Year 9 options help

RS is a much more "respected" subject than ICT, business studies or child development, so if she thinks she may go an academic route, I'd suggest that was the best of those options.

But if she really has an interest in one of the other areas, and wants a chance to "try it out" then this is an opportunity for her to do that. Your first list of subjects (Matsh etc) are all very "good" from an academic point of view, so she should be able to pick her final option(s) without worrying if they aren't as academic. It's only DC who are trying to pick all "less academic" subjects who are likely to have problems.

Personally I'd go for RS as a lot of places do the Philosophy & Ethics syllabus which could then lead onto Philosophy A level and beyond which afaik is highly respectable. ICT has been so slated our school no longer offer it, she probably already knows as much as she will ever need to unless she wants to go into something specific such as programming etc

Some schools do a full GCSE as compulsory, some do half a GCSE as compulsory, some offer it as an option. DS will have to do full RE, but he isn't taking the ethics unit; he is doing the religion and expressive art unit instead. DD will not have to do RE at GCSE. It varies from school to school.

I'm also wondering what counts as an academic subject and what doesn't. I'm assuming that RE does, Drama doesn't and Art definitely does not. But then Drama involves writing about plays, which is surely more challenging and academic than RE?

I would just add to the above that yes the Art course is quite time consuming but both my DD's chose it as an extra they enjoyed and as "light relief" from their other basic studies. Not to say they didn't/don't try their hardest but they did it as something that they were good at that was different and stimulates a different part of their brain! DD1 got a C pass & DD2 is on course for an A but that was a bonus for us.

RS nowadays is more ethical studies than religious, they cover a wide range of topics not just the bible. I can't understand though why they only get "half" a GCSE, if it's a compulsory subject why not get a whole pass?

I think with GCSE choices you just need to consider what the likely A levels choices will be. It's fine to do a lighter subject and some schools recommend it. The grades achieved in GCSEs are more important than the number..8As would be preferable to 11 GCSEs with a mixture of A, B or Cs.

The Oxbridge and Russell Group tend to look for a good mix of solid subjects at GCSE and certainly A & A*, 8 to 10 GCSEs are usual.

How many academic GCSEs are universities looking for? DS will be starting 11 plus 2 non-academic next year. DD will be going to a different school and will be doing 8 plus 4 non-academic. When I was at school we only did 8 GCSEs in total, so I'm assuming 8 is enough but perhaps I am behind the times. Do universities care about non-academic GCSEs or do they just ignore them?

anyone know what statistics is like? It used to be compulsory for the top maths set but not anymore. Is it hard or a waste of time? ds3 really struggling to find the last choice and the reserve

Half a GCSE in RE is compulsory at DD1s school (state comp. Non religious)

She's had her form signed to say she is not doing the EBac, she is dyslexic and cannot spell in English let alone French.
She's put geography, music, computing (strange new course) and art for fun (she loves it, she isn't terribly good).
She wants to do something scientific so she needs 3 sciences, geography and maths at as higher grade as possible. The others we'll see.

Thanks! I am a bit surprised that this is a mandatory subject; it is taught as a non-GCSE subject in DD's school. Unless the school is a religious one, I suppose?

Religious Studies.

Err. what does "RS" stand for please?

My Yr 9 DS is choosing his soon - we have the dreaded informative Options evening next week.
He came home with the Options booklet this week and it has led to more Qs than answers.

It WAS simpler in the 80s wasn't it or is my memory going?!

GCSE Computing or GCSE ICT ??
D/T - thee are 3 subjects for this Resistant Materials, Product Design & Electronics - Didn't that used to be CDT woodwork/metalwork?

Can you do History A-level but not History at GCSE?

I am always surprised at how much fuss there is over this. At ds's school the compulsory subject are:

Eng lang, Eng lit, RS, Maths, French, Physics, Chemistry, Biology. DS then chose from a long list of options: History, Latin and Art. We thought he had chosen sensibly and had no argument with him or the school. We were quite proud that he chose to do Greek as an optional extra and went in early twice a week to do it.

I keep asking ds (13) about his options and has he had a letter or a leaflet for us to look at, but nothing.

I checked the school website + nothing.

I am right in thinking he'll have to choose soon aren't I? Or am I an idiot? quite possible

Frets

"How can school not be doing the Ebacc? Surely they are offering sciences, maths, english and options of a language and history or geography."

Languages are only compulsory to KS3. A lot of schools totally dropped all languages for KS4, so no GCSE were available. This is is why the Govt invented the EBacc - now that certain things are being 'measured' schools are suddenly a bit more keen on them.
Also, some schools do a Humanities GCSE which is a mishmash of Hist+Geog+RE.

The Ebacc is not compulsory in our school though english, maths, at least 2 sciences and MFL are compulsory and always have been, there is no insistence on doing either history or geography. The option leaflet has half a page on the Ebacc and says the school has no intention of altering the way students choose subjects but goes on to say that for those students wishing to go to university it is advisable to choose either history or geography ensuring a more rounded education which universities will look for in students.

Yes our school have EBacc or Open Pathways. All GCSE.
EBacc is somewhat compulsary in some choices whereas OP is completely choices,except obviously for Eng,Maths

How can school not be doing the Ebacc? Surely they are offering sciences, maths, english and options of a language and history or geography. Do you mean its up to students to choose and it isn't compulsory?

DSs school has suggested they think carefully about their choices bearing in mind EBacc, but is nor forcing it. They have always pushed a MFL for students following the academic pathways though.

So DS, who wanted Geography and Geology, is doing Italian instead of History. which he would have preferred. Also chose GCSE Music, but that was in a different column. (Plus core of triple science, maths, english, bpe).

I'd treat ICT with caution, depending on what her future ideas are.

The EBacc is a measure of 'allroundedness'. If a pupil can get it then it would be a shame not to have it. But if a pupil is not capable or actively dislikes the subjects then it is daft to pursue it - they should stick to the things that they are good at / enjoy.
The EBacc was never intended to be something that all pupils get.

Open Pathway is where you have full free reign on the subjects you choose...as opposed to the EBac where it's French or Spanish and History or Geography...then you choose the others yourself.

I think

God it's all so different to when I went to school in 1902

What is Open Pathway?

Lots of emphasis on eng bacc at our school. Lots