Child with EHCP not allowed to drop 2 GCSE's year 12, considering home schooling

[Zass7]

Hello,
If anyone has advice about their child with an EHCP struggling with GCSE's I'd be most grateful. My son has just finished year 11 and has had a very difficult year at school with the work becoming increasingly more difficult, resulting in high anxiety. He was diagnosed with a speech & language disorder and borderline autism ten years ago.
Early on in the spring term this year I requested whether he could drop two GCSE's and focus on getting the remainder, taking some pressure off of him. I have waited for a response for four months. Two hours before they broke up last Friday the head SENCO said that this would not be possible. The communication has been very weak in the last couple of months. Being told at such late notice has left me no time to research other avenues for him.
I'm a single parent and run a small business. I'm considering to de-register him for year 12 and focus on him getting the core GCSE subjects and art.
The SENCO said my son was reaching his targets which are all below level 3 except art. Therefore he would have to continue with studying for all of his GCSE's.
I feel that this is just going to cause him more anxiety and the outcome will be that he'll probably only get one GCSE if he continues at the school.
If anyone has been in a similar situation I would very much appreciate some advice. I will be contacting IPSEA this week.

Is DS is a SS where GCSEs are taken in Y12? Or are you in NI and actually mean a Statement of SEN rather an EHCP?

Is the need for a reduced curriculum/GCSE load included in the EHCP? If so, it must be provided and can be enforced. If it is not in the EHCP, you need to request an early review.

Personally, I wouldn’t deregister. By doing that and making suitable alternative arrangements you relieve the LA of their duty to provide the provision in the EHCP.

I'm in the UK. The annual review is not due until January 2024. I could ask for an urgent review. But now I have to wait six weeks until autumn term commences to have further communication with the school. This needs to be sorted urgently as we have already lost months with very little being done.
I will look into having this added into his EHCP but we are losing time fast and this will take months to be implemented. GCSE's are only ten months away. I think my only option will be to de-register and do the core subjects at home plus art. I will have to put a plan together over the summer holidays.

I know you are in the UK, but in England (where EHCPs exist) GCSEs are normally sat at the end of Y11, which is why I asked whether DS is in a SS where timings are sometimes different. I mentioned NI because they sit GCSEs in Y12, but EHCPs don’t exist there.

Unfortunately, if the provision isn’t in the EHCP, you can’t force the school to reduce the number of GCSEs. The EHCP is the only way to guarantee the provision.

You can request an early review now. You don’t need to wait until the school term starts.

EHCPs can last until 25, or 26 in some cases.

By EHEing, the LA won’t provide the provision in the EHCP and you will have to fund and arrange GCSE exams. You may need to change exams boards if any of the boards have NEAs and GCSE science practical endorsements and you can’t find an exam centre to take them on.

Apologies...it's been a long week. You're correct. He has just finished year 10 and will be going into year 11.
I will request an early review but I don't know who to contact. The school said that there would be no one available until the start of the autumn term. If the school is closed would this be our local authority Somerset Council Education Department or SENDIA?

Thank you for all of your advice 🙏

Even if was during term time, requests for early reviews are via the LA. IPSEA has a model letter you can use.