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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

GCSE Options horror

40 replies

Navratilover · 25/03/2019 18:54

We're 4 days from year 9 options deadline and still no closer to finding a solution. Dd will have to do all core subjects plus Theology, a practical subject, a language and history or geography.

This leaves with her with only one real option choice. She wants to do Drama. And Art. She is excellent at both. I'm more in favour of keeping Art, but she won't countenance dropping Drama under any circumstances.

In a moment of madness I have suggested that she does both and I teach her History as a private candidate (am a qualified teacher, have taught History before and love it, though it's not my official subject).

I'm uneasy though as it takes her to 12 GCSEs in total and I don't want to overload her, especially as she has a v busy extra-curricular and social life on top. She's all for it in theory, but once the time comes, I can imagine her being less keen.

Is there another way? I've spoken to the school and they are pretty rigid about their subject blocking (and I do understand that timetables are murder to organise). Do we just accept that she has to drop one of her great loves? Or do I bite the bullet and register her with AQA as a private candidate?

OP posts:

Tw1nsetAndPearls · 01/04/2019 22:59

I know the course, I've taught RE for over 2 decades. Just irritated when posters have no idea of what is involved and refer to it as mumbo jumbo and presume it's all God and Jesus. And I'm an atheist (many of us are).

But 1/2 of the course at least is about God and Jesus or the equivalent and much of the other half is as well. Also a non believing RE teacher one her second decade in the classroom. The new GCSEs quite rightly have much more "mumbo jumbo" in them!

Decormad38 · 31/03/2019 17:14

So much emphasis on gcses yet beyond getting into A levels the only ones of interest ever again are maths english and science. So...does it matter. Let her do what is of interest to her.

shaddywaddy · 31/03/2019 17:08

Tw1nsetAndPearls · 31/03/2019 17:04

But yes it isn't theology. I agree that it should not be a compulsory GCSE.

Tw1nsetAndPearls · 31/03/2019 17:03

It's not theology, it's RE or RS and if anyone bothers to read a syllabus you'll see exactly what is taught - abortion, euthanasia, medical ethics, the death penalty, peace and conflict, etc etc.

That is 1/2 the course. She will also have to study Christianity and one other world religion.

Original poster

Navratilover · 31/03/2019 16:54

DC school calls it Theology. Their previous school called it Ethics and Philosophy. Others call it RE/RS. It's all the same subject though.

As for moving, no chance. Theirs is the only school within a reasonable distance that isn't failing on a grand scale.

Anyway, options deadline has been and gone. She dropped Art. I'm not happy about it, but I guess we'll make the best of things.

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shaddywaddy · 31/03/2019 13:39

It's not theology, it's RE or RS and if anyone bothers to read a syllabus you'll see exactly what is taught - abortion, euthanasia, medical ethics, the death penalty, peace and conflict, etc etc.

Fazackerley · 31/03/2019 13:34

If you mean RE, it's compulsory to teach it so most schools do it as a GCSE. It's actually a really interesting subject if you are at all open minded

WhyAmIPayingFees · 31/03/2019 12:57

Change school. Those constraints are ludicrous. Compulsory Mumbo jumbo alone would make us go elsewhere.

yikesanotherbooboo · 29/03/2019 16:21

My DD has a similar dilemma, took drama GCSE and A level. She enjoyed them but missed the creativity involved in ART. She had a couple of wobbles about it and when looking at sixth forms the Art depts we went to said she could be considered for the Alevel if she put together an acceptable portfolio.in the end, although she missed the process of Art , when all her friends were stressing out with course work inApril she was relieved not to have been doing it. She had a enough insight to know that she is a bit of a last minute reviser and that she would always be tinkering with her work and never feel it was finished.
Apart from that, my tuppenceworth would be that they are DD's options and that she she should choose what she wants to do, that 12 GCSEs is ridiculous , that Drama is for personal satisfaction rather than a means to an end ( plenty of skills learned) but that Art does give foundation skills if DD has a genuine plan to do fine art in the future.

Fazackerley · 29/03/2019 12:46

Or double science, maths, english x 2, theology (do you mean RE?), Art, language, history and drama. That's 10.

Fazackerley · 29/03/2019 12:45

If she loves Art enough to want to do it at A level then I would drop Drama and History.

BubblesBuddy · 29/03/2019 08:27

Drama club outside school? My DD did both Drama and Art GCSE! In the circumstances, Drama could be dropped if she can still do a bit of drama elsewhere.

TapasForTwo · 29/03/2019 07:28

Another caveat for drama is group work which is fine if everyone pulls their weight, but can go very wrong if they don't.

hellsbells99 · 29/03/2019 07:25

Can’t she take art as the practical option?

daisybank2 · 26/03/2019 10:52

I suppose you could think of it like this - there would be very few designers who didn't take art or a design subject at GCSE or A level (or BTEC) but loads of successful actors who didn't take Drama GCSE!

Art GCSE isn't always a huge workload - it's what you make it, quality over quantity in my opinion.
My DD didn't ever bring work home with her. Just did it in school and also at lunchtimes. But she had a very strong idea and plan of what she wanted to achieve and got an 8.

Original poster

Navratilover · 26/03/2019 10:39

Well, this is the thing, isn't it? She's 13 and not fixed yet on one path. She's good enough at art that it would be a viable career choice for her. I certainly wouldn't want to rule it out.

Ditto Drama.

But we HAVE to rule one of them out at GCSE because of school timetabling issues. There doesn't seem to be a real way round this.

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ATailofTwoKitties · 26/03/2019 10:15

I did art A-level as an evening course a couple of years ago without the GCSE. It's hard going but doable.

daisybank2 · 26/03/2019 10:13

Although it may not be unheard of to study Art and Design subjects at degree level without GCSE or A level, I imagine it's pretty rare.
Don't forget there will be many gifted art students who have done GCSE and A level Art, so to keep up with them in terms of quality and breadth of work without the GCSE or A level would take some serious dedication. It's not just about being able to draw, it's also about building on what you learn at GCSE and A level.
If you're limited for choice and your dc isn't interested in pursuing a career in Art or Design, then drop it. If she's keen then I'd reconsider.

Original poster

Navratilover · 26/03/2019 08:59

Thanks everyone, especially those who pointed out that giving up Art at GCSE doesn't mean you can't apply for a Fine Art degree down the line. There's no way she'll give up drawing and painting, or visiting galleries when she gets the chance - so she's feeling less fraught about it now .

I do think 11 is a lot of GCSEs, would be happy to jettison Theology and the compulsory practical subject, but there's no way round that unfortunately - that's the way they do it at her school, and since it's the only good local option we're sticking with it.

OP posts:

BubblesBuddy · 26/03/2019 08:56

You need Art A level if you want direct access to an art degree and avoid a foundation. Few people who are gifted at Art don’t do the A level. However if it’s not going to be part of her further study, I would drop it. Drama has lots of advantages. Building up confidence in public speaking is a great outcome from Drana and not to be underestimated.

SwayingInTime · 26/03/2019 08:16

I accessed an art foundation year purely with a portfolio generated from a life drawing class. At that age you're never going to use work from even a year before in your portfolio so if you read the Sunday supplements, visit the occasional gallery and can draw you can bypass GCSE and even a level easily.

AJPTaylor · 26/03/2019 08:10

Well the good thing if these are her passions she can keep them up in her spare time. Activities aren't only of value if they lead to a qualification. If there is any chance she will want to do art at a level then she should probably choose that. And remind her she is not "giving up" either interest or passion

ATailofTwoKitties · 26/03/2019 08:08

DS said art took as much time as all his other subjects put together (he got an A*, back when those were a thing).

DD said Drama took nearly as much time as Art (she did both, but got 9 in Drama, 7 in Art).

It also put both of them off drawing for pleasure for quite some time afterwards.

Grumpyrobots · 26/03/2019 08:05

I would drop Art. Quite hard to get an A*/9 and workload is unbelievable. All kids who took art at DC academic school bitterly regretted their decision and some even dropped it all together. It will interfere with other subjects and eat into her time, it’s better to spend this time on maths/English/science, unless she is planning a career in arts.

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