Year 9 - choosing options - how is it going?

Had the very useful and informative (not!) options evening. DS1 is now changing his mind about French and tbh he does hate it so I think it would be a pretty miserable two years if he took it.

So he definitely wants History and Geography but we are struggling for a third option and a reserve. He wants to put Sociology, but I don't think they will allow 3 humanities. So then he is left with the crative arts - art, drama, dance, music - none of which interest him. Business studies, construction, product design, hair and beauty, child development, P.E and media studies.

So he's not very good at sport and the others are just not him - apart from possibly media studies but there's only a handful of places.

I thought it would be difficult to whittle it down to 3 plus a reserve, but then I didn't realise what the choices would be!

Well the good news is history didn't repeat itself with my dd.

All the teachers want her in their subject.

Although I've just realised that she is at a very pressured school.

English is her weakest subject, and the English teacher was saying he was very worried about her English examination mark, and that she was great in class but couldn't write it.

I asked what we had to do to get her a C.

C I'm worried she'll get a B.

I said I'm not worried then!

Very proud of her, but am worried about the pressure the school is putting on her, and can see why she thinks she's not very good if teachers are saying 'worried/concerned' at grades like this.

Decorhate. At the mo our DD wants to do three sciences at A level plus Latin! I sort of feel maybe Latin could be useful.

DD won't get the English bacc because they do IGCSEs in 4 of the subjects but not in hist or geog. So although the subjects are there, they don't count cit doesn't worry me at all.

It's just this english bacc thing that's appeared from nowhere that's bothering me.

I've seen his 5 older sibs through this stage and thought I knew it all!

Oh lord! You are all taking this very seriously ] I suppose I had better start talking to DS about it. I think he's got a handle on it

How important is this english bacc?

I think DS5 has chosen a good mix but it doesn't include history or geography. He only has 3 options. He is using one for science, one for french and one for music. So he will do the following GCSEs,

Maths
Statistics
English x 2
French
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
PE
Music
ICT (Btec which they all have to do)
RE (short course which they all do).

As far as I know the school are not insisting on a MFL or a Humanity subject. Will he really find his future options limited with the above list. If DS had 4 options he would gladly chose history but he loves music and has been looking foreward to doing GCSE with others who are as keen as he is.

DH thinks that DS should be doing a language - Spanish or French (these are the only languages they do at his school) (he currently does Spanish). DS disagrees. He said the business studies counts as two options. Should he not get the BS then he will have to have a back up plan of a language and perhaps another science.

Is she going to specialise in languages Decor? If so, then Latin would be the way to go.

Any views on doing French v Latin as her extra language? At the moment she is wanting to do science at A level but of course that might change...

I have asked him if he knew about the Bacc, but he doesn't - he has just screwed his face up at me when I suggested it to him and that he could gain recognition for doing a language.

When they complete their options forms, they have to go through an interview process (so the school website informs me). it says they will do their best to accommodate the wishes of the pupils, but sometimes this is not guaranteed.

Bella does he appreciate that he won't qualify for the English bacc if he doesn't?

I think DS1 will want to do science and science and science and science. And maybe maths and DT. And art. And German because he likes going to the Christmas market and eating bratwurst

DS1 says he has to do Maths, English, Science and half RE whatever that means... He doesn't want to do a language.

Dd now says it won't be compulsory to do either history or geography after all. And they won't put the subjects into groups. So they will get to state which 3 options they want & the school tries to accomodate them.

At the moment she is planning on History, Drama and either Latin or French (she will do German as her compulsory MFL)

Hello, how did I miss this thread?

Options evening on the 9th Feb, reports home on the 18th Feb, parent cons day on 3rd March, option forms have to be in end of March.

DS1 says he wants to do

Music
IT
Business studies
Media

There is a copy of the letter to parents about options on the school website but DS denies any knowledge of it. Either a) scatty form teacher forgot to give out letter or b) letter is screwed up at the bottom of DS's bag and he will find it when he packs his stuff for tomorrow.

Anyway a language is compulsory, how much science you do depends on your science set and history and geography are just in the general options choice. No blocks - you just list your choices.

My "options" were certainly carried out in a different manner to this.

At my school we had to go to each subject teacher and ask to do their subject resulting in

Please may i do your subject? No
Please may I do your subject? Do you really think that's a good idea old.
Please may I do your subject? Laughing I don't think so.

Me to HeadTeacher - no teacher will have me.
Headteacher - leave it to me I'll sort it out.

God knows what bribery had to take place in the staff room, but I got to sit 10 GCSEs in the end

I'll tell you something, it only feels like 5 minutes ago I chose MY options!
[getting on emoticon]

Stupid mother! I just filled in a form to say which teachers I wanted to see at a parent's evening. So we'll be discussing it then.

DS will have had his meeting today, we have ours tomorrow. So far it looks like he will go for History, Geography and French, but not sure about the reserve.

There is also a choice to do a Diploma, which apparently is the equivalent of 7 GCSEs and specialising in Business studies, with just basic skills it seems in Maths, English & Science. This is being offered to ALL abilities. No way will he be doing that!

I am also shovked that if he wanted to he could take no academic options at all, in fact there is a chance some students could take Health & beauty and child development, with no humanities or languages!

Gagghhh!

Really?

I don't think DS1 has done anything about it yet. He sort of knows what he wants to do but we've heard nothing from the school.

Oh dear. Is it something else to fret about?