Another GCSE options question - is this a sensible mix?

[annh]

Am going around in circles here, sure it was never this difficult for our parents! DS1 is bright, finds academic work easy, top sets for everything, currently in Yr 9 and choosing options. Options is an interesting word actually as he really can only choose two subjects. So far we have:

Eng Lang
Eng Lit
Maths
RE
ICT - all core subjects
Science - also core, he could do double but is doing triple
German - MFL also compulsory
Music - his best subject, plays two instruments well, plus self-taught keyboards, wants to do something musical/engineering related later, already thinking about Music A level
Drama - this is the sticking point, he likes it and is good at it, I like it, he will still only be 15 when he does most of his GCSEs, and I think he should do something a bit more "fun" and also practical, given that his year will be the first to go through the new end of year-only exams for GCSEs. He currently doesn't do any team sports in school as he is very involved in a solitary sport outside of school which is time-consuming and for which he hopes to reach national level this year so the idea of doing a collaborative GCSE with team-work involved, such as drama, is appealing.

If he does not take drama, he will do Geography instead. This is obviously a more academic subject, probably better regarded but he definitely won't continue with it to A level.

Is is going to make any difference in later life if his GCSEs look too "easy"? His A levels will probably be music, maths and science(s). Help!

[Lilymaid]

Only comment I'd make is that if he doesn't take Geography he won't have "achieved" the EBACC - unless RE has now been accepted as an approved humanities subject for the EBACC.

[bruffin]

I started a similar thread last week and the overall advice was go for the fun "one" in DD's case Drama. You have to bearing in mind when our DC take their gcses there will be no more modular gcse so will be very exam heavy at the end of yr11. Drama at dcs school is btec so it is only course work.

[annh]

Lilymaid yes, apparently his school (v-high achieving comp) is not making achievement of the EBacc compulsory, which I am quite happy with. My feeling is that achieving EBacc is not something that anyone is going to attach any significance to, rather an arbitrary line which Gove drew in the sand.

His school is a faith one and I know faith schools were campaigning for RE to be included as a humanity, presumably to no avail so far.

Bruffin I may have read your thread, have been trying to keep track of everyone else's dilemmas on here too! The assessment criteria for 2014 Drama says that there is no end of year exam, the course is 70% practical, 30% written but all the written work is class coursework. The end of year is worth 40% and is a play performance (slightly attractive as they will have exams coming out their ears in that June period!).

[mummytime]

Okay just to throw a small spanner in, how many Music exams has he taken? What grades is he on? Could he possibly do A'level having not done GCSE, as lots of musical kids find GCSE Music a bit of a turn off.

[annh]

Hmmm, he is Grade 4 guitar and Grade 6 drums, has now stopped grades in guitar, partly due to lack of time (and lack of motivation to practise!), much happier deafening us all with drumming and creating music videos for Youtube! Yes, am a bit concerned about him getting turned off in music. The teacher is very good and does differentiate so some of the more musical students get to do extra work but it's difficult. They have just started a module on reggae and he and his partner have completed the entire practical exercise set in one lesson while half the class is still on page 1 (as it were!). I really don't want him to turn into the kid who is causing havoc in the back of the class because he is bored. Didn't realise that doing A level might be possible without the GCSE. Parents evening next week so will ask then.

[beachyhead]

Could anyone let me know the weight of the EBBACC? My dd is in year 10 and does not have an approved humanity in her choices. It's too late now to incorporate one, but this is the first I had heard of it. The school were happy for her not to do a Humanities as she has a mild learning difficulty and the nature of those subjects doesn't suit her ability.

[mummytime]

Nope given those instruments GCSE music is probably a good idea (its the classical musicians who hate the subject in my experience). Is he giving up an option for the triple Science?

[annh]

Mummytime no, double science is one of his options (single science is the core requirement although I think very few do just that) and if you do triple instead you choose double and just tick he box for triple, or something like that! Thanks for the advice about music.

[GnomeDePlume]

beachy EBACC (English Baccalaureate) isnt a qualification, it is shorthand for a specific group of GCSEs used as a measure of school performance. As with all qualifications, their importance is reduced by time as they are superceded by time. The only exceptions to this are Maths & English. I still mention these on my CV now, 30 years later!

[aliportico]

annh, that's very similar to what my Y10 dd1 is doing - she is doing Latin and Product Design instead of ICT and Music. Her school insist on one MFL, one technology, and one humanity - but they count RS as a humanity and are not worrying about EBacc unless it starts being an issue with universities.

If you look at university admissions policies, regarding EBacc (I have looked at a few RG ones), they all say they are looking for a broad and balanced mix of GCSEs, which I believe your ds and my dd have covered! They also say that they do not currently put any store by the EBacc, and that this will not change without plenty of notice. Certainly I don't think anyone in Y9 needs to worry about it.

[ptiger]

You are where I was with ds two years ago except he did French where you are looking at music. My ds chose Drama and I am glad he did. Drama gives him a break from all the academic work and helps with the English. At his school, he has hours of homework most nights and while he has had some for Drama, it is not at the same level. drama can also give him useful skills, Since he is not planning to take geography at A level, I would go for Drama.

[annh]

Came back to say thank you to everyone for the advice. Between us, we have decided that ds will be doing Drama rather than Geography. Parents evening was interesting - it was a revelation to dh that they were all touting for business as it were, had to explain to him that they obviously want the students in their class who they think will get A* for the teacher! Hope we don't regret the choices! Thank you again to everyone who shared their experiences.