Daughter been refused one of her yr 10 options

CassieAusten · 04/07/2025 14:50

This happens. That's why they make you pick an alternative.

noblegiraffe · 04/07/2025 14:55

It is impossible to write a timetable that matches every single student's preference. Your daughter was probably the only student who said that they wanted to take both health and social care and French. They should have been clear on the options form that they cannot guarantee choices and that's why you put a back-up.

If she really wants to do health and social care, can she take that instead of French?

TeenToTwenties · 04/07/2025 14:56

It will be down to timetabling. They just can't accommodate everyone's preferences.

My suggestion is ask for a mtg between your DD, you maybe, and whoever is in charge of this such as head of year, to see if there are any alternatives she would prefer now option blocks are set.

No point being disgusted. Be disappointed, polite and constructive.

TheyreLikeUsButRichAndThin · 04/07/2025 14:58

I’d be asking them again to prioritise Health & Social Care and fit whatever other options around that, if your child really does want to do H&SC with regards to potential careers.

Hanovercrosse · 04/07/2025 15:01

It’s timetabling, different subjects are blocked together and have lessons at the same time. It won’t fit otherwise

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 04/07/2025 15:02

I asked this and he wouldn't budge as they have to take a language. I don't like to sound like one of "those" parents but she had her heart set on this and he said there's no spaces left now anyway, so tough luck.

OP posts:

WhatsThatComing · 04/07/2025 15:03

The school hasn’t denied her and allowed others. They are in the same block. Nobody can do two subjects that are in the same block. Some subjects will be in more than one but others won’t.

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 04/07/2025 15:07

WhatsThatComing · 04/07/2025 15:03

The school hasn’t denied her and allowed others. They are in the same block. Nobody can do two subjects that are in the same block. Some subjects will be in more than one but others won’t.

Maybe I've just had a knee jerk reaction. I know it's down to timetables etc but for her to be denied a subject she's shown real interest in and be denied is upsetting. She struggles with confidence and anxiety already and I'm worried this will set her back.

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slideitoverthere · 04/07/2025 15:07

I would want an urgent meeting with you, your DD and whoever is over this. See what the option blocks are and whether there is any room to swap her to the other half of the year. Ds's mate had to switch to the other half to accommodate his option blocks. Sometimes there are just not enough spaces in the class if they have 40 students and 30 places. Someone has to lose out.

Phunkychicken · 04/07/2025 15:08

DS school managed the timetable/Nick's blocks so badly (and they were so prescriptive in what they had to take for EBacc) that he got no free choices whatsoever.

I think the EBacc means schools are making kids take a language do it leaves precious few choices left.

I would be mindful of making too much of a fuss in front of her as she's got two years of if left yet.

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 04/07/2025 15:09

slideitoverthere · 04/07/2025 15:07

I would want an urgent meeting with you, your DD and whoever is over this. See what the option blocks are and whether there is any room to swap her to the other half of the year. Ds's mate had to switch to the other half to accommodate his option blocks. Sometimes there are just not enough spaces in the class if they have 40 students and 30 places. Someone has to lose out.

He's supposed to be sending me an email today and I think I will want to attend a meeting. My older ds never had this issue so this is new to me.

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Nametobechanged · 04/07/2025 15:10

I think it’s fairly standard to have to compromise a bit on your GCSE options. I wouldn’t kick off about it.

WhatsThatComing · 04/07/2025 15:10

slideitoverthere · 04/07/2025 15:07

I would want an urgent meeting with you, your DD and whoever is over this. See what the option blocks are and whether there is any room to swap her to the other half of the year. Ds's mate had to switch to the other half to accommodate his option blocks. Sometimes there are just not enough spaces in the class if they have 40 students and 30 places. Someone has to lose out.

There is no ‘other half of the year’ at our school.

CocoPlum · 04/07/2025 15:18

I would gently push on the possibility of a different language, but honestly being disgusted seems like an overreaction, and I speak as someone who pushed back very hard against the school when DD was told she could only have one of her 6 options (3 first choices, 3 backups) - and that was because everything she was offered instead were subjects she hated and couldn't wait to drop.

Something to remember is that certain subjects offered at GCSE are definitely appealing but you can do them at a higher level without the GCSE. So to go on with a language, she would need to do this at GCSE, but to do Health and Social Care she wouldn't need a GCSE in it. So it's disappointing for you both but it doesn't close a door for her to do it in future.

The school is "allowed" to do this because of the way the blocks work. Did you get told how the blocks would be beforehand, ie did she pick French as her language knowing it was in the same block as H&SC? Your daughter will not be the only one disappointed.

SwearyYellowStartish · 04/07/2025 15:25

This has literally happened to hundreds of thousands of us. I wanted to take history and additional science. They were in the same block. I dumped the science and took geography instead.

My school didn’t have those time turner things like Hermione has in Harry Potter.

Original poster

OneGreyBiscuit · 04/07/2025 15:28

CocoPlum · 04/07/2025 15:18

I would gently push on the possibility of a different language, but honestly being disgusted seems like an overreaction, and I speak as someone who pushed back very hard against the school when DD was told she could only have one of her 6 options (3 first choices, 3 backups) - and that was because everything she was offered instead were subjects she hated and couldn't wait to drop.

Something to remember is that certain subjects offered at GCSE are definitely appealing but you can do them at a higher level without the GCSE. So to go on with a language, she would need to do this at GCSE, but to do Health and Social Care she wouldn't need a GCSE in it. So it's disappointing for you both but it doesn't close a door for her to do it in future.

The school is "allowed" to do this because of the way the blocks work. Did you get told how the blocks would be beforehand, ie did she pick French as her language knowing it was in the same block as H&SC? Your daughter will not be the only one disappointed.

Thank you for your thoughts. I've calmed down a bit now and am thinking more rationally. If she still shows interest in this subject at 16 I'm hoping she will be able to do it at college instead.

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Studyunder · 04/07/2025 15:29

OneGreyBiscuit · 04/07/2025 14:46

I've just had a phone call from my dds school stating she isn't allowed to take health an social care as she's taking french and it's in the same "block". I asked well can she take a different language to be told no. She had a taster session a couple of months ago and really showed interest in this subject. They're now saying she has to take art which was her alternative but I know she's not really interested. How is a school allowed to allow some students and refuse others? This has really upset me as I know she really wanted to do this and will be so disappointed. The teacher I spoke to refused to budge. I said you will need to speak to DD as I can't agree to anything (she's away on school trip today). Tbh I'm disgusted and feel like taking it further. Am I able to take this further?

I understand they can’t please everyone and compromise is needed sometimes. However, in the real world there’s substantially more jobs and careers involving health and social care than there are French. Even if it’s not a career, I’d say general life skills are enhanced by some knowledge of health and social care.
I’d definitely do what I could to support your daughter’s preferences as it’s her life after all. It seems pretty shitty of them to try and get you to agree with the changes instead of discussing with her directly.

craigth162 · 04/07/2025 15:30

She shouldn't have chosen a back up option she didn't want

TheNightingalesStarling · 04/07/2025 15:30

It can be pretty much impossible to please everyone.

However schools forcing Ebacc is counterproductive really... why not allow the pupils to do the things they excel at?

(Still wish I had chosen Latin over Music when I was told I couldn't do both... I can't even remember what I did instead...)

Studyunder · 04/07/2025 15:33

it’s Such a popular and common subject, there are various options and methods of studying the subject at all stages of life though. It’s not what she/you want and certainly isn’t ideal. However, it lets her try other things she possibly wouldn’t do otherwise. It might help her focus more on what she really wants in the long term (eh health and social care!).
Hope she isn’t too upset by this. Wishing you both well with it all ❤️

clary · 04/07/2025 15:35

Yeh sorry OP, I agree with others. This is just something that happens in schools and there's not usually much they can do. You ask: How can schools do this? It’s totally standard. Students are often asked to provide a range of choices. DS2 IIRC put CS, RE and food tech. He got his first choice but would have been OK with the others. Will she end up doing H&S and art? Or French and art? If she is not so keen on art, what other options are there – maybe business, history or geography, RS, a tech subject? I think if you are so-so about art that’s not ideal, because it requires so much outside time.

She can’t take another MFL presumably bc she has studied French in KS3 – it’s quite a challenge to pick up an MFL from scratch in year 10 and I wouldn’t advise it in general.

I would ask school what her other options are and discuss with your DD what she would most like to do. She doesn’t have to take an MFL at GCSE in case the school is saying she does (though the school can insist on it – but what I mean is it’s not required by the govt). But be calm and organised rather than disgusted. And yes, if she wats to take H&S or a variant of it post 16, not having the GCSE will not be an issue (apart from anything else, not all schools offer it).

Michele09 · 04/07/2025 15:40

Unless she really loves art I would look at what other options are available. The coursework takes up so much time. I think my Dd spent more time on art out of school hours than all her other subjects put together. Fortunately she loved it and treated it like a hobby but even she started to find it hard to get all the coursework finished once revision got started in earnest from mocks onwards in November of yr 11. If you don't enjoy art, it can become a time consuming chore.

CatHairEveryWhereNow · 04/07/2025 16:00

DD1 couldn't take history GCSE - as not enough people signed up that year never happened before or since so had to do her reserve option - she enjoyed it and did it at A-level - though at degree level is doing a history related subject.

I was told I couldn't take histroy and geogrpahy back in the day - as was another girl doing it in oppoiste blocks to me but looking at the blocks my school gave and the rules we could and did - they'd wanted us to take an art option but really didn't want to.

If it's the same block - it will be a time table issue.

slideitoverthere · 04/07/2025 16:13

WhatsThatComing · 04/07/2025 15:10

There is no ‘other half of the year’ at our school.

Show quote history

Yes but if there is another half of the year on a shifted timetable it can be another way to get the options you want. It is the less obvious choice but it might be a choice.

muddyford · 04/07/2025 16:15

I was told I couldn't do three sciences but to do art instead of physics. Pointed out that vets need three sciences and space was found...