How many GCSEs should my son do?

sorry wrong thread! Should have been on the Grand Design one

Agree it looked like a library, but it was nice that they actually had books on show, made it look lived in. Most of the other builds recently have nothing at all personal about them.

He sounds like the typical teenage boy, bless him. He won't listen to school and he certainly won't listen to the rents. Take him to visit an Oxbridge college - he might listen to them.

I also remember the story of getting into Cambridge (?IIRC) with only 5 GCSE but that was a struggling-against-the-odds story, an exception that proves the rule. I think the reality is that Oxbridge etc only ask for 3 A Levels but the sort of person they make offers to usually far-exceeds this minimum requirement.

Funny how MN threads always end up being about Oxbridge.

At my dd's high achieving school they only did 9, or 10 I'd you wanted to do another language or further maths. But they were expected to do other things- music or volunteering, for example and had to account for their time to their form tutor.

I have to say, he's not going to get into Oxbridge with a 'do the bare minimum" mind set- sorry.

My former school required 9 gcses grade b or above to be allowed to stay on for a levels. Had to have grade a in the subjects chosen to continue to a level though (v high expectations there though)

I did 12 gcses, 5 a levels, was accepted into Oxford ( but didn't take it)

As a minimum for university my reckoning is... Maths, English Language, English Literature, Biology, Physics, Chemistry, History or Geography and a language.

I think there's a MNer with DD current or recent at Oxford who only did 5 GCSEs.

I would push for 9 if he were my unmotivated DS, and focus on getting good marks on them. 9 high grade GCSEs far better than 4 A/A* and a batch of Bs & below.
Local 6th form only demands 5 GCSEs for entry; they still send a few up to Oxbridge each year so not like it's a dive 6th form either.

Depends what they are, if he is looking at Oxford and Cambridge. In that case, better 9 academic subjects than lots, of which some are less traditional, I would think.

Sash, I think that naive tbh.

University admissions pages show the minimum requirement - in practice, some courses in some Places - mainly russellgroup but also 1994 group - do use GCSEs as a filter process. With only 5 GCSEs you just wouldn't get a look in at the most academic universities.

@sashh - At the risk of sounding snobbish/elitist etc etc you seem to have a narrow view of the job market.

The economic climate being what it is, graduates are doing jobs traditionally done by A Level students. Those students in turn are doing jobs that would have gone to those with GCSEs. 5 GCSEs isn't going to have employers knocking at your door, at least not with a job offer that pays more than minimum wage.

Will he have spare time on his timetable then? Surely at gcse stage they dont have free periods?

Many, if not all, of the Oxbridge alumni that I know sat for 10-11 GCSEs. I obviously can't comment on how much weight was given to this by the respective admission panels but if I were to guess, if two applicants were equal in terms of A level grades, references etc then I suspect it would come down to GCSE grades and how many.

As for doing GCSEs outside of school, a Chinese friend of mine got her son to do Chinese outside of school. The exam was taken at the school so as not to disrupt the exam schedule. Worked out ok.

What will he do in the spare time?

Does he play an instrument he could practice.
I would go for at least 10 especially I'd possible Oxbridge

Most unis don't ask for exact numbers of GCSEs. Nine would be fine. It would be much better to have 9 with good grades because he was interested in the subjects than 10/11 which included some poor grades because he was forced to take subjects he had no interest in.

Obviously the nine need to include core subjects (English, Maths, and at least double science)

The only issue I can see with taking less would be if it reduced the possibilities for A levels.

I've never seen any course or job that needs more than 5 (including maths and English)