Ich bin uber furious
My boy has enrolled at sixth form, and is looking at two career paths. One legal (ideally a barrister) and chose A level psychology and law and also robotic engineering so also chose A level maths and physics.

He called me earlier sounding upset and said that he's been kicked off the physics course because he got a D in one part of his GCSE science. Now the college have done this not because he won't manage the subject matter because frankly he'd piss it, it's because of results tables.

So in one swift display of college politics they have not only planted a seed of doubt in his mind, they have effectively blocked one of his avenues for the future. He said he's looked at the list of what else he can do and ticked English lit., media or photography. The rest of the subjects he has no former experience of or interest in.

I've left a message so the physics teacher will phone me back about it, but on the off-chance that he doesn't, does anyone have a Honda Accord I can borrow for the weekend?

Yours Vitriolic,
SLVA..
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 12:35, 15 replies, latest was 16 years ago)

Fear not!
This happened to me back in the day (about 15years ago now)as I studied GNVQ Advanced Science yet only had a D for Maths. I offered to redo the Maths GCSE as long as I could carry on dong the GNVQ. They agreed and a retook my GCSE Maths 3 times before the end of the course (I now have 4 Maths GCSE - 3xD and 1xC)

Surely your son could do similar?
( SpikeyPickle wishes he was mabazaritchie, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 12:45, Reply)

To redo that part of his science
would involve dropping something else as his timetable is pretty much full.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 12:50, Reply)

Most unis do science foundation years for engineering and other science-based subjects
So let him do what will give him the best grades (better, as law will need AAB or something like that), and he's still got the option for a foundation year to do something on the engineering side.

There's a few A level subjects I wouldn't touch, but apart from that go nuts.

^_^
(mmmm curry doesn't really understand this sig lark, Mon 14 Sep 2009, 13:26, Reply)

Jesus
your kid got a D in GCSE science and you think he's going to be a Barrister?

With the pass rate higher now than ever before anyone not getting at least a C must have difficulty walking and breathing at the same time.
(witchfinder general finding witches called richard, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 12:56, Reply)

Shouldn't this be in the QOTW answers?
Muhaha only joking :P
( whenanimalsattackhumans clad in global hypercolour, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 13:13, Reply)

I thought that
but I need to see how the outcome develops before I can post it.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 14:02, Reply)

Though I wouldn't phrase it as harshly as witchfinder...
... it looks as though science isn't his thing. Your claim that he'd piss the A-level science isn't backed up by what you've told us about the marks. (If he enjoys science, then you're probably just as well off getting him a subscription to New Scientist and telling him to go for A-Levels where his past performance indicates he'd flourish.

What's the evidence behind your claim about the college's motivation, anyway? Is it your son's say-so, your speculation, or what?

Besides: to study law, it really doesn't make a lot of difference what A-levels you have. There've been no avenues blocked off for the future. Don't be so hysterical.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 13:19, Reply)

I'm pretty sure it's the robotic engineering route he considers blocked off.
Mind you, A-level selection time seems a bit late for the "ummm, I want to be a barrister... or a robotic engineer!" stage.
(wellgroomedwookiee is a filthy-minded hobgoblin, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 13:31, Reply)

Seems about the right time to me
And about the right choices to make, doing law will show him if he has any interest in that path, and physics will teach him a good amount of what he'd need for the other (give him an RS catalogue and a monthly budget to build some robotic creations so he can fiddle about with the robotic engineering).
Which part of GCSE science did he get the D in? and what was his maths grade (which probably has more bearing on post GCSE physics than GCSE physics does), and what was his overall science grade for GCSE? (no idea how its arranged now, in my day it was a double grade for all 3 (e.g. BB, CC, AA).
Retakes don't necessarily mean extra classes, and doing 4 subjects should still leave him some timetable space (I did 4 all the way through A level and had 3 day weekends in the second year)
( Tedium Alduce me to interlow myself., Fri 11 Sep 2009, 13:40, Reply)

He's had the routes
he wants to take for a while now.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 14:05, Reply)

You smug prick.

( Noeli overtheshoulderboulderholderthingstraplatchboobs, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 13:25, Reply)

One tries

( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 14:03, Reply)

I spoke to the head of science
turns out "it's college policy and I have to do my job and follow that".

He was insistant that it was a very demanding course, but after looking at this:

store.aqa.org.uk/qual/gce/pdf/AQA-PHYA2-W-SQP-07.PDF

he's clearly talking bollocks because that was all covered when I did GCSE physics 20 years ago.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 14:19, Reply)

"he's clearly talking bollocks because that was all covered when I did GCSE physics 20 years ago"
Anyone fancy a game of "Spot the fallacy"? I'll start.

Is it in the subject line to this post?

Oh. I've won already.

Get over it. Your son didn't get the grades he needed to do one of his preferred courses. It happens. It's no big deal.
( Enzyme is powered by sunlight, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 14:23, Reply)

BUT IT'S NOT FAAAAAAAAAAAAIR
Why does no-one understand that this child is clearly a genius? Why does no-one understand that the father knows better than the educator?

I'd give him my own qualifications. But then someone would probably say that they're not worth the paper they're written on. WELL I'LL SHOW THEM.
(Slip Digby is a meat puppet, Fri 11 Sep 2009, 14:58, Reply)