Mumsnet Talk

DS wants to take:

English Literature
English Language
Maths -Higher
Combined Science
Biology
Art
PE
DT
Media Studies
RS

Should I make him drop one of either Art/DT and take Geography (doesnt like history) instead? He has no real clue what career he wants but maybe possibly architecture!

Thanks for any help - will speak to teachers etc but any advice gratefully received

I don't understand doing "combined science" and "biology".
As I said on the other thread, a tech subject such as DT is good for an architect.
You need to be strong academically to be chosen for architecture: none of the non-core subjects, apart from RS, are traditional academic options. Would he do Geography instead of Media or PE? Does he not fancy doing a language?

Look at the Uni entrance for architecture and work backwards! I always thought it was very academic with an arty slant, so a lot of those choices might not be the wisest.

My daughter is applying for year 11/12 art without an art GCSE and, while it's not impossible, she is having to put a lot of extra work in to develop her own portfolio and getting a much harder time in interview! It's easier to pick the right subjects in year 9!

Sorry, she is in year 11 - she is applying for year 12/13 courses

swap media studies for geography

He's in the top sets for maths, science, spanish and french but doesnt want to carry on with a language.

He will consider geography rather than media if its a better long term option. I dont understand the science either - they are pushing him to do triple, which he doesnt want to as its too many lessons a week and he would lose one of his other options to do it. I also dont see the need to do 3 separate sciences as I'd prefer him to have more variety. However, the teacher said that he can do combined and then a separate one (he likes biology best)

As you can tell I'm a but confused but will speak to the HOY before he chooses.

drop media
drop pe
which DT
?? sciences - combined and biol
is RS important to you?

geography and history would give intellectual background for architecture

Do consider a language especially as he is in the top set. There are plenty of threads about choosing Ebacc subjects (in your case MFL and Geography seeing as your ds dislikes history) but imo I think that by the time the current Y9 get to fill out their degree applications, the top unis may well use it to sift candidates all offering top grades.

Can I just say that DS1 chose PE GCSE. It was his one "soft" subject and he has really regretted it. Hates it in fact.
There is a lot of theory which DS finds very "dumbed down" and the practicals are incredibly difficult to get an A* even for a very fit and sporty student.
Mistake to not do a language I think.

Why MAKE him take things?

Surely it's up to him isn't it,with guidance from you & his teachers obviously?

At 13/14 I would allow DC to have a say in the matter but I think it's the parent's responsibility to make sure he doesn't make choices that will limit his future options.

I have a son choosing options too. i let him decide as he has to enjoy them to do well. i know geography is really hard as my other son never enjoyed it. biology chemistry and physics focus solely on those aspects of science and i know my son was told he would have to get an A to do a levels in those.

I went to the school options evening tonight.
The main point that was made is that the modular approach that has allowed students to take huge numbers of subjects and keep retaking till they get an A* has gone.
Almost every academic subject is now assessed by exams at the end of year 11
so DD's number of subjects will reduce to keep her grades up.

I think that letting them make their own choice is a good idea in theory but if they are choosing all soft options then I think making them rethink it is worthwhile.

I do think that 3 sciences in DS case is not the best thing to do - I do agree that geography is a hard one though. Maybe I should encourage him to look at ICT.

Anyone got any thoughts on that?

As a sixth form tutor who has lots to do with university applications I can tell you that average grades (in most cases) are more important that specfic subjects at GCSE, so choosing subjects he's doing well in and enjoys is probably the most important thing at this stage. A Level choices have far more riding on them.

It is worth thinking about the EBacc - for which your son would need a language and either History or Geography - but many schools are not pushing this, so it's hard to see how unis will be able to use this as a selection criteria.

I would also say that GCSEs should be equally challenging - how hard an individual finds them will be affected by their personal skills rather than the subjects themselves. None of the choices you've mentioned sound unusual and would all be accepted by sixth forms/universities as recognised qualifications. Just make sure he doesn't think he's gone for 'easy options' as he'll have a bit of a shock.

Thank you for the info and advice here. My DS, 12 and in Y8 has to choose his options at the end of the month! EEK, how can he possibly know what he wants to do!

He is pretty consistent with grades and has no real strong fav subjects apart from ICT. He has to take triple Science, Geo or History (currently both 6c) he prefers Spanish to French so at least that has been decided.

He can choose from Financial Studies and an ICT module based course as "enrichment" but because we think it might be best for him to do ICT GCSE it looks like he will do Financial Studies.

This leaves him with only one more "free choice" of GCSE. He was thinking possibly Business Studies but is hovering about media Studies or even DT for which he is currently graded 6A. Not sure at this stage which DT course would suit him best....or if his grades indicate these are good enough choices.

Confused! Have an Options Evening after half term so hopefully we will be enlightened!

Ebac is a measure of the school and not a measure of the child. My view is that it's good to do a broad range of subjects that show different ways of learning, which is why it is good to have a language in there. But you need to look at University admission requirements if that's where your child is heading. Presumably schools stopped insisting on a languages at GSCE because universities weren't bothered. Art and DT are both lots of coursework, but now that the exams are linear, that may be less of an issue. Like I said about a language, it is probably good to take a subject with lots of coursework.

I do feel very sorry for the PE dept, but at my DC's school PE GCSE contains lots of academic subject dodgers who are not very good at PE so that's something you may need to investigate, especially if your DS is sporty. I'd drop media studies from that list if there was one to swap for geography.

Good luck!

They look a bit academically light in terms of choices. I do think EBACC is becoming of increasing importance, and so probably worth slugging through a humanity and a language. There was another thread on this subject recently and I found out that some universities are now requiring a language - even for subjects like Medicine, and the concern is as a parent that this attitude will become more prevalent

Quattrocento I agree, we were told 2 years ago when DS1 did options that any child hoping to go to university would be strongly encouraged to do a MFL.
It is only now that we are at the next stage with DS1 looking at A level choices and sixth form that I have realised the importance of average grades rather than number of GCSEs.
I also think it wise to steer clear of BTECs if your DC is able to do proper GCSEs.
Many children have been promised that their BTEC will be "worth" 4 or 5 GCSEs and the writing is on the wall that that will not be the case.

At our options evening this week the head of mfl said that unis were in fact looking at languages as differentiators, two mfls show an ability that isn't always revealed by other subjects

'Possibly Architecture': keep the art, then, as applying for architecture without art (or graphics ) would be setting him up to fail, from what I've read.

Our schools simplify things by effectively saying, 'Tough, mate -- you're doing the language' to reluctant kids. Saves a wee bit of parental heaviness, at least.

If your son is in the top set for French, it seems a shame to drop it at GCSE. EBACC aside, another language is a good life skill.

My dd wants to dd architecture too. We are currently struggling with the GCSE choices. The 6th form she wants to try and get in to will only accept you if you have gcse in a language at c or above. DD's best subject is History in which she is currently predicated (sp? its been a long morning!) to get an A*. But she wants to do Geography (also A* predicated) and Spanish (probably b/c) because of the 6th form entry requirement and obviously needs to do art. God its a minefield. She will be doing the "green route" as opposed to the "red critical thinking route" and the following.
English
English Lit
Maths
Triple Science
Geography (possibly)
Spanish (possibly)
Art (possibly)
Ict Ocr National First Award
Religious Studies (Gcse short course)
Non Exam - Pe & Pshee

Sorry, can I ask a question here please? At what sort of grade is average for end of KS3? As DS is a very late summer baby and having to start his options in Y9 I am concerned that his grades aren't "as expected!"

Also, he knows he wants to do ICT but would ICT ECDL by as valuable to him as ICT GCSE?
Some of you are speaking a different language to me, so at what point should I know if he is a predicted C...etc

Fimbo, my DS is possibly doing very similar options. Art is replaced with Business Studies or possibly DT, but not 100% sure at the mo.

The more I read the more confused I become.