Dd refused GCSE class need urgent help

[Izzywizzy75]

My dd is year 10 secondary education.
During year 9 assessments took place in order to allocate placements for relevant GCSE subjects. In May 2013 straight after these assessments the sch decided on whom who be in the btec class and who could be in the gcse class. My daughter scored below the threshold to be able to be out into the gcse class so was placed onto btec in this particular subject.

The classes were made up and started to learn in separate classes of btec and gcse before they broke up for summer in July 2013. They have now been running for 8 weeks in total.

At the end of the year July 2013 further assessments were carried out and my dd scored a much higher mark , a level that was sufficient enough for her to be in the GcSE class.

My dd has only been at the school since oct 2013 ,therefore it is possible that as she wa not fully settled and that she had previously come from a full time drama school where the academic subjects were not prime concern in some ways that her true ability was not realised in the first round of assessments in may 2013. By July her level had improved greatly.

As I was not aware of her new levels until the test marks were sent home In july i did not voice my btec concerns to the school during end of year 9. It was not until then that I realised and so did my dd that she was definately cabable of being in gcse class. Fellow pupils scoring lower marks had been placed into gcse.

At this point after a discussion with me at home and upon my advice My dd went to see her subject teacher twice and told her that she didn't understand why she was in btec , and that she wanted to do gcse and that she should be able too as she had scored above the level threshold in her more recent test. My dd tells me that the teacher agreed and said she would look into it. It was then the end of term for summer.

In sept at start of year 10 I asked dd what was happening and had she heard anything. Then as she hasn't I called the school 2.5 weeks ago to investigate myself. I spoke to the head of the subject whom said he knew nothing about DD wanting to be in gcse and that it was too late as the class was 5.5 weeks in.

I informed him that she had scored highly enough to be in that class and that he should move her immediately. He asked me to write in. I did.
Two weeks later I contacted the head about not hearing back and now 8 weeks in he finally writes back to me still saying that dd can't be moved as too much time has passed. He stalled for 2 weeks. Also because I should have contacted him back in may and that the teacher whom DD spoken too says she has no knowledge of this conversation whatsoever.
This is not true and the discussions where in front of the whole btec class whereby my dd clearly asked to go to gcse.
Over half the btec class has now been moved up to gcse because their parents complained before the end of the summer term. I did not because it was not until July that I realised they had been wrong and that dd had scored much better in tests and I asked my dd to talk to teacher.
I feel that my dd has the potential to be in the gcse class and te school know this as her level reflects it. They have fobbed me off with a letter to say that she will achieve a distinction in Btec, that no concerns were raised a d that it is too late.
My dd needs her science gcse in my eyes it is a basic core subject that nowadays a student cannot afford to leave school without if they are cabable of doing so. If there was a good reason for her to be in btec science I would understand.
Sorry for the essay please let me have any views thanking you in advance. I'm going to call an urgent meetingg with the schoo tomorrow.

[TheFallenMadonna]

It is not in the school's interest to enter a child now for a BTEC if they are even in shouting distance of a C at GCSE. Not at all.

[Izzywizzy75]

Thefallenmadonna...what do you mean? Do you think they think she won't get a C so don't want to risk it?

[Izzywizzy75]

Her end of year exams got her a mark that was higher than some
Of her fellow pupils who are in the gcse class.

[Izzywizzy75]

She shad only been at the school for 1 year this October.

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Putting kids in for btecs is one way that schools bump up their results. Dh is a teacher & reckons even in music it's not good preparation (can be a different matter post 16.

My dd has just started at full time perf arts school by the way but she will take 8 gcses including maths English double science & a language.

[Izzywizzy75]

Yes picturesinthefirelight..I think this is all down to stats and results, the whole bloody thing!
Hope your dd likes her performing arts school, that's my point my dd would have left with more academic gcse there than at her current mainstream school at this rate.

[TheFallenMadonna]

I don't know. That's why you need to speak to the Head of Science. Our lower ability students do BTEC Science. We have found it significantly increases motivation and actual science achievement with those students. However, a BTEC is not a GCSEequivalent (although from this year's year 10 on, there is an exam component which is not disimilar to a GCSE paper, and I think that changes things with respect to vactional subjects).

In terms of the school's results, they would be better off with her doing GCSE. If she is doing any other vocational subject (ICT for example), then only one vocational subject "counts" towards a whole raft of measures. Schools which have gone to town on vocational subjects for lots of students have seen their headline measures go down.

Only your dd's teachers can explain their decision really. I hope you get a good resolution.

[Izzywizzy75]

Head of science is telling me wonderful my dd is and how well she will do in a btec...and what opportunities can come from a btec and that it can lead to many other btec courses...i think he is missing the point!! I feel like telling him to shove his btec up his backside (of course I won't) he states that he feels it wil not be in my dd best interest to change now - I am fed up of people thinking they know what's best for my dc's I've been to hell and back getting support for my boy with asd and I expect it will continue throughout school life I'm not afraid to fight for something as normal and deserved as a gcse

[Izzywizzy75]

Thefallenmadonna my dd is not lower abled. She should not be in that class. Her end of year exam mark showed this. the other students are lower abled. that is fine, why should my dd be in there. Thankfully she does not have a learning disability or impairment of any kind. Her end of year exam showed this. I don't know why she didn't achieve well in her previous one. There is no problem with levels in any other subject at all. Previously or in the end of year exams. The teacher she first raised her concerns with in July even said she is right she should not be in btec with her recent grade.

[Izzywizzy75]

Also I think I will call ofsted tomorrow and get their advice.
Thank you everyone for your input its been very much appreciated .

[cartoad]

Can you also arrange to see somebody like a head of year or year tutor as well if the head of science is being bloody minded about this?

It's also worth working out exactly how many hours worth of lessons and homework your dd has missed. It's not like she has missed 8 solid weeks of work - say they have 2hrs of science lessons a week and an hour's homework, that's 24 hours to catch up on, which sounds much more achievable than 8 weeks. And some of the homework will be going over what was done in class. Plus of the work, how much will your dd have covered in the btech class - any overlap? Has every class been packed solid with learning stuff - first lesson might have been spent sorting out books and names etc so nothing to catch up on. Could your dd look at a friend's notes to see what she thinks of it and if it is clear and therefore she will be able to pick it up faster than the time it took to teach.

I would also turn their arguments against them - if your dd is doing so well at the btech then there is no harm trying the gcse and if she is really struggling by Xmas then she can go back to the btech class and won't have problems catching up there, so she has nothing to lose and everything to gain. Whereas if she doesn't even try it then she has everything to lose.

I would also be asking if they will be moving the children that scored less than your dd did in the summer back down to the btech class if they don't score too well or will they be allowed to struggle on - in which case why is your dd not allowed to attempt to struggle iyswim? And if they do move kids back down then obviously it won't be a problem for your dd to move up and then down if she can't cope. (not saying that she won't, just for argument's sake!)

You're right to point out their failings in not listening or even remembering to you and your dd earlier. Sounds like they are using attack as the best form of defence to hope that you back down. They should certainly be treating all kids the same when it comes to reviewing scores to placements for one thing fundamental like this. And if kids are new then they should be double and triple checking over time to remove any biases that may cause.

Good luck - sounds like you have a battle on your hands but it's definitely worth going for it.

[Izzywizzy75]

Thanks carload I like your response. I have thought about asking them for a trial period. Like u say she has nothing to lose.
.one of my dd friends score a good score in the may tests when they allocated the gcse class my dd missed out on however In the end of year exam she scored lower and was actually lower than the original threshold they had put in place to be put in the gcse class but she has not been moved out of gcse into btec.
They should be treating them all the same and they have let all the kids that wanted to be in gcse move up but mine, I think this is because I didn't raise the concern until recently only my dd did. But if they let one kid in coz they did better in the end of year exams then they should let on mine too. You make a very good point on how much work 8 weeks actually is.
Thx

[Izzywizzy75]

Sorry meant cartoad not carload...silly auto text

[cartoad]

Thanks OP

And how did it go today - have you managed to get your dd into the science class?

I was just wondering - do you know if they physically have space for her in the class? Are there limits on class sizes like there are in infant schools (sorry, still at the lower end of primary school here so no idea about senior school stuff). Might they be using that as an excuse not to bother moving your dd?

[sashh]

OK I may get flamed for this, if it is single GCSE science then she might as well do BTEC and get a high grade.

It is very difficult to swap after so many weeks (yes I know that is not your daughter's fault or yours)
If it was double/triple science I would not be saying this.

What does she want to do after GCSEs? If she wants to do A Levels then GCSE science can often be done along side.

If you have the money then there are options of correspondence courses or tutors, the school should allow her to sit the actual exams as an 'external candidate' - that way she does not mess up their figures.

I think this is a case of looking medium to long term so that at 18 she has GCSE science, in the scale of things that will matter more.

[TeenAndTween]

Another point which may help your argument.

From what I have seen so far of DD1s y10 double science, it is quite modular, in as much as it is not massively cumulative, and can be taught in a variety of orders (except perhaps Chemistry, though DDs school is starting with Physics and Biology).

So your DD may be able to fit right in to the course having missed out a couple of topics, which she can then 'catch up' in her own time.

[Izzywizzy75]

Sorry not to have come back to you sooner...I did finally get it sorted and thank you all for your help as it made me stronger. The head said she would investigate and look into my Ds other grades. She called me next day to say they had made a mistake and Ds should be doing gcse science she is targeted all b's in her gcse target grades! So happy

[JulieMumsnet]

Hi, Izzy.

Would you like us to sort this out for you? Please do report your post if you do.

MNHQ.

[Izzywizzy75]

Oh that was a mistake. I didn't know how to delete it. Yes can I have name removed pls if poss. Thx

[JulieMumsnet]

Hi, Izzy.

We've done that for you.

MNHQ.

[cartoad]

So glad to hear that it's all worked out ok for your DD - hope she's enjoying her new science classes and not finding the catching up too onerous!