GCSE options - different in state/private?

All schools are different. At our Comp, the able children all do - English x 2, Science x 3, Maths (and if they get it early at A/A* they also do further maths) and RE.

Then they pick 4 options. This year he could do History, Geography, French and Spanish. However, the option set up is changing year on year - finances I expect! Or maybe it is numbers taking subjects up? Anyway, yes, he could this year but I don't suppose it is guaranteed year on year.

In dd1's (yr 9, so choosing options now) comp, there is strong pressure on the top set to do the Ebacc. So they are encouraged to choose a MFL, history or geography, and 2 other options (including a triple science option). The form said dd1 MUST do the Ebacc, but at the options evening it turned out that they won't force, they will just strongly encourage.

Dd1 would prefer to do triple science, Spanish, art and graphics, and forget history, but noone really knows if the Ebacc will be important for this cohort in a few years - probably not, I think.

At this school, they used to do 12-14 GCSEs but this year are encouraging 10. So I think the options are very similar to many private schools or grammars, for the top set, but more freedom to not do the Ebacc if you really don't want to.

In dd's grammar you have to do a language, they learn two up to year 10. They have to choose between geography and history and then have two other options - only one if they want to do triple science.

I dutifully picked one subject from each box at school -

MFL French
Arts drama
Humanities history
Extra choice from all subjects German

For some bizarre reason these didn't fit the timetable and I ended up dropping drama for business which was in the humanities section and so technically if I had wanted that combination I wouldn't have been able to select it. My experience (via friends) is that there may be more choice at a private school I.e. perhaps philosophy or sociology included in humanities but the actual amount stays the sane.

Is science, English and maths not mandatory?

Our school says they like children to do Ebac subjects because it's good for the school statistics, but they are absolutely not enforcing this, as they say it is not necessarily a benefit to the children.

Other Mners say the have managed to insist on not doing the EBacc inspite of official proclamations. Are you up for the fight, though? (Sounds like I would fight it myself)

Arney35. Why would ANY school not let a child take Art and French? How bizarre! I have never heard of a school where this combination was not possible. Assuming they are not his 12 th and 13th choices! Why can he not do both with the other subjects you mention? The EBac is science, English, maths, a humanity and an MFL so why is Art not an addition to this?

My son is about to take his options for GCSEs and his state school works under the English Baccalaureate.... does anyone know if this can be challenged? He wants to be a PE teacher and needs to do this and science.... he is also fantastic at art and has been predicted an A* but he wont be able to take this subject if he has to take French , which quite frankly he is bottom of the bottom set.... I see this as a wasted subject when surely his achievements should be the main priority not boosting uptakes on unpopular subjects ....

My DD is choosing in Y9 just now. She it top set, so will be doing triple science, english lang and lit and maths. She has to take one MFL and one humanity, then she could do another MFL and the other humanity, or else choose from groups that are pretty technology and creative arts.

DS1 two years ago had 4 much more flexible options, they've tightened up on Ebacc since then, (although he chose GCSEs that would have fitted anyway)

DS2 is in Y6, I'm not even contemplating what the GCSE options will be like for him!

if he's in year 5, the world will be turning the other way by the time he gets to do GCSEs (if they are still called that by then)

Friend telling me last week how her DD's private school restricted GCSE options; this was very relevant for weak subjects, not getting support the girl needed or being allowed to take Level 1 tests.

Also, friend's experience of this and another private school was that they both were very prescriptive about subjects: one art, one humanities, one science, etc. It was very very restrictive. DS state school requires one Ebacc option; that's only restriction we have.

Do most state schools only give 3 options and these are quite restrictive?

4 options here typically. So either 9 or 10 upon completion (including RE), no one has said any way to do more. Does English count as 1 or 2?

For example, my DS loves science, history, geography and languages. From what I've seen, he wouldn't be able to choose geography, history and a second MFL?

He would at DS school, if it fit in the timetable.
State school also has lots of BTECS which means subjects that are ONLY offered as BTECs, never at GCSE. I don't think many indies offer BTECs (although DS old indie did, sort of, coordinated with local colleges).

Why do they do this?

Available teachers, rooms, ability of students,number of students, government's latest pet idea, funding, facilities etc etc.

I have a DS and DSD - both Y9 and taking their options at the moment. DS is at an average sized state comp, DSD is at a selective academic private school.

• They will both do 10 GCSEs total (though you could do less at DS's school)
• They will both do English lang and lit, maths and triple science (though DS's school would allow you to do less science if you want)
• They will both do French - this again is core at the private school, but only for the top set in the state school
• They then both get three further options. The state school actually offer a much greater choice, but the extras are generally the more vocational subjects (sports studies, Food/textiles tech, Business studies, etc - mostly not actually GCSEs). Of the academic subjects both schools offer all the core ones (history, geography, RE, other languages, art, music, ICT/tech). The state also offers drama, economics and computing whereas the private one offers classics and latin.

So overall more choice in the state school, but if your child is likely to go for academic subjects then not much in it - though the specifics on offer may differ. Both schools make you choose, and then see if they can timetable it all, and make you do a back-up choice if they can't.

Private boys school, all boys start Y7 with French and Latin, in Y8 add Russian or German and in Y9 the less able can drip down from Latin into Classical Civilisation.

For GCSE core GCSEs include the usual plus triple science and must include a classical or modern language. Then there are 3 options. The combination you want is totally possible. No option for subjects like PE, psychology, media etc although games is compulsory twice a week.

They can't "just do what they want" as some subjects end up being timetabled against another one that they might want to do.

All schools do it differently, and many schools do it differently one year from another, so you are not going to get a definitive answer on here. Also, what they like / seem to be good at in Yr5 isn't necessarily what they like / are good at in Yr9.

IMO, I don't think the GCSE choices matter that much.

Obviousl, everyone would do some English, Science and Maths and then a few others. I thik anything from 7 - 9 would be enough.

I think A level options are much more important.

Are AS levels still going to be scrapped next year and, if so, will GCSE grades maybe matter more?

Most universities and employers want to see a breadth of subjects so that is why there are core subjects which must be studied, Maths, English, (usually Literature and Language) Sciences (often double or triple). Young people are then encouraged by the best schools to do a humanity, an art type subject, eg music, art, and hopefully a modern foreign language plus another subject they enjoy eg another language, PE, computer science etc. As Chris Woodhead writes in today's Sunday Times it should be about quality not quantity. If someone is talented at languages they should be able to do an additional one, if they are good at humanities they should be allowed to do Geography and History, for example. Doing more than 10 is not recommended and the state grammars around here used to insist on 9 only! My DD did 12 at an independent school, partly because they insisted on adding RE and ICT into the mix, but 9 or 10 was their normal expectation. It is important to avoid doing too many because, frankly, no-one cares. It is better to study a managable number of subjects and get good results rather than loads and get mediocre results. Schools are all different and it is definitely worth asking what their GCSE policy is when you look round.

Hahah. Year 5?! You've got loads of time to do the research!

Surely the reasons they can't just choose what they want are obvious though? Timetables in schools are complicated enough without offering 2/5 of the pupils free choice over what they study!

dc's school will also let you do 3 sciences, along with History Geog and 2 languages.

Only 3 options available as compulsory subjects are 2 Eng, Maths, 3 Science, French and Philosophy

Sorry ... Should have said ... State school

DD could have done geography history and 2 languages.

She had 4 options to add to her compulsory subjects (2 English, 2 maths, 3 science and ICT).

GCSEs will be different by the time your child does them, more of them will be linear. Have a look at the different school options, presumably your son is in year 5 now and see what you think - some schools do half GCSEs in subjects like RE, others offer extra languages as twilight subjects (taken after school). Private schools vary enormously, some offer BTecs in the 6th form, most don't. Lots of research & visits needed .

State school here.

They all do:
Maths
English language
English literature
German, French or Spanish

Then 75% of them do Biology, Chemistry & Physics (iGCSEs).
The other 25% do Core Science & Additional Science.

They have to do one out of History & Geography.

Then two out of:
The other one of History & Geography not already chosen
A second MFL
Latin
Music
Drama
Computing
Classical Civilisation
Economics
RS
Art (choice of specifications)
Technology (Food or Product Design)
PE
There might be some others I've forgotten.

So it's possible to do three sciences, history and geography and two languages if you want to.

I've no doubt that Gove mucking around with GCSE curriculum affects both state and independent schools. But IME state schools seem to change GCSE options on a regular basis I'm assuming reflecting current trends, teachers etc.
I also agree with Lottie there is absolutely no need to do 12 GCSE's DS1 (state comp) had todo 12 he would have done better if he'd only done 9 like DS2 (independent school) is currently doing. This particularly supplies to those with dyslexia processing problems etc.