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

Yr9 Unhappy with options.

36 replies

Optionschange · 03/03/2023 14:48

My daughter is in a grammar school where they do a 3 Yr GCSE.

She had to choose her options in yr 8 and them started them in yr9. She really hates one of her subjects. She is autistic and very "black and white" about things. I encouraged her to give it longer to settle in and ita not got any better.

She wanted to change to another subject.
She checked with the teacher, with people doing the course etc and the subject is a direct swap. The class She wants to move to is smaller.

She is a diligent student and I've said as a teacher myself I will catch her up.

School is refusing. Is there anything I can do about this at all?!

I hate that they had to choose so early and initially thought subject B was a better choice but didn't want to interfere.

I have no idea how I will get her thru 2.5 years of this. She is so cross as she can't see why. (I think its a blanket "if I let you we have to let others/too late)

OP posts:

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 04/03/2023 09:07

Optionschange · 03/03/2023 19:23

Oooh reasonable adjustment. I need to work out why I'm asking for it in relation to autism. Longer to make a decision/realise her interests?

She wants to swap from RE to Astronomy. She should have taken it originally. It's been one of her "special interests" and we've been to stargazing events with her, planetarium etc. I am guessing she was nervous to jump into the unknown.

RE in yr 7/8 (what she did of it -covid) was the ethics/Buddhism stuff which she enjoyed. She would like philosophy. We told her she wouldn't like the gcse/it's emphasis in Christianity... and that's exactly what's happened.

Its just taken her a while.

The new subject teacher seems keen (teachers her physics) but says it's upto the SLT....

I dont speak to the SENCo but her Sen pastoral worker completely agreed with me - but can't advocate on her behalf. She's agreed that being autistic she sees things in black and white and unfortunately has now shut down from RE completely (because she thought she could move.)

I stupidly didn't realise they had to change so early. I guess in my head they still had 2.more years like a normal GCSE so didn't think it would be a problem

She's now asked if she can just drop a gcse then and do 9..m

I would speak to the SENCo- it's worth a try! If you can get the SENCo to advocate for you, sometimes things that pastoral/SLT will tell you aren't possible can happen (or at least that's the case at most schools I've worked at).

In terms of reasonable adjustments, perhaps you could try:

The prospect of an unknown subject was more daunting for her than the average student.
She had fixed ideas of what RE would be like at GCSE and found it difficult to understand it would be different without studying it for a period of time.
She is less able that another student to just "suck it up and get on with it". You probably want to phrase this better, but talk about her being shut down in class etc.
Related to 3- School is already harder for her than an average student- not academically, but socially etc, it will be more stressful for her than average. Therefore, it would be good for her to reduce her stress around school in any way possible.

The member of SLT has cited "fairness" and opening the floodgates to everyone, but fairness isn't always treating everyone exactly the same...

gabster33 · 04/03/2023 09:10

I know that astronomy is taught at my friends son special school as it grounds the kids in the ways of the world - how it was created, etc. helps them see their place in the world. RE is the opposite. I definitely think you can go with reasonable adjustments, Psychological harm if she continues RE. (I am dreading that mine has to take it as it's compulsory in her school - antiquated - much).
Good luck

Original poster

Optionschange · 04/03/2023 09:13

Post Apocalyptic that is fantastic thankyou.

I have all these ideas in my head but not the words and that really really helps.

In my work life I'd have no problem advocating for someone and just going for it but I'm aware how emotionally charged this is for me and seem "frozen" in being able to write something.

The Sen pastoral lady said there was nothing she could do - I havent had many dealings with the actual senco and dont have his email address but if this letter to the deputy doesn't work I might try that.

Thankyou all so much. When there's a muddled in your head and there's somuch riding on expressing yourself well in a letter it feels quote overwhelming!

I think I will say if she has so many people wanting to change now that shows choosing in yr8 hasn't exact worked - but then go on to say why I think my daughter should be am exception.

I feel so uncomfortable with all this (quite rule driven myself) but can see how unhappy she is and yes to all the points above re autism are so her.

OP posts:

Original poster

Optionschange · 04/03/2023 09:15

Gabster that's a great way of putting it.

How long is too long for the letter I'm going to send?!

I dont want to get any of it "wrong" about autism or misrepresent her but the comments you are all making are so right. She is super clever but she is also autistic and everything comes at a cost.

OP posts:

Original poster

Optionschange · 04/03/2023 09:17

I think I do want to include "distress if she continues" but not sure how to phrase that. It may be because she has already checked out and doesn't see why she should do it.

OP posts:

handmademitlove · 04/03/2023 17:16

I would suggest that there is 2.5 years to go of the rest of their GCSEs and if this becomes a battle ground it will distract her from her other subjects just when she will need to be able to concentrate. Every time she goes to a lesson her self esteem will be knocked - and in students with additional needs this is hard enough without adding to it with constant reminders of how she can't cope with the lesson!

Original poster

Optionschange · 04/03/2023 17:41

Handmade that's a really good point. I'm going to try bring it all together in an email tomorrow.

I'm so frustrated on her behalf that her doing the research and the straight switch wasn't enough.

OP posts:

Postapocalypticcowgirl · 04/03/2023 19:40

Optionschange · 04/03/2023 09:13

Post Apocalyptic that is fantastic thankyou.

I have all these ideas in my head but not the words and that really really helps.

In my work life I'd have no problem advocating for someone and just going for it but I'm aware how emotionally charged this is for me and seem "frozen" in being able to write something.

Thankyou all so much. When there's a muddled in your head and there's somuch riding on expressing yourself well in a letter it feels quote overwhelming!

I think I will say if she has so many people wanting to change now that shows choosing in yr8 hasn't exact worked - but then go on to say why I think my daughter should be am exception.

I feel so uncomfortable with all this (quite rule driven myself) but can see how unhappy she is and yes to all the points above re autism are so her.

I really hope it helps- I can't understand why straight switches into non-full classes aren't possible in Y9, regardless. Fair enough if it was at this stage in Y11, but honestly they won't have missed that much content in a term and a half in Y9.

I know it's a bit different but I've had students swap into triple science at this stage before, and they manage fine (I know that's different to a whole new subject but... )

Original poster

Optionschange · 04/03/2023 19:46

I know I don't really why she can't group of over 20 into group of 12. Straight swap...

Other than others want to swap but even then taken on own merits and if a class isn't full why not!?

I feel like they're digging their heels in so don't want to antagonise but on the other hand 2.5 years in such a wrong choice (She has history as well and is such a science student really...)

OP posts:

Original poster

Optionschange · 05/03/2023 20:44

Right so about to write the email.

How long an email is too long!?

Hoping it goes okay.... I feel so nervous!

OP posts:

Original poster

Optionschange · 05/03/2023 21:46

I am also aware her SLT may be on here. I haven't identified the school and all my thoughts I have expressed here are the same as I have expressed via email. I hope if anything if they are randomly reading this they can see where I am coming from!

OP posts:

Flip

1 2