GCSE options - can someone give advice please. Stuck mum.

[Eve]

DS has to finialise his choice this week.

He is vey dyslexic, so will be getting extra help, he currently working at level 6/7 in science Maths, level 5 in English and is thinking of an engineering / design/ architect course.

He's not massively academic, but is a solid worker and tries hard and is at state school. He currently doesn't do a language but does extra literacy instead.

So , bearing all that in mind, his compulsory subjects are Maths, English, RE, ICT and a science.

he is thinking double science as opposed to triple as slightly less demanding, on his teachers advice, go for a higher grader at double rather than a lower grade at triple.

Taking art and graphic design as he's good at drawing ( at least a b according to teacher).

PE as he plays rugby, hockey and rides all for school teams.

But we need a 5th subject.

Geography and history he is really not keen on due I suspect to large essay content. Other options are drama which he would like but I think is too soft, or computer studies but I'm worried dyslexia will get in way of programming. Media studies is another option but he's not that keen and languages are out for him.


Would not having a humanity disadvantage him in later applications for university/college?

Would a higher grade at drama be better than a potentially lower grade at computer science or geography (if he was forced to do a humanity)

[Eastpoint]

Does he enjoy geography? In the course my DD does there is a 25% controlled assessment which would presumably benefit him. If he enjoys geography I'd encourage him to do that as the ability to draw diagrams well would work in his favour. I don't think there are any opportunities to illustrate history at this level.

[nagynolonger]

My dyslexic sons didn't do history or geography for GCSE. It was easier to drop it when they chose because there was no talk of english bacc. I also allowed one of my dyslexics be talked into GCSE french which was a mistake. Go with what he can do well at and ditch the rest.
I would go for IT in some form if it's offered.

[nagynolonger]

Sorry just reread ITC is already sorted!

How about PE? That's not an easy option though.

[sashh]

I'm worried dyslexia will get in way of programming.

Don't be, it's an area dyslexics usually excel at.

blog.dyslexicadvantage.com/p/1722777485/dyslexia-and-computer-programmers

[MarjorieAntrobus]

Hi,

My dyslexic DD took her GCSEs last summer. Extra time, reader, laptop etc.

She had Drama, D/T Graphics, Art and Geography as her options.

No MFL at all. Dropped French at the start of year 11 as too much effort for no predicted gain, as it were.

Double science, Maths, English Lang, English Lit plus the four options above.

She got five Bs and 4Cs, and we were all delighted.

[TantrumsAndBalloons]

Drama is not really a soft option but he has to be interested and committed to all the subject and prepared to put in a lot of extra rehearsal time.
Dd does drama, she also does history which is an awful lot of essay writing.

[bruffin]

Is there an engineering/electronics option.

My ds who is dyslexic did take history and came out with an A, but like someone above made the mistake of taking a language which he didnt do well at.

[Startail]

DD1 is dyslexic, she does drama and loves it, but she loves English lit and Shakespeare too. You do have to by committed and prepared to work even if some of the class mess about. She has a heap of lines to learn.

She was going to do a IT option and changed her mind. She decided she needed the social skills practice (not her strong point) and could learn computing at home (DH's work and hobby is every form of electronics).

She ditched History, too much writing and MFL. She gets extra time in exams because her English spelling is 5 or 6 years younger than she is, chances of spelling French are zero.

She does Art, Music, and Geography. The first two she loves, she's sung since she was 7. Geography is fairly sciency and this is a techy/sciency house, so that's not bad.

Double science, for the same reason as your DS or because the head of science is an arse. Delete as applicable.

I think she'd get As for either because she chatters about science and does sciency hobbies. He thinks it would be too much work.

Good luck to your DS it's hard to see them having to put in so much extra effort to get the same grades their peers and siblings get without the stress. DD1 has had to put up with DD2 correcting her reading and spelling since they were 9&6 respectively. I've asked DD2 for spellings since she was inY5, it just isn't fair.