Ebacc and GCSE Options - help confused

[sanityseeker75]

So we went to parents evening last week and had great feedback but several teachers asked DS if he was considering doing their subject for options (coming to end of Y9).

He really wants to do History and Computing (at the mo he wants to go into programming and gives up most lunchtimes to go to school comp room to work on a game he is doing) and would like to be considered for Triple Science now as Physics teacher advised he was looking at B grade at the moment.

He has never really enjoyed school until he hit HS and now is like a different child (last year of MS had SEN for English but now think he is at c grade). The problem I have is when he came home with his options booklet I just didn't know how to get him to tick the options to ensure he gets the best for him.

He is on Green Route and it said those on green should consider the Ebacc route and therefore should take French (he really has no interest in French). In the first Set it shows Spanish, German Computing, History and a few others I can't remember but he did say if he has to take a language he would rather try German or Spanish (these are not the Ebacc route though). If he put History 1st and Computing as 2nd then at least he should get one of his choices.

In 2nd Group it has Computing - so would he need to put this as first option incase he doesn't get it in Group 1? The other other option he could put as 2nd then is French.

In 3rd group History is shown again - should he then put it as his first option then to ensure he has best chance - don't think he cares what is his 2nd option in this group.

I suppose my real question is - should he take a language and if so does it have to be French? How important is the Ebacc? Do I just let him put Computing and History as 1st choice in every Section to ensure he gets these and then just live with whatever else he has to pick? I know triple science only has 28 places so have already warned him that he may not get that but I don't want him stuck with options he doesn't really want as I know he will lose interest and not really apply himself.

Sorry if a bit of a ramble - I felt like I needed to go back to school just to be able to fill in the form with him

[ISingSoprano]

Ebacc specify Maths, English, Science, a 'modern foreign language' (so either German or Spanish would do the job) and a humanity (either History or Geography).

[CheeseStrawWars]

Is Ebacc not scrapped altogether now then? Was your parents evening before or after Feb 7? www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21365373

[balia]

I would always advise students to take options they enjoy. Are the school having a separate options evening?

[Theas18]

We went to dd2 parents evening yesterday so I think I understand this...

Ebacc is English maths science a humanity and a language (mfl or ancient language-Latin or Greek count).

We were told (at a superselective grammar
-not a stealth boost just setting it in context) that most fuels will get the ebacc there. However they do not make it a"must do" - they see it as a number counting exercise for the school not a benefit to the students, and are willing to allow girls to do the right subjects for them rather then being bound by a measure that doesn't benefit them.

We are lucky, the choices are truly free for options (though there are only e option choices because they all do 3 sciences,2 English, mfl,maths,re and short course ict ). They don't set option blocks, but see how many girls want what combination if subjects and run with that.

The girls could chose say, music, art and pe or drama,AS computing and 2nd mfl, for their choices. Avoiding a humanity would me they don't get ebacc, but still end up with a valid rigorously academic profile suitable for university entrance to russell group if they choose for pretty much any subject.

I fear comprehensive schools, who must worry more about their ratings will have to make their top streams do ebacc compliant combinations.which is a shame for the kids us isn't what they need/want to do.

Why us only French on the"ebacc route" for your son?
Is it because he's done French since year 7 and other language (s) for less time? We were told that doesn't matter (but again remember this us a select cohort of girls who are easy, with good teaching to push on to catch up, there shouldn't be stragglers). our what?

[Theas18]

Ebacc us not being scraped it's the new gcse things that had a very similar label that are being scrapped.

The overriding message at the options evening was do the subjects you love and really want to do more of. Do not choose because of teachers you like our friends choices, you will end up in different groups etc. they also said there should be no "easy"option because none if the courses they use are, and no choice should be"because I have to do something". But again they are talking about am academically fired up group-I'm sure it's not as simple when you have a wide range of abilities to deal with.

[sanityseeker75]

CheeseStrawWars It was only last Thursday. It should have been an options evening but they had cancelled parents Eve due to the snow so combined the event - this made it very rushed and didn't really cover the Ebacc (this just turned up in the booklet because the colour of the route that he has been placed on).

Theas18 I don't know why only French but it definitely says French and not MFL

Thanks for all your replies

[seven201]

The ebacc is not a qualification as such, it's for measuring school performance really. Schools like students to do the ebacc. I think child should do what they want. I am confused by the German and Spanish bit as I understood those to be part of the ebacc (modern foreign language).

I'm a secondary teacher and year 9 tutor. Our school is probably going to make the ebacc compulsory this year, meaning students will only get one 'free' choice as they have to do triple science (but will be dropped down to double but keep triple timetable in yr 11 if not doing well enough), IT and RS GCSE's along with the usual core ones. I personally feel students should be able to pick subjects they're actually interested in (excluding the core). Sorry, I've gone off on a tangent.