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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSE option refused by school

64 replies

Twella09 · 21/05/2021 22:40

Hi, my DD is in yr 9 and has had her letter confirming her GCSE options. Her letter states that school aren't running Philosophy & Ethics and that she will need to take Spanish instead. She's really disappointed as she loves the idea of Philosophy & Ethics but doesn't want to take Spanish. She has spoken to one of her teachers and he has said there weren't enough people wanting to take P&E so the course can't be run.

I'm livid as school have encouraged the children to choose GCSE subjects that they are interested in as it's hard work and having an interest in a subject goes some way to making it easier but then go and do this to her. I'm also suspicious as the school is a specialist language school and their decision feels convenient for them!

I'm planning to get in contact with school on Monday to discuss our disappointment/anger and try to get the decision overturned but feel they'll just keep rolling out the 'under subscribed' line. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to get the best result for my DD?

Thanks
Tx

OP posts:
GreyhoundG1rl · 21/05/2021 22:42

They won't run a class with one pupil in it. Does the time table allow for her to take something other than Spanish?

JoveWhenHeSawMyFannysFace · 21/05/2021 22:43

I’m not sure you can make them run a course that they don’t have the numbers for, but if your daughter doesn’t want to take Spanish it would be worth finding out what else is running in the same timetable slot in case there’s something she’s more interested in.

HeddaGarbled · 21/05/2021 22:44

I’m not sure you’ll get anywhere with P&E if there aren’t enough students to run a class, but you could ask about alternatives other than Spanish.

Nightbear · 21/05/2021 22:45

Is she already taking a modern language?

Starlightstarbright1 · 21/05/2021 22:46

If she doesn't want to do spanish what else woukd she want to do... If they don't havr the numbers it won't run zo might be worth fighting for next best option.

ineedaholidaynow · 21/05/2021 22:46

Have they run that course before? I don’t think they will run it with a very low number of students wanting to do it

bonbonours · 21/05/2021 22:47

Was Spanish her back up option? In our school they have to put down four options of which they should get three, and it specifically states that they must be willing to take any of the four, although they are put in order of preference.

Dd1 put down art music and film studies as her top 3 but got drama (her 4th option,) instead of film studies as not enough chose film. The same year Spanish didn't run as not enough chose it (main MFL were French and German, Spanish would have been a third language).

It's disappointing but I can't see that complaining to the school is going to help. They can't justify running a course with a very small number of students. Especially if Spanish was her back up then you can't argue. If there was no back up option there may be some leeway to request a change to a different subject that is running. But remember the school are timetabling for hundreds of kids and dozens of teachers and simply can't always please everyone.

HercwasanEnemyofEducation · 21/05/2021 22:49

They won't run it with not enough students, basic economies of scale.

Your best bet is to find out what else is in the same option block with Spanish and see if she prefers any of those to Spanish.

MissKeithsNeice · 21/05/2021 22:50

You're livid, and suspicious and have framed the situation as one in which the school goes and does this to her

Wow.

tiredanddangerous · 21/05/2021 22:50

You won't get the decision over turned op. The school can't run a course with only a couple of students.

GreyhoundG1rl · 21/05/2021 22:53

Don't make a fool of yourself expressing your anger, op.

Just tell your dd to check whether the her time table allows her to choose an option other than Spanish.
If it doesn't she has to suck it up, like all the others who didn't get all their first options either.

HercwasanEnemyofEducation · 21/05/2021 22:55

I'm planning to get in contact with school on Monday to discuss our disappointment/anger and try to get the decision overturned but feel they'll just keep rolling out the 'under subscribed' line.

It's not a line, it's literally the truth. If you want P&E as a guaranteed option, go and pay for it.

MrsPsmalls · 21/05/2021 22:56

Could she look into taking it as a private candidate? She cant make the school teach it obviously, just as the school can't prevent her from doing it.

Original poster
Twella09 · 21/05/2021 23:02

@bonbonours

Was Spanish her back up option? In our school they have to put down four options of which they should get three, and it specifically states that they must be willing to take any of the four, although they are put in order of preference.

Dd1 put down art music and film studies as her top 3 but got drama (her 4th option,) instead of film studies as not enough chose film. The same year Spanish didn't run as not enough chose it (main MFL were French and German, Spanish would have been a third language).

It's disappointing but I can't see that complaining to the school is going to help. They can't justify running a course with a very small number of students. Especially if Spanish was her back up then you can't argue. If there was no back up option there may be some leeway to request a change to a different subject that is running. But remember the school are timetabling for hundreds of kids and dozens of teachers and simply can't always please everyone.

Spanish wasn't one of her back ups so I'll frame our discussions around choosing one of her 2 back up subjects along with discussions about what's timetabled, if anything, in the same slot as Spanish. Thanks
OP posts:
MisgenderedSwan · 21/05/2021 23:03

I wanted to study Italian GCSE. The school ended up not running it as it was under subscribed. I found a course at night school and ended up studying it there and getting a B in the exam. Is night school an option for her. I don't think you're going to get anywhere with school, it's impossible for them to run an undersubscribed course.

Original poster
Twella09 · 21/05/2021 23:03

@GreyhoundG1rl

They won't run a class with one pupil in it. Does the time table allow for her to take something other than Spanish?
I'll have that discussion with them. Thanks for drawing my attention to this option. Smile
OP posts:
GreyhoundG1rl · 21/05/2021 23:04

Your dd should have a list of the option blocks, op?

Original poster
Twella09 · 21/05/2021 23:06

@Starlightstarbright1

If she doesn't want to do spanish what else woukd she want to do... If they don't havr the numbers it won't run zo might be worth fighting for next best option.
Thanks, you're right Smile
OP posts:
DenisetheMenace · 21/05/2021 23:06

This is why we left our school and went to sixth form college.
Have you looked elsewhere?

OnceUponAThread · 21/05/2021 23:06

Very surprised by this. At my school P&E was the (broader GCSE) equivalent of RS. Legally all schools have to offer RS I believe? If they're offering RS and P&E I can understand why numbers are tricky, but can't she take RS and focus on P&E modules?

Original poster
Twella09 · 21/05/2021 23:08

@MisgenderedSwan

I wanted to study Italian GCSE. The school ended up not running it as it was under subscribed. I found a course at night school and ended up studying it there and getting a B in the exam. Is night school an option for her. I don't think you're going to get anywhere with school, it's impossible for them to run an undersubscribed course.
I'll look into that. Thanks for the tip Smile
OP posts:
Original poster
Twella09 · 21/05/2021 23:09

@OnceUponAThread

Very surprised by this. At my school P&E was the (broader GCSE) equivalent of RS. Legally all schools have to offer RS I believe? If they're offering RS and P&E I can understand why numbers are tricky, but can't she take RS and focus on P&E modules?
They don't run RS just P&E which surprises me!
OP posts:
Original poster
Twella09 · 21/05/2021 23:11

@MrsPsmalls

Could she look into taking it as a private candidate? She cant make the school teach it obviously, just as the school can't prevent her from doing it.
Thanks. I'll check if we can do this Smile
OP posts:
Hellocatshome · 21/05/2021 23:12

Did they not say with all the options info that courses may not run without sufficient numbers they usually do. I would question why she can do her other options but its probably a timetable thing.

Goodtohear · 21/05/2021 23:13

Similar happened to dc1 - however when they couldn't run a course because of poor uptake all dc concerned were given a minimum of two options to choose from and a 1:1 meeting in order to discuss the best option for them. I'm not sure you could do anything about the course they are not running however you could ask what other options are available.