Is anyone else struggling with GCSE options regarding languages and 6th form entry/uni entry?

Spanish is way easier than French (because every syllable is pronounced and it has strong logical coherence (or at least it seemed to me ) - also there are some great Spanish bands eg mexican band Mana - they might inspire her - brilliant live sound and cool rebellious lyrics.

I'd see a gcse language as a fairly essential qualification for anyone who's got any chance of getting one, or is thinking towards academic courses at university. Not having a language til 16 is an issue for some university courses, and it always has been, that was the case back in the 80s when my school encouraged a language option but didn't enforce it - and it did affect people's university options and offers. The EBACC isn't new in that, it's highlighting a common problem.

LOL :)

" all the teachers seem to be competing to get your DDs to choose their subjects - very biased and not subjective!"

Or tonget your dd NOT to choose their subject, depending on the dd concerned!

Sorry forgot to add that we didn't find school very useful as all in helping with our joint decision as all the teachers seem to be competing to get your DDs to choose their subjects - very biased and not subjective!

DD currently in year 10 chose her options before Gove finalised the subjects. Her free choices are Art (loves it but loads of work), Music (loves it again, not quite as much work) and Spanish (only started subject in year 9 but progressing well, enjoys it and on target for an A hopefully). Goves Bacc proposals originally included Music and Art as a humanity before cutting it down. We were keen she did a language but otherwise allowed free choice as all her other compulsary subjects cover the academic stuff IMO (2 x English; 2 x maths; 3 x sciences; + half P.E; OCR ICT; PSHCE etc). Most importantly is teh fact that she enjoys her subjects and therefore puts the work in. If we had made her do history, I think the situation would be very different IUSWIM ;)

point taken. I still think debating even sane choices is a good thing if done in the right way. Children don't always consider everything and schools don't always seem to give very much advice either. I'd always recommend parents are involved in making sure a choice has been properly thought through, sane or not even though GCSE choices don't usually seem to be all that critical in the long run.

I think Art, PE or Music GSCEs give a bit of breadth but it's her decision in the end.

I did say "unless they want to do something really bonkers" if it'a sane choice but not your choice, let them get on with it.

'trying to influence' has a whole range of meaning though. Obviously trying to impose your will over the child's is bad, but to engage in reasoned debate with a child to ensure they know the implications of their choices and what is actually involved in them is a good thing in my opinion as long as the final choice is theirs - but then there's the grey area in the middle where the reasoned debate is erring overly towards steering a child's choices rather than giving them the facts and letting them choose and also the facts can be presented in an overly biased way, even unwittingly. It's a parenting minefield really.

It is a very bad idea for parents to try to influence GCSE options unless the child wants to do something really really bonkers. let her make her own decisions.

I suppose I'm looking at the bigger picture rather than whether its "boring". DD1 has french GCSE and A level and is currently taking part in a language pairing scheme with a native french speaker at university. She's studying abroad at the moment and she says she feels frustrated that she can only speak english whereas so many of her fellow international students speak several languages. DD2 took two languages and got A*s for both of them which was helpful when applying for a competitive course at university and DS is currently doing french GCSE and will probably take A level as well as it fits in well with his other A level choices. He's doing an additional extension project and already has several ideas of what he'll be choosing to research for his A level oral exam.

I agree with horses for courses but if an able student is finding spanish hard and boring then either they aren't trying very hard or it isn't being very well taught.

It was just that my 3 have had positive experiences of language GCSEs and I don't really recognise the dread that so many DCs seem to have of them. Also its easier to get high grades with less work than a subject like Art as LondonMother has pointed out.

My daughter made a last minute change to her GCSE options and took Art instead of Spanish. Mistake. It was a huge amount of work, she lost interest quite rapidly, she didn't in any case have the level of ability required to do well and she ended up with a C (and lucky to get that). She had been doing Spanish for two years when she chose her options and I think would have been in with a good chance of a B at GCSE had she stuck with it - outside chance of an A. I can't understand looking back why no one at the school pointed this out - naively we thought if the school made no comment to us about her choosing Art instead of Spanish it must mean they thought she would do equally well at either. Oh well, you live and learn.

That should say 80-90% coursework.

It's probably worth pointing out to her that, at GCSE, art is about 80%-90% whilst most people think it is just 60%. This is because the 'exam project' (which is 40% of the GCSE) is also 75% coursework. That's a lot of lesson time.
As an art teacher I would say only do art if your DD really enjoys it. Being good at it now isn't necessarily a consideration needed; many students mature a lot in the subject between year 9 and 10, get more creative ideas and improve a lot.

Why aren't they taking a language Coconutty? What's wrong with language GCSEs that kids are so reluctant to take them?

coconutty extraordinarily, the OP's dd's preferred sixth form has made a foreign language GCSE a requirement of entry, this is nothing to do with what universities may or may not want.

OP, is it a state sixth form? I'm guessing if it is that it is very oversubscribed and probably a grammar? Cynically, it seems this is probably a rouse on their part to raise the entry standards rather than for any other reason.

It will be a very good idea to make Spanish one that she has to take - but I'd then let her make her own choices beyond that. DS's school was very clear that it was most important that they make the choice, and that they are not pushed into anything by parents or the school.