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Original poster

GCSE options thread

42 replies

lljkk · 28/01/2017 10:51

Anyone want to chat about supporting your DC to make best choices for them? BTECS too!

OP posts:
KarmaNoMore · 28/01/2017 17:41

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AlexanderHamilton · 28/01/2017 17:36

This was dd choosing last year. She had to do two English, Maths & at least double science then she had to choose at least one out of history, geography or French.

She chose :
French
R.S.
Music
Triple Science

so will end up with 9 GCSE's

YakiUdonYumYum · 28/01/2017 17:31

No, I don't think RE is compulsory at our school according to DC. They're taught RE / Ethics but no GCSE unless they've chosen it.

I've never come across condensed GCSEs until this thread - I wonder if many schools do them?

What is common in our area is spreading GCSEs over 3 years, starting GCSE syllabi and dropping non GCSE subjects in year 9.

I know DC are already covering some maths and science GCSE stuff, but they won't drop anything until year 10.

GoodyGoodyGumdrops · 28/01/2017 17:26

Our school has de-emphasised RS, it's longer core. Ds loved the Philosophy & Ethics aspect and was bored by the actual religion aspect, so he was dreading the new syllabus, which is mostly religion and less than half P&E. He is glad not to have to do it. Unfortunately they haven't added another option - one less core GCSE, but there are still only 4 options.

And, probably due to staff shortages, there are fewer slots for each subject. Many now only appear in one block. Ds is forced to choose between his two top preferences, as they both appear only once, and in the same block.

(Same problems with dd's A-levels: fewer subjects overall, and most appearing in only one block.)

Original poster
lljkk · 28/01/2017 17:03

@Yaki; so your school doesn't do RE GCSE, is that one of the 11? My local schools do RE GCSE. DS (yr8 now choosing) will finish with 11 GCSEs, I think, including RE.

1-yr-condensed GCSE:
The school allows kids to change if they start & hate it. Glad school is flexible, but material moves fast. DD switched after 3 weeks & spent most the yr stressed out b/c of trying to catch up.

Otherwise I think 1-yr-condensed works well. I go along with the school's view that it removes some mystique from GCSEs by the time they get to yr11.

OP posts:
YakiUdonYumYum · 28/01/2017 16:52

Sorry for the long post Blush First child going through the process Grin

YakiUdonYumYum · 28/01/2017 16:51

We're in England. I think (from last year's online school brochure) my DC's school allow them to do 11 GCSEs, which seem like a lot in light of all the talk about how the new GCSEs are much much harder.

We're getting the GCSE talks from school at the beginning of March.

They all do triple science (I'm a bit dim, that counts as 3 grades, yes?) So:

1/ Eng Lit
2/ Eng Lang
3/ Maths
4/ Science
5/ Science
6/ Science
7/ Language (DC likely to choose French)
8/ Humanity (geography)
9, 10 & 11...

DC would like to choose Music, German and Latin for those last three slots. I think it's a shame they're not choosing Product Design though. It seems such a language heavy spread, is that a bad thing?

AtiaoftheJulii · 28/01/2017 16:51

Dd3 wants to do Art - the horror stories are off-putting to me, but it's a definite for her.

One year condensed GCSEs sound an interesting way of doing things - how do your kids find it?

Original poster
lljkk · 28/01/2017 16:40

Xpost with Troutsprout, good luck with the Art!! Quite time-demanding, is all I ever hear (on MN & from DD's ambitious friends who chose it). DD does a lot to help her friend catch up with English homework (b/c friend is so busy with art GCSE).

Our school was candid in saying that there may be fewer choices next year, with the funding cuts expected. They sounded a bit panicked. I bet there's a newspaper story in how the range of GCSE options is going to fall sharply with the budget cuts. :(

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Original poster
lljkk · 28/01/2017 16:37

ECDL not offered at DS's school. ECDL would have been ok, too, but we had trouble choosing even 2 GCSEs as things were, so might have chose GCSE in ICT, as well.

It's a condensed 1 yr course for GCSE ICT, so DS will finish it at end of yr9.
I understand it's the last yr GCSE ICT will be offered in England.
Then another 1yr condensed GCSE to choose for finish in yr10.

I think that doing a GCSE in yr9 will suit DS, he'll need a few yrs of practice to have a chance of getting the skills to do well in GCSEs by end of yr11.

OP posts:
troutsprout · 28/01/2017 16:35

Dd did French and music this year (year 9).
Next year ( yr10) she finishes off the French and is doing Art as well.

Then in year 11 she's planning on doing History and sociology ( as well as the core subjects obvs) but may change her mind when she gets to the end of year 10.

OddBoots · 28/01/2017 16:23

Are you in Wales, lljkk? Or are they offering a condensed 1 year GCSE in ICT?

I know the European Computer Driving Licence still exists and that AQA were talking about a project/portfolio basd Technical Award equivalent to start this year, probably other exam boards have got new qualifications too.

Original poster
lljkk · 28/01/2017 16:07

DS hates all "project" work. The more artistic, creative or imaginative, the worse.

The presentation went on forever.... followed by stressful 15 minutes queuing with grumpy DS, to verify what DS was told that catering (sorry, "food prep"), the homework would only be cooking. Sure enough, food prep GCSE homework includes Projects! So that was out. Suddenly DS very willing to queue & let me ask questions... Drama meant writing an original performance: totally not doing that.

I had a brain wave b/c DS has atrocious not good IT skills... spoke to nice iT teacher (who is used to brainbox DD, but DS is a different kid) so DS will now do GCSE in ICT, thank goodness that's still an option. Probably history for his other option (or computing if ICT goes well).

French, geography & triple sci. for the others.

I wish further maths or stats or another language were possible, but grateful we/DS decided so quickly and I have confidence in the choices.

It's weird that we were told about very few BTECs... there were many available in past but seems not now.

OP posts:
AtiaoftheJulii · 28/01/2017 13:56

Personally I think RS should count as a humanity for ebacc purposes - depends what her school say though. My dd1's school required a humanity, but they counted that as RS or Geog or History - she did RS so doesn't have the ebacc, but it's made no difference to her, of course! The school said they would change their requirement if it became clear that universities wanted it, but it doesn't seem that unis are bothered.

OddBoots · 28/01/2017 13:44

We have the options evening next week but I am slightly concerned that at the Y9 parent evening at Christmas the head of department didn't know that GCSE ICT had been scrapped. DD wants to do Computer Science but absolutely doesn't want to do ICT.

I am expecting a battle as DD doesn't have enough options to include full EB subjects and the ones she actually wants. If she gets what she wants she will do English Language, English Lit, Maths, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, RS, French, Computer Science and Drama. Drama and CS are important to her but to do them she would have to drop History (she dropped Geography in 'mini options' last year).

ggirl · 28/01/2017 13:30

ds has put the form in yesterday
he has chosen
spanish
history
business
media ocr

AtiaoftheJulii · 28/01/2017 13:28

Dd has known what options she wants since y7 (now y9) so I'm not anticipating too much angst Grin Tbh it was all pretty straightforward with my older three too - as long as you have a solid core and a decent spread, you can't go far wrong.