Year 9 options

[Sparkies]

Hi

Just wanted to get some advice if possible :-)

Ds has just been informed that he can't do two of his GCSE options. The first one is due to lack of pupils - which is totally understandable and fine so has picked his backup option.

The second one is a bit more of an issue. He wanted to do computer science and the school have vetoed his choice as it is a subject they can now pick and choose students. I have spoken to the year head who has agreed it would be perfect for my son (he programmes in his spare time at home and has for years) but the head of department has said no. When I asked why he started going down the grades route until I pointed out he did actually make the grade in maths and science (the two subjects which he says he judges the student) - he then agreed to testing My son with a logic exam which will "prove if he has got what it takes" but he was not hopeful as "some children can do this and some can't" - this does seem to be more of a "we don't want him" then capacity - yes there has been some issue with his current IT teacher and my son and his has lead to a formal complaint being made (it's a long story but teacher lied twice which was caught out both times over situations as well as some other issues _ it is a bit complicated - and no, my son is not an angel but in this case it was agreed by the school that the teacher was at fault in this case (after the head of department defended the teacher - up to it being proved DS was in the right)

Ok longer post then planned and if you got to the end thanks!! Just wanted to ask best way of going forward with this.

I appreciate that this is frustrating for your son OP. However if I were in your position I would be looking at alternatives - I would need to be confident that the department would teach my child well and that they would be treated fairly by their GCSE teachers. This doesn't seem to be the case in your ds school.

It’s a tricky one but do you realise that the new Computer Science GCSE has no programming in it now? It is now 100% written exam (until at least 2020) and only has problem solving algorithms in Paper 2 that resembles a form of programming? Before you take this further, just research the syllabus and check your DS would still be happy with it. Ironically, computers themselves don’t feature much in the current syllabus-it’s all theoretical now, hence probably your HoDs worries.

According to this, published on Friday, schools are still to be required to include a non-exam task in the curriculum from this September, although the candidate's grade will be based entirely on the terminal exam

www.gov.uk/government/news/gcse-computer-science-assessment-arrangements

"Students may be given a choice of which non-exam task to complete by their exam board. The tasks support the curriculum requirements for the course, notably the opportunity to develop the knowledge, understanding and skills involved in programming. Schools and colleges must, therefore, confirm to their exam board that they have set aside the required amount of time for students to complete a task and given them the opportunity to do so.

Teachers will be able to use the non-exam task to consolidate students’ understanding and programming skills in a practical context. While the exam boards might change the conditions under which the task is completed and/or give a greater prominence in their exam papers to questions drawing on students’ programming experience, students’ grades will be based on their exam performance alone."

^ We has this with the current Year 11s too so we’re expecting this. An absolute farce. It means in real terms though, that students who previously enjoyed extra curricular programming tasks through Scratch or Codecademy or Gamemaker, Code.Org. Minecraft, Rasperberry Pis etc etc will be penalised by this, as it doesn’t actually count in their grade. In the OP, the DS was asked to complete a logic test (which is a huge topic in the theory exams) which probably means that this student may be weak on the theory, maybe not.

I have been teaching GCSE Computing since the 2010 pilot and the new GCSE 9-1 Computer Science and the students who struggle with the most are the ones who spend huge amounts of time ‘programming’ at home and think that they know more than they do and reaching out to them is tough.
The OP’s DS may well be nothing like this but the HoD might just be trying to check this before the DS wastes two years on a course he thought was something else. I have had too many students shocked at how little time they spend on a computer and shut down/disengage as a result.
Pretty much every CS teacher I know is extremely angry with OFQUAL and the exam boards on this but realistically, because the grades are so heavy on paper based theory, it’s wise to check exactly what the qualification entails before entering in to a fight with the HoD (and a CS teacher the OP has little faith in-justifiably)

Agree with all the above - be really sure this is going to suit your DS before getting into an argument with the school over it. I also would be wary of doing a subject with a teacher who is reluctant to take a student. DS put down computer science as an A level option but is seriously considering switching to another subject after seeing the way things have panned out with the GCSE!

oh gosh, that's awful about the new GCSE!
Does that apply to those who finish in 2019, too?

Not only does no actual programming mean they leave with fewer skills, it leaves them with a more creative more fuzzy way to do the exams. Won't suit DS at all. Arrrggggh.

Thanks for all the reply's so far!!

In regards to the curriculum and lack of programming - that is something I will look into again to see if that is the case with this - I was lead to believe it was a final project and exam but that might have changed.

In regards to alternatives - from his "lists" the only two other exams he could take are History and Geography and the teachers in both have said they are not confident he would do well in either (one point blank saying no not this subject)

Will wait to see how he does in this test - also to add I do see where the HoD is coming from in regards to not wanting him to spend 3 years studying to achieve a bad exam result but from my point of view I would rather DS was challenged, do his best and have a chance to beat the test - if he did not get the mark then at least he could say he tried his best and put his effort into it - then spend three years on a subject he truly hates and end up not trying, that would be a waste.

Plus side also just been informed the course that was undersubscribed for year 9 for creative IT will be running as a year 10 and it looks like he will be on that one.

Again thank you for all the reply's so far!!

Tbh, I'm not sure how the document to which I linked, or the direct quote from it, indicates 'no programming involved in this course'? Indeed, there is reference to resources which would previously directed towards moderation of the NEA being diverted towards ensuring that schools are actually devoting time etc to the task set and that students have actually been given time for it, so if 'Teachers will be able to use the non-exam task to consolidate students’ understanding and programming skills in a practical context', how are those programming skills to be acquired? Have schools been told that only DC who learn / practise programming outside of school may be allowed to take the GCSE?

Yes, I understand it as doing the programming skills and the 20 hour task - just that the task doesn't count for the final grade. Originally it was supposed to be part of it. One of the papers requires knowledge of programming but not writing a programme.
Good news about the creative IT course, though!

Have schools been told that only DC who learn / practise programming outside of school may be allowed to take the GCSE?

In theory no, but having just gone through the current Year 11s doing this (for all exam boards) the amount of students switching off and not bothering has been awful and it’s been a mad rush to try and fit in the time to teach the enormous amount of theory that will count and many students have hated this (just like LooseattheSeams DS)

Let’s be realistic here, getting teenagers to do things that won’t count is like pulling teeth and if the OP and DS thought it was something else...

Incidentally, the 20 hours can only be done from the September in Year 11 and I’ve just seen that the OP’s DS is in Year 8 choosing a three year GCSE so that will be two academic years before he gets his ‘chance to program’ anyway (even then it isn’t as much as you think as physically programming of code is only 25% of the project. The rest is writing up an Analysis, writing out a Design with flowcharts and pseudocode, documenting tests and writing a long evaluation, so still little direct programming)

My point being (and probably not well made) is that being really good at programming won’t be the path to a great grade-problem solving and computational thinking will be key through the use of pseudocode yes. But those who have programmed using the many step by step sites will find this a hard (and often boring transition) and the HoD may be trying to heck the course is suitable first.