How many GCSEs and A levels do your dcs have to do in their secondary schools?

[comfortseeker]

Just that.

[HildaFlorence]

GCSEs 10 , and I think it's a standard of 3 As but depends on if you are doing further maths, EPQ etc

[MyLocal]

I think it changes all the time, DS (21) did 13 GCSEs (and he was average kid in a good comprehensive and 4 A-Levels and a BTEC subsidiary. DD (18) (same school, harder worker and more determined than DB but similar academic level) did 10 GCSEs and 3 A-Levels.

IMO he went for quantity and she went for quality!

[TeenAndTween]

DD1's school was standard 9.5 + ECDL (ICT).

Top set ICT did iGCSE not ECDL.
If you did fast track triple science you got 1 more.
If you did RE & Sociology option you got 0.5 more.
If you did twilight Latin you got one more.
Not sure whether top set maths also did an additional qualification too.

I think may have dropped slightly now due to new GCSEs.

Her college does 3 A levels standard, 4 for those coming in with A/A* GCSE grade profile.

[mayflyaway]

it's a comp so three pathways - 5 GCSEs + 2 BTECs, 8 GCSEs + 1 BTEC or 10 GCSEs.

A levels have just changed back to 3 as standard but option to do 4 is doing all sciences/further maths etc. There are combinations of A levels plus BTEC too.

[ApocalypseSlough]

8/9/10 in 3 different selective schools. They go for quality not quantity.

[ApocalypseSlough]

^that's GCSEs and 4 Alevels dropping to 3 after AS

[mayflyaway]

actually have just checked - the third pathway can do 9 GCSEs & a BTEC or EPQ instead of the 10th if they want.

[comfortseeker]

Did you dcs school advise on choosing subjects? How would you know which subjects are best fit your dcs' abilities and interest?

[redskytonight]

11 (can include BTECs). I think it's far too many.

[catslife]

At dds school the standard number of GCSEs taken is 9 with some vocational options for lower ability pupils.
For some some subjects e.g. Triple Science, Computer Science or to take a second MFL there was some selection according to ability (i.e. test results for Y9).
For new subjects (i.e. those not taught below GCSE) there was some indication on links with other subjects done in KS3 e.g media studies may be suitable if good at English and IT or Economics would be suitable if you like Geography etc.
At A level most pupils take 4 subjects in Y12 and this is reduced to 3 for Y13. Pupils who only just make the minimum entry grade for 6th form may be limited to 3 subjects. The school offers taster sessions for subjects they teach at A level but not GCSE.

[boredofusername]

I did 8 at my state grammar school, if you did Maths a year early you could get 9.

DS is at state comprehensive and it is either 9 or 10 depending on whether you do triple (ie three individual) or double science.

[boredofusername]

His school is 11-16 so no A levels.

[Balletgirlmum]

Ds - academic selective school - 9 GCSE (option of an extra curricular one in drama or Comp Science)
Currently 4 A levels dropping to 3 (unless further maths in which case 4 - optional EPQ

Dd (vocationally selective school) 9 GCSE & 2 A levels plus Level 4 diploma in vocational subject.

[TeenAndTween]

At DD's comp they don't do 'pathways'. But e.g. the science department have to agree for you to do triple science, and there are some level 1 BTECs which only the least academic can do.
There is an options evening where you can talk to staff about courses, plus a general presentation. And a related parents evening.

So we were able to ask the individual staff 'would DD get at least a C in this' and also ask the deputy head in charge of academics 'given DD's current attainment profile would she cope with this list'.

[Eastpoint]

11 GCSEs, but one 'should' be a creative & triple science compulsory.

3As & EPQ for yr11. Current yr13 did 4AS then dropped to 3 for A2 unless double maths/bilingual. A few did 5As & dropped to 4 but it wasn't encouraged & usually involved double maths.

[comfortseeker]

I think my yr8 dd needs to choose her options about Xmas. It s that long to go if you think about it. There re only two more terms.

[thesockgap]

My eldest is in Y11 now and just at the stage of picking A Level options. They have to choose 4 subjects, and for GCSE they do 12. This seems like an awful lot to me - at my school most pupils did 8 GCSEs, the exceptionally bright ones were allowed to do 9. For A Level, everybody did 3 + General Studies (don't think that even exists now does it??) again, the brighter girls could also do an AS Level (old style = half an A Level) in a fourth subject but never four full A Levels.
It's meant that at GCSE, the only things my ds really dropped were subjects like music, art, DT and PE. He is doing pretty much every other academic subject available!
And for A Level, He's struggling to decide on a fourth subject

[traviata]

9 GCSEs or equivalent at DDs' school (Yr 9 so just choosing now) but those 9 include the English bacc.

I think there's also the possibility of doing Statistics and/or Further Maths later on by invitation only.

The 6th formers seem to be doing 3 or 4 A-levels.

[MrsBartlet]

Dd did 12 GCSEs and 3 A2s. Her school really wanted her to do 4A2s but we stood firm and 3 was fine. DS will do 14 GCSEs in total (3 of them taken in years prior to Y11) and his school insist on 4 A2S which I think is mad unless they are doing further maths etc. DD did humanities as will DS.

[TeenAndTween]

Does your school have a website with letters on it?
If you look at the section for the current y9s you may get more of an idea how your school goes about it.

2 terms is 40% of your DD's existing secondary time again, and she will have more idea by then.

At our school options are decided spring term y9.

• You will need to look at her levels.
• Look at her interests.
• Look at the options open and what choices she needs to make.
• Try to make it as academically strong as she can cope with, whilst paying attention to her interests.
• Try to keep options open for the future, whilst considering her strengths, weaknesses and interests.

DD had 4 choices. She had 2 she was very keen on, and 1 other also keen. Quite a lot of subjects were 'no way, wouldn't touch with a barge pole'. So it only left one choice between 2 subjects. We talked through the pros and cons and steered her to the better option.

I suggest you ignore (ie don't worry about) this until year 9.

[lljkk]

GCSEs, DS school: 7-10 DD school: 8-13.
Ranges because 1 BTEC = 2 GCSE slots, plus bottom sets get a support option instead of GCSE. DD struggled to choose so many.

How would you know which subjects are best fit your dcs' abilities and interest?

DC choose. I just point facts out about their choices. They seem to know what suits them best.

[Pantah630]

DS2 y11 Grammar, 13+Further Maths if able, the ICT is a short course though. A levels are 4 A2s from now, no ASs available, can do 5 if mad enough. It's too many but in reality he couldn't narrow his options down even further for GCSE and has been happy with the workload. We'll see come August.
He's aiming for physics, maths, history and government & politics/computing or further maths at a level definitely only 4 though apparently the novelty of lots of work has finally worn off.

[TheDrsDocMartens]

Dd1 is doing 11 old style + ICT qualification and dd2 is doing 10 new style +ICT and one external.