Which GCSE option choice has your child enjoyed the most?

Mine did drama as the ‘fun’ creative option and have enjoyed doing something a bit different from all the sit down lessons. I think it’s been good for soft skills and confidence too.

languages are definitely harder - native speakers scoop up lots of the higher grades making it harder for everyone else.

art / textiles / DT take up lots of time so do t do these unless you are really interested.

Drama a massive hit here with both my girls. Also Latin (state school so unusual, and not offered for A). Music hit and miss - poor/no teaching in the state comp made composition a massive struggle, younger daughter has moved and now adores it. History big hit with both of them. Older one now doing politics a-level as well as history - they work SO well together.

@JaninaDuszejko My DDs attended a school that insisted on a broad range of GCSEs as you describe. So in addition to core subjects, they had to a chose a MFL, humanity, an art or a technology subject. Some dc did an additional MFL, triple science or music and drama. Generally you don’t need much more than basic subjects because new A levels don’t need GCSEs in many cases. So history is more useful than sociology or politics GCSE for example.

My DD loved history and business studies.

At DD’s school they are forced to take it for GCSE - according to her + the vast majority of her friends it was nothing more than a few boring lessons each week in return for an easy A grade. Uptake at A level is incredibly low so they’re not alone in this opinion.

Personally both she and I would’ve much preferred compulsory British Sign Language or even finance lessons. Much more relevant applications in day to day life than philosophy of religion and I wouldn’t have just had to spend an entire car ride explaining APR rates to a now 19 year old DD…

Both of mine have loved history and taken it for A level. One also loved biology and the other loved BTEC Sport.

Obviously it is going to depend on the individual, their aptitude, and the teacher(s), but one option that everyone I know who has taken it seems to have enjoyed is RE - or, as the curriculum is now, Philosophy and Ethics.
So interesting and so useful to set you off into adult life.

My DS enjoyed DT.

One he also really enjoyed and one we had initially discounted during the options talk was health and social care. He swapped onto it as he wasn't enjoying media studies. It's coursework as well as one exam module so easier for him to do very well in it. Not something he wants to do as a career but he's learnt quite a lot about more about the dangers of alcohol and drugs and also about how the more vulnerable people in society are supported. He also likes the teacher which helps!

Very surprised to read so many schools offering Sociology GCSE! My dd1 is doing Politics GCSE and loves it, but is thinking about adding in Sociology at A Level.

DS loves History (but knew that before taking options). One that he's enjoyed way more than he thought he would is Physics, Particularly astro physics. This is the module that isn't covered in combined science so he's pleased he opted for triple.

On the other hand he loathes psychology and wishes he'd taken PE.

Dc1 enjoyed geography and photography.
Dc2 triple science and economics (although in hindsight wished he'd done a more practical subject for one as had really heavy subjects (I did tell him this at the time but was adament he had chosen right).
Dc3 sociology, history and biology (doing separate sciences and happy with the choice but wished could drop physics).

How many GCSEs do they sit are your school? Mine do 9 and only have 3 options because all do Eng Lang&Lit, Maths, Double Science, MFL (which they choose in Y8, mine do Spanish). If want to do triple science that uses up an option slot.

I'm a mean Mum with academic children so insisted on triple science (school strongly encouraged as well), both love science and are now planning on doing science A levels. I also insisted on geography or history to keep options open, one did history, the other geography and both love those choices.

Then one is doing art and the other is doing music. Art takes up a lot of time, DD1 is expected to do very well but she has done art for pleasure for years so it's not been too hard for her and she does love it. But agree with a PP, they've been repeatedly told it's incredibly difficult to get a 9 in art.

The musician has two music tutors (piano and singing), sings in the (excellent) school choir, performs in the school musical each year and plays the violin in a regional string orchestra. So does a lot extra, I think music would be very hard if you couldn't read music and didn't have an understanding of how orchestral pieces are put together.

Incidentally a friend of DD1 did 3 arts subjects as her options and now regrets it, particularly that now she's a bit older she's getting more focussed and sensible career ambitions. I think if you have academic kids the best thing to do is encourage a good mix of STEM, humanities, MFL and arts to keep their options open.

Dd only got 3 options
She liked DT but didn't like her teacher, if she had had the other teacher this would have been her favourite option.
She enjoyed art and liked the teacher but didn't like the format of the coursework. In hindsight she would have chosen PE instead.

History, went on to do it at A level, then a degree, really enjoyed all of them, has a great career now.

DD adored geography, ending up taking it at A level + even considered it as a degree subject. She had a fantastic teacher who made lessons exciting and engaging, not like school at all! This was definitely a big part of her enthusiasm for it.

I came on to say that GCSE PE is my DD's favourite subject! She's in year 11.

History and Computer Science.

Was literally counting down the art lessons in Y9 as couldn't wait to finish them!

It depends on the individual surely? My dd loved Sociology and ended up also choosing it for A level.

Mine both enjoyed History and RS the most.

Mine was in the very lucky position to have a comp that offered both ancient history and classical civilisation. Both have become a real passion - they would never have learned any of this from us so I’m so grateful to the school.

My DD chose drama which ngl I was a bit doubtful about but it was her fave; she says now it was like a safe place to go in the day where she knew she was among friends. Caveat: obvs this relates to some extent to the group – she was in a very helpful and proactive drama group.

She also enjoyed geography and took it for A level. Music she found more challenging. All her GCSEs (apart from maths and English) were pre-reform as she sat them in 2017, so specs have changed. Her other choice was French which she also took for A level tho tbf I don’t think she was ever a massive fan. She was good at it tho. Spec on this has changed a lot tho (my subject so I know about it). New spec much better prep for A level as it goes.

DS2 enjoyed PE (GCSE not BTEC) for sure, also sciences in general but obvs those are compulsory. He also liked history and considered it for A level. He had to take an MFL and was not keen on that (Spanish).

He sat the new specs in 2019. A lot of his peers took DT (this was the first year of the new DT spec) and found it disappointing with a lot of design assessment and not much actual making. His other choice was CS which I think was only OK.

DS1 struggled with choices but enjoyed catering – again, old spec so probs not much use.

Surely it depends so, so much on the individual!

My DC loves French, history and media, enjoys French the most. Was particularly delighted to give up DT, art and geography.
Regrets not doing music.

DC’s best friend loves art and DT, I think DT is the favourite. Was particularly delighted to give up both French and history.

They are united in a shared horror of PE.

Despite each being totally unable to imagine what the other could possibly have been thinking when they chose their GCSE options, they are otherwise very similar characters (and get on like a house on fire).

History. Hated art, partly the workload but mainly due to the teacher.