What grinds my gears...

[Bert]

Why do people put about 8 extra “m’s” in the word summer when the sun comes out? Summmmmmmmmmer. Does my head in. 

[ozleicester]

When the head of your Covid taskforce... ignores his own rules, crosses borders against the law... watches as young people and poor people get jailed for the same thing... but he gets off scot free.... fvck society

[Milo]

My child having to drop subjects he's very good at in place of subjects he dislikes (and isn't very good at) as his GCSE choices.

 

It's ridiculous.  

[Izzy]

39 minutes ago, Milo said:

My child having to drop subjects he's very good at in place of subjects he dislikes (and isn't very good at) as his GCSE choices.

 

It's ridiculous.  

We're currently going through this with my youngest too.

 

Our school 'recommends' that every pupil does at least one humanities subject and a language at GCSE - but my boy doesn't want to do History, Geography or French, Spanish.

 

But because it's a C of E school, everyone has to RS compulsory.

 

My wife (who's a teacher) wrote to the Deputy Head and told him what options my boy wants to do (no humanities or languages but various arts subjects instead) and he responded in agreement.

 

I'm not sure how strict the rules really are...

 

[Milo]

3 minutes ago, Izzy said:

We're currently going through this with my youngest too.

 

Our school 'recommends' that every pupil does at least one humanities subject and a language at GCSE - but my boy doesn't want to do History, Geography or French, Spanish.

 

But because it's a C of E school, everyone has to RS compulsory.

 

My wife (who's a teacher) wrote to the Deputy Head and told him what options my boy wants to do (no humanities or languages but various arts subjects instead) and he responded in agreement.

 

I'm not sure how strict the rules really are...

 

Ours are set in stone, unfortunately - I’ve tried a number of times to see if he can change but they’re not having it.  
 

He’s had to drop Art, which he’s pretty good at (and I think is a decent life-skill type subject), for fvcking Chemistry. 
 

Chemistry. 
 

The other pointless subject he has to take is Biology. And he’s lost out on one of his languages (A grade all the way through) for that. 

 

He’s really nobody’s idea of a fvcking chemist (or biologist), but will have to sit through a wasted year of tedium and disinterest in these subjects when he could be flourishing in areas he excels at, and enjoys. 
 

 

 

[LiberalFox]

12 minutes ago, Milo said:

Ours are set in stone, unfortunately - I’ve tried a number of times to see if he can change but they’re not having it.  
 

He’s had to drop Art, which he’s pretty good at (and I think is a decent life-skill type subject), for fvcking Chemistry. 
 

Chemistry. 
 

The other pointless subject he has to take is Biology. And he’s lost out on one of his languages (A grade all the way through) for that. 

 

He’s really nobody’s idea of a fvcking chemist (or biologist), but will have to sit through a wasted year of tedium and disinterest in these subjects when he could be flourishing in areas he excels at, and enjoys. 
 

 

 

When I was at school you either did something called "double science" (was a combined science course worth the equivalent of two GCSEs) or did Physics Biology and Chemistry separately. You had to do English Language, English Literature, Maths, and then either 2x Science or 3x Science. I'm surprised he can't take Art. I would have thought it more likely it clashes with something else. 

[FoxesDeb]

20 minutes ago, Milo said:

Ours are set in stone, unfortunately - I’ve tried a number of times to see if he can change but they’re not having it.  
 

He’s had to drop Art, which he’s pretty good at (and I think is a decent life-skill type subject), for fvcking Chemistry. 
 

Chemistry. 
 

The other pointless subject he has to take is Biology. And he’s lost out on one of his languages (A grade all the way through) for that. 

 

He’s really nobody’s idea of a fvcking chemist (or biologist), but will have to sit through a wasted year of tedium and disinterest in these subjects when he could be flourishing in areas he excels at, and enjoys. 
 

 

 

Is he also doing Science, alongside the Biology and Chemistry they want him to take? If not then I think at least one Science GCSE is compulsory.

 

Otherwise do the subjects clash on the timetable and that's their reasoning, or is it just their policy that certain subjects 'have' to be taken? If it's a timetable clash it will be harder to overcome, but without an actual reason I would pursue it further, maybe with the board of governors? 

[Crinklyfox]

1 hour ago, Milo said:

My child having to drop subjects he's very good at in place of subjects he dislikes (and isn't very good at) as his GCSE choices.

 

It's ridiculous.  

The way our brains are wired makes us better at some subjects than others.  Its my belief that those with primarily convergent thought processes tend to be better at science and engineering subjects and those with more divergent thought processes tend to be better at arts and humanities.  Whilst taking a variety of subjects may sound good for giving a broad education in reality we end up doing what we are best at in life given the opportunity so why not foster the positives and let a child go as far as they can in the subjects they are good at.  I bet Einstein was never told he had to drop Physics at school and take Art.

 

By the way this sort of thing has been going on for years.  I preferred the sciences at school (we're in the 60's here) but was told I had to take Latin instead of Chemistry.  I prevailed on my parents to write to the school and eventually I got out of the Latin class.  I ended up with three A levels including Chemistry and took an Engineering degree at Uni so for me getting the subjects I wanted was a productive move.

[Milo]

32 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

Is he also doing Science, alongside the Biology and Chemistry they want him to take? If not then I think at least one Science GCSE is compulsory.

 

Otherwise do the subjects clash on the timetable and that's their reasoning, or is it just their policy that certain subjects 'have' to be taken? If it's a timetable clash it will be harder to overcome, but without an actual reason I would pursue it further, maybe with the board of governors? 

He’s doing Physics as well. 
 

I don’t think it’s a timetable issue, more of a school decision. 
 

He can do 2 creative subjects, but they’ve classed computing as creative, which is why the Art has to go. 
 

And I’m not even sure if they have a board of governors, tbh!! 

[FoxesDeb]

2 hours ago, Milo said:

He’s doing Physics as well. 
 

I don’t think it’s a timetable issue, more of a school decision. 
 

He can do 2 creative subjects, but they’ve classed computing as creative, which is why the Art has to go. 
 

And I’m not even sure if they have a board of governors, tbh!! 

As the compulsory science is covered I'd be asking why they feel it beneficial to him to be forced to give up subjects he excels in for ones he neither wants nor needs, but I'm sure you already have. 

 

If there's no timetable clash and there's no other satisfactory justification I'd argue until they hopefully got bored listening to me and gave in, it usually works for me with my husband  If that didn't work I'd investigate taking it to the board of governors, as far as I know every school has one, or the local education authority. 

 

I got my local MP involved once with a school issue, that worked too  

[tom27111]

@Milojust give @FoxesDebthe schools number. 

 

She's scary 

[tom27111]

In all seriousness about that though @Miloit's bullshit.

 

Step daughter is in a similar position right now, forced to take a language choice. She struggles with French and doest want to start from scratch in Spanish.

 

Step son is sitting his exams this year, made his choices which he was happy with, but the classes were over subscribed and he ended up doing two subjects that he has no interest in.

 

We fought it, but apparently 'nothing they could do' because of demand.

 

Some kids got all their first choices, some missed out on one, he missed out on two.

 

Very frustrating. 

[Rain King]

It's crap. I did my GCSEs in 2002 and I had to choose between French and Design Technology.

 

I wanted to drop them both 😪.

 

Also had to choose between Geography and History, two of my favourite subjects.

Edited 23 March 2022 by Rain King

[steve555]

5 hours ago, Milo said:

My child having to drop subjects he's very good at in place of subjects he dislikes (and isn't very good at) as his GCSE choices.

 

It's ridiculous.  

Same thing happened to my lad last year, he wanted to do both Art & Graphics, he's good at art & likes drawing, but he was only allowed to pick one because Graphics & Art were both classed as "art subjects" , he chose Graphics, but I think Art would have combined well with the Graphics. He had to pick something else, settled on Media in the end. This wasn't a timetable issue, just a school decision, just seems a bit odd when they're good at something not to let them do it.

[Milo]

48 minutes ago, FoxesDeb said:

As the compulsory science is covered I'd be asking why they feel it beneficial to him to be forced to give up subjects he excels in for ones he neither wants nor needs, but I'm sure you already have. 

 

If there's no timetable clash and there's no other satisfactory justification I'd argue until they hopefully got bored listening to me and gave in, it usually works for me with my husband  If that didn't work I'd investigate taking it to the board of governors, as far as I know every school has one, or the local education authority. 

 

I got my local MP involved once with a school issue, that worked too  

Blimey Deb!

 

Remind me not to get on the wrong side of you, won't you! 

 

The school sets their rules apparently, and it's a bit 'like it or lump it'. It's not a state school, so I'm not sure what the governors situation is - and due to the set up, even if they exist they are very much likely to take the school's side! (And I can't imagine my MP having much sympathy!!). 

 

They did tell us what the situation was before he started the school, so I suppose they have a bit of a point in saying that we knew the score from the off.

 

I think maybe my main gripe is that they have computing as one of the creative subjects - when it is more suited in the science category (imo). That would free up a space for Art as well as binning the pointless (for him) Chemistry or Biology subjects.

 

I know it's always been a bit like this, @Crinklyfox put it really well in his post above, but I do think there is room for a bit of manoeuvring these days. It seems a bit archaic to tell teens what subjects they think they will benefit from.

 

 

 

My views may be slightly biased - I remember being embarrassed, shocked and angry when I bought my first house. I was 23 and the estate agent asked if I had the mortgage in place. I had no idea what a mortgage was or how it worked. I remember thinking to myself ' how the fvck have I been in school since I was 4 years old and nobody thought it would be a good idea to tell me about how mortgages work'?

 

Loans, savings, investments, capital growth and compound interest would have been quite useful as well! 

 

But I can tell you Pi to 12 places, describe what the inside of a frog looks like and recite a huge chunk of the periodic table, which are clearly much more valuable skills.   

 

 

 

    

Edited 23 March 2022 by Milo

[RonnieTodger]

John Oliver

[Facecloth]

2 hours ago, RonnieTodger said:

John Oliver

Love his show. What don't you like about him? 

[RonnieTodger]

4 hours ago, Facecloth said:

Love his show. What don't you like about him? 

His incessant playing up to the “Brit in America” stereotype, his 2007 Mock The Week jokes, his daft haircut and squeaky voice.

 

In fairness I can’t stand any of these late show “comedians”. Nish Kumar is the worst. 

[FoxesDeb]

Someone PM'ing me to ask for help because they don't want to appear daft in the public forum, then disappearing once I've spent ages explaining and providing links, presumably once they'd got their answer. 

 

A quick 'thanks' would have been nice 

[StanSP]

3 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

Someone PM'ing me to ask for help because they don't want to appear daft in the public forum, then disappearing once I've spent ages explaining and providing links, presumably once they'd got their answer. 

 

A quick 'thanks' would have been nice 

Ooooh name and shame

 

 

[foxfanazer]

3 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

Someone PM'ing me to ask for help because they don't want to appear daft in the public forum, then disappearing once I've spent ages explaining and providing links, presumably once they'd got their answer. 

 

A quick 'thanks' would have been nice 

[Countryfox]

4 hours ago, FoxesDeb said:

Someone PM'ing me to ask for help because they don't want to appear daft in the public forum, then disappearing once I've spent ages explaining and providing links, presumably once they'd got their answer. 

 

A quick 'thanks' would have been nice 

You promised not to snitch …. 

[Jon the Hat]

On 23/03/2022 at 23:38, LiberalFox said:

When I was at school you either did something called "double science" (was a combined science course worth the equivalent of two GCSEs) or did Physics Biology and Chemistry separately. You had to do English Language, English Literature, Maths, and then either 2x Science or 3x Science. I'm surprised he can't take Art. I would have thought it more likely it clashes with something else. 

Nuffield combined science.

[ajthefox]

I count my blessings that I was pretty good at school and that I had an idea of what I wanted to do when I was 13/14. 

 

Our education system is not so much about giving people genuine skills and a broad understanding of things, as it is a boatload of box ticking excercises based around a lot of arbitrary shite that has historically been deemed to our country as the important stuff to know.

 

I know that it's not simple task, but I always find it saddening when I hear about kids being shoehorned into a system that works against them or forced into studying things they don't want. 

[Manini]

People on trains (usually long haul ones, so I’m thinking the Xcountry Edinburgh Plymouth shitter) who take massive suitcases with them, don’t put them in the specific luggage racks and just have them next to their seat in the aisle. I’d say train guards should be better equipped to deal with it but I can’t imagine it’s worth the grief they’d inevitably get.