Sen inclusion + new GCSES=???

[Notonaschoolnight]

Is it just me that worries that their SEN (those with mild to moderate learning disabilities) child is spending 5 years in mainstream leading to having to sit a load of exams that they’ll most likely fail.

My child’s school had them sit one GCSE a year early to lessen the load for next year obviously I’m worried for Thursday, fingers crossed my child will get a 1 and I’ll be ecstatic as it’s a huge achievement for someone with their disability but if they don’t they’ll be so disappointed after revising for 6 months and trying their absolute hardest it’ll be heartbreaking to deal with their understandable upset.

It’ll also be very telling as it’s my child’s strongest subject so failing that there’s a good chance they’ll fail them all next year too and just the thought of that for my child or anyone else’s makes me mad

And yes I agree that there’s more to our children being at mainstream comp than the curriculum, but our children don’t give a shit about that as gcse success is all that’s drummed into them for 3 solid years :(

Light your situation is exactly what I’ll be in this time next year, which is why I started the thread yesterday not only am I worried for my child I’m sick to death and mad as hell of all the talk of the new gcse system and how difficult they are for nt kids and there isn’t the slightest mention of the effect on kids with learning disabilities surely there’s a massive problem that no one is acknowledging

DS has his driving test next month as well !

letstalk that's fantastic.

Fingers crossed for him

rogueelement thanks for your kind words, I just feel so sad for him.

notonaschoolnight I understand, no one seems to be acknowledging how soul destroying this can be. My son’s confidence is now at rock bottom.

My poor son has just 'failed' his gcse English for the eleventy billionth time. We now have more D grades or 3s to paper the downstairs loo. He gets 6s normally but in exams something weird happens. He's got two more goes at it until he leaves college. It is so daft. He is heart broken, as am I.

Huge congrats to those who have done better than expected. Big hugs to those who are disappointed as they are caught in the teeth of what the odious Gove has done.

Flyingarcher: sorry to hear your son didn’t get the grade. This s what I think is just soul destroying. With the best will in the world I don’t think my son will ever get the pass needed either & yet the government insist he retakes it until he is 18 therefore in my opinion causing him to be disheartened every time & & feeling crap. How can this be right?

lightattheendofthetunnnel - I could have written your post. I am so sorry. I don't know what to do next. I knew we were not alone but people don't advertise the fact that their child has failed everything.

My heart is breaking for my boy - and all those like him. He knew he wouldn't do well but he really tried and he sat all those bloody exams for months! They went on and on - and he really tried and he hoped.

But he is now denied access to any form of further educaiton, (because he won't pass - he cannot do exams).

What are our options - really - this is shit.

There’s a video going around on twitter from a girl in a similar position petitioning Damian Hinds (Education Secretary) to do something for the pupils (the bottom third) who don’t get the 4s.

twitter.com/sarahlchick/status/1032686109342486529?s=21

Does anyone know what the penalties are for just not re-sitting? Given that if you HE, there is actually no legal requirement for a DC to even take GCSEs as far as I know?

The crapness and total stupidity of this policy for DC with SN would astound me if it wasn't for the fact it came from Gove, the total twat.

Gah I forgot to say the important but of well done to your DC, not! It really is an achievement.

For all of us with DC who's results/achievements didn't reflect their effort, it's so hard isn't it. The brave look and wobbly lip of my DD trying to shrug after seeing her E (A level student not GCSEs) after she spent hours each day revising, was heartbreaking. And yet an E for her is brilliant and we have treated it as such, whilst trying to acknowledge her feelings too. It's tricky.

Do you mean not resitting English and Maths, Exile?

It’s a funding requirement. If a pupil wants to study at college and they haven’t got maths and English the the DfE won’t fund their courses unless the pupil is enrolled on an appropriate maths or English course (GCSE for grade 3, approved stepping stones for 2 or below). The pupils don’t actually have to sit exams but resit results are published in the league tables so they tend to churn through as many as possible.

Also wanted to say congrats to those DC on this thread whose results represent a tremendous achievement even if not officially recognised as such. One pupil I still think about a decade on, I was so pleased when he got a G rather than a U. But also angry that he was forced to sit an exam that was totally inappropriate for his needs.

Yes noble, sorry I didn't make it clear. I suppose that would be the case for an apprenticeship/vocational course at college too. I've just read that around 80% of pupils who fail the maths/English GCSE first time, still leave FE without ever passing. You would imagine that would put them off studying for life, rather than motivate them.

Well I failed maths O level and I did 7 years of study as a mature student and have a professional qualification. When you are a bit older, entry to courses can be a bit more flexible and my English was ok so I went down the arts route and avoided maths like the plague!

There clearly needs to be a rethink on functional maths and English which builds up confidence and is useful for every day purposes rather than further study. Maybe a series of modules without a final exam?

Given that if you HE, there is actually no legal requirement for a DC to even take GCSEs as far as I know?

Funnily enough I have actually been considering this course of action (HE) for my DD who is about to go into year 11 - would that be madness? what would the implications be? If she doesn’t have any results to put down on paper then she can’t be judged on them. She has many other strengths and qualities but because of her particular SEN academics/exams is not one of them.

You can now apply to to MAs without even having BAs. HE is a buyers' market atm.

there isn’t the slightest mention of the effect on kids with learning disabilities surely there’s a massive problem that no one is acknowledging
It is educationally and morally inexcusable. It's conscious cruelty. to all affected by this.

When I look at what was achieved in educational rights for SEND students post Warnock and is now being reversed, I am appalled.

Painted Horizons Thanks for your kind words. He eventually came out of his bedroom yesterday. It has been a horrible weekend. I have got him a Tutor at the cost of £25 a week which I can't really afford but the very thought of going through the last couple of days all over again....well I just don't want to think about it. His confidence is already shattered, I can't imagine what he will feel like if he fails again and then knowing he has to re-sit yet again! I think it's just disgusting.