Dropping English Literature GCSE ASD child

[OnceMoreFromTheTop]

Hi,

I wondered if I could ask a question about English language versus English literature at GCSE?

My son is an ASD child and he loves the rules of syntax and grammar, and loves spotting typos. He is very happy doing the entrance exam paper for a university linguistics exam. He seems like a shoe-in for the English language exam to me. I know this part is mandatory.

He struggles very much with emotional overwhelm when reading the very miserable books and stories of GCSE English literature, where the texts are all quite dramatic or miserable. I understand that this part is optional

My son is considering studying linguistics right through to degree level.

I wondered if you think it would work out for an ASD kid on an EHCP assessment to ask just to do English language but to skip English literature, and if that would be a problem for taking linguistics right through to A level and then degree level?

Thanks.

I think we would be replacing it with Japanese if it did free up enough space for a whole extra GCSE.

I don’t know whether it would cause problems for a linguistic degree, but it wouldn’t be a problem more widely for university admissions. You could look at some courses and contact admisssions teams.

To guarantee the school allowing DC to only sit lang you would need it written into the EHCP. And, unless you also get Japanese in its place written in to the EHCP Japanese during that time is unlikely. Especially because most schools have English lessons where both lang and lit are covered rather than splitting them into 2 subjects.

Is it possible to have a GCSE in japanese written into the EHCP if it's a subject that the school doesn't teach normally. That would really solve a lot of problems for us.

In theory, it could possible. However, I suspect the LA will refuse, and if you thought (and had evidence) it was reasonably required you would have to appeal. I think you are far more likely to be able to successfully argue using the time to spend either on therapeutic provision or core GCSEs.