The Student Room Group

Dropping unwanted but required subject

Hello, this is my first time using the site, so please be patient. I really get stressed out by French, and, because I want to be a computer game developer, I find it to be un necessary, and pointless for my personal future which I'm aiming for( no offence to french teachers out there).

I find the curriculum to be ridiculous, with random parts of the course and how it's made for you to copy and memorise the language, which is ineffective for learning it and none of the history and culture talked about in Spanish or Mandarin is mentioned. Also, I've always found it extremely boring and it's the one subject I don't really enjoy, with particularly harsh or soul less teachers. But that's not their fault, mostly.

Unfortunately, since first year, most of us have been forced to do French unless the student has dyslexia or another condition or they have managed to get to national 4 and swap for History, Geography or Modern Studies.

I've always hated French, but, recently, my Teacher lost most of the Class's health essays from our files, which means we have to either:
1: find them at home
2: re do the essays

And the teacher, despite us doing a speaking test involving said essay, acts as if those whose essays went missing never existed. Most of us find it suspicious that so many were lost but my teacher isn't the most co operative with these things.

I REALLY want to be able to drop French, and some people in my school say that in St Ninians you can drop ONE subject by s4. IF this is true, is french included? If not, should I ask my Pastoral teacher to think about dropping it? Or should I just stick with it for another year? As I said, It's my lowest grade subject, barely making national 5, and it causes me a lot of stress and can even affect my performance in other subjects and assessments.
I am confused are you in year 11 and below or in A level?
Idk what stage youre at or whether ur in the uk, but talk to your school they can help, we cant. Im surr you should be able to drop it or change it? Unless you are fremch in which case you need it even if you are going into comp sci
I'm s3. That's the system in Scotland. Primary one-seven, starting at age five, then secondary 1-6
Original post by kurro
I am confused are you in year 11 and below or in A level?
Original post by Elimin8or2000
Hello, this is my first time using the site, so please be patient. I really get stressed out by French, and, because I want to be a computer game developer, I find it to be un necessary, and pointless for my personal future which I'm aiming for( no offence to french teachers out there).

I find the curriculum to be ridiculous, with random parts of the course and how it's made for you to copy and memorise the language, which is ineffective for learning it and none of the history and culture talked about in Spanish or Mandarin is mentioned. Also, I've always found it extremely boring and it's the one subject I don't really enjoy, with particularly harsh or soul less teachers. But that's not their fault, mostly.

Unfortunately, since first year, most of us have been forced to do French unless the student has dyslexia or another condition or they have managed to get to national 4 and swap for History, Geography or Modern Studies.

I've always hated French, but, recently, my Teacher lost most of the Class's health essays from our files, which means we have to either:
1: find them at home
2: re do the essays

And the teacher, despite us doing a speaking test involving said essay, acts as if those whose essays went missing never existed. Most of us find it suspicious that so many were lost but my teacher isn't the most co operative with these things.

I REALLY want to be able to drop French, and some people in my school say that in St Ninians you can drop ONE subject by s4. IF this is true, is french included? If not, should I ask my Pastoral teacher to think about dropping it? Or should I just stick with it for another year? As I said, It's my lowest grade subject, barely making national 5, and it causes me a lot of stress and can even affect my performance in other subjects and assessments.


Original post by Elimin8or2000
I'm s3. That's the system in Scotland. Primary one-seven, starting at age five, then secondary 1-6


In a lot of schools a language isn't mandatory in S4 (though in some it is). Have you done your choices for S4, or does your school get you to choose all your subjects at the end of S2?
If you hate it, fair enough. I agree with it doesn't benefit you massively due to the way of teaching- though it is incredibly beneficial to have a second language.
If you can swap it for another subject then consider speaking to your teacher?
Original post by Elimin8or2000
Hello, this is my first time using the site, so please be patient. I really get stressed out by French, and, because I want to be a computer game developer, I find it to be un necessary, and pointless for my personal future which I'm aiming for( no offence to french teachers out there).

I find the curriculum to be ridiculous, with random parts of the course and how it's made for you to copy and memorise the language, which is ineffective for learning it and none of the history and culture talked about in Spanish or Mandarin is mentioned. Also, I've always found it extremely boring and it's the one subject I don't really enjoy, with particularly harsh or soul less teachers. But that's not their fault, mostly.

Unfortunately, since first year, most of us have been forced to do French unless the student has dyslexia or another condition or they have managed to get to national 4 and swap for History, Geography or Modern Studies.

I've always hated French, but, recently, my Teacher lost most of the Class's health essays from our files, which means we have to either:
1: find them at home
2: re do the essays

And the teacher, despite us doing a speaking test involving said essay, acts as if those whose essays went missing never existed. Most of us find it suspicious that so many were lost but my teacher isn't the most co operative with these things.

I REALLY want to be able to drop French, and some people in my school say that in St Ninians you can drop ONE subject by s4. IF this is true, is french included? If not, should I ask my Pastoral teacher to think about dropping it? Or should I just stick with it for another year? As I said, It's my lowest grade subject, barely making national 5, and it causes me a lot of stress and can even affect my performance in other subjects and assessments.


Languages are not a compulsory subject, althought they can be useful to have, provided they're taught properly. My school really doesn't like people dropping subjects, but my friend managed to make the 'mental health' argument (like properly getting stressed and wound up over the subject, affecting his other work etc.) and managed to convince them to let him drop higher maths. It seems like it is affecting your performance in other subjects, so you could also try and make that argument. If you really think it would be more beneficial for you to do another subject, talk to your guidance teacher (pastoral?) and get your parents involved, if their on your side of course. If that doesn't work, just stick it through till the exam, you're not gonna be doing higher in the subject anyway so it doesn't matter if you fail it or not. Unis are not going to be looking at your nat 5 results so it won't really affect anything.

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