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GCSE Options - History or German?

127 replies

stickygotstuck · 06/02/2023 09:26

DD is chosing her options and can't make up her mind between History and German.

Apart from Maths, Science and English, she's doing RSPE, Music, French & German. But she's considering swapping one of the languages for History.

Trouble is, she really likes French but I think German will be more useful in the long run (thinking really far ahead, if she wants to work in Europe eventually!)
In her place, I'd do German and History. But I don't want to influence her too much because she loves French, and prefers it to German.

The annoying thing is, initially Music was just her 'reserve' choice but now she's firmly decided on it, so either German/French or History will need to be bumped off the list. She already plays two instruments and working with groups should be good for her personal development - if hard (has ASC, so not a 'fun' subject as such IYSWIM).

Any opinions on what would be best? Workload, prospects, difficulty, usefulness of specific languages... anything you can tell me would help. She's going mad & driving us mad trying to decide!

OP posts:
Blagdoon · 06/02/2023 09:42

I would bump history. It doesn’t have a great deal of value in later life unless you intend to specialise in it as a career. And it’s something that you tend to pick up from films and books, unlike languages.

ZacharinaQuack · 06/02/2023 09:40

If she already plays instruments to grade 5 standard or higher (and therefore also has grade 5 music theory), the school might let her enter for music without taking it as one of her timetabled subjects. Then she could do both German and History. She'd be way ahead of some of the other kids anyway (the ones who don't play instruments), and won't learn as much in music class.

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