GCSE "compulsory" subject. DS doesn't want to do it.

[sugarhopper]

DS is in top set for French at school. School says that if you are in the top set in year 9 then you HAVE to take French as one of your GCSE choices.

Now, while DS is good at it, he doesn't like or enjoy it. Top set of any other subject aren't forced into a GCSE, only the MFL classes.
Also doing French will mean he will have to drop one of his other options (probably Design & Tech or Computing) which he really wants to do. (Also, top set for these subjects)
I know we're going to have a fight on our hands over this, but any advice will be welcome.

@BCCoach nine of what you say is relevant though as there is no way this individual is planning to take French a-level and no one taking gcse French alone is going ti be able to attend an interview speaking French. It's a waste of a subject choice. I know bucket loads of Australian/NZ/South African computer scientists/engineers and mathematicians who don't speak other languages as it's not compulsory in their system. Is another language a fantastic thing to have? Yes. Is it worth taking in lieu of something else if more interest and related ti what the kid wants to do in future? Nope.

I would be the same as you OP and fight his corner. They are forcing your DS to do a subject he doesn't want to do for the benefit of the school, not the benefit of him.

I wonder about the role of education. Is it designed to widen knowledge and understanding of the world or to provide a filtration system for the rest of ones' life. A good school can do both but many really are like 'sausage machines' with exam results success being the holy grail. In this respect league tables don't help.

Let's not be patronising. The fact is that not doing GCSE French causes such little "restriction" that it isn't worth thinking about. You know this because the only example you can come up with is that a student with no interest in French won't be able to take a French A level or uni course.

Now maybe stop being so obtuse. 😀

Some kids don't do certain subjects/lessons for various reasons. A very serious vegan family has 2 children who sit out a large part of the domestic science curriculum, as they don't want them using the same room/utensils that animal products are prepared in/with. Or discussing the preparation of, so they don't do the theory side either. Some kids sit out various parts of the RE classes as the parents object to them learning about particular religious texts. Some don't do sport for various reasons.
When my nephew was at that school a few years ago, a family refused to send their daughter to German class because some of their family was killed by the Nazi's in WW2. (yes, really).

As long as he's on the premises, doing school work and not causing any actual problems I don't see why they'd have such an issue.

I've sent a message that I want to discuss this at school properly. I'll just have to see what they say before I make that decision.

👍

Well I am amazed to see the English so disdainful of foreign languages. Good thing you left the EU.

I voted Leave and I'm very much in favour of all children studying a foreign language if at all capable. Disliking the EU as an institution has nothing to do with seeing the value of studying other languages and cultures.

It would be interesting to know how many of those who voted Remain and accused Leave voters of being Little Englanders are on this thread denying the usefulness of studying mfl. One of the reasons for voting Remain was said to be so that their DC could go and work in any EU country.

I voted remain. I don't think studying MFLs are without value, but that it's overstated vs the value to this DC of studying CS and DT. (Technical skills are undervalued!). And also that forcing kids to do a non core subject they don't like rather than one they very much want to do seems foolish.

He is probably going to get in trouble for not going to particular lessons, so that's not a goer. If he breaks school rules repeatedly, they could sanction him for that.

Just discuss it with the school, and ask them what their reasons are for requiring French GCSE of the top set. It may or may not be to do with teacher availability. However, I doubt this a bit, if lower sets are allowed to drop it and do other things instead? It's not like all potential French GCSE students would drop French and do computing instead. It might be that they need a certain sized GCSE cohort to defend having x numbers of French teachers, and they have already planned their workforce taking into account this "top set must do French" policy.

But yes, just have a conversation with the school. They may well make an exception.

This school definitely fits into the sausage machine category. I really didn't want my son to go there but had no choice. It's rigid, unflexible and ridiculous. (No pencil sharpener? Detention. Fell over and ripped the sole off your shoe at lunchtime so put your PE trainers on? Detention. Wrong shade of blue in your hair scrunchie? Detention)

My older DC's went to a different school. They got an option to do a very different GCSE (won't say as even more outing than this thread) but I believe it's one of only a couple of schools which offer it. That's done them more good than any other GCSE because as soon as anyone spots in on their CV they want to talk about it. It's been the main talking point of every interview they've ever had and they stand out more. That school has way better results in everything, and is very flexible and willing to make adjustments dependent on personal circumstances.

Unfortunately it's so good that it is massively over subscribed now and reduced their catchment area, and as there was a gap between my last older dc leaving and this one starting there was no "sibling at the school" priority.

No, it isn't pathetic. The school have created this situation and this is one way to make the point that it isn't in the child's best interests.

The school position is pathetic.

Not my experience at all - these jobs are being handed out to physics grads like sweeties!

I have two adult children doing this - they were head hunted while still at uni, they have no interest in the area, and don't want to work there, and never even tried to get the jobs.

They are using them as stop gaps for a couple of years to get a bit of savings built up before embarking on other careers they hope will last a life time - this seems to be the attitude of most people that work in these companies, it is a few years stop gap. The companies know this and lay on extravagant incentives, etc to keep their employees as long as possible, but the whole work force seems to be under 25, people only stay a couple of years for a bit of easy money, socialising on expenses and young fun, before starting real adult life.

As you could with French if you decided you wanted that knowledge later in life too.

That would not be the advice to give to a child

They are unlikely to allow your ds as this opens the door for other kids to ask for the same.

They are also unlikely to accept your ds just not going to the class! If he does this he will be sanctioned for truanting. The school has a policy. They are not just going to roll over and say oh that's OK then if you disagree. Move schools if it is so important to you.

It will be months before final option choices for this Y9 are nailed down.

Before that, there will be at least one 'options evening' and one parents' evening to discuss this properly with the teaching staff.

Where did the information that children in the top set 'have' to do French GCSE come from? Is it official school policy?

You're right to back up your ds's option choices, but talking about having a fight on your hands and stamping your feet in reception is a bit ridiculous before you've actually had a proper conversation at the right time in the right forum about it.

Move schools if it is so important to you.

If there was another school to move to I would. As I've said previously, there are no other schools in the area.

Where did the information that children in the top set 'have' to do French GCSE come from?

School obvs.

but talking about having a fight on your hands and stamping your feet in reception is a bit ridiculous

I'm not going to go and actually stamp my feet in reception. I'm not 4. It's a turn of phrase. I'll sit politely until someone from SLT comes to speak to me. I'm not going to have a scrap in the lobby. I will stand my metaphorical ground and back up my kid's choices. French is not a compulsory subject. It was not in the prospectus as being a compulsory subject
(Meaning that at my older DC's school, they HAD to do RE to GCSE as it was a faith school. I signed up for that when I put them in that school). The only subjects listed as compulsory at this school are, as the government has specified.

And I want to re-iterate. I have no problem with French, or any other language. My issue is that my son is being told he HAS to take a GCSE in a subject which he has no interest in, and which he doesn't want to do. My stance would be the same if he were being told he HAD to do history/IT/Art etc

You might find there's no option. Timetables are not infinitely variable. That might be the only lesson on then.

Given they're only imposing this on the kids who are top set for French at the moment, that seems extremely unlikely. A kid could be similar to the OPs DS in all other respects and therefore wouldn't be forced to do French rather than another option they preferred.

If French isn't a compulsory subject, the school is unlikely to 'make' your ds do it, are they?

If you focus on the issue ie that French isn't a compulsory subject and your ds doesn't want to do it, rather than conflate it with the fact that you don't like the school very much, I think you'll find this can be resolved quite easily.

Understood, however, there are over 250 kids in the year group, currently split into 2 groups. Group 1 does French, Group 2 does German. If they make the 2 top sets do GCSE language, that leaves around 190 kids who are doing a different lesson. It's a big school so there should be more of a chance for my DS to slot into a different subject.

@christinarossetti19 If French isn't a compulsory subject, the school is unlikely to 'make' your ds do it, are they?

School have said it is compulsory for the top set.

As some other posters have said, it sounds like the school are trying to push the IBacc thing. Which I think the kids, after sensible discussion should be able to decide for themselves, whether to do it or not, and not have it forced upon them.

My DD did GCSE French, my DS isn't doing it. (Same school) They have learning pathways and have completely different subject / timetable pathways so I would be surprised if it was as easy as just 'slotting into one of the other classes'

Oh, and he didn't get to choose a different subject, that was dictated as well.

Lots of schools don't do "pathways" tho @Topofthemountain. Schools I worked at and schools my DC attended, for example. I find it hard to believe they couldn't slot the OP's DS into another lesson - what if he were not in the top set? As I understand it, he would then be allowed to choose DT (or whatever) instead of French? Or choose French? seems a bit unfair tbh.

My dyslexic DC was told they had to do French as they were in top set and were doing the EBacc.
After much arguing the school decided they could run an Art class in addition to normal school hours (that was what DC actually really wanted to do). DC failed French spectacularly (they were never good at it) and passed Level 2 BTEC Art and Design with Distinction.
Not sure what the school are ever expecting to achieve with the forcing of all top set students to do a Modern Language but certainly in my DCs case it was pointless.