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

GCSE Choices 2013 (exams 2015) support thread

206 replies

DizzyHoneyBee · 11/02/2013 15:27

Here we go....options choices this month, exams in summer 2015. We're choosing options at the moment but I've not come across a support thread.

Does your DC know what they want to do already or are they needing a lot of help deciding?
Where have you gone for information?

We get a booklet this week apparently and then have a meeting at school to discuss listen to a sales pitch by the teachers discuss the options that are best and then we have about 2 weeks to make a decision.

OP posts:
OddBoots · 16/02/2013 22:24

I'm just coming to the end of my school gate time as dd is in Y5 and walks part way by herself now. I've been quite lucky to have good parents to chat to over the years, we catch up via facebook now we meet less often.

It's really good to chat here and see what other schools do.

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 16/02/2013 22:22

A language would be helpful, Yippee. Does she have any idea of the sort of job/career that she wants to go into?

YippeeTeenager · 16/02/2013 22:20

Me too Sparklingbrook, school gate is horrible, should be banned and everyone should collect their DCs at the school drivethru... Grin

YippeeTeenager · 16/02/2013 22:16

Oh no, that was supposed to be a Hmm

Sparklingbrook · 16/02/2013 22:16

Yippee this school gate is the best one I have been to. Grin I don't get to do school gates any more, DS1 on the coach and DS2 bikes.

YippeeTeenager · 16/02/2013 22:15

My DD has to choose now but she's only in Year 7 - they do a 3 year GSCE course rather than 2. She's only just turned 13 so it seems much too early to be worrying about what will look better on a university application. I think she's going for:

Maths
English Lit
English Lang
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
Computer Science
Geography
Philosophy and Ethics
Art

I think she should be doing a language really? [hmmm]

spudmasher · 16/02/2013 22:08

YippeeTeenager..........that makes me feel better!!!! I'm going to google that tomorrow. It does make sense to get some decent grades rather than lots of mediocre ones. But my Dd will still need to really focus as the 3 days will need to suffice. I really hope she can get all she needs during her academic days.

YippeeTeenager · 16/02/2013 22:02

You all sound lovely, can we make this our school gate and meet again? Smile

LadyMaryQuiteContrary · 16/02/2013 22:01

Hi Smile

Ds has just handed his option form in. He's doing:

English lang and lit
Maths
Chemistry and Physics
German, Spanish, Latin and (possibly) Greek
RS and History.

I know no one from his school either. Sad

YippeeTeenager · 16/02/2013 22:00

spudmasher we had a parents evening last week about options and the head said that the government has just said that they should only do 8 GCSEs and absolutely no more. They are worried that children are being made to do more and more to outdo the competition and have no time to do anything else so in future the emphasis really will be on 8 good ones. At my DDs school they have reduced it from 12 to 10...And they also said that universities worry more about the grade profile than the number so 8 As or As is much better than 8s and 1B...Confused

SanityClause · 16/02/2013 21:56

Dual science isn't two sciences ie say, physics and chemistry, but not biology. It's a bit of each. So at DD1's school, if you get at least an A for the, say, physics exam, you can do physics at A level/IB. So in theory, you could do dual science at GCSE, and three sciences at A level.

spudmasher · 16/02/2013 21:46

I hope so.......the school felt like a good idea at the time and she has had a ball, but we are feeling very wobbly now with just the 9 GCSEs.
She has a few credits under her belt so we are hoping she can go on to a vocational college for A levels but the industry is so fickle.
I suppose she could always do more GCSEs in the future if need be.
What we do have is a vision from her- brief stage/ screen career followed by a career in directing/ casting. So at least she has a path mapped out to aim for!!! That seems like half the problem for many on this thread......but at age 14/ 13 how are they really meant to know???!!!!!

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 16/02/2013 21:37

Oh right, I see. It sounds like a good balance then, there is more to life than academic stuff and she's got options with her sciences plus a language and a humanity - to my inexperienced mind anyway. Better 9 with good grades than 12 average ones.

OP posts:
spudmasher · 16/02/2013 21:35

Not at all DizzyHoneyBee, she is at a performing arts school and has been since Year 7. They do three days academic and two acting, dancing and singing.

She has worked in theatre and tv during that time and has missed school but they do their best to fill the gaps and they are only allowed to go to auditions if they keep up with their academics.

But the focus changes after Easter when they commence the GCSE courses and I am wondering now if it is a good idea to spend so much time on the vocational side. It just makes me nervous, but the vocational stuff does provide a certain amount of rocket fuel to the academics. She knows there will be no work unless she's performing in the academics.

But 9 feels like not many compared to some.

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 16/02/2013 21:28

I think there is an increasing tendency for people to focus on quality and not quantity so I can't see a problem with it. When I was at school people usually did 8 or 9 but my DD will be doing 12; that seems like a lot to me.
There is a university admissions person on the thread, maybe they can comment.
Glad that you have found us Spud.
Do you mind if I ask why she only does 3 days a week, are you partly home educating?

OP posts:
Coconutty · 16/02/2013 21:27

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

spudmasher · 16/02/2013 21:26

And maths. Obv. Doh.

spudmasher · 16/02/2013 21:25

Glad I found this thread....and a bit worried at the same time!!!
My DD will be taking 9 GCSEs and that feels like not enough.
Eng lit
Eng Lang
Science x2
Spanish
History
Drama
Expressive arts

Worried. She only does 3 days a week so I suppose that's the price we pay. I'm hoping we've not made the wrong decision earlier on as she would love to go to uni. Looks like 11 is the norm. But she will still do 3 or even 4 a levels I hope.
Will the lack of GCSEs make a difference? Any ideas anyone?

Sparklingbrook · 16/02/2013 21:16

Sorry if it makes me sound like I would be hindering DS's artistic work. It's just that if he is given a length of time to do an ELP he is hopeless. Stop. Start. Stop. Panic. Do it the night before very noisily. Sad

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 16/02/2013 21:15

My DD is keen not to do music because she can't stand the music teacher (and having met said teacher, I can sympathise), they are great at their job but not easy for DD to get on with. Therefore she is doing art, she's much more keen on that and spends hours every day drawing. She's got grade 3 music and that will have to do.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 16/02/2013 21:14

So how does it work with the Art Coconutty? Is there stuff all over the house 'in progress'?

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 16/02/2013 21:13

Oh no, don't mention Hobbycraft - I hadn't thought of that! I suppose it is better than blowing the house up trying recreate splitting the atom or something......as for the dining room table, that assumes you can get your teenager out of their bedroom!

OP posts:
Coconutty · 16/02/2013 21:12

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Sparklingbrook · 16/02/2013 21:08

I have visions of my dining table being buried under art projects for the next few years Dizzy. And endless trips to Hobbycraft. But a non-academic option would be good for him.

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 16/02/2013 21:06

DD is doing art and design or commercial design. I wasn't convinced at first but she is good at art and music (heaven only knows where she gets that talent from!) but she is keen to do art and I reckon that she can get away with one non-academic subject alongside her other choices.

OP posts: