Has anyone succeeded in persuading school to change GCSE options offered? And how much does private schooling cost?

[diydemon]

It was the Yr 9 options evening last night - the first time they'd dared to reveal the options columns to parents and pupils.

And our misgivings were confirmed - they've broadened the range of subjects to include lots more BTECs including media studies, hair and beauty, sociology.

As well as the core subjects, dd has to choose one from each of 5 columns.

4 choices are ok (ish), but there's nothing in the 5th column she wants to do - the choice is:
-Triple science (she will definitely do double, but she doesn't want triple after seeing her sister struggle with it, also the school has been told to improve science and maths teaching)
-AS level music (she'd need grade 5, only has grade 3 and stopped playing in primary school and doesn't really want to pick it up again),

• Or a load of what we (and she) consider to be Mickey Mouse subjects - non-academic (BTEC) ones where she has no interest and would likely be in with a bunch of disruptive kids.

Ideally, if they could move Art GCSE from the column where it clashes with History (she'd love to do both), or allow her to study Art externally (we'd arrange that and pay) and sit in the back of the art class and get on with work for that while others are doing their 5th column options, she'd be happy, problem solved.

But the headteacher is adamant she has to choose a 5th column option, and that the options columns are a fait accompli not a consultation document.

She doesn't really want to move schools - very happy there with good friends - but this seems the only option if she wants to do the subjects she'd like.

Has anyone had any luck in persuading a school to be more flexible? How did you do it? Or did you come up with an alternative arrangement?

Finally, how much does private day school cost on average? I'm seriously contemplating looking into taking her out of state sector because of the political interference that is forcing them to offer so many non-academic subjects - it might suit those who are non-academic, but imo is penalising the academic ones.

[ageing5yearseachyear]

we pay for private school for dd2 at the moment- £12000 per year once we have added on the extras. Worth every penny for her as this has enabled her to catch up generally.

However- is it worth it for one GCSE choice. Even if you have to write off one GCSE, will she still be able to get 8 or so good ones? If so, then I wouldnt- I wouldnt do this for my older dd who is academically able. She has one choice which she wouldnt have picked but i take the view that it is impossible for the school to accomodate everybody and everything and she got the 4 that were important to her.

bit confused about AS music - is it not offered at GCSE? dd was grade 3 at the start of gcse and is predicted an A. Or if your dd has a decent voice she can claim this as her instrument.

[gramercy]

Interested in any replies. Ds isn't at that age yet, but I can see he might want to go "off menu" so to speak, and wonder if you can, as OP asks, pay for different GCSEs and skip ones that the school offers.

[diydemon]

Thanks for your replies. GCSE music is offered in another column - it's not one she really wants to do.

It is offered as level 3(i.e. AS level) in the 5th column though - the column where she is struggling to make a choice.

If she is forced to choose (and the school is telling her she must choose) one from that 5th column, then it's going to have to be the lesser of all the "evils" so to speak - there's not one she really wants to do. So she might have to think about working hard on music over the summer and picking up the violin again if she doesn't want to to triple science or one of the "Mickey Mouse" options.

I really don't want to send her privately - we like our holidays too much! - and agree it would be a shame for just one GCSE/BTEC issue. Ideally we'd like her to study Art GCSE and for the school to help us accommodate that rather than force her to spend 2 years doing one subject she hasn't chosen.

[ageing5yearseachyear]

what are the Mickey mouse options?

in my experience the school wont bend- and i can see why- if i had the job of sorting out 250 kids into a timetable there cant be unlimited options so the sensible thing is to make everyone choose. just moving an option from one column to another has a huge impact on rooms and teachers. there is nothing to stop her doing art in addition but i would be suprised if the school were willing to let her sit in the art room during her fifth column time.

i guess that even if it seems like a small concession the knock on effect- of dozens of parents saying you made an exception for X so what about my child? consistency is everything in all aspects of people management- and that is what a school is!

[seeker]

Tell us what the subjects in column 5 are - someone on here might be able to reassure you about them.

[DecorHate]

If she is quite academic I would encourage her to do the triple science as the lesser of all the evils. Don't let her be put off by her sister's experience. They are different children. And then if she really wants to do Art as well, see if she can do it somewhere externally. Though if you think she would want to carry on Art at A-Level maybe she should do it at school and drop History. I have always been keen on my dcs doing History but having read what they are likely to study I am beginning to change my mind!

[AMumInScotland]

If those are the only options in Column 5, then surely there will be lots of non-disruptive children in the non-academic subjects anyway, won't there? I mean, how many are going to be doing triple science or AS music? So they must all be choosing from the same list as you are.

Think through the BTEC options - or as aging says list them on here and get views - it may well be that they are perfectly decent courses, and there is no reason to think that they will all be full of disruptive pupils.

I seriously doubt that the school will move something to another column - that is never as easy as it sounds when you have to balance up teachers and rooms.

You could possibly convince a teacher to let her sit quietly at the back not taking part, but you can see how they'd be unhappy if they have to convince the rest of the class to work while X reads a book/does her homework etc.

[GrungeBlobPrimpants]

I doubt very much the school would budge because of timetabling issues

Art or any other subject can be taken out of school, but you would have to organise that yourself and lessons/tuition would have to be out of school time (quite common round here for dance, music and less common modern languages)

My hunch is that the triple science is there so that the more academic take that maybe? As seeker says, if you can list the option 5 subjects some of us may be able to help

[choosyfloosy]

I would advise going for the triple science and reassuring her that you will give her any support she needs with it, e.g. tutoring. I would also suggest that she does Art externally. There is so much less faff in distance learning.

She's not interested in doing all of them externally is she???

God I really thought schools had got better at not excluding people from courses they want to do because of logistical reasons but I guess as schools have got bigger it's even harder.

I must say though, a school with poor science and maths teaching would ring alarm bells for me and I would make some appointments to see round some private schools as well.

[MissAnneElk]

I'd be interested to see what the options in this column are too. However, I'm guessing she will have 10 or 11 subjects in total, so I don't see the problem in one of them being a 'mickey mouse' option.

[diydemon]

The options are:

• Triple Science - which she doesn't want to do, although will do double science.
• AS then A'level music for those at grade 5 or above (she has grade 3 but gave up violin in yr 6, so not really an option for her)
• Digital Cre8or (sic) - BTEC level 2 - best grade only equivalent to B at GCSE. Making and editing video and sound.
• GCSE product design - some elements of art, so possible - plus it's a GCSE so exam element might put off potential disruptive pupils.
• GCSE sociology - no offence to any sociologists but who needs it at GCSE level? On the plus side at least it's a GCSE but hardly likely to impress good universities I'd think.
• Work skills - BTEC level 1 (Edexcel)- sounds like it's aimed at those who'd otherwise become unemployed. Over my dead body would she do this one!

She's thinking of dropping History to do Art, so wouldn't really want her to do another non-academic subject in this 5th column.

She's thinking she might like to be a criminal barrister and will of course do all the core subjects - double English, double Welsh (1st language) and will do Spanish and possibly French as well, maths, double science and half-course in RE and IT.
All thoughts welcome!

[AMumInScotland]

I think sociology would fit well with law - an understanding of how people and society function would be a useful skill for that profession.

Or the product design since she enjoys art anyway, though it's less applicable to law it might still be a useful skill to work on.

I'd agree the Work Skills is probably aimed at the less academic, and video/sound editting not relevant to her other interests plus probably more appealing to the less academic pupils, if she's wanting to avoid those subjects in case of disruption.

[MissAnneElk]

I do agree it's not a great choice of subjects. She could do History and do the product design GCSE if she wants to do something creative instead of Art.

I still think it's not a bad thing to have one soft option. Provided she takes good A levels and achieves A/A*.

[stealthsquiggle]

I would go for Porduct Design - or triple science and get her some extra help if she needs it.

£12K/year minimum for private, and it's probably too late to apply for scholarships/bursaries for next year now.

[senua]

The choices seem a bit light on Humanities. I would have thought that History would sit better with a law career, rather than Art. I agree that sociology seems the most relevant 5th choice.
What are the thoughts for A Level?

[abride]

I wouldn't bother with sociology or product design.

I'd go for triple science plus tutoring.

[diydemon]

She hasn't begun thinking about A'levels yet - we need to get through this hurdle first. She's very interested in Art and therefore dropping History, which makes the 5th column even more difficult because ideally she be better off choosing an academic/traditional subject there but the choice is then really limited to Triple Science.

I'm hoping the teacher who does product design might persuade her to do that rather than art, then she'd be able to do history. Product design apparently "encompasses a range of skills from art work, graphical skills to the more traditional forming techniques" - and it's a GCSE which means there are exams.

[hocuspontas]

A lot of students have to compromise in one column. Timetabling is a complete nightmare.

Dd2's school decided not to do columns and allowed all students to pick 4 subjects and a reserve and 99% the got their 4 choices. Sounds great but a few weeks into year 10 we queried why boys and girls were doing GCSE PE together and apparently they didn't have the staff or facilities to do it separately as normal because of the new way of deciding options. Dd2 sick of playing netball and hockey with the boys as they never get the ball! She's quickly losing interest

[shushpenfold]

Anything from about £6000 to £25000 a year depending on the school....

[hocuspontas]

Meant to add - is it worth asking that if she does product design she could still take Art at AS if she wanted to?

[ageing5yearseachyear]

realistically then she has a choice of triple science, sociology or product design. ermmm.....dont get how these are mickey mouse subjects.

i would have thought it is for her to weigh up what she would be happiest studying. Arrange to meet with the relevent subject teachers and then talk it through. The important thing is that she is happy with her choice. She might well find product design a bit of light relief. I have heard that coursework for Art is really time consuming

[notmyrealnameofcourse]

I knew my son's school were going to introduce BTECs this year as they were slated by OFSTED because they had stuck to traditional GCSEs.
I was dreading my son coming home and wanting to drop an academic subject in favour of "sports management" or something similar.
Sure enough the options book has all kinds of glossy vocational subjects which I would be delighted with if DS was less able.
Anyway , much to my relief the only "soft" subject he is keen on is GCSE in PE.

He has to choose from one of 4 DT subjects though and doesn't want any of them.

[lazymumofteenagesons]

Only 2 choices here if she thinks she wants to do law at university:

1. History and triple science

or

1. History and GCSE product design.

Nothing wrong with a creative GCSE as long as it is not instead of a traditional academic one.

She wouldn't be able to do History A level without the GCSE and although in no way compulsory this is a good one for law.

[lazymumofteenagesons]

Coursework for Art is time consuming. But if you enjoy it do it. It teaches them time management and lets face it if a child is academic the other subjects are not hugely taxing at this level.

There is a real trend on these threads to avoid anything hard. What happened to having a challenge and putting your whole self into something because of the satisfaction of achieving at the end.

Rant over

[pointydog]

hmm. Not a great choice if she doesn't want three sciences or music. But I'd go for the product design too and keep the history. Her other subjects are academic so she's giving herself a very good choice when it comes to A levels.