Help, how to change GCSEs at the end of Y10 ?

(78 Posts)
HisMum4now Fri 10-May-13 16:54:17

Ds with SEN in grammar school is struggling with English and Literature, which are both compulsory. He was left behind by the school in those subjects for the last 3 years and now there is simply no time to catch up. He has 6 hours per week of those lessons at school and he sits there not understanding anything. The school advises to take a tutor, but it is not possible to compensate with a tutor for the 6 hours he is wasting at school. This time is taken away from his good subjects that really matter. We just had mock exams, which clearly shown that even with a tutor the Literature cannot be done. It gets nowhere and compromises his good subjects: he didn't have time to revise, was too tired. He also has a DT subject that is not looking good and taking disproportionate amount of time.

I understand that normally you just bite the bullet and get on with those subjects because employers want them. However we crossed the bridge where those appearances can be saved. The dilemma now is to get an E in Literature and C grades in all other subjects, or to cut the losses and to get on with the Maths and Sciences where he gets his A* at the moment. In the future he wants to study Maths at uni and he looks perfectly capable to do this if he stops wasting time on things he doesn?t get because of his SEN.

Although the school says that Literature is compulsory, I asked uni admissions and they say it is not - they don't need it.
So ideally we would drop Literature and DT and would take further maths instead.

Is it technically possible at the end of Y10? What is the deadline?
What to do if the school doesn't offer those alternative subjects?
Is there a further maths GCSE where one could enrol outside of school?

Ilovegeorgeclooney Tue 14-May-13 20:21:05

English Language stands alone for employment, university etc but since the govt require certain elements of Lit to be studied it has to be studied in conjunction with Lit. Your son would have to submit his CA or turn up to one of the two exams but then could forget the grade. An A* in Eng Lang can be achieved with a G in Eng Lit. With your son's difficulties with Lit it is probably advantageous the school does not offer GCSE English where 20% of the mark is for Lit based CA.

circular Tue 14-May-13 20:55:40

If its AQA, according to the website, Language can pen be taken without Literature but nit vice versa, unless post-16.
My yr11 DD took AQA Language in yr10, and as she is not retaking, the school have already banked the grade and have her certificate. She is taking Literature this year, but that won't impact her language grade.

What it did say on the AQA site was that the English Language, when alongside Literature counts towards the Baccalaureate.

So perhaps its a league table issue that is making things awkward here.

Ilovegeorgeclooney Tue 14-May-13 21:42:20

The NC states that all pupils have to study Shakespeare etc in KS4 therefore they have to do either Eng Lang and Eng Lit or Eng at GCSE. It is not up for debate, they do not have to get even a grade but must have studied Lit. Just explain to the school that your son cannot manage the course, bung in the CA and ignore the rest of lessons by doing Maths etc

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