Do any schools let them change GCSE choices at this point?

[FiveHoursSleep]

DD1 has just gone into Y10 and has come home saying that one of her choices (PE) is not what she thought it was going to be.
I was not keen on her doing it in the first place but she assured me she would be able to cope physically. Now she finds herself in more pain than she thought she would be, and has realised it may be a mistake.
Also some of the information she was given about the course appears to have changed ( this may not be the case, I have to check).
Anyhow, she's now decided it's not for her, but the school are saying she has to stick with it as they can't change subjects at this point.
I was wondering if this is the case for all schools, or if anyone's child has every managed to change a subject at the beginning of Y10?

Ask as soon as possible.

She won't be entered for the exams until part way through year 11, but she will be missing work in whatever she swaps to.

DD1 changed to AS level music at the October half term, and still did very well in the exams, so no reason why she couldn't catch up, with some hard work.

My boychild started school last week to find that instead of computer science he had been put in for art GCSE. He hates art and has no talent for it. After discussion with school he is now doing business studies with the option of swapping to computing if someone drops out (if he wants to)

She is hypermobile and frequently strains and sprains things, and has documented anxiety that we've tried to get some help with. Right now she has a painful knee that we are waiting to have investigated.
She's told me to leave it now but I really want to let them know I'm not happy.

Hmm, it's trickier when your daughter just wants to leave it.

I'd still make gentle waves if you can - along the lines of asking the PE teacher what reasonable adjustments they can make for your daughter's hypermobility and tendency to injury; and whether they have found that others with this condition have nevertheless achieved good results at GCSE.

Keep it adult to concerned adult, asking whether your daughter is realistic in her ambition to do well in their subject despite her undoubted problems.

I'd avoid phrasing it as you aren't happy. Schools don't have to make parents happy. You probably also want to avoid mentioning anxiety to a sports teacher as they tend to think Sport Cures All.

LOL re sports teachers. This is very true.
Have sent another email off to head of GCSE ( she didn't answer the last one) asking for clarification on a few different points.
I really want them to know that I'm not going to just shut up and go away.
I've also learnt a valuable lesson re letting your kids choose GCSE subjects.
DD2 is starting to make noises about want to do art, but she's dyspraxic so no way!

If the other courses are full and there is no room for another person in the classroom then it will be hard for her to drop.
It would be exceptionally poor to say to her to "have a free period and go to the library" - apart from the supervision issues, it would set a terrible precedent for others.

hypermobile family here so I sympathise with her and actually if her hypermobility is bad then it could cause her terrible problems. Get to the GP and ask for a note if you haven't already got one confirming her diagnosis and the fact it can cause pain, make an appointment for the 2 of you to meet with the head/whoever else it is and say "look, this is the situation, she can't do it, we hadn't realised, were do we go from here?". It is there responsibility to ensure their students are healthy and safe and make the best possible choices. It is possible that she can't swap into something she wants to do, she might have to consider something she hadn't imagined, she might have to drop it all together (shouldn't be a problem if she goes to the library, I used to have to on my own at that age for a lesson as I couldn't do the active sport and due to arthritis I couldn't stand around outside in the cold) but they need to help work out a sensible solution.

DD changed subjects after the first half term. She had to meet with her teachers and give a good reason as to why but after that it was fine.

I am pretty sure DS's school would have let anyone change 2 weeks into the term. However, not all schools are that flexible.

Go and see them - it's worth a try.

FWIW, DS (who is really good at sports) is giving up PE after a year as he feels the theory part isn't being taught well enough and he would be better off doing less subjects - this will still leave him with 10.

My DD wanted to pick PE GCSE and was advised again it by the PE department.
My DD plays in team sports in and out of school, but is not a natural sports person (will never excel at sport), but enjoys being part of a team and tries her best.
We were advised that changes to the curriculum would mean that she needed to develop an independent sport i.e swimming or running and she would struggle to get to the desired level needed to achieve a good GCSE.
We were also advised that they need to have a good level of fitness and be able to build on this and evidence progress made.
My DD was upset at the time, but I am pleased that she didn't take a GCSE that was going to be a stress.

She still plays the team sports and enjoys it.

I know a few people who have been surprised by the demands of GCSE PE. It's a subject several of ds's grammar school friends have taken because they think it'll be a doss. Wrong!

It was considered at our school as an option for lower ability kids, but the school decided to go for a BTec instead.

The extreme option would be to change schools - not impossible at this stage although you may find that her entire subject choices have to change.

Dds school has just had a lot of new year 10s.

PE is a ridiculous gsce. Imo

Dd1 was national level in her sport, had a talent pathway training programme and got an a* on biology. Still only got a B in PE. The examiner who watched her compete for assessment seemed to know next to nothing about her sport and was unfriendly and patronising. I could never recommend it.

Treggle - it's the same for dance GCSE.

Dds school is a government designated centre of excellence for dance - children go from all over the uk & abroad.

But the school have dropped dance GCSE as an option for several reasons but one is that elite kids were not getting the marks they should.

Changing school not an option but GCSE head has come back to me with a 'You'll need a GPs letter' and by some miracle we have an appointment after school tomorrow!
We still don't know what she can change to but am hoping the school will give us some options very soon.

DCs' school allows changes up to the end of September I believe, for any reason (eg don't like it, not even a valid medical reason like your DD) and I think you should keep pushing.

And in my experience PE teachers are the most intractable, unempathetic sexist of the bunch. Totally put both my DC off sport with their inability to understand not everyone is a gifted athlete and their sexist body shaming. Grrr!

I can't really fault most of our school's PE teachers. My DD2 has ASD, has physical issues and a bigger body size but they have been very encouraging and had her doing a 'sport for people who are not natural athletes' program last year. She trained for and completed a 5K park run and got a sports award for it.
She doesn't hate PE (yet).
There is one particular teacher who is new to the school who gives me cause for concern. She is my DD1's form tutor and is taking the GCSE PE classes and is hassling her about wanting to change subjects. She is also the one not replying to my emails, so I won't be sorry to not have to deal with her at parents' evening!

Your a better person than me! I would be ensuring that I booked to see her form tutor and telling her how her incredibly non helpful response has impacted my dc.

My ds1 started his GCSEs in yr 9. He realised that pe was a mistake a couple of weeks in. At the time he was competing at his event nationally so was certainly capable of achieving a good grade.
He swapped in the October half term to computing, in order to make the timetable work he also had to move geography class into another geography class that fit the new timetable. The caveat was that he would catch up with both lessons(different topics) by Christmas.

Right, she's been offered History, French or RE to change to. Now to hope the GP is co operative.

Result, five!

Excellent news!

My views:
History - lots a facts to learn and sources to interpret
RE - waffley and own opinions but you do need facts too
French - cumulative knowledge, less revision but speaking element

Been to GP, he will write a letter ( for a fee) so she can change. She's going to choose RE/RS as she likes the teacher and her friends are doing it.