GCSE art not running

[Kleo100]

My daughter has just been given her GCSE options. Its a last minute shock to find out that the school has decided not to run art. This was her first choice option and she wants to do A level art and a design subject at uni so it's a big blow.

Has anyone got experience of doing art GCSE as an online course? That may be one option. Or has anyone got onto an art A level course without GCSE art, just a portfolio. Any advice on independent study / alternative gateways welcome!

The lack of consultation has been shocking and the options reveal right at the end of term feels deeply cynical and cowardly. We could look at other schools but term is finishing so it's late in the day, and I would prefer not to move my daughter for various reasons.

Exactly, you need staff to supervise. There’s no guarantee they’ll have spare staff to do that

Can you investigate if any other schools in the area are running it? It could be a timetable nightmare (worst case scenario) but if it was feasible your dd could attend the lessons elsewhere?
15 years ago our local secondary schools ran consortium subjects for those not feasible for individual schools through lack of numbers so eg GCSE Spanish was held at school A, Food Tech at school B etc. These were the first or last subjects of the day to make transporting the students easier. Shame it's not happening for your dd.

Thanks for all the messages and advice. I am feeling much more positive. Will see if the school can accommodate a self study / alternative school route and contact local 6th forms to see if any consider a non-GCSE entry route.

As if you think school needs to consult you.

OP this is not good, I am so sorry. Sadly as others say, it will almost certainly be the lack of a teacher.

I don’t have huge knowledge of art, but I know a bit about schools and these are my thoughts to add to some excellent advice:

Firstly, and assuming she would like to take art A level, or maybe even an art college course post-16, contact some settings to see if they would accept a portfolio rather than a GCSE.

Bear in mind that your DD's current school may not offer A level art in two years' time.

Look at some of the external quals suggested here as these may support her portfolio going forward.

I would agree that taking art privately/at home would be a) tricky to organise and have assessed and b) a big eater-up of time she won’t have in KS4.

And be aware that the school may well not allow her to drop a GCSE and use the school time to study art. It’s a lovely idea for sure but at schools I have worked in and where my DC went, students were not allowed just to do their own thing (however well behaved they were) in lesson time. I know that on this thread and others posters have said their DC were – that's good but it’s not a given, as the students need to be supervised – and there are not IME floating staff about to do this three hours a week.

Best wises to her and I hope you are able to sort something out.

It’s not about “consulting “ as such. But more notice and a bit better communication isn’t an unreasonable wish. If the OP had known about it a week ago she could have discussed options with the school. Potentially contacted other schools to enquire about a place for Sept. Now as schools have broken up she can’t.

Oh, that's a shame.
Dd had this with her favourite subject at the 6th form she preferred. Got an email saying no longer running so she's had to have a rethink and is now (hopefully) doing a 2 year btec in the subject.
Locally to me many 6th forms and colleges have reduced their subject offer. I think its funding based 😔

If it helps at all, I did a Foundation Art course and then a degree at Art College, won a few major awards and went on to work internationally as a designer for many years without doing Art at school - my A levels were all in classics!

I did take life-drawing classes outside school and put together my own portfolio to apply... the colleges had no issue with my lack of formal qualifications and I was accepted on the back of portfolio and interview.

It will be a lot of dedication to pull everything together to do it, but do reassure your daughter that it does not mean she can't go on and study art later.

Also, depending on where you are, you might find some art classes for youngsters. I know of a couple in my area. Check out galleries and arts groups.

Also this charity do great work. She could try and find a mentor ..

https://www.arts-emergency.org/young-people/get-a-mentor

They won’t be doing a level art if there was no art gcse.
Pick other options and then take art at college.

I think she should try to build a portfolio.

There might be an evening life drawing class or similar she could attend. Also art takes many many forms that are not always explored in a school setting eg photography, clothing design then making the design.

Jewellery making, if you are in striking distance of Birmingham there are weekend courses to make a piece of jewellery.

Obviously you are going to need to go with her so it would take commitment from you too (or another adult).

Are their any other creative or design tec subjects being offered she can take along with pursuing art classes if some kind out of school.
I went to a local post 16 collage to do a subject not offered at my school bu special arrangement.
It may be possible to do a gsce in art in year 12 alongside an a level?

At my sixth form college a student wanting to do A level Art without GCSE would be chatted to at enrolment by the head of department about their background - it’s on a case by case basis so they would have the chance to explain about it not being a GCSE option. They would need to demonstrate some commitment and interest in the subject so a sketchbook or online portfolio would be useful but not something to stress about at all! Just to show that it’s not a random choice and that there’s some genuine reasons behind wanting to pick it, and some knowledge of what the course entails.

@Kleo100 Are you near any other schools your school could link to. My DD2 would have been very upset about this. It’s not good enough. Many schools don’t care about art subjects and you can see the responses here. Any budding architects would be not well served by this either. It’s shameful and they need to find how they can tie into another school for art. Teach yourself isn’t possible. It’s not just art you have to do for GCSE either. Is there an evening class anywhere? I’d be more interested in that. It’s a time consuming GCSE though. Our schools are turning into factories with a broad execution being lost. What poorly served dc we have. Do they have an art teacher or just too few in the option?

I'm sure, but the way they have handled the messaging is still awful.

It's not that schools don't care, it's that they don't have enough teachers or budgets to offer what they would like to. This is what budget cutting + a teacher recruitment crisis looks like in real life.

Thanks, yes there are other schools close by. I will explore all options. Sadly the school does have teachers. Numbers for art were low but more than some subjects that are going ahead.

Then its likely to be cost driven.
Unfortunately many schools are looking for any excuse to cut subjects that are high cost and low gain for the school.

It just promotes the view that schools are there to produce grades and not rounded individuals.

Because schools aren't judged on producing well rounded pupils, they are judged on grades. It's up to parents to do the rounding.

My DD a few years ago was considering Art A’levels having not done GCSE. Most colleges we spoke to would consider her from a Portfolio, but it did need to be wide ranging in styles and techniques. And we did send her to a summer art class

If she could keep going at home, or through a class outside school/ workshops etc, then she could gather a body of work to apply for a level, even without the GCSE.

They probably hoped to recruit at the last minute or the person they had recruited pulled out. We've been really messed around this year by applicants. It's rubbish.

Not surprised. There’s a very good TED talk I saw one about schools not prioritising creative subjects. Makes me sad. Dd ended up (finally) being able to do product design, art and photography but was initially told due to the timetable she couldn’t do all 3.

Was told she had a choice between German and computer studies/science instead….neither of which she wanted. I did wonder how much of this was to do with Ebacc as I’d realised on option evenings that there were two sets of option choices forms being handed out - one for the bright kids and one for the not so bright kids. Dd was given a “bright kids” one (sorry for the terminology but this was what the HOY referred to it as when she finally admitted). And I had to ask the HOY for the other one and she was very reluctant to give Dd this one (which was the one with more creative stuff on it). I was told a load of rubbish that Dd wouldn’t get to a good university, a Russell group would never have her.

so she ended up doing German instead of Art and just before Oct half term Dd realised a boy in her class went to art when she was in German. We’d been lied to and I was furious. I made them let her drop German and do Art instead. She’s gone on to do Architecture at Manchester which is definitely Russell Group and the 5th best architecture course in the world. Funny enough I reckon Art is a lot more useful for an architect than German!

I have found the Ted talk.

@Kleo100 That's truly awful!! Why art? Some dc need art.

I would say though that DDs art teaching at GCSE was woeful. Back in the day she got a B and wasn’t happy. We changed schools to one that valued art. What a difference! DD did photography: A star, and Art: A. DD was let down by first school and if your DD is keen on art, I’d look at 6th form provision now. If she’s not doing GCSE does it matter for A level entry if she can pursue art elsewhere? What would 6th forms think? DD had amazing art teachers at 6th form and went on to LCF. Her teachers supported and encouraged. They did a parents A level art show and a fashion show as students designed clothes too. It inspired DD and I would want this for your DD - not a school that cannot be bothered.

Contact the sixth form she is likely to go to. Explain the situation and ask if they would still take your daughter for A level, if she is able to produce a portfolio.