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Secondary education

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Original poster

Would our son be allowed to retake year 10

34 replies

Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 19:20

Our Son has had lots of problems and has changed school a few times,he is currently due to have therapy which could affect him emotionly and educationally. His grades have gone down. We would like him to be able to retake year 10. The school says it doesn't offer such a thing. Does any one have any advice.

OP posts:
MyPelvicFloorTrainsItself · 20/06/2015 19:24

Can you afford to go private? This would be a possibility in lots of independent schools.

LIZS · 20/06/2015 19:26

Presumably he has started coursework towards GCSEs. Would he be able to transfer to a college which takes from 14? Unusual to retake y10 especially at this stage.

Original poster
Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 19:32

He is adopted so has lots of issues. I wouldn't like to move him again,the school he is at now is very good,the problems are with our son and not the school. He only started this school 6 weeks ago,hence so much catching up to do. His social worker also would like him to retake the year 10. Just not sure if we can oppose the decision of the school if they say no. They know that his grades have been affected due to moving school and problems that he has had. They know that he won't get the grades he is capable of because of so much catching up that he needs to do. He is also quite happy to retake the year,he wants to get good grades.

OP posts:
OddBoots · 20/06/2015 19:37

Do you know if this is something the school have said because they have a blanket rule of if this is specifically because the present Year 9 are the first year to do the new (probably harder) GCSEs so they think this may bring him even more disruption?

LIZS · 20/06/2015 19:40

Was it you who posted about the English exam syllabus recently! It might be because he would need to retake all the coursework and follow a new syllabus for certain subjects but if he has only been there half a term that doesn't seem to be an issue. Worth a try.

Whichseason · 20/06/2015 19:42

It will be to do with funding the school won't get paid for him when he is in year 11.

Original poster
Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 19:45

Lizs- no that wasn't me! He is going to have to drop a subject because there is too much to catch up on. He really needs to start from the very beginning again to give a chance of achieving well. We will try,but the school says if they do it for one,other parents may also want it for their children!! I don't think so unless there has been some major issues.

OP posts:
TheFirstOfHerName · 20/06/2015 19:45

Unlikely. DS1 has had a v.difficult Y9 and Y10 due to mental illness and has missed a fair amount of work. He is expected to start Y11 in September with his peer group.

SunnyBaudelaire · 20/06/2015 19:46

I thought they got paid for anyone under 19 ?

LIZS · 20/06/2015 19:47

Does the school have a 6th form ? If so now they receive funding to 19 as they have to be in education or training longer.

Original poster
Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 19:48

He is entitled to pupil premium though.

OP posts:
SunnyBaudelaire · 20/06/2015 19:49

there is still time in year 11 to get good grades...

Original poster
Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 19:50

Yes they have a 6th form but only accept the top grades.

OP posts:
Original poster
Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 19:52

Yes there is still time to achieve,it's just that the therapy will affect him and bring out a lot of negative things which could then have a knock on affect to his work.

OP posts:
SunnyBaudelaire · 20/06/2015 19:54

oh one of those schools is it?
does it begin with an F by any chance?
summerwood, without wishing to offend, do you think with all his issues, pressure to 'achieve' is going to help?
And if he has to drop, say History, does it really matter that much?

TheReluctantBride · 20/06/2015 19:59

another issue for the school is that he want sit his gcses next year as he is supposed to and so the school will get a pupil with no qualifications on their results which impacts on league tables etc. Not very fair on your son I know

Original poster
Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 20:24

He really does want to achieve though. I guess what will be,will be! We will just do what we think is best for him and if he can't retake the year it won't be the end of the world! Thanks for all your help and advice.

OP posts:
SunnyBaudelaire · 20/06/2015 20:25

good boy you have there summerwood - do not forget to remind that if he 'fluffs' any GCSEs he can retake later....

welshpixie · 20/06/2015 21:05

Would the school allow him to sit a lower number of subjects. In our school we have just done this for one student who had to move at the beginning of year 11. She has done 6 subjects instead of the usual 11, and has spent the lessons she is not in class self studying. It will depend if your son will work independently. It may also show the school that although he may have problems he is willing to work hard to catch up. Good luck.

Whichseason · 20/06/2015 21:14

They do get funding for under 19s but the goverment decided it was unfair that sixth form got the same amount of funding as an under 16 year old student when a college received less money so they reduced the money per student in sixth forms.

Original poster
Summerwood1 · 20/06/2015 21:41

Thank you everyone. Mumsnet people can be so friendly and helpful.

OP posts:
Essexmum69 · 21/06/2015 10:05

A friends son restarted year 11 in a state school after missing the majority of a year due to health reasons. He did not count in the league tables for his correct year group, as he had already been re-registered in the year below, so that is not the issue. The funding is also not an issue as children can be placed in the wrong year group if there is a good reason (summer birthday children who successfully get placed in the year below do not run out of funding once they reach year 11! )
Either this is the school concerned about setting a precedent, or it is connected to the change in gcse syllabus. Who is that has said no, HOY, headteacher, LEA or the governors?

Molio · 21/06/2015 10:19

Summerwood it seems extremely odd that the school won't consider it. From what you've said, it seems by far the most sensible option, especially if he's been moving schools during Y10. I certainly know that there have been students repeating a year at our school if there's been a significant need. If I were you I'd be fairly insistent that a proper conversation is had at the very least and at the highest level - it seems absolutely appropriate in the circumstances. The school is there to do its best by your son, and if his best interests are served by repeating the year, then that's exactly what should happen - no buts.

noblegiraffe · 21/06/2015 18:27

If he does repeat the year then he will be in the first year group to take the new, harder, English and maths gcses. The pass grade for these new GCSEs will be set higher than the current GCSE (more like a low B). If he is likely to be a C/D borderline pass, I would strongly recommend putting him through with his current year group so that he can take the old GCSEs. If he could drop some subjects to catch up in the important ones (pupil premium money could fund tutors), then I would seriously consider this over retaking Y10. Most schools will have already started teaching the new GCSE maths course in Y9 so he would have to catch up missed work there anyway.

pieceofpurplesky · 21/06/2015 18:37

There is a pupil where I work who is a year younger as they had lived abroad so it is possible. I have previously taught a child who was also a year behind (screws up the statistics at GCSE a bit). So it does happen - perhaps there is a possibility of a new school? He would probably find that easier too