11 Plus Exams Forum

Hi all,

I’m after some advice. My DD is currently in year 9, and struggling in French, so much so that whenever she has an assessment, she cites headache and comes back home. Her teacher stresses that the school is providing enough resources and support and that she shouldn’t be struggling considering she is good in all other subjects. Can you please suggest good online resources for AQA french syllabus and also an easily understandable revision guide. She totally lacks the motivation to study french and hates it like her worst enemy. She needs to do a language for entry to a RG university, her teachers have said.

Another issue is that since choosing options in year 8, she has been doing ICT. Last week, she was suddenly asked to move into computer science and told she can’t do ICT anymore. This was not done with any prior information or consent. How can the school do this and why do they do this? My DD has no interest in a computer science career and wants to stick to ICT.

Further, she is doing 11 GCSE subjects, and I can see that she is already struggling. Is this the case in all schools? Can she request to do 9/10 subjects as most do. The school has previously said this affects the time tabling.

I hope someone sheds some light to help my DD.

Thank you

Sarmum

You say she has picked her options already so is French now a GCSE subject? She won't have the opportunity to drop it in summer at the end of Y9?

Have they dropped ICT all together or just asking her to move to Computer Sciences?

She does not need a language to get into an RG uni. LSE asks for one but those who don't are required to study a language unit, but that is an easy uni to avoid. I think some Cambridge courses might. Not sure why teachers keep saying this as it has never been true.

She aldo does not need 11 GCSEs - universities only consider your top 8 anyway. It sounds like you need to go in and speak to them about teh ICT issue - possibly pick your battle - maybe accept the Computer Science (it may be that they have changed exam board and that the exam this board offers is Computer Science not ICT?) but compromise that she be allowed to drop the language - and that you will put it in writing that you are happy for her to do that as you do not see it compromising her university applications.

My DD did 8 GCSEs, not including a language, and got offers from all 4 Russell Group unis she applied to, and she also spoke to York and Durham who were similarly happy to accept 8 and no language.

kenyancowgirl wrote:She does not need a language to get into an RG uni. LSE asks for one but those who don't are required to study a language unit, but that is an easy uni to avoid. I think some Cambridge courses might. Not sure why teachers keep saying this as it has never been true.

She aldo does not need 11 GCSEs - universities only consider your top 8 anyway. It sounds like you need to go in and speak to them about teh ICT issue - possibly pick your battle - maybe accept the Computer Science (it may be that they have changed exam board and that the exam this board offers is Computer Science not ICT?) but compromise that she be allowed to drop the language - and that you will put it in writing that you are happy for her to do that as you do not see it compromising her university applications.

Its UCL, not LSE, but you are right in that there is no requirement actually to offer a language at least at GCSE - you just have to take an extra course once you are there. LSE offer courses in the Language Centre alongside a lot of their undergraduate courses.

Re Computer Science, I thought schools had been strongly encouraged to offer this instead of ICT at KS4 for some years now?

I don’t think gcse ICT even exists anymore.

Tinkers wrote:I don’t think gcse ICT even exists anymore.

It does as one or two Pearson qualifications, I think, but the GCSE and A level were dropped, rather than reformed, back in the great shake-up.

Thank you all for your replies. It is reassuring to hear that french is not required by RG universities. Her school is shut from tomorrow due to staff shortage, I will take this up as soon as the school reopens after all that is going on.

The school still offers ICT but chose my DD to do computer science last week. Many others are still doing ICT. She is not at a grammar, but local comp, so computer science is what many do I think.

Many thanks once again for your prompt responses.