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Secondary education

How many GCSE's do they take these days?

51 replies

Mymumstillreadsmymail · 30/01/2015 12:09

We have started looking at secondary schools (State and Independant) for sep 16 start.

I have asked this question at a few schools now and not got an answer. For the average child, how many gcse's do they take? I am also interested to know which generally are the compulsory/recommended subjects, and how many are options.

Obviously lots of the schools offer lots of exciting subjects that my dc are interested in, but how many of these will they really do by the time you take compulsory subjects out of the equation.

If any I could shed some light on this I'd be grateful!

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Essexmum69 · 30/01/2015 12:44

It varies from school to school but between 9 and 13 usually. Maths, Eng Literature, English Language and double science generally mandatory, some schools may make a language and a humanity compulsory. Some schools insist on RE, one comp near me makes a tech subject compulsary (as that is the schools specialism).

Eg at DDs grammar she is taking maths, English literature, english language, RE, triple science and critical thinking - compulsary. Plus options of french, geography, german and PE.
At local comp, maths, english literature, english language, double science, ICT and RE - compulsary. DS will then get three optional subjects.
If you search the letters home section of school websites you will often find the options form for the current students. Bear in mind though that gcses are changing and so the option choices may as well.

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TranquilityofSolitude · 30/01/2015 12:49

In a totally unscientific survey - talking to friends occasionally - I think children are taking fewer GCSEs, presumably as they move to being assessed on a final exam rather than through coursework.

My DD has 13. I don't quite know how that happened as it certainly wasn't intentional. It wasn't a great idea either. She was under so much stress at the end that it was a struggle to get her to go to school and I would never want to be in that situation again. If we had our time again I would have advised her to pick 10 and aim to do really well in them. As it happens DD did do well, but I think she could have had better results if she'd been under less pressure.

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TeenAndTween · 30/01/2015 13:20

My very average DD is in theory doing 10.5.
That is the 'standard' at her comp.
I too suspect that with move to terminal exams that may drop.

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Artandco · 30/01/2015 13:22

10-13 imo

It depends usually on whether schools have a second language as compulsory and compulsory Ict etc

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lljkk · 30/01/2015 13:24

In state schools, core subjects = math + 2 x English + 2 x science, and perhaps RE = 6.

Number of options = 2-7, including sometimes a mix of BTEC+GCSE or after school classes. Most kids get 4-5 options.

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chickydoo · 30/01/2015 13:35

Mine is doing 12 this year

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Tigerblue · 30/01/2015 14:22

My DD will be taking Eng Lang, Eng Lit, Maths, can choose six options and in her case will do all six options (many at the school choose six options and will be offered five of them), so that's nine. She's in the top set for science who are the only ones considered for triple science (three GCSEs), so that would be a total of 12 - too many in my opinion. She is desperate to do well in some of the other subjects, so we may discuss her just doing double science.

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AtAmber · 30/01/2015 14:31

My ds is taking 10 this year. English Lang and Lit, maths, triple science, history, Spanish, russian and ICT. He is at grammar school. They are all taking 10.

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thehumanjam · 30/01/2015 14:34

It's 10 at ds's school. English, English Lit, Maths, Double Science and 4 options.

The less able can do a few less I think.

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thehumanjam · 30/01/2015 14:35

I missed of gcse RE which is compulsory at ds's school.

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thehumanjam · 30/01/2015 14:35

Off not of.

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Mynewnamenotyours · 30/01/2015 14:37

It is 9 at DS's school - slightly above average non selective comp.

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PeaStalks · 30/01/2015 14:45

Two DC have done 12 each at state comp.
Way too many IMO. There is no earthly need for so many GCSEs and the pressure in year 11 was ridiculous. DS2 had after school lessons every night in Y11 because they could not fit all the curriculum in the timetable. He only took one additional one, RE. The others were all supposed to be timetabled.

I'm glad to hear the numbers taken will go down with the new GCSEs.

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slalomsuki · 30/01/2015 14:48

DS has been offered 9 or 10 depending on whether he takes a language. Eng. Lit, Eng. Lang., Maths, triple science, history, geography, and DT. He is probably not going to do a language on top of those.

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Mymumstillreadsmymail · 30/01/2015 14:58

Thank you, exactly what I was looking for. I wish the schools we have seen were just as open!

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Mymumstillreadsmymail · 30/01/2015 15:00

Interesting about after school classes too, to me that seems unnecessary.

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Branleuse · 30/01/2015 15:06

too many!

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Pensionerpeep · 30/01/2015 15:44

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OddBoots · 30/01/2015 15:48

Those in Y8 will be the first year doing all the newest style GCSEs graded 1 to 9, it may be that schools change the number offered for the new ones so the hesitance to tell you might be because they simply don't know yet and don't want to be held to a guessed number given a few years ahead.

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TheFirstOfHerName · 30/01/2015 15:53

What is an average child? At DS1 & DS2's (state) school, the more able students take 9-11 GCSEs.

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TheFirstOfHerName · 30/01/2015 15:56

They all have to take the following 7-8:
Maths
English Language
English Literature
2-3 Sciences
Modern Foreign Language
History or Geography

Then 2 options, which can include another MFL and the other one out of History & Geography.

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OddBoots · 30/01/2015 15:59

If you look in detail at the school league tables then about half way down they page it says how many last years group took on average.

As a random example

Average entries per pupil - all qualifications
All pupils 8.7
Low attainers 7.8
Middle attainers 8.6
High attainers 9.5

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morethanpotatoprints · 30/01/2015 16:01

The school dd is looking at take 9, it is independant specialist.
The state high schools her brothers attended took 12/13. Many of these offered were vocational rather than academic.

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Mymumstillreadsmymail · 30/01/2015 16:02

Dd is 10 so I have no idea of her potential. But so far she seems average in her class lets puts it that way.

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springlamb · 30/01/2015 16:03

DD's option forms are to be in next Weds.
She will take 10 GCSE courses (now that I and the school have talked her down from opting for vocational qualification in Hairdressing - she is top set and 3rd in year at science but thought she'd give GCSEs a miss...)

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