Tell me about Citizenship GCSE. Which is apparently compulsory at my DD's school. She doesn't want to do it.

able student's wants not needs.

Unlike the whole GCSE system which pushes lesser able students needs aside for the wants of Michael Gove.

I haven't read the full thread, sorry if this has been mentioned. But I noticed someone touched on the subject of group coursework, we've found this to be a nightmare all the way up the school. DD was interested in taking Global Perspectives, but the group aspect put her off, her friend did take it and is having a nightmare, she is the only one pulling her weight yet will have to accept a lower grade.

Our school do the compulsory ½ GCSE in RE, they have to teach RE in KS4, so they might as well get a qualification out of it.
She is taking 12.5 GCSEs, her school take some in the Oct/Nov sitting at the beginning of yr11.

It would be interesting to see what the time allowance is for all subjects at your school bellini
The more I think about it, the more I wonder if it is a metric boosting manoeuvre on the part of the school.
If I recall rightly 2 of the key KS4 metrics that are used for league tables are "% pupils gaining 5 GCSEs af A-C" and "%pupils gaining 5 GCSEs at A-C including maths and english". Well it will be at 9-4 or 9-5 now I presume, but basically the same.
So if the school makes citizenship GCSE compulsory it effectively pulls the time that must legally be spent on that subject back into the time that is being spent on GCSE subjects. Then, the rest of the week only has to be divided between 8 GCSE subjects instead of 9, allowing more time for other subjects - probably maths and english. Even if they devote a bit more time to citizenship than the legal minimum, it still leaves more time for maths and english. So from the schools perspective, if pupils typically get a better grade in citizenship than other subjects AND do better in maths and english then it's a win-win situation.
Actually, if they are doing it for tgat reason, it is probably not just a cynical move to boost performance figures because obviously it does benefit the pupils to pass more GCSEs and to get better grades in english and maths. But the unintended consequence is to reduce choice for more able pupils who would probably be fine with a bit less time on maths and english whikst taking another "full" option. But I suppose any school will try to organise their curriculum in the way that gets the best results for the most pupils.
It used to be standard at our school for the vast majority to take 10 GCSEs but it's been reduced to 9 now, with maths, english lang english lit, science x3, history or geography and a MFL all compulsory for the majority, only leaving one completely free choice. The time released from the 10th GCSE had been shared out between the others, predominantly maths and english, to allow for the increased demands of the new syllabi. I guess it's just a different approach to the same problem.

Dd3 is only doing 8 and will be fine for A level and uni. School are happy with this.

They encourage 9 at dds academic indie. 10 if you are very clever and able to balance workload and extra curricular. No btecs, no citizenship, no business studies, PE etc gcses, just very traditional academic subjects.

I teach GCSE Citizenship so I am completely bias. It teaches essential skills needed for further education any subjects they take. It’s compulsory in my school. A lot of people don’t realise how academic it is, I always have parents asking why their child has to do a pointless subject 🤷🏻‍♀️

Eg some places count double science as 2 or English lit and lang as 2

As far as I know all schools count English language and English literature as separate subjects, and double science as two subjects. They are listed as separate subjects on GCSE certificates. Well, I'm sure double science is, but as DD took triple science her science subjects are listed as chemistry, biology and physics.

My dd also wants to do a technical GCSE if she can so be as offended as you like but don't assume I'm saying it's all about academic subjects.

Usually triple science is taken by academic students so it's not unreasonable to assume that your dd wants triple rather than double because she is academic and enjoys science.
(Saying that I am aware that DT is popular with kids who might go into engineering sort of careers )

8 is plenty of course for FE - but for purposes of rounded education and enjoyment, more is better. Though it is more pressure, and at DCs schools they want everyone excelling at everything, unrealistically.

I'd be more annoyed that Spanish is compulsory than citizenship.

@HercwasanEnemyofEducation - still true, just layman's quick version. More restriction/less choice.
@TeenPlusTwenties - absolutely current. DCs in Y6/9/11 (all going to different schools, as it goes)

My dd has 10 but one is BTEC PE and another is only offered to top set maths and is optional.

8 is plenty for uni or Sixth Form. You can check the gcse requirements online for those

schools are assessed for value added on best 8
Not strictly true, the best 8 has to include certain subjects.

Also depends how you're counting GCSEs. Eg some places count double science as 2 or English lit and lang as 2.

We do
Maths
English (lang for all and lit for most able)
Science (double for all, triple is an option)
Citizenship
History or Geography
Option 1
Option 2

After school option of Stats or dance.

OP schools usually send a little options diagram, have you got that? How many choices will your DD have?

Ihate is that recent? 10-12 sounds more like 'old' GCSE system rather than the new one to me.

OP, you school is offering 9 isn't it?

"If most schools only offer 8 GCSES, that's different. Waiting for posters to confirm this."

Having done an extremely thorough review of secondary schools in this Borough and the next - city - so big sample. I can tell you that my non scientific analysis is that most schools round here offer min 9 GCSEs, most 10, some 11 or 12 if doing English Baccaleureate. FE progression is usually based on best 8 results, schools are assessed for value added on best 8. Some schools have pathways for doing 5 -8 GCSEs for less able bands of students or those wanting to do vocational qualifications simultaneously. It is unusual to have less than 2 option slots, usually it is 3.

FWIW

How can you know how hard timetabling is but not understand that your dd isn't being "deprived" of another GCSE? You clearly don't understand timetabling, that's precisely the point.

There's teacher tapp research somewhere into options subjects, I'll see if I can find it

Great post @MintyCedric.

DD took 10 GCSEs

Compulsory:
Maths
English language
English literature
Science
Citizenship

Optional:
Everything else

Those who took double science had four options to choose from, and those who took triple science had three options to choose from. DD took triple scince then chose geography, history and art.

All schools look to do the best they can for their own cohort of pupils within the constraints of what teachers they have available to them and what the government & ofsted expects
This