With an A at GCSE DS can't enter A level subject because the class is full. What could I do?

[HisMum4]

DS with a statement didn't meet the offer on results day, but did after the remark of the paper. He lost his place in Physics A level. Currently he started 6 form and can only do 3 AS, one of which, German, he would like to drop. The original plan was to do Physics. This is needed for engineering career and university options. With 3 AS not including Physics he will be at a disadvantage for UCAS applications even for pure Maths degrees and will not have any flexibility/room for maneuvre in the future.

What could I do about the class being full? I might put a complaint to the governing body. But what levers could I pull. Any tactical suggestion?

Some students might drop out so he might still be able to get a place. Could you ask his 6th form about the chances of that happening? Don't know whether getting a tutor would be realistic?

As I recall, this has been an ongoing saga! Your DS seems doomed at this school! You should be able to talk to the SENCO and maybe the sen Governor immediately. Do they discriminate against all pupils who have to wait for a remark? Also see if you can get help from the Parent Partnership in your area. There seem to be barriers put in his way all the time! Schools can often be flexible for one extra, especially as they knew he wanted to do Physics and were insisting a B was not high enough. What did they say would happen after the remark? What policy do they have on admitting children into the 6th form after a remark and when do they consider a class is full? How is this determined? What class sizes have they had in the past? I would get into school as soon as you can.

Why can't they create an additional class? What questions should I ask? They sertainly have enough teachers. They do have class sizes of one on some subjects. They could split the total pull into two smaller classes. They have two Biology classes.

Agree with previous poster: did the school say that they would definitely let him take Physics after the re-mark or was this only if there was space available?
Is there another AS subject that he could take e.g. Computer Science or Electronics instead of Physics.
You could try having a private tutor to start the AS Physics course with him, so that if another student drops out, the school cannot argue that it's too late for him to join the course as he's missed too much work.
Would he be able to take AS Physics in Y13 at this school?
HTH

They wouldn't be able to create an additional class at this late stage, it would be impossible to timetable now. However, there is no legal limit on class sizes at sixth form so they are saying they don't want to make the class bigger. Why not? How big is the current class? If under 30 I don't believe there wouldn't be physical space.

The longer they fob you off the more likely it is they'll then say it's too late for him to catch up work missed.

Normally their classes are 30. Are there real reson why 31 is too big? Could they squeeze one more apparatus in tha lab?

It wouldn't be a problem for a classroom based subject, but it is probably the lab work that is the difficulty.
The school would probably say that to comply with Health and safety requirements, the maximum number of students that can be fitted into a lab at this school is 30. Apparatus may not be the issue: schools and colleges do need to comply with health and safety risk assessments and other legal frameworks for safe working in laboratories.
Some teaching unions would like a lower pupil limit for practical work around 20 pupils and this would still apply to schools and colleges with smaller labs.

If he wants to do engineering and can't do physics a level I'd be looking at different sixth forms....today!

Most 6th form classes are less than 30 so see if you can find out how many are in the physics classes - as mentioned above, the labs will be able to take up to 30. Good luck.