Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Moving dd out of school in this point of year 11 and doing photography gcse as a private entrant?

27 replies

PossumInAPearTree · 30/11/2016 16:46

I've posted before under a previous name about my depressed/suicidal dd and I really think I'm going to have to take her out of school.

Dd is open to this idea and would like to move to a different school to get away from bullies and try and make some friends as currently she has none.

What's worrying dd is her photography gcse. The potential new school don't do it. I know someone said previously about doing it as a private entrant. Is this really possible with photography when there's so much coursework. Dd says they're getting a new blank project book after Xmas but I have no idea what she would need to put in it. Are there any resources to guide me to what she needs to do? She is going to talk to her photography teacher tomorrow and ask as well.

OP posts:

RalphSteadmansEye · 30/11/2016 17:04

Do the new school have a photography dept at all? Offer it at A level? Might be possible to ask the art dept for their advice.

It's very late to move schools, though. Do you know about exam boards for English and science etc? Maths likely to be similar regardless, but texts for English v important as a core subject. And timetabling issues generally? Doesn't matter if she ends up with fewer GCSEs overall if it's around eight, but...

Your poor dd. Ds suffers badly with anxiety but beginning of yr 11 has been much better than yr 10 - so far.

RalphSteadmansEye · 30/11/2016 17:06

Or at least make sure she can take A level at the new school if she's wants to and save getting a qualification in it until then? She can just work on a private portfolio in her own time and concentrate on core subjects?

Original poster

PossumInAPearTree · 30/11/2016 17:07

They do photography a level so that's a good idea, maybe they could help.

I have no idea if the exam boards are the same. Is English just the main problem. Would science and art and graphic design likely to be ok even if she swapped boards? Geography?

OP posts:

RalphSteadmansEye · 30/11/2016 17:12

Geography content could be very different. English a real problem if different texts. You need to find out ASAP what boards and texts. Science likely to be similar content but not necessarily but possibly different style of answering questions.

Have you found out if she could do the same subject combinations?

RalphSteadmansEye · 30/11/2016 17:13

Graphic design is taught as a tech subject in some schools and as an art one in others. They're very different. Art not so much, I think.

Stillunexpected · 30/11/2016 17:18

Have you spoken seriously to the new school about moving? Moving at this point of year 11 is likely to be a disaster in every subject I think. There is far less course work and CA than there used to be but there is still some and even if all the exam boards are the same (which is unlikely and which is a problem in itself) some schools will have done far more of the CA work at this stage than others so not sure how they would plan on handling that. They may also be handling the topics in a different order so your DD may miss some parts of a syllabus completely.

Original poster

PossumInAPearTree · 30/11/2016 17:32

Not spoken to the school yet, it's possible they don't even have space or won't have her.

I'm aware it would seriously affect her grades. However she currently spends most evenings/mornings crying and threatening to kill herself. She says she spends a lot of time in lesson crying.

OP posts:

RalphSteadmansEye · 30/11/2016 17:39

Agree with Stillunexpected. Moving at this point in yr 11 is virtually impossible.

It may be possible to move down to repeat year 10 at either a private school or a state academy.

You need a meeting with current school ASAP to see what help they can offer - counselling, sorting out the bullies. And find out boards for each subject as well, but I doubt another school would be able to take her into year 11.

BlackDoglet · 30/11/2016 17:43

I know a girl who, last year, for various reasons, moved schools at Christmas of Y11.
Her old school allowed her to come back in May/June and sit her GCSEs in isolation so she took the exams from the board shed studied.
This might be an option?

BlackDoglet · 30/11/2016 17:45

Pressed (send) too soon!

You really need to speak to her current school and see if something can be arranged for her. Perhaps home-Ed for spring term where she can revise and just go in for exams?

PhilODox · 30/11/2016 17:48

Even if they offer same subjects, could all he different boards or different syllabi. Can her current school offer reduced timetable at all?

cricketballs · 30/11/2016 18:03

Unless you move into the area no school I know of would accept a new yr11 as it will affect their figures; we have done previously but they have officially stayed on original school roll (this is not a managed move as such but a favour between 2 schools to try and avoid a permanent exclusion)

bojorojo · 30/11/2016 18:09

I think moving schools would be difficult in y11. I also think Photography is not needed as a GCSE. You can do it perfectly well as an A level without the GCSE. I would just drop it. In your position, I would find a school that was willing to take her into Y10. I know this is hard, but it will give her the best chance. If she is crying all the time, has the school not noticed? What is being done to help? I think that some young people just don't fit in. So it is best to move on. I also think schools cannot stop low level bullying that becomes a way of life. It is very easy for children to keep picking on the same child and it is always the one who is different. There is plenty of evidence to say that children in a new school will not be any different. It is very unusual to get to y11 without gelling with anyone. Did she know anyone from her primary school who went to this school? Have you had children round for tea, parties, Cinema trips etc?

I would also consider carefully what you think a new school can do. Are the children there likely to be different? Education at home with tutors is unlikely to help at this late stage with all subjects. She may only get tutors for a handful of subjects. Have you looked into what she can get? I think I would start the subjects again in Y 10 in another school, but accept it may not be perfect.

Stillunexpected · 30/11/2016 18:11

I did wonder if a new school could refuse to accept a Yr11 pupil even if there was space? Interesting that cricketballs (who I presume is a teacher) suggests that they don't have to. OP, do you know how much of the syllabus your DD has covered in her subjects? Maybe Home Ed could be a possibility if she is near the end of the course and the rest of the time is to be spent revising and refining the knowledge?

Youcantscaremeihavechildren · 30/11/2016 18:19

Photography and art will probably have finished c w about now and will be starting the exam after Xmas, which is probably whathe the new project book is for. They'll be given exam themes to choose from which are exam board specific so after that point it will be very difficult to change boards, the main two are aqa and edexcel. They will probably accept any coursework done on any theme as it's not stipulated by the exam board what the schools do, just what it has to cover. Marked the same too. So if they do photography a level they might be able to help her out, or let her do it independently with you paying for entry etc.
You really need to talk to the school, they might not even have a place. Her current school really should be more supportive and accommodating though at this stage.
I would say that whilst gcse photography isn't 'neeeded' if it's something she enjoys (and it might be the only thing keeping her going) then it is important for her to continue.

Original poster

PossumInAPearTree · 30/11/2016 18:23

She's started counselling. I was in school only last week talking to the HoY and one of her teachers about all the low level bullying. They said they'd be keeping a close eye on it but she says she's still had it all this week.

Dd says the teachers see her crying but ignore her.

I think she's more upset about the lack of friends rather than the nasty kids. She could cope with the nastiness if she had friends.

She had friends up to year 9 and there was a big falling out. Those she was friends with don't talk to her anymore. She hasn't had anyone round for dinner or a sleepover or met up with anyone out of school for two years.

Guess she's just going to have to suck it up and carry on. I'm not sure about her being at home not going to school. I work and I'm not sure she's mentally stable enough to be left home alone.

OP posts:

dingit · 30/11/2016 18:31

I had awful problems with my Dd in year 11, and at one point she threatened suicide. The school dealt with the problem quite well, although I think that was for their benefit as well as hers as she was a straight A student ( cynical me)

I can't think of an easy solution, but if you can manage to get her to Xmas, then she will get a break. I assume she will be going back to mocks? Would the school allow her full study leave? Then you've only got to get her to Easter, when they go on study leave again. Dd had a maths tutor which boosted her confidence ( she did additional maths)

Dd then left all her 'friends' and went to a sixth form where she knew nobody. She loves it.

Good luck, I really feel for you both.

SallyMcgally · 01/12/2016 02:17

Just to send and empathise.. In same boat with DS1, who's in year 11 and has been in and out of school since year 9. He's done 2 GCSEs and will sit 6 this summer privately. He's v v low tonight. So hard to watch them. Hope your daughter feels a bit better soon xx

cricketballs · 01/12/2016 06:04

still I am a teacher and it's no so much we can refuse a place but every school I know of would make it very difficult

PlugUgly · 01/12/2016 06:16

Have been in similar situation with DD , my advice is get her out of there ASAP, it is so damaging for her self esteem, education is not the priority here, there are always ways and means to get her where she needs to be,
Wishing you luck, tell your DD she is not alone, she is not the first and won't be the last this happens to, and it really is NOT her fault, her life can and will change when she is away from toxic people

user1469682920 · 01/12/2016 10:44

Can't believe people are worrying about coursework exam boards and grades over a child's health - please move her if it is that bad. I was lucky, my daughter moved part way through year 10 so a bit earlier. Had to change exam boards and even one subject completely but best thing we ever did

bojorojo · 01/12/2016 12:48

I think the fact she has had no friends for 2 years is a major concern. Clearly these other children are seeing her as "different" and cannot see a reason to be friends with her. Could they not address the fall-out and get back to some semblance of normality? Does she speak to no child, all day, at school? What does she do at lunch time? Is she going to any clubs?

On balance, I think you do need to move her, to year 10 in another school, if you can. This lack of friends is a big problem. Does she do nothing outside school? Are there other friends from any other activities? Usually girls falling out does not lead to 2 years of not speaking. Have you really got to the bottom of what happened? Can no bridges be mended?

I am not sure that I believe teachers are seeing her cry and doing nothing. Is this really true or is she hiding in the loo? I think that children can easily hide low level bullying but I also think your DD may be hyper sensitive to it and it has taken over her school life. How resiliant is she? How well would she cope with changing to another school? This is not likely to be easy either. What does she think about such a move? In fact, what does she want to do? What sugestions has she put forward? As she has had no friends for 2 years, one would have thought moving would have been discussed far more quickly than this. Is there no-one in her GCSE classes that she talks to? My DD found a whole new array of friends when GCSEs started because they were taught in different groups from earlier in the school and new friendships formed. I am interested to know why your DD has not been able to do this.

I think you cannot afford to stand back any longer. Make a decision and go with it. Home tuition seems to be out, so another school looks like the best solution but you must get her to agree to this strategy, particularly if she goes into Y10. Plenty of foreign born girls are a year down in independent schools, so this is no issue with higher education.

RalphSteadmansEye · 01/12/2016 21:48

How's things today, Possum?

Original poster

PossumInAPearTree · 01/12/2016 22:26

She seems a bit better today, thanks. Had her first mock which went ok.

She does talk to other kids in school and has some who she seems to get on with but on quite a superficial level. Not anyone she feels she can arrange to meet up with, etc.

I picked her up from school today and we went into town shopping and as we got back to the car she said she's going to have the piss taken out of her tomorrow. Apparently a group of popular girls saw her with me so they will be taunting her tomorrow.

I do think she is probably over sensitive at times. But other stuff she tells me I'm not surprised she's upset.

She goes to a club on a Saturday but some of the girls from school have started going now and she gets grief there as well. There's a nice older sixth form girl in our village who goes to the same club and she says these girls are a nightmare and she's not surprised that dd wants to leave school because of them. She said dd could hang out with her and other sixth formers in the art dept which dd started doing but these girls followed dd and were shouting and screaming so much that the art dept is now locked at break time.

OP posts:

Original poster

PossumInAPearTree · 01/12/2016 22:27

I didn't ring the other school. I don't think they would take dd as they're very results focused and would probably freak at taking on an unknown so late in the day. Dd doesn't want to drop behind a year either. So guess we carry on.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2