GSCE choices - Latin or Art?

So is Art though.

You have to know the context of the artists you look at. All students are drawn to Pop Art at GCSE. They learn about protest and the growing consumer society.

Delacroix? Nash?

If Dc are getting 9 in art, they might be perfectionists. You can always find something to tweak! You need to know enough is enough and a 7/8 is ok for most. Years ago DD got a B but moved school and got an A at A level. Good teaching is paramount! I would look at art in the school and results. Is the teaching good?

He should not do Latin if he doesn’t like learning grammar. That’s inevitable!

The kids I know who did Art were bright and organised and ended up with all 9s. But they said Art was the biggest stress and the most work of all their subjects. Just anecdotal of course.

Make sure he is aware of the work and discipline needed. but if he loves it then he should go for it.

The choice is not going to affect his university chances.

However, if he does end up doing history at university Latin could be useful, especially if he isn’t doing a modern language.

I agree that the student should ultimately make his/her choice, they are the one studying the subject and taking the exam/assignment. But the pupil should base his/her decision on careful research based on what is actually required in lessons homework and assessments in order to do well in the particular subject at GCSE. Get him/her to discuss carefully with his/her teachers !

I had the same dilemma back in the day - I chose Latin but swapped to Art at the last moment. My main interest was/is science so neither were going to be subjects I took on to further study. It made zero impact on my uni application - a medical related course. Both subjects in that area have advantages - many medical terms have Latin routes, but my art work was seen as proof of dexterity at interview.

I am glad I took art - I'm average at best at drawing, terrible at painting - but I enjoyed it. I look back now and realise how much I took being able to spend 4 hours a week doing art with all the materials provided for granted.

Why are you pushing Latin? Let him choose himself!

The only bits from your OP that are relevant @BankHolidayFun are:
He is good at both, but probably enjoys Art more
his art teacher thinks he will be able to cope

You should tell him to choose whichever he likes and stop micromanaging his life.

LET HIM CHOOSE HIMSELF.

If he has absolutely no idea, then I recommend art.

Is he good at languages?

I did Latin as I was attracted to the idea of it being classical (and somehow "posh", if I'm honest). I didn't enjoy it, it was just another language and I'm OK but not amazing at languages. I just liked the classical idea of it rather than the reality.

A friend studied Latin at Uni, never used it again, has absolutely nothing to do with his job now and it certainly didn't open any doors.

My other friend did Latin GCSE. Never used it again, it had no more impact than any other GCSE.

Ignore those factors is a bit like me deciding that Polish looks waaaaaaaay easier than French 🤣

I bet if you did a robust analysis, “no coursework” would have little to do with it. That it so strongly driven by the higher ability and educational advantage that you mention. It’s a bit weird that you even mention them yourself, and yet say that it’s easier to get a 9 in Latin!

I had to choose between German and Art GCSE and I loved both. I chose Art, I also took it as one of my A-Levels and it was finally the subject of my degree. You would think, with all this information, that I would be saying he should choose Art…quite the opposite! I still love German but languages are so hard to learn later in life, if you love art then you can always pick it back up. As it happens, my other two A-Levels were French and English Literature, I would much rather have done three language based A-Levels. Latin really is brilliant if you’re good at it and, as so many others have said, it really does help with English grammar and with understanding the root of so many words in other languages too.

All this said, if he did go for Art, it certainly wouldn’t be the end of the world! X

DD did both last year. Got a 9 in Latin and an 8 in art. Art was masses of work. Took up loads of whole weekends when she should've been studying her A level choice subjects. With it being coursework with deadlines, it had to be done first. I'd opt for Latin if it were me.

Yes @immergeradeaus it's not as simple as numbers gaining a 9. There are lots of factors - Latin is more likely to be taught in selective or private schools, where students will gain higher grades. Art IME is a subject that appeals to a very wide range of ability. Both of those facts will skew the figures.

Teachers are very familiar, I am sure, with the syllabus for art as well. Actually the coursework is a thing in art's favour as a choice in my view, as it suits a lot of students who struggle with exams.

Op I want to add to the chorus of it being your DC's choice. You might want to do Latin, but does he? Dd considered German for a second MFL, but in the end chose drama and was very glad as it gave her a creative outlet she really enjoyed.

But 50000 kids were entered for art and 4,000 for Latin!

This makes a massive difference. I taught a small A level which always did really well. We frequently outstripped the bigger ones because our percentages were much higher, even though their grades seemed higher. Small numbers make for more higher grades.

See these charts

That link doesn't work when I click it but if you search for gcse grade distributions you'll get to it and can see the big difference between Latin and art

Look at the grade distributions.

analytics.ofqual.gov.uk/apps/GCSE/9to1/

It's true that on average the kids taking Latin will be higher ability and educationally advantaged. But also, there's no coursework, and it's straightforward, with a syllabus that teachers are very familiar with.

What do you base this on?

Latin is much easier to get a 9 in. But it should be entirely up to your dc.

The person mentioning the link between history and Latin.

You do tons of history in art. They have to look at other artists in the context of the time. So they have to know the background. Personally I’d rather do art history than ancient history. Dropped Anxient history at A level to do art. Never regretted or missed it. Never regretted or missed dropping Latinwither. I’m 49, I’ve never used Latin in my life

That sounds like a clever line to whoever said it to you, but if it were ever true (and given exam calibration between subjects I doubt it) it’s certainly not the case now.

I did both! I did GCSE art in Y11 and GCSE Latin in Y13 alongside my A levels. Is he doing another language or not? If not, I'd do Latin. If he is doing a language, I would do art as it's a bit different from the other choices and shows a. Ability across the board if he can get a good grade in it, b. It's using a different part of your brain so it's more relaxing than piling on similar academic subjects and c. There is coursework which trashed some of the pressure off the final exams of which there are SO many! (My son did GCSEs last year and was grateful to have one subject which had an assessed element).

There's a lot you learn in art that isn't just how to draw and paint. Let him pick what he wants. Art has value.