GCSE Music taken outside of school?

[Sheisme]

Due to an option timetable clash it looks like we have to find an alternative way for our daughter to study GCSE music, her first choice subject .
Has anyone here tried this or know anyone who has? Are there cheap ways of doing this? all the conservatoires seem to charge costly termly fees for a GCSE that would normally be free if studied in school and I can not find any GCSE music being offered at the local colleges in the area.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Guest55]

As her first choice the school should be doing more to resolve this. Complain!

[Sheisme]

Ahh! Should of mentioned her second choice was triple science....think you can now see why it's music we're trying to outsource rather then the other way round !!!

[Guest55]

Why can't she have the options she wants? Most schools offer triple science AND music ...

This really demands a complaint.

[hermanmunster]

was triple science really an option alongside music? or was it a case of double science OR triple science and that caused problems with doing music.?

[Sheisme]

Why can't she have the options she wants? Most schools offer triple science AND music ...

This really demands a complaint.

Although I'm p'd off by the situation (Science/Maths and Music are her strongest and favourite subjects/hobbies) I don't think I really have any grounds to complain? I was told the reason why she can't do both subjects is because they clash on the time table which as i understand is a common problem. Triple science is not compulsory at her school (comprehensive) it is an option choice. The other alternative is to drop triple science and stick with the compulsory single science and maybe add the dual award element on which they allow for more 'able' students in the 2nd year, which tbh, I don't really like the idea of.

[Amber]

A bit puzzled by your terminology here. Dual award science is presumably what she would do if you didn't opt for triple. By adding on the extra bit next year, that would effectively become triple science; triple is just one more module of each of the three sciences, on top of the dual award. If this were me, I would clarify that first - because that looks like your easiest way round this to me. Science is compulsory and I can't imagine that means anything other than dual award being offered to all.

Where we live, you can do GCSE music through the county run music centre. There is a cost attached to this but it isn't as high as if you had private lessons. The other thing to consider is grade 5 music theory instead, if she enjoys the theoretical aspects, and keep plodding through the grades on her instrument too. But I agree, I would tackle the school first, clarify exactly what the science options are and then complain if her first choice can't be accommodated.

[andyb]

DS1's school offers GCSE music as a twilight subject if it won't fit the timetable as long as you already play an instrument to a reasonable degree of competancy. Could this be a possibility?

[Sheisme]

DS1's school offers GCSE music as a twilight subject if it won't fit the timetable as long as you already play an instrument to a reasonable degree of competancy. Could this be a possibility?

No unfortunately the school doesn't offer this option.

I've actually made a bit of progress with my quest though, as they are prepared to allow her to sit the music exam in school as an external candidate. The only snaggle now is how we get around her controlled timed assessments which need to also be moderated alongside the schools. The examinations officer at my dd's school is hoping the exam board can give him some advice on how we can work that one out.

[Sheisme]

A bit puzzled by your terminology here. Dual award science is presumably what she would do if you didn't opt for triple. By adding on the extra bit next year, that would effectively become triple science; triple is just one more module of each of the three sciences, on top of the dual award. If this were me, I would clarify that first - because that looks like your easiest way round this to me. Science is compulsory and I can't imagine that means anything other than dual award being offered to all.

Where we live, you can do GCSE music through the county run music centre. There is a cost attached to this but it isn't as high as if you had private lessons. The other thing to consider is grade 5 music theory instead, if she enjoys the theoretical aspects, and keep plodding through the grades on her instrument too. But I agree, I would tackle the school first, clarify exactly what the science options are and then complain if her first choice can't be accommodated.

No, Single Science, equivalent to one GCSE is the compulsory Science subject at my dd's school, Dual Science, equivalent to 2 GCSE's is the extra bit you can add on the next year, whilst Triple Science is an option choice offered alongside all the other non-compulsory subjects such as History, Geography etc.