WWYD? GCSE issues

My oldest is set to take his GCSE's next month and he is in all intermediate levels but math. He is set to take the foundation level test.

However, when interviewing for college, we were told we should go for the intermediate because the foundation will only allow up to a D even if you get it all correct. At the intermediate level, he could try for a c.

He asked his math teacher (always unsupportive), he told him that he didn't think he could do it. Also, if your mom and dad have any problems they will have to come see me.

How rude and unsupportive.  Even at the intermediate test, he could still get a D or and E which is the same as the foundation, but if he has studied and worked hard, then he could try for that C no matter how far away from it he may be.

Should I go to the school and see him? I want him to have every fighting chance to get a good grade. He's not very good at math and hopefully, he'll be ok in the future.

Thoughts anyone?

Thanks in adavance

I guess the likelihood of him getting a C would be low as he wouldn't have studied that "C" level material, if this had been earlier I would have suggested getting him a tutor or helping him at home and putting him into the Intermediate math, but this late it might just be more off-putting and discouraging for him to open a paper which would have all sorts of material in it he may never have seen.

Is he going on to college? It's quite common for people to retake their Maths or English GCSE in their first year of college.

I'm a total non-parent, non teacher btw, so worth taking advice at pinch of salt.

If I were you I would meet with the teacher and just ask for him to explain his decision. While he might be able to get a D or E on the intermediate if he doesn't meet the E he will end up with a U, where he could get a F or G on the foundation paper. I would want to know if the teacher thinks there is a chance that your son might not get an E or that the higher paper would overwhelm your son and end in a worse result.

I am a maths teacher in the UK.  This is my first year teaching full-time here, so I am not an expert, but I can tell you...

1) There is not an Intermediate Maths GCSE anymore.  It's just Foundations and Higher.
2) On the Foundations GCSE, you can get a C.  Higher goes from A*-D and Foundations goes from C-G.  If he takes higher and doesn't get an D, he will get a U, but if he takes Foundations, he will only get a U if he doesn't get a G.

Here's some more info: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/EducationAndLearning/QualificationsExplained/DG_10039024
 
In my opinion, not knowing your child at all, if he hasn't been studying the material for the higher paper he will find it VERY difficult and probably get discouraged and perhaps not do as well as he could on the Foundations paper.  The material on the Higher paper is MUCH harder than that on the Foundations paper.

You can try talking to his teacher, but if his teacher has said that he doesn't think he would do well on Higher, most likely the school will refuse to enter him for Higher.  Ultimately it is up to the school.  

If he is really motivated to do better, have him take the Foundations this year, see how he does, and if he wants to improve he can always re-take next year.  I know there are many colleges/sixth forms in London that teach GCSE re-takes both at the Foundations and Higher levels.  I imagine the same is true where you are.  I worked as a supply teacher last year at such a school where many students were taking Higher who had taken Foundations the year before and just wanted to improve and get a B, or even an A.

Leisa,
I am glad you chimed in-- I kept thinking that I thought you could now get a C on foundation-- but wasn't 100 percent sure!

Thanks for letting me know that. I'm wondering if my memory is off or I was informed wrong. I feel completely better knowing that at least there is a chance for a C. He may not get it but it's there.

He will be taking math again at college. He just has a butt head of a math teacher. My son is working really hard. I bought the books so he could have them at home....both the level he is on and the upper. He asked at parent night if he could work on the higher level and then asked his teacher to reevaluate him and see if he could move up. His teacher flat out told him NO, I don't think you can. 

My thinking is.....at least be encouraging. Here is my son wanting to work hard and his teacher pushing him down.  No matter, my son has worked hard on that upper book and did it on his own time. He may not move up but I'm proud that he took responsibility for his education.

I just wish the teacher would show more support, even if he couldn't do it. What was the harm in saying yes, I'll take a look and see where you are.

Anyway, rambling here.  Thanks for all the advice.

I assume since you are writing "math" instead of "maths" that you are American?  I am too, but teaching in the UK.  I understand what you mean about your son's maths teacher being discouraging.  Have you been here long?  In my experience teaching here, there is a very different attitude towards student abilities here than there is in the US.  In the US, there is a lot of support and kind words of encouragement and the idea that if you work hard you can do anything.  But here, the attitude is a lot more about "born" ability and that some people aren't cut out for certain subjects.  I'm not sure that is helpful at all to you, but just wanted to let you know about the cultural difference I've observed. 

I wish your son Good Luck on his GCSE!  It sounds like he has worked really hard, I hope he does well!  :-)

Leisa, thanks so much.....

we have been here for 3 years. I have learned about the method of teaching here but he is buy far the worst. I am American and I do miss the caring and supportive nature of the teachers in the states. What I miss just as much......books they get to bring home. There should be enough books for every student to have one. I'm just hoping the next PM will do something about the education.

How long have you been here? The spelling of your name is so unique, I met a lady on another forum ages ago that spelled her name like that. It's so pretty.

Thanks again for the help and the well wishes. He takes his art final this week and he's all geared up for that one.

Can you get him a tutor?  I was told by Maths teachers my whole life I was no good and that I couldn't pass the General Standard Grade exam (i'm in Scotland) let alone the Credit.  I got a great tutor, got the school to put me forward for the General and Credit and ending up getting a 1, all because of a great tutor who actually had time to explain things to me. 

Can you get him a tutor?  I was told by Maths teachers my whole life I was no good and that I couldn't pass the General Standard Grade exam (i'm in Scotland) let alone the Credit.  I got a great tutor, got the school to put me forward for the General and Credit and ending up getting a 1, all because of a great tutor who actually had time to explain things to me. 

I second the tutor idea .

I had Physics and Geography tutors during my A levels because I was struggling to get good grades, and they were brilliant. Before my first Physics module, I was getting D's and E's on practice papers and homeworks... I saw a tutor for a few weeks before the exam, who helped me to fully understand the concepts and I ended up getting 93%! With Geography, all of the students had problems with the module at the end of the first year (only 3 out of 15 students passed the exam (I got a D), which was worth 33% of the whole A level!), so in year 13, I went to a tutor every week to go over the class work and study how to answer the exam questions correctly (the problem wasn't that we didn't understand the content, but that we didn't really know how to pass the exam). I ended up with A's in both Physics and Geography and I went on to study Physics at university.