents must be angry too?

Sorry, no advice but sympathy.

I think the OFSTED guidelines say no more than 25

I just feel she has been so badly let down.

Dear Sir,

It has come to my attention that DD's physics class currently has 35 pupils. You may be aware that DD wishes to study mathematics at an Oxbridge University, which is a course that requires a high grade in physics, and I believe that the size of the current class would have a detrimental impact upon her grades.
I hope that this is a temporary measure, as (teacher's name) surely isn't able to ensure that every child is given the guidance that they need in order to achieve exam results which would reflect their true ability. I hope that this matter is resolved quickly.

Yours sincerely

Thanks, Sybil

More ranty though, do you think? Talk of having to withdraw her? MP, press? I need to really put a rocket up their arse.

I understand your problem but, even if the school agreed with you, where would they magically find an extra Physics teacher at this time of year.

Any idea of the average fall-out rate at half term or even the end of Y12?

Does Physics have something similar to the FM network.

Y12 classes do tend to start out bigger (35 is extreme!) and naturally reduce in the first 3 or 4 weeks as students drop out/switch subjects. If, by half term, there are still 30+ students being taught together the the school really needs to look at splitting the group into two. Hopefully they'll already be thinking about doing this but I like LadySybil's letter above - school's response should tell you about what they intend to do in the long run.

They may have lost a teacher and are trying to recruit one. You're better off with the nicey nicey approach (first), just so until you can work out what's going on.

Chill (easy for me to say I know).Of course she has a chance to do well in life .She's made an excellent start with her string of A*.Well done DD . I would've thought it might be best to make an appointment to go in and discuss your/your DD aspirations and aims with the Head/head of Science . If you think you're going to be over emotional is there someone you could take with you ? I've no experience of sixth form yet so I can't advise on class numbers however if there are 35 kids who've done well enough in GCSE to take Physics AS I would think it's teaching quality and pupil motivation to do well rather than class number that's more important.
You say science results are shit ? Is this backed up with results or emotion?

I think Lady Sybil's letter is a good start. Talk of withdrawing her or involving the press at this stage is a bit dramatic - after all, what if you do withdraw her from the class? It will help solve the class size problem for the school and your dd loses out because she has to choose another subject for AS.

I'd ask for a meeting so you can ask what their intentions are. If you're still unhappy, I'd move her pronto.

There aren't enough physics teachers. Realistically, if a second class were to be made, it would likely not be a specialist, which wouldn't be great either.

I really don't think A level classes should be more than 15 ideally, maybe 20. I'd be looking at another college, or rethinking physics. Are you sure it is necessary? Do they offer further maths?

What are the outcomes you would find acceptable?

Does the school usuall have this number doing physics, or have they be taken by surprise? Is the limitation teacher numbers? Or is it timetable constraints and/or lab availability?

www.ox.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate_courses/courses/mathematics/mathematics_.html no mention of Physics, just Maths and Further Maths.

sorry, no linky

It's a surprise to them, I think. The teacher they've got could do two classes if they got someone in to do his KS3 classes.

Head of Sixth Form called me back, I held it together (!) and calmly said my stuff, and she's going to talk to the head tomorrow and get back to me. I just feel so disappointed and powerless really. I wish I could do better for her, but I feel like I've failed her

I'd give it a few more weeks to be honest, when it comes to A Level (ime) students start dropping like flies when they realise the rules are more relaxed for them. A lot can't be bothered with the harder subjects, some realise 6th form is not for them and drop out, especially when it gets to A2.
When I did my A Levels, four of the local schools were joined together to make a Sixth Form Consortium, at the start there were about 800 students, by the end of year one that number had more than halved.

But, loopy, if she's chosen Physics she needs to do well in it. She's presumably chosen it because she's good at it and she shouldn't have to switch subjects in order to work towards an A*, they should be providing adequate teaching in this subject!

Bof, I wouldn't get into the Oxbridge thing first off - the point, surely, is that this class is not meeting the minimum standard, especially if they can't even seat everyone!

I'd make that point then add later that DD is extremely able and intends to try for Oxbridge. Not first off.

Oh, and she is doing Further Maths too, yes.

Cambridge: Essential A Level/IB Higher Level Mathematics and AS Level Further Mathematics
Highly desirable A Level Further Mathematics, IB Higher Level Physics, Mechanics modules
Useful A Level Physics

from their website

Thanks for all your help- I'm going to get into a hot bath and chill the fuck out for an hour, I think, but any more ideas will be gratefully received, and I'll come back to the thread when I've pulled my head out of my arse about this

What are the other colleges nearby like? I'd be deeply sceptical about a school (was this where she did GCSEs) who thought this was a viable plan, to be honest. Funding has changed over the past few years, and 6th form places don't fund as well as they used to, therefore are becoming less of a priority for schools.

The dropout numbers aren't going to have enough of an effect to help a really bright student - they will need to work consistently throughout the course for an A*, so stability is important.

Oh Boffy

I think I'd want to meet with the Head of Science and the Head and I'd also be canvassing other parents and trying to get a lobby going.