School suggested DS might benefit from repeating Y10 on a different pathway.

[WatchingPaddingtonForThe400thTime]

DS is currently Y10 he’s doing a standard combination of English x2, maths, science x2, German, geography and food tech.

He’s been really struggling this past year - grades and behaviour deteriorating. (Gone from getting 4/5s to getting 1/2s and based on KS3 should be aiming for 6s). I’ve been called into school I don’t know how many times, he’s been re-setted in some subjects, moved forms and spends a lot of his time in detention or time-out. He started going to the horticulture/gardening after school club and that’s the only day I, or the school, have no issues with him because he knows he will miss gardening club because of detention.

School offer an “outdoors” pathway. This is usually offered to children who cannot access full mainstream education for a variety of reasons. (It’s a mainstream state school not a specialist school). On this pathway they do English, maths and ICT as GCSEs or functional skills, and science and food tech as GCSE or BTEC. In addition they do RHS Level 1 in practical horticulture, Level 1 or 2 John Muir Outdoor learning award, Arts Award bronze or silver, and C&G Level 1 Land Based Studies. This pathway also integrates geography, statistics, PE and PHSE/RE into the projects for the other subjects as AQA UAS awards with the potential to take 1 (or more) as GCSEs.

Everything is geared towards project based outdoors/practical learning with some classroom time. They have 6 hours ‘traditional/more mainstream-type’ classroom time each week for English and maths and the rest is outdoors/practical or in the classroom analysing projects results or learning the theoretical side of the skills required to apply to outdoors learning projects or in science labs or cooking ect. The aim of this pathway is really to teach everything in as applied/practical/integrated way as possible including the core subjects.

I’ve been mulling this around in my head for a few days. Half of my thinks this will really suit him and give him that 2nd chance that he really needs. I also agree with school in that it could really engage him in education again. However, half of me things this is not a good idea and he won’t get any GCSEs. Advice needed.

Appreciate that was a bit of a long one, so if you got to the end, thank you!

ucreaseheath.ac.uk/ucr-courses/access-to-higher-education-land-based/

My school did something similar over 40 years ago, which was very progressive at the time involving Outdoor learning, gardening and also car mechanics. Most went on to have good careers in landscape gardening, farming and practical type jobs like trainee plumbers. My own son in law struggled terribly at school with dyslexia and got no GCSEs but he has incredible practical problem -solving skills. I think we need to start valuing different ways of learning and intelligence within schools. I wish all schools could offer things like this. Good luck to your son.

Hello! Just remembered I completely forgot to update - time and life has got in the way with half term, Y10 mock exams (thankfully only in English, Maths, Science and Geography!) and making arrangements for the next school year.

Yes, in a nutshell, DS IS going to be doing the outdoors pathway next year.

He loved the taster day. He went on one the Wednesday before half term. He enjoyed it, he seemed very happy, but wasn't quite so sure. A tiny bit of gentle persuasion and we organised him a second taster day, well taster few days, at the end of last week from Wednesday to Friday. We didn't have a single behavioural issue on those days. I have never seen him come home from school so happy and talkative. He was talking about what they did on each of the days most of the evenings and into the weekend - gardening, looking at biodiversity in a forest, they did some geology and looked at rocks and minerals and how they are used in daily life, they did some soil testing and plant biology and some PE. I asked his whether he had done any English or Maths and he said "Yeah, but it wasn't like proper English and Maths, it was ok" From the sound of it, it was 'proper' English and Maths but it was applied to what they had been doing that day, so on one day it sounds like they were writing an article on minerals and (his words) "we just check each others spelling and if we had used other stuff from a list and use a highlighter if it's there or write something in if it isn't" (which after my later enquiry turned out to be a list saying 'noun', 'adjective' etc). He even admitted himself that he felt like he had learned something at school for the first time ever. He decided that was what he wants to do next year and said that if he did that pathway he can maybe do one of the courses or training schemes he has found.

Therefore, school and us have come up with an arrangement. He is going to have a transition period into the outdoors pathway. He will be doing 2 days in the outdoors pathway (with the current Y10 on that pathway) and for the other 3 days he will be following his normal timetable with a few tweaks. German has gone completely from his timetable due the the 2 days on the outdoors pathway and the one lesson left on his timetable has been replaced with a small group learning support session for literacy and English (which is part of looking into and potential SEND). This is all subject to further 'tweaking' but we shall see how it goes.

In all of this I have found only two downsides. One being that the school would like him to sit the GCSE mocks next week with the rest of his current year group so they can gauge where he is, although they have said there is no pressure and he is just to go and try them (doesn't stop the stress at home though unfortunately).

The other downside is that I need to buy him more uniform! The outdoors group have a slightly different uniform - work type trousers, polo-shirts (the standard PE ones, so nothing too fancy) and fleeces/sweatshirts, plus some walking boots, safety shoes and some decent waterproofs. He also needs to make sure he takes a change of clothes and a towel to school each day (my poor washing machine....) Oh and he still needs to have a set of 'normal' uniform (blazer, tie, PE kit...) for certain things. But never mind, he is going to be happier which makes me a lot happier.

I've gone on a bit there, but that you everyone for helping us get to this point. I can't express how extremely happy I am to see DS happy, motivated and wanting to learn with minimal behavioural issues. THANK YOU!!!!

Fab update @WatchingPaddingtonForThe400thTime .

That is awesome OP! That has gladdened my teacherly soul.

On this pathway they do English, maths and ICT as GCSEs or functional skills

PP have said he wouldn't get GCSEs - he would wouldn't he (according to OP)? English and maths functional skills/GCSEs are good and will allow him to apply for jobs/courses that require Eng and Maths at GCSE.

FWIW I think this is an amazing scheme.

ETA: just seen your update, this is great news!

What a great opportunity!

Brilliant update! All the very best to him with it. Mine has just finished a land based degree after following a similar pathway.

Thanks for the update. I’m glad he is enjoying his new pathway. The school sounds brilliant. I guess they want the GCSE mocks as a baseline to look at distance he travels rather than to expect high marks now. Tell him not to stress!

That sounds amazing, I hope it all goes well for him.

This sounds great. I am so pleased that the school is able to offer this pathway and able to offer chance for your DS to switch to it. Building his confidence in what he can do and is interested in sounds like it will be a game changer for him and his behaviour and engagement.

I’ve just come across your thread @WatchingPaddingtonForThe400thTimeand I wanted to add my congratulations and best wishes to your son.

I know many families who would walk over hot coals to get this kind of provision in place for their dc within mainstream. Well done to you and the school for getting him on this. It could well be the making of him.