GCSE Options complaint

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mrsdaffy
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:48 pm

GCSE Options complaint

Post by mrsdaffy »

Any help and insight greatly appreciated. DS no 1 did not get a place on his first choice GCSE course. I'm at panel hearing stage of my complaint to the school. Places are allocated on the basis of a 'hat pick' when courses oversubscribed. Senior management assured me DS would get the options he chose. They're arguing that it was a misunderstanding. I cannot find any guidance as to how complaints are decided and as yet nothing from school. Does anyone have any experience and can shed some light for me please? :?
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: GCSE Options complaint

Post by Guest55 »

Does it say options are guaranteed in the options booklet? I don't know of any state school that guarantees options and most ask you to name a reserve.

Picking out of a hat is one way of choosing - I have had to deal with options and usually looked carefully at individual cases. Were options put in a order or chosen from blocks?
mrsdaffy
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Mar 18, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: GCSE Options complaint

Post by mrsdaffy »

option choices cannot be guaranteed, which is why we took our concern up with senior management. DS did not have a viable reserve.
Options were put in order. DS's first choice was the one he didn't get.
No individual considerations made. Purely a hat pick.
Last edited by mrsdaffy on Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
kenyancowgirl
Posts: 6738
Joined: Mon Oct 21, 2013 8:59 pm

Re: GCSE Options complaint

Post by kenyancowgirl »

The reason for the fine print is that no school can guarantee every child will get every GCSE option, although they will try and accommodate them, obviously.

Why did your son not have a viable reserve? Did the school decide not to run his reserve subject or did he choose something that he knew he would not be allowed to do?

I am not sure what grounds you have to complain, really. A number of boys in our school applied to do Statistics GCSE but they were only running one group. They picked names out of a hat and the extra kids got their reserve option - it happens in most schools. Unfortunate and bad luck if it is your child though but it is explained to you in the fine print. Usually the core subjects mean that no child should miss out on any potential careers as the core offer covers all bases.
Guest55
Posts: 16254
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 2:21 pm

Re: GCSE Options complaint

Post by Guest55 »

I would have rejected option choices without a reserve; by not naming a reserve you are trying to force the school to give you what you want. That is unfair on everyone else.

Saying that I think I would have dealt with over-subscription by allocating those who picked it first, then second then third with a ballot at the stage where too many cropped up.

Which subject has not been given?
Tinkers
Posts: 7240
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 2:05 pm
Location: Reading

Re: GCSE Options complaint

Post by Tinkers »

DD had to rank her choices then put two reserves.

At much as possible the school try they best to make sure that every one got at least their first four choices out of five, and also try not to resort to the second reserve choice. Most years they are successful apparently.

DD did not get her fifth choice but got ICT, her first reserve choice.

She didn't want to do ICT particular, but she describes it as 'what I dislike the least out of what is left'. It's a subject that in recent years most girls have got A*, and while she says it's boring and she doesn't enjoy it, it's straightforward. Obviously she will be the last year to do ICT as it will disappear.
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