Parental and student rights in choice of GCSE subjects

[katel]

But why does it matterif the child gets less than an A in a subject that it has already been stated is not relevant to University entrance?


I suppose the answer is not to turn up for the exam - but it seems a huge fuss about nothing to me - sorry. And I suspect that is how it would look to most people unless you are prepared to give a bit more background.

[KB]

Situation 1
I think the parents would need to go to the Chair of Governors if the Headteacher is not prepared to move on this but probably isn't much time.
If they are really serious about not letting the child sit the exam then the pragmatic solution is for them to be 'ill' - otherwise the parents might need legal advice about whether the school can ask for the child to be withdrawn if the parents are not prepared to adhere to the school's policy on exam entry ie to deliberately keep the child away from school at this time.

Situation 2
I am sure that the school is allowed to have whatever policy it thinks fit in this area as long as it adheres to NC requirements. An Ofsted inspection would throw up any inappropriate policies or if they feel the school is too inflexible but I don't think parents can force the school into making any child a special case.
Guessing the parents could appeal to the Governors & maybe the LEA?
Suspect that if the parents want the child to stay at the school they haven't got much choice.

Getting specialist legal advice might be the only way forward.

[ourmaminhavana]

[quote="dyslexichelpneeded"

I come back to my question - what are the parents' rights, or don't they have any?[/quote]

I don't really understand this. The children were sent to particular schools with particular policies and subject choices, the school has provided a teacher to teach towards the exam and now the parent wants to withdraw the child as he or she may not get a top grade? A natural extension presumably is that all parents who feel their darlings may not achieve A*s withdraw them!
Obviously we don't know all of the circumstances, but I don't think the message being taught to these children- and I don't mean by their teachers- is a good one.

[Marylou]

But why does it matterif the child gets less than an A in a subject that it has already been stated is not relevant to University entrance?

I agree with your earlier statement that this is indeed dispiriting. The OP is right to be concerned about this. If we had had the slightest inkling that getting a B in subjects such as Textiles and Art would impact upon an application for Veterinary Science several years down the line we would have insisted on DD taking subjects at GCSE that she could be confident of getting at least an A in. Instead we went with the line that it's OK to study subjects you enjoy even if you don't get the top grades in them. After all, it's A levels the universities are interested in, isn't it? Wrong. She now finds herself working flat out to get top marks for her A1s in the hope that this will somehow cancel out a less than perfect set of GCSEs.

Because there are so many applicants for universities, admissions officers do indeed look at GCSE results as an initial filter. So for more popular courses, if you don't get a full set of A and A* at GCSE, then tough. If only this were more widely publicized, in particular at GCSE options time. At least DD2 is prepared for when she makes her choices next year (yes, in Y8 - that's how far you have to look ahead!).

[marigold]

Hi,
I can only really comment on the first scenario.

I am an exams invigilator and would really not recommend just not turning up on the day. I am happy to be corrected but if some course work has already been submitted then some marks will have been earned and the lack of marks from the written side of the exam may merely result in a very low grade being shown on the results certificate. If the point of this is soley to avoid any grades less than an A ( and I am with Katel on this one ) then not turning up may not have the desired result.

I have dealt with very last minute formal withdrawals so would suggest pressing the school for this if the parents really feel that strongly.

I would also add that the school I work at has a policy of attempting to recoup the cost of entering the exam from the parents, if a child attends the exam, but through shear ****** mindedness does not attempt to write anything. It does happen.

[dyslexichelpneeded]

I empathise now with people who feel "got at" on this forum! Particular thanks to KB for answering the question I asked. Ourminhava, neither parent had any real choice in school, as I mentioned at least with respect to case 2. The issue with case 1, as I have stated quite clearly, is that the quality of teaching provided by the teacher has been hopelessly poor. However, I don't really wish to debate this further, as it wasn't the area I was seeking information on, and only gave the background as essential information. I can't give any more background. Marylou, yours is exactly the sort of case that troubles the parents, and thank you for the support. Marigold, useful practical information, thank you - and for case 1, there is actually a compromise option, which stops short of simply not sitting the exam, but for confidentiality, I can't discuss it further.

[Amber]

As someone who, rightly or wrongly, sometimes feels a little bit 'got at' (see David Laws thread!) I felt I had to put my threepence worth in here; but don't have much to say other than this. The only 'half' GCSE I know of is the RE short course. There are 2 points about it - one is that a bright child ought to be able to score highly with barely any teaching, as so much of it is what you might call 'common sense' with a bit of Bible or Qu'ran added. I got a not-especially-bright child through it last year with 6 weeks of teaching once a week. Secondly, if said bright child does not get an A or A*, I doubt it would herald the end of a promising veterinary career.

If we're not talking RE, then please disregard; but also please tell me what subject it is, as I would be curious about which others count as half.

[marigold]

Hi Amber,

Practically all full course GCSEs have a short course option. Lots of schools use them as an option to broaden the choices taken at GCSE. eg someone doesn't want to give up history but whose timetable is too full to do the full course. You just get half the number of points of the equivalent grade of the full course. They tend to sit one exam rather than two .
My daughter took short course German but actually sat the full course exam in the end as she was considered able enough to get a full grade despite having fewer lessons.

My other daughter, at a Grammar will be sitting the short course in IT at the end of Year 9. It consists of course work and then a multiple choice exam.
I think they are a good idea in some of the " softer " subjects, eg PE, DT, FT as they are not too onerous and enable students to get a qualification in subjects they enjoy.

[Amber]

Well you live and learn. Never heard of teaching one or taking one before.
Thanks Marigold!

[Marylou]

Amber, DDs' school expects all students to sit a short-course GCSE in ICT (at the end of Y10) and RE, on the grounds that if you have to spend time studying something that is a compulsory part of the curriculum then you may as well have a qualification in it at the end. There is of course also the option to sit a full GCSE in either or both subjects for those that wish.