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Secondary education

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

Tutoring or online resources for gcse?

2 replies

SusanWalker · 25/08/2018 17:13

Would year 10 be too early to start? DS has autism and anxiety and hasn't achieved more than 50% attendance for the last three years. And even when he was in he spent a lot of time just sitting in the sen department, rather than attending lessons.

He only started properly attending science lessons last year. Despite that his science teacher thinks he's naturally very good at science and could get a 6 or even a 7 if he attends all his classes for the next two years.

He will likely need some tutoring in English too. Probably not maths as he is really talented at that. I am also thinking that if he fails to attend school full-time again this year he will at least be doing something.

He plans to do maths and geography a levels, with possibly biology or environmental science as a third. He is very bright. He had home tutoring through the hospital service because of his anxiety for a while last year and all his tutors were adamant he could and should achieve this. But he is not going to get there without his gcses.

I just want him to not slip through the cracks and end up losing out because of his autism and mental health.

I also don't want to put too much pressure on him because of his anxiety. That's why I'm wondering whether starting in year 10 would be better because he can spread it out over two years, rather than just hoping for the best this year and then panicking next year because he's missed another year of school.

So if anyone has any advice or recommendations i would really appreciate it. I live solely on benefits so am not too flush for cash so please bear that in mind.

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TeenTimesTwo · 25/08/2018 17:57

If you can afford it, there is a lot to be said for starting earlier I think.
Maybe you could find tutors able to come every other week? So English one week and Science the next?
If you are on benefits presumably your son qualifies for Pupils Premium? Would the school be at all flexible in employing (i.e. paying for) a tutor for your DS? Worth asking via the SENCO maybe?

SusanWalker · 25/08/2018 18:20

That's a good idea. I do think he'd be better with an actual person. I doubt I'd manage to get anything from the school. It took months to get them to agree to pay for the home tutoring. To be fair they tried and failed to get him an ehcp so I think a lot of his pupil premium goes towards his one to one TA that he has in quite a few of his lessons.

I keep wondering whether I'm panicking a bit but a new head took over at the school last year and a large amount of staff left at the end of last term which is a bit worrying. Apparently the SEN department is being cut to the bone.

Even if he decided not to do A Levels, if he's got at least 5 fairly decent gcses he's got options.

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