Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

Original poster

Options - DD has to choose between Art and History - WWYD?

62 replies

SugarSkyHigh · 09/02/2011 20:21

My yr 9 DD is just choosing her options - at her school, technology, RS and one MFL are compulsory (aswell as maths, science, english of course). This means that the only actual "options" she has been able to take are another MFL and Art. She would also like to do history but that would mean not doing either one MFL or Art. I sort of wish she would drop the art and do history instead but it has to be her decision I think.

Plus, she could still do history at A'level later on presumably, without having done the GCSE?

Or would you tell her to do history GCSE????

OP posts:
AtYourCervix · 09/02/2011 21:14

also technology and mfl specialist school so had to take those - DD doing graphics which links in with art.

AtYourCervix · 09/02/2011 21:13

DD had the same dilemma last year and chose Art. It is no way an 'easy' subject and has more coursework than any of the other subject she is doing.

she was also told that in theory if she has done a different 'humanity' like geography she could still do history at A level if she wanted too.

ravenAK · 09/02/2011 21:08

Technology Specialist Status, quite likely pointydog.

Appletrees · 09/02/2011 21:03

I'd go with history and get her to join the art club.

You can do gcses independently yknow. Look up the syllabus and take the exam privately if you canafford it, it costs around 150 pounds or something. Maybe she could put together a portfolio, put togeter the theory and give it a shot.

pointylug · 09/02/2011 21:01

I don't understand why schools are making technology compulsory.

ravenAK · 09/02/2011 21:00

History. She's already got technology for light relief...

It's just not the climate for soft options atm; if in any doubt, go trad academic.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 09/02/2011 20:59

Technology is compulsory at DD's school too. A real bugger as she is dyspraxic and can barely use scissors never mind trying to saw in a straight line.

pointylug · 09/02/2011 20:57

Why are technology and RS compulsory? That's a bugger, isn't it.

If she wants to do history, she should drop art. Does she have any idea what she wants to do after school?

skiphopskidaddle · 09/02/2011 20:47

history. If she wants a good university, history is much more impressive than art. She can draw and paint to her heart's delight in her free time. History teaches good thinking and good essay-writing skills and provides strong preparation for A-level study across the spectrum of arts and humanities.

Deaddei · 09/02/2011 20:45

I feel your pain-dd is deciding between drama and history,
She is not really into analysis, and is doing the English, maths , double science, pe, re, ict, citizenship, Spanish.
I think we'll go for drama.

LadyGlencoraPalliser · 09/02/2011 20:36

I would tell her to do the one she likes best and is best at. But if there is any possibility that she might want to do history A-level then she should do history. The reason for this is because at GCSE level you don't just learn historical facts - you are also learning skills that you will need to be able to apply at A-level, stuff like interrogating sources, understanding bias, using evidence - and I think you'd be disadvantaged at A-level without that prior learning.

MaureenMLove · 09/02/2011 20:24

I think I'd encourage her into Art tbh. She's going to need an 'easy' subject, with all that academic.

I am not belittling Art at all, but it's much more relaxing that everything else she's doing. DD is doing a similar set of options and she opted for Art and I'm glad she did.

What does she want to do with her life, is the question.

Swipe left for the next trending thread