Can you move classes in Year 10?

74jax

My DD was always quite good at maths and sciences (she soooo gets that from her Dad). On entering Year 10 (first year of GCSEs) she hated maths, REALLY hated it. Said the teacher had it in for her, wouldn't explain things etc etc.

I totally understand 15 year olds can say the world is against them etc so about 3 weeks into the year (Sept) I spoke to her head of year and asked for a meeting with her current maths teacher and her previous maths teacher. I was told on the phone this wasn't allowed and to give my DD time to adjust to Year 10. I could, to be honest, understand this. She now has loads more work than previous years and can be 'lazy' in homework etc so told her to knuckle down and concentrate. Which she did do - in all subjects.

Since then, I've had tears - not the ridiculous 'world against me' tears, but the ones of frustration when she just can't 'get' something. Her teacher told her to go back to KS1 Bitesize and start from there.

I've tried calling the teacher, but just get notes back. I've wrote explaining DD is finding it hard. The teacher keep replying that DD is to go to afterschool maths and lunchtime maths where she can do more work. But the problem is the WAY in which it's taught. An example is DD didn't understand something in class, told the teacher she didn't, so teacher gave her 20 questions to stay behind and do after school. But DD doesn't understand the questions.........

My last letter was 3 weeks ago (again after no call back from a voicemail I'd left) explaining DD was concerned about her mocks and was needing some extra help.

Cue the mocks and her mock result of a C - to be fair, from the year we've had with Maths I was amazed at the grade C she got..........

I've just found out 2 other parents have wrote in to the school following the results and their child has now been put in the class with the teacher they had in Year 9. When I asked this back in Sept I was told categorically no class moves were allowed.

I don't know the circumstances of these other moves, but surely if I've raised concerns from Sept and am still doing so, my DD should be given the same opportunity.

Are there any heads of year or teachers on here who could recommend my next step?

It's sad to see someone who was predicated an A in maths for years, to now struggles so much that she has now just 'given in' in a subject she loved.

One of the questions was something like 'Pete has ingredients to make 8 cakes, he wants to make 12, how does he get the correct ingredients' DD said she was so muddled she couldn't answer........ Is this her just being a stubborn 15 year old or should I try and take it further?

I am open to all replies, so if you think she's just being a teenager, please tell me - I certainly don't have blinkers on when it comes to her and school........ I just don't want to regret not pushing this IF this something that the school can help with.

shop-to-drop

Has she tried any online maths tutorial sites? There are some free sites, some you pay a subscription for. The school may provide access to one too.

I have the names of them written down somewhere so will pop back if I find my note book.

whitewing

Would private tuition be a possibility, whether she moves classes or not. A private tutor could work her through her maths text book again to recap and explain in a manner suitable to her. They could also do some past paper practise which may help her deal with the stress of exams etc.

bizzybee

Fortunately both my kids' secondary schools react quickly to any concerns parents may have but I remember having a maths issue with their primary school.

All my attempts at trying to discuss the issue with the teachers fell on deaf ears until I wrote to the Chair of Governors. Wow, did things change then!

The governors have a duty to follow up on letter written to them and respond to you. If you get no joy from the usual channels, you could try this one.

shop-to-drop

'Pearson active learn', 'My Maths', 'Stuck on Homework'

These are three we can think of at the mo. May be back.

Mrs_Ryan

I had exactly the same problem. My teacher terrified me to such an extent that when I left school at 16 and went to college, I went to resit my Maths. My tutors were lovely, kind and understanding and good teachers but I would shake if I didnt understand and had to ask something - as my previous teacher was that horrible I was scared to ask anything (in fact she threatened to put me in detention for not coming in to school when I was off for 2 weeks with bronchitis :eek:) My tutor told my Mum that he thought that because of this he thought I had some sort of psychological fear of Maths (it turns out I'm actually mildly dyscalculic) and later in life I required intensive one to one tutoring to get me through my drug calculation assessments.
if the head of year wont play ball, try going above them. It eventually got so bad my Mum threatened to withdraw me from the school and go to the General Teaching Council and local press about this woman bullying young people and only then was she spoken to (however it turned out I was not the only one in the same boat) so I truly know what it's like. This woman I believe was 'encouraged' to retire after my class sat their GCSE's so luckily no-one else was subjected to her but if you complain loud enough and long enough the school should do something.

Mrs_Arcanum

DD has always had issues with Maths where some teachers suit & others don't (worked well that the Head of Maths was also her Form Tutor). Much depends on the school and their willingness to work with you and your daughter. However it would be worth contacting the head of the Maths department and arranging to see them to get help. Don't let them fob you off, but stick to your guns. It may be that the tutor groups are stuck for this year, but getting a change next year should still be worth trying for.

**professor~yaffle**

It is very difficult to 'demote' teachers. One of the colleges where I used to live had a dreadful art teacher, all the kids were failing their exams, but there was very little the college could do about it other than hope that he'd decide to leave. Word got about to avoid him/his classes. Not so easily done in a school, and with a subject like maths, which is of course compulsory.

devildog

My youngest was in a similar situation (older children had confirmed that particular teacher was useless) The teacher youngest preferred was taking a lower set for the subject and youngest spoke to teacher and somehow they got a move down into the lower set Following year preferred teacher was taking the top set and youngest moved up with him Funnily enough after youngest changed schools to do A levels(one being maths) they still went back to old school for the previous teacher's help(wasn't the only one to do this either)!

Having the right teacher for them makes such a difference. Another example here-eldest wanted to be a geography teacher, was top in the subject every year for the five years at secondary school (same teacher throughout) moved schools to do A levels, didn't like the new teacher's way of teaching and dropped geography after completing AS level!!

ValHaller

74jax wrote: »

One of the questions was something like 'Pete has ingredients to make 8 cakes, he wants to make 12, how does he get the correct ingredients' DD said she was so muddled she couldn't answer........ Is this her just being a stubborn 15 year old or should I try and take it further?

Perhaps a few exact examples of questions she struggles with (and some she does not) and there may be some insight. The arithmetic behind this one is trivially simple, but the question is verbal and is asking for a process - which is again verbal. The trivial nature of the arithmetic may prompt teacher to say "Don't be stupid, girl". which will be no help if she struggles to identify the form expected for the answer.

pollypenny

A difficult one. It reminds me of a girl who said that I wouldn't help her.

However, she spent more time paying attention to the boys in class than to me and the one time she asked me for help was in the middle of a controlled coursework assignment.

Needless to say, I had previously invited her to stay behind for ten minutes so I could go over something.

Y10 can be a time when boys are the most important thing for girls. Might be worth checking with her.

However, her maths teacher should be ready to meet you in order to air any problems. I would contact the Head of Department.