Moving down a set in year 9 triple science to double..

[MadameDefarge]

School has moved ds down a set. All fine and good, and he is happier in the second set.

My issues are, primarily, not being informed of it. background ds bright but dyspraxic. Science teacher at end of last year consultation confessed he had had no knowledge of this until DS had told him, hence plateauing all year. DS needs scaffolding to enable him to access the curriculum in high note taking subjects.

He has since achieved a level leap to get his end of year 9 target in one half term.

I know I should speak to his teacher. But I guess my question is, is only doing double science going to hold him back when doing uni applications? Do RG unis expect triple science as standard?

I don't think he is going to want to go down the science route for tertiary education...

hum.

anyone?

Not even LaQueen???!!!

My DS, now in his third year at uni studying a stem subject only has double science GCSE, he then went in to take 2 of the 3 sciences at A level.
So no, it hasn't held him back, or stopped him studying A level science, or getting 5 uni offers.

HTH

Tbh if your DS has a good list of GCSEs he would rather study and would do better in, than why waste a choice on a third science that he will never use.

No they don't unless he wants to do a sciencey subject and even then it won't be a disaster. Better to get top grades for a double science than less for triple science

I'll tell you in two years time when my dyslexic DD1 does her university applications. Not that her current plans are RG because she wants to do something specific and I'm not sure any RGs run her course.

Yes DD1 does want to do something sciencey and she would have got A at triple, she has an A at core and looks very likely to get A* for additional. She only didn't at core because of a tawting CA.

I don't like CAs, she has C's for English ones done when she was 14. I thought exams were meant to show your ability at 16!

Its more the rubbish communication so I was out of the look that irks me, especially with a child with LDs.

So far he will doing English x2, Double science, maths, stats (this year) ( again, no discussion of this), history (again decided between history and geography without communication with me) Spanish, then two choices from two colums when options are discussed.

It just seems like the critical options are being decided without any input from the parents at all.

loop, not look. gah!

Your DS has 8 strong academic subjects there, will he get a chance to do a more fun/ practical GCSE such as drama/pe/resistant materials?

But I agree that the school do seem to have handled together move badly and perhaps unnecessarily if your DS is doing very well at the subject. I think it's definitely worth raising your concerns.

He will do drama (he adores it, and it has really helped his confidence, especially with the verbal dyspraxia...learnt lines are fluent, unlike his normal speech).

But then he has to choose just one other subject, so will have to choose between ICT and all the the others.

My eldest DD who has double Science was applying to the most competitive universities to study Natural Sciences four years ago when the demand for places was at it's highest and most competitive and she got offers. She was advised that keeping up two languages and two humanities and demonstrating breadth would make her just as attractive to universities as sacrificing one or the other for triple Science at GCSE, and if she did go for medicine particularly, it would be viewed positively that she had take a wider range of subjects. Then a string of As and A*s at GCSE was essential, but even that seems to have relaxed this round. They will be more interested in predicted grades etc.

thanks shooting. Two MFLs aren't on the table (and he struggles with that because of the verbal dyspraxia anyway).

But nice to know he won't have doors closed to him.

I suppose I am assuming that on applying to uni they will take into account his dyspraxia. He is a very hard working boy and is always being cited as a role model for other kids. (checks dna result again!).

I suppose I just want his choices to be based on his desires and hardwork, not because they are thwarted by his LDs.

I am doing this round with my dyslexic dyspraxic daughter (did French but the oral was a write off). I already know from my own experience of returning to university that universities now are very good at providing support even if I didn't bother to get formally assessed (shutting the stable door long after the horse has bolted ). Even so my tutors and supervisors could see the signs and were supportive (the literature Prof did cover my first piece of work in red pen but then once I apologised and it came out in conversation, he withheld his pen which I know must be purgatory for a literature Professor!!!!) It is all so much better understood in universities, and indeed our off the wall individual way of thinking is appreciated. They assess students and their needs via their own tests and the support and equipment available is fantastic.

However I am very impressed with what we have seen at all the unis she has applied to.

I am quite surprised their Ed Psych report does not go off with the application so all they have to go on is the box having been ticked and any mention in the PS (she didn't) and school reference (where they only referred indirectly in terms of her hard work and her ability being beyond her modest realisation).

Anyway it is all going better than we expected with several good offers already.

That's interesting. I think DS needs to be assessed by an Ed Psych. This has not happened yet, the diagnosis came via private assessments pushing OT/paed assessments via gp.

Oh the hoops!

We did have to have a new assessment done recently for the UCAS process to meet the university requirements, she had one in Year 5 and one in Year 9/10 to confirm entitlement to extra time (and then we had to use the scores from the latest assessment to reinforce the case for extra time because Gove has had the goalposts moved ) but I am not sure exactly what universities require. I am sure it depends on the exact nature of the SpLD. My DDs main problems have been with literacy and it is only with the latest assessment that the Ed Psych linked up some of her symptoms to Dyspraxia.

That is shite.

MmeD I don't think just doing double science will hurt at all. It looks as though he's doing 10 subjects in total and that's more than enough, especially if he has some LDs too. Far better to focus on what he's good at. The communication sounds very poor though - does the school not hold options consultation sessions with parents before any of this is decided and then talk it though with you and your son at a final parents' evening.

I think if I were you I'd ask to have a meeting with the Head of Year or Key Stage to make sure that all his needs were being met and his preferences taken proper account of. Go with some little cards noting the key points you want to cover and to support your son rather than moan at the school.

Good luck.

supposedly near. But the stats was a done deal before I even knew about it (he wont even be 14 before he takes it) the choice between history and geography seems to be based on their desires before options are even an option. Ie. His tracking now shows history and no geography tracking.

I met with the head of learning, ie. senco and talked through my issues. to be fair, they have been fantastic in supporting his LDs. Its just the communication that is shit. They don't have head of years.

It is a new school, and this will be its first gcse year...