A Wallasey mother is challenging Birkenhead Sixth Form College's claim that its entry requirements are applied consistently, after her disabled son's A-level Spanish offer was withdrawn despite him achieving the highest possible GCSE grade in the subject.
Finley Lamb, 17, from Wallasey, had his offer to study Spanish at A-level rescinded after he failed GCSE Maths. The college states that young people must pass Maths and English to continue their studies. Finley had been awarded a Grade 9 in GCSE Spanish, the highest possible grade.
Mother's frustration over 'exception' for son
Finley's mother, Sara O'Donnell, said: "Finley deserves the chance to build on his strengths rather than have his future defined by his weakest subject." In a letter to Ms O'Donnell, the college's principal, Rob Myatt, insisted the entry requirements are "applied consistently to all applicants."
Dissatisfied, Ms O'Donnell submitted a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to see how many students had been accepted onto courses at Birkenhead Sixth Form College despite not meeting the entry requirements. The results showed that in the past four academic years, 199 "exceptions" to the college's entry requirements have been made.
FOI results prompt questions
After seeing the FOI results, Ms O'Donnell said that despite having suspicions that other students had been accepted without meeting the requirements, "to see it in black and white" is different. She added: "Now the obvious question is, if you've made 199 exceptions before, why haven't you made an exception in this case?"
She said: "The wording of the letter said 'published entry requirements are applied consistently to all applicants.' Well then that doesn't make sense to me, I'm confused." Ms O'Donnell went on to say: "I am pursuing all avenues of complaint, because I don't think this is okay."
Student's background and college response
In addition to living with the rare brain development disorder periventricular nodular heterotopia (PVNH), Finley is also autistic and has severe scoliosis, a curvature of the spine. Despite doctors fearing he may never walk or talk properly when he was born, Finley went on to walk to school every day.
His mum said: "I'm talking to make it public what has happened to Fin because I think it's really unfair that someone who has overcome so much in his life, worked really hard and got a Grade 9. I don't think it's unreasonable to find a solution that involves him studying Spanish at A-Level if he got a 9. It just seems madness to me."
Finley told the ECHO that not being able to study A-Level Spanish had been 'frustrating'. He said: "When I had my induction day at the college, I made two or three friends and I've had to message them and be like 'sorry I don't think I can come.'" "He's been sad. Really sad," Ms O'Donnell added.
In response to the FOI results and Ms O'Donnell's concerns, the principal, Rob Myatt said: "The College applies its entry requirements consistently, while exercising appropriate professional judgement where individual circumstances warrant it. However, there are necessary limits to that discretion. Having considered the applicant’s circumstances in full, we remain satisfied that this was the appropriate educational decision. The account presented publicly does not reflect all the relevant information, however, our responsibility to protect the applicant’s confidentiality means that we cannot disclose the details that informed our decision."
