The consequences of not taking a MFL GCSE

[QuizTeamAguilera]

We have received the letter today, from DD's school, confirming her GCSE choices. They are:

Art (she is arty and enjoys it)
Graphics (to support her art)
History (has done remarkably well in this subject)
Geography (another very good set of grades to date)

She is an equal mix of arty and academic but I am concerned that, by omitting either French or Spanish, she might be hampering her chances later down the line.

Do the better universities really use lack of a MFL as a screening process? I've has several chats with DD and she is adamant she will not reconsider. I'm writing this here, in the hope we might receive some feedback (either way) that I can show to her. She thinks I'm talking rubbish and I could very well be.

[bruffin]

Looking at unis at the moment and the only one I have seen that needs a language is UCL. If you dont have a C at GCSE, you need to take a language course along side your degree. Its a bit ridiculous, a C in GCSE is hardly indicative of your intercultural awareness

[Jaffalemon]

Made no difference to DDs application for Bath Uni but she's doing accountancy now so wouldnt need a language.

Not sure if Bath is classed as a good Uni on here!

[GrimmaTheNome]

This comes up quite often - some more answers here

[QuizTeamAguilera]

Thanks all. Grimma, that link tells us all we need to know.

[GrimmaTheNome]

Oh good

[2rebecca]

In Scotland a modern language and a science were encouraged, although that is changing with some areas limited to 6 subjects not the previous 8 when we had standard grades.
You had to get permission not to take both a science and a modern language at my son's school, and to drop English at higher level.

[LittenTree]

I think if a DC is capable of passing a MFL they should do one.

I think it demonstrates another tier of learning; a certain flexibility of mind.

[bruffin]

I think it demonstrates another tier of learning; a certain flexibility of mind.

It demonstrates nothing of the sort. A gcse in mfl just demonstrates an ability to remember long passages of text and no more than that.

[crazymum53]

I think that where possible dcs should choose their "best" subjects at GCSE. Surely grade As in History and Geography would be better than a C in MFL?

[LittenTree]

Hmm, bruffin. I did French 'O' level from 1973-8. What it taught me was a) some French, b) a better understanding of the structure of English and c) the role of Latin as a common root.

If only, if only my DSs could pass MFL via learning 'long passages of text' ... What's the Board that allows this? In ours, my DSs have to be conversant in their MFL to 'pass'.

"Best" subjects are fab. It's just the role of the DC to convince the ongoing Admissions person why they chose a whole bunch of Humanities, say, over a range of subjects in order to trump the other applicants.... Maybe As in History and Geography might be 'better' than a C in MFL........ depending on who they're trying to convince, eh?

[asurreymum]

Hi,
Yes of course the top universities do rate a MFL particularly when selecting for humanities degrees. I know its tricky to predict but if DD is going to go on to study for a graphic design degree for example it won't be an issue, if a degree in History and definitely if English then a MFL GCSE may help for some universities. It would also help her understanding of English.
Some schools (mainstream included) will insist on one MFL and only exempt children with disabilities such as dyslexia.

[2rebecca]

My son is moderately dyslexic but got a good grade at standard grade in a modern language. Much of the exam was listening and speaking and he was good at those, he struggled more with higher where there was more writing involved and spelling mistakes not tolerated.

[bruffin]

Listtentree Mf gcse Is very different to gcse olevel. It is literally writing a piece then regurgitating it later in an exam situation.

[2rebecca]

Do you only do 4 choices in England now plus maths and English? I thought you all did 6 still? In Scotland many areas where kids have been reduced to only taking 6 subjects in total rather than the usual 8 are complaining as 6 doesn't give much bredth. If she is much better at geog and history i'd do both as if she's only doing a few subjects she'll need good grades in them. It looks an unbalanced selection with neither a science or a modern language, but most of us end up in jobs where that doesn't matter. Has she any idea what she wants to do?

[GrimmaTheNome]

Do you only do 4 choices in England now plus maths and English?

varies according to the school and often the individual child. Science - triple, double or single award are mandatory (but the single I think would only be for less able pupils - probably not too relevant to this particular discussion). Different schools will then have different options. So for instance at DDs they have to do maths, 2xeng and 3x science, they also have to do at least one of the three humanities and at least 1 mfl and then they have 3 other options (which could be more humanities or languages but might be a tech, computer science and an 'arts' subject- 11 in total, broad coverage.

I've never come across a school offering less than 10 gcses for academically able pupils, some comps they rack up 13 or 14!

[2rebecca]

I didn't realise the sciences were now mandatory in England although do find the double/ triple thing confusing, it's still individual science subjects at my kids' schools eg physics. 13 or 14 sounds excessive

[SlowlorisIncognito]

2rebecca doing some form of science GCSE has been mandatory in England for quite a while. The more able pupils tend to do triple, whilst the less able do double (but still study biology, chemistry and physics). Triple means they have covered more topics within each subject.

[Lancelottie]

Grimma, DS1's school does just 9 GCSEs as standard. Outstanding school and all that. Seems fine.

DS2's would appear to be putting him in for 11. Or maybe not, given the state of his school report. Sigh.

[GrimmaTheNome]

9 good gcses are certainly enough for any uni admissions criteria - which is what the thread was about - its a bit harder to get a good spread of subjects in that number though I'd have thought(I'm still pissed off my school only did 8 o levels which definitely meant focussing too early)

[Copthallresident]

mumslife it is rubbish to say a dyslexic DC, especially one who is mildly so, can't get a decent GCSE in MFL. I have two DDs diagnosed moderately dyslexic, both did MFL GCSEs, one did two. It is more of a challenge but with hard work one got an A*and an A, and one got a B (she is also dyspraxic, so problems with word finding in the oral also a problem). However we have lived overseas and both want to do so again so for them not doing a language was unacceptable. My older DD is now studying Science at uni and was offered this summer an internship in Germany, partly on the strength of her German GCSE. It is a shame that DCs are not encouraged to do at least one MFL, as they are (it is often obligatory) in the indies, not just in terms of uni entrance, but real life.......

[bruffin]

Copthall
My mildly dyslexic ds ended up with a D because mfl exams dont work for him. It was trying to remember long passages of text and he just couldnt do it. An MFL gcse is just a memory test and requires very little understanding.

I am sure he would have no problems picking up a language working abroad and i suspect a gcse in a language is meaningless when it comes to recruitment. It certainly doesnt represent someone who can hold a conversation in the language.
Friends dd has just got herself a job in Frankfurt with no german at all.

[Copthallresident]

Bruffin DD who got a B, got Ds in the oral and listening, but was able to recover it in the comprehension tests, having worked hard to build up her vocabulary. It is not just regurgitating a memorised piece, which incidentally she was asked questions on after.

She has certainly used her French on her exchange visits.

I am not surprised you would not need German in Frankfurt, an International Finance Centre, just like you don't need Cantonese or Mandarin in Hong Kong, but it does help. In fact a MFL is a condition for consideration for DDs banks' graduate recruitment scheme, and it also was for DDs internship in a research lab deep in the German countryside.

[bruffin]

Coptahall its all regurgitation. They are given the questions before hand and prepare it. My ds had questions he had to answer for the oral. He spent ages trying to remember the answers. I know he got a B for one section but got a D overall. He could have probaly got an A in most other subjects.
We are now doing the rounds of universities at the moment and only UCL require a language
There are opportunities to go to Japan for Leeds and they prepare you for that., how many of their students will have a gcse in Japanese.
My DH is dyslexic was not allowed to do languages at school and worked all over the world including probably
over a year of his life (if you add it up) in Germany. Also France, Spain ,Turkey ,Netherlands, Portugal and US and probably a few others.He never had a problem despite never doing a language at school. Nobody is going to have all those languages at gcse.