Science Case Study

BTech to GCSE – a Case Study

Mrs K – the mother of Isaac, requested information from us about two years ago. We usually send her our newsletters and other relevant information. In September 2010, the mother attended our open day and spoke to the EIKS Principal, Mr Mustapha.

She expressed her concern regarding the fact that, although her son had achieved a B grade in one of his Chemistry modules in Y10, the school had put him in a set where he could not do GCSE Science and, instead, the only option available for to him in that particular set was a BTech course.

We advised the mother on how she could communicate with the school and ask for her son to be moved to a higher set where he would be able to do GCSE Science. The mother had several correspondences with the school, including a meeting with the head of Science and also the Deputy Headteacher of the school. All was to no avail as the school refused to move him up.

The EIKS Principal did something very unusual and agreed to go to the school with the mother and the son. A meeting was arranged with the head of Science and the Deputy Headteacher. In the meeting, the school presented its case, emphasising that the BTech course is equivalent to GCSE and also that the boy was unlikely to succeed as he had achieved a D and also an E grade in some Science modular exams. They argued that he had very little or no chance of achieving a good pass grade, were he to be allowed to do the GCSE course. Mr Mustapha, the EIKS Principal, disagreed. He appealed to the school and presented his case based on his years of experience as a teacher and also on facts and figures. In the end, the Deputy Headteacher agreed to consult the Headteacher about the issue.

The following week, we received a telephone call from the Mother saying that Isaac had been moved to the GCSE group for Science. We were also informed that he would be sitting an exam three weeks later in a module for which he had not received lessons.

EIKS agreed to provide Isaac with as much help as we could, given the short notice. Further, the exam results were released, Mrs K telephoned us to say that Isaac had only just missed out on a C grade in the Science exam he sat. She also told us that the school had now allowed him to stay in that GCSE group and that they felt he would be able to achieve a C grade or better in the Summer Examinations.