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Secondary education

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Original poster

school hasn't completed the GCSE syllabus

147 replies

jacobibatoli · 27/05/2015 20:32

recently found out that dc has not completed all aspects of the syllabus for GCSE
school is hot on uniform, discipline etc.., and quite right too
and the parents need to do their bit, support the school and supply dc to school in correct uniform, attitude etc...
and if not there is a whole raft of punishments available to them and quite right too!
but in return we expect the school to do their bit like cover the whole syllabus or if not at least tell us so we might be able to do something about it
accountability is just a one way street

OP posts:
Phineyj · 27/05/2015 20:36

Have you checked with the school? Did your child miss any lessons? Does she/he have a textbook or revision guide? In the days of the internet and easily available resources - BBC bitesize etc, this may be easily sorted assuming it's not a critical piece of coursework or something. I can understand it's annoying, but focus on filling any gaps in knowledge first!

Phineyj · 27/05/2015 20:37

Ignore what I said if exam has taken place - not clear from your post.

TheFirstOfHerName · 27/05/2015 20:42

I think that Y10 and Y11 can be expected to supplement class learning by doing some self-directed learning, for example some reading within a topic area.

However, I would not expect them to miss out an entire topic.

Which of these scenarios do you mean?

TeenAndTween · 27/05/2015 21:00

What subject?
Something like History - inexcusable.
Maths - fine for lower sets taking the higher paper.

Original poster
jacobibatoli · 27/05/2015 21:10

subject is GCSE Maths and dc has not missed any lessons
I do agree with "that Y10 and Y11 can be expected to supplement class learning by doing some self-directed learning, for example some reading within a topic area"
but that is supplementary, the school should cover the syllabus
I am not very happy and am trying not to be a precious parent of a precious dc
I just think it should be unacceptable, but it is not

OP posts:
Original poster
jacobibatoli · 27/05/2015 21:16

the subject matter is not so much of a problem, it is finding out that it has not been covered in time to do something about it like using bbc bitesize as suggested etc..

OP posts:
titchy · 27/05/2015 21:25

With Maths it will depend on the class. No point whatsoever teaching A* material to a cohort aiming for B or C grades. Better to consolidate the B and C stuff, and maybe teach the top few some A topics just in case they do better than expected.

Original poster
jacobibatoli · 27/05/2015 21:39

that may be a fair point, but not applicable in this case
and I presume you are referring to the cohort of students (not teachers?)

OP posts:
TheFirstOfHerName · 27/05/2015 21:41

With Maths it depends which set they are in and which paper they are taking. As other posters have said, for a C grade student the priority will be on securing the C and consolidating skills needed for that, rather than spending time on skills needed for an A*.

Which topics were missed out, OP?

titchy · 27/05/2015 21:45

I meant the class....

Original poster
jacobibatoli · 27/05/2015 21:50

it was the A* stuff, without going into details

OP posts:
ravenAK · 27/05/2015 22:02

Are the group setted?

If the group contains potential A students, then the A stuff should definitely be covered - albeit possibly in voluntary extra sessions if there are only a couple of them (this could happen in a small school, especially if taught in mixed ability groups - normally a top set will contain quite a few A* 'prospects').

If it's a set where the entire range of targets is B-C, say, then entirely reasonable to consolidate the skills appropriate for them.

PenelopePitstops · 27/05/2015 22:04

Depends on the groups target grades.

Basically what raven said.

No point teaching a* stuff to c grade kids.

Original poster
jacobibatoli · 27/05/2015 22:12

Groups have been settled all year and it is the top set and the group does have a good number of potential A & A* students

OP posts:
noblegiraffe · 27/05/2015 22:14

I'm a maths teacher. Only a minority of students will actually be taught the whole maths syllabus, it's not like other subjects.

ravenAK · 27/05/2015 22:15

That would trigger a few questions, then.

To be fair, every school I know is struggling to put competent warm bodies in front of Maths classes, but someone should be overseeing what's going on.

Ask to speak to HOD?

noblegiraffe · 27/05/2015 22:16

Ah, if it's a top set with A* kids in it, then they should have done the lot.

Does the school have a mymaths login? Working through the A-A* booster packs should cover everything.

PenelopePitstops · 27/05/2015 22:16

So you are being deliberate obtuse.

What is the issue and give specific examples that relate to your child specifically.

Charis1 · 27/05/2015 22:17

How on earth did your child come to be in a position of not knowing she hadn't covered something? She should be monitoring that for herself, it isn't unusual, particularly if a teacher has been ill, but by this age students should be capable of keeping track of what they need to cover, and what they have covered.

titchy · 27/05/2015 22:18

Has your child been identified as a potential A then? Maybe he or she isn't felt to be quite secure enough, and the few A students have had a few extra lessons you're not aware of?

Original poster
jacobibatoli · 27/05/2015 22:32

PenelopePitstops I am not trying to be obtuse or oblique, I am just trying not to broadcast too many identifying details that's all
Charis1 I agree and that is how I found out, but too late in the day and that is partly dc's fault
and I would have thought a potential A would been taught A* stuff
an A in the mocks should warrant that

OP posts:
titchy · 27/05/2015 22:36

Maybe the A in the mock was only just an A, and teachers felt it was better to consolidate the A topics and be a secure A in the real thing, than spending time on A* topics and risking that they didn't quite 'get' both groups of topics well enough and they end up with a B?

titchy · 27/05/2015 22:38

Mine is in exactly the same position by the way and I'd far rather she spent time on A topics to guarantee the A, than risk it all trying to get the A*.

ravenAK · 27/05/2015 22:45

There's a really big gap between 'potential A' & 'realistic hope of an A*'!

I'd be awfully surprised, what with pressure on teachers to hit every single target grade, if the A prospects weren't being taught the A stuff.

However, if your dc & the overwhelming majority of the group are more like 'likely a B, A with a following wind', I can see that it might be covered in small group extension sessions for the genuinely A* candidates, & consolidation of A/B during timetabled lessons.

Have you checked with dc re: whether extension sessions are/were on offer?

LynetteScavo · 27/05/2015 22:49

DS is in the same position with maths....luckily I got a tutor for him, and hopefully just in time.

At parents evening his maths teacher said "Thank heavens, I can teach 30 children everything!"

TBH, I wouldn't have known, if tutor hadn't pointed out DS didn't know a couple of things.

It's put me off DS doing maths for A level at that school, although I very much want him to stay there for 6th form, and he wants to do maths Alevel.