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AIBU?

To steer DS away from doing GCSE Child Development?

289 replies

dson2 · 25/02/2017 12:23

DS wants to do GCSE Child Development.

WIBU to steer him away from this?

OP posts:
formerbabe · 25/02/2017 12:23

Why?

LittleMissCantbebothered · 25/02/2017 12:24

Why would you want to discourage him??

Trifleorbust · 25/02/2017 12:24

What does he want to do as a career?

Minniemagoo · 25/02/2017 12:24

Yes explain why? Please don't dripfeed

Afreshstartplease · 25/02/2017 12:25

You would be silly

It's his choice leave him be

Foureyesarebetterthantwo · 25/02/2017 12:25

Depends what he's doing, if he's doing 8/9 really solid academic GCSEs including Maths, Eng lit and lang, Sciences, at least one Humanity/Social Science, a Language, then it's fine. If he has other less rigorous subjects in there, I would say no.

dson2 · 25/02/2017 12:25

He wants to do Science! Nothing to do with Childcare!

OP posts:
itssquidstella · 25/02/2017 12:26

Sounds like a waste of an option if he's reasonably academic. Much better to do triple science or a proper humanity instead (or a language).

ProudBadMum · 25/02/2017 12:26

Why is he picking childcare if he is interested in science?! Grin

I still it just something to do while doing his science? If so no harm if there's a slight interest in kids

HallowedMimic · 25/02/2017 12:27

When I was at school it was only offered to the less academic. Others were steered towards languages, geography etc.

It seems a bit of a wasted option really.

EdithWeston · 25/02/2017 12:28

If he wants to do science, then he's presumably already listed them as choices.

I think 'one for fun' is a good thing amongst GCSE choices.

wobblywonderwoman · 25/02/2017 12:28

Is it something he thinks is easier? What is his reasoning?

dson2 · 25/02/2017 12:28

Foreyes exactly... He is picking: (well, the ones he has to take are: English language, english lit, triple science (or dual) and maths. He is then picking ICT, art, child development and geography. I would prefer he picked a language or something else.

OP posts:
kimlo · 25/02/2017 12:28

I would discourage dd1 from taking it as an option. Even if he was intrested in childcare its not needed.

Trifleorbust · 25/02/2017 12:28

I'd suggest something else unless he needs it for the job he wants to do. It isn't looked upon as an academic choice and would therefore be more of a hindrance than a help.

SexTrainGlue · 25/02/2017 12:30

If you want him to dump one and pick something 'better' I'd urge him to get shot of ICT (it's so close to abolition that I thought it had actually already gone)

Astoria7974 · 25/02/2017 12:31

Agree. Child dev at GCSE is as worthless a qualification as it gets. If he wants to do it, far better to pick it up at uni.

dson2 · 25/02/2017 12:32

What's wrong with ICT? He is picking the graphics design pathway.

OP posts:
Foureyesarebetterthantwo · 25/02/2017 12:32

He should definitely pick either history or geography for starters, ideally a language (unless there is some reason he really hates them).

People saying 'it's up to the child', one reason that state school pupils have struggled to be properly represented at the best unis in the past is that their state schools allow them to take softer/less academically valued options. For a quite academic child, this can then limit what they go on to do. If you want to do childcare at the local college, the best point to do this is after 16.

He will have fewer A level choices with no humanities/social science subjects as some places make you get at least a B in that subject before continuing.

That said, I agree with whoever said one 'fun' subject is fine, it's not fine if its replacing decent academic subjects for a reasonably academic child.

TeenAndTween · 25/02/2017 12:33

Well, it would be useful if he:

  • is going to be a doctor
  • might become a teacher
  • might be a social worker

or even if he
  • might ever be a father


So amongst his other GCSEs if he is interested, then why not?
dson2 · 25/02/2017 12:33

He wants to do it because he is interested in learning. I offered to buy him the book. He says it isn't the same. He is already picking a softer subject (art) so a language would be good.

OP posts:
Stabbitha · 25/02/2017 12:33

When I had to pick mine (admittedly over 15 years ago) one of the 4 choices had to be a language and the other either history or geography.

We only really ever had 2 actual 'choices'.

I'm surprised there is no language there.

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Foureyesarebetterthantwo · 25/02/2017 12:34

If he is already doing Art and ICT, then no, I wouldn't recommend child development, because he's dropping really key academic subjects to do it.

redexpat · 25/02/2017 12:34

That sounds like it might actually be useful in real life rather than as a gcse iyswim.

ATruthUniversallyAcknowledged · 25/02/2017 12:35

Hahaha. He's a clever kid. Has he worked out he'll be the only boy in the class and will look like a sensitive type to all the girls?

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