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Original poster

I got it wrong, the school doesn't want DD to do 14 GCSEs

84 replies

KatyMac · 11/01/2012 21:52

Only 12 plus 2 Btechs

That's not fair

OP posts:
Hassled · 12/01/2012 20:57

Blimey - what a nightmare for you. Your school is a bit ahead of mine - we're going through this in a few weeks with DS2, and it was all different in DS1 and DD's day.

I agree that the whole BTech thing seems like pointless additional pressure - and for what?

Original poster
KatyMac · 12/01/2012 20:54

8 would be better

OP posts:
TalkinPeace2 · 12/01/2012 13:36

I know, I counted.
Only 14 are in school time and when we have the options meeting I may put the kibosh on some of them.
Thing is the teachers all want her doing their subjects as she comes in the top 5 in the cohort
Much easier in my day with only 8!

Lancelottie · 12/01/2012 13:25

..or even 16

Lancelottie · 12/01/2012 13:25

ermm, Talkinpeace, that looks like 17 subjects to me...

TalkinPeace2 · 12/01/2012 13:12

at DCs school around 30 kids per year get 14 GCSEs spread over the two years
we have options coming up for DS and its looking like

English Lang, English Lit
Phys, Chem, Bio
Maths, Further Maths, Computer coding (after school) , Business Studies (home study)
Geography, History
French, Spanish, Latin and maybe Italian (after school)
and Art

I've said to the teachers I'm only interested in her doing huge numbers of subjects if they are certain she'll get straight A* (as 3 girls did last year)

Lancelottie · 12/01/2012 10:43

Bloody hell that's a lot.

I might show this thread to DS1 who is currently whingeing about the workload for 9 GCSEs.

(Comp here as well, though allegedly an 'outstanding' one, which means it knows how to play the results game if nothing else.)

Original poster
KatyMac · 12/01/2012 10:39

I don't know either tbh wrt the science

& she isn't top set for anything

OP posts:
hellhasnofury · 12/01/2012 07:48

I don't understand why they want her to do science at BTECH and GCSE.

14 GCSEs is achievable, my dd did that as well as a heavy training load but she was top set in all subjects except maths where she was set 2.

Have the school explained their reasoning? In reality the only subjects that have been any use to DD beyond getting into 6th form have been English, maths, and science.

Original poster
KatyMac · 12/01/2012 07:43

She will have to work to get Cs (based on her current forecasts)

OP posts:
MsAverage · 12/01/2012 07:41

Maybe I am missing the point, but why she "needs to work hard" if she is not going for further education? She can get her C's and be happy.

HauntedLittleLunatic · 12/01/2012 07:37

I think that spread over 3 full years it is not so bad.

The btec science is ludicrous tho and will be of no value to her whatsoever (assuming she does and acheives a min of 1 gcse)...and it is a reasonable workload too as there is lots of coursework and researchy tasks.

Original poster
KatyMac · 12/01/2012 07:30

Oh dear
I was hoping everyone would say I was fussing

I guess I'm not fussing t hat much then; it is a concern

OP posts:
gettingalifenow · 12/01/2012 06:54

I've always thought that higher grades on fewer gcses is worth more than average grades on a greater number, so I'd agree with you, Katy. It's certainly true for entrance to a good uni, which is what a lot of schools are aiming for.
Do they give a reason for their approach? Have they ever said why?

Needmoresleep · 12/01/2012 06:44

DS is at a very academic indie where the expectation is A or A*. He will do ten, 9 of which are academic, and all in Yr 11.

This has meant that he has dropped several subjects, including geography and Latin fairly late when he would have covered most if not all the GSCE syllabus. This is in direct contrast to his cousin at an "ordinary comp" who has been pushed through a large number GCSEs. My son's school would argue that a good crop of GCSEs sat at the same time and with good grades look better. I am just pleased that the exam and revision burden is reduced.

marriedinwhite · 12/01/2012 06:20

Sounds ridiculous. DS is at one of the most acadmic schools in the country and did 12. He did 3 in Y10 and the rest in Y11. It was hard work and he was very stressed last year. DD will probably do 10, possibly 11 if she does three sciences.

You say your dd is doing BTec Science and the Double/Triple award I don't understand that at all - nor the dance at the end of Y9.

GrimmaTheNome · 11/01/2012 23:21

Sounds a bit much. DDs school does 11 + .5 citizenship but (AFAIK) all exams in yr 11. But that's a high-achieving GS. The private schools round here do 10 .

They always say uni admissions tutors prefer 8 good solid GCSEs to a dozen wobbly ones.

The Btech science thing sounds a bit weird. Can't they tell from assessments which pupils should do 1/2/3 science?

Original poster
KatyMac · 11/01/2012 23:13

She is average, she will need to work hard

OP posts:
Original poster
KatyMac · 11/01/2012 23:12

& DD isn't even doing A levels never mind uni

OP posts:
Ponders · 11/01/2012 23:10

my kids went to a selective grammar & did 10 GCSEs (ones who were exceptionally good at Maths - not mine Grin) - took Maths in Y10 & Statistics in Y11 but otherwise it was just 10

DC1 took them in 1998, DC4 in 2009, both just 10

they all got places at RG universities so 10 seems like enough Confused

mycatsaysach · 11/01/2012 23:10

yes so far - dd in yr 9 and already has an a and a c.more to come in the coming weeks and of course next year.she seems to cope fine.

Original poster
KatyMac · 11/01/2012 23:10

She is doing:
Btech Science & Dance at the end of yr 9
Spanish, Geography, English Lang, Science & an option at the end of yr 10, then
Eng Lit, Maths, Double/triple science, RE, & 2 options at the end of y 11

OP posts:
Original poster
KatyMac · 11/01/2012 23:07

& they get good grades for all 14?

I'd rather she did 8 & worked had at them

OP posts:
Ponders · 11/01/2012 23:06

I thought they'd stopped early GCSEs?

mycatsaysach · 11/01/2012 23:02

completely normal in our school

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