Thread: So angry I'm shaking and crying!

absolutely right Pie, let us know how you get on

Good luck, don't let it go cxx

Well I just sent the email as I'm not sure who to talk to...

Dear Mr Seed

I'm writing to you following the letter we received over the weekend regarding the KS4 options for my daughter Florence Thomas (Jones 8). My husband and I are deeply concerned over the options, or rather lack of options, Florence has been offered and would appreciate a meeting with either yourself or the relevant teacher in this matter. Whilst we understand the banding system is designed to maximize Florence's learning, we are dismayed to see that the same banding system is barring certain GCSEs from her at this stage. Florence has a very clear career path in mind and taking a BTEC next year would, at the age of 13, close that career path to her.

We hope that we can work with the school to find a path that is satisfactory to all as we would very much like Florence to remain at HPS.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Celeste Thomas

I'll update when I hear something! Thanks everyone, it's good to know I'm not the only one who'd be outraged.

well written Pie

Good e-mail!!

I think that's very clear and proactive

Take a third party with you to take notes so you are clear

Sounds good.

WTF are they doing expecting her to choose options on yr 8?

Even in a fast track system you still don't choose options until yr9......

Well the school only got back to me today so I can now give you all an update!

The teacher I emailed called around noon. He explained that next year students in the higher bands would be taking their English GCSE early and Flo would be taking hers later. Whilst the higher bands take 10 all together the lower bands take 8 GCSEs and 2 BTECs and whilst one set does one lot another do something else, so she should still be able to do Art and History GCSE. I asked why she wasn't ready now - he told me that she had been given a 5B in Maths and Science (that's the national average so fine and she probably would have been able to go up a band if that were all) however in English she been given a 4 (he didn't give a letter just 4), and he couldn't let someone with a level 4 go ahead and do English next year.

To say I was gobsmacked is not an exaggeration. 2 years ago when she left primary school she was a 4A. This means that in nearly 2 years of secondary school she has not gone up a SINGLE grade!! But she has gone up a whole grade in the other 2 core areas, as you'd expect.

At that moment I asked him what on earth is going on that she hasn't progressed at all and that now I was more worried about this than the GCSEs because if her level was the same as it was when she was 10 and she's now 12 there's something seriously wrong and no of course a 10 year old wouldn't be ready at to put their name down for English GCSE.

He seemed surprised too and started umming an ahhing at that point. He asked if I hadn't seen the reports, she supposed to get a report card every term, well this is her 5th term all together and we've had 1 so of course we had no idea. It's why it was such a shock to get the options letter. If we had known that she weren't progressing/on a low level we wouldn't have been so shocked by the options letter.

I said that at this stage I'm more worried why her grade has not progressed in one subject but has in others and why this hasn't been spotted earlier/dealt with.

He is requesting all her English work to see what is going on and is going to get back to us....

Maybe they have lost all her grades since the 4, or forgotten to update the computer, and she's actually progressed a lot more than they think?

He sounds a nice man, though...