How many GCSE’s?

DD1 took 11. DD2 will take 8. Fewer will have no impact on any further study unless it means that they've dropped a subject they need for A-Level or uni.

The bespoke timetable is what makes it doable though - DD2 is at music school and the 'spare' time is also used for timetabled practice periods.

DD1 at the local school had to have all her lessons timetabled as there is no-where else to go when not in lessons unless you are labelled SEN. She did triple science in the same time as the lower sets did double which upped the number taken.

It was stressful, though she got good grades.

We're having a much less stressful lead up to GCSEs with DD2. She's sad to have dropped latin but otherwise much prefers it.

More than sufficient.

With 8 subjects, that's 20-25 exams, depending on subjects. It's a lot, and there isn't really a need for more.

If she drops a subject where will she go during the timetabled lessons of that subject? She can't just wander round school and she's unlikely to be allowed to just sit in the library.

When my DD1 dropped a subject in Year 10, it was an afterschool GCSE so took nothing from the timetable.

When my DD2 dropped a subject at the end of Year 10, she did spend the rest of that school year being in the library under the LRC manager supervision as there were 4 classes left in the school year, and in Year 11 she's been in what they call the learning hub where the small group support is located.

As at any point a child may have a need to drop a subject - or in the case of RE, a parent can at any time choose to withdraw their child - schools are typically far more prepared to be able to supervise GCSE changes than it may appear.

She just joins whatever PE group has a lesson scheduled when she has a gap. She is also SEN - hence the bespoke timetable - and so there is always space in the SEN department.

Teachers are amazing and set and mark extra work all the time for the kids who are interested or need the extra support.

I put a huge amount of effort into finding and targeting the right school and we have been very happy with it. It is huge - 450 pupils in a year group, so that possibly makes it much easier for them to be highly flexible.

The other option is to drop the exam but attend the lessons. Thus reducing home work, revision burden and exam burden, but still benefiting from the additional general knowledge imparted by being in the class.

@OhCrumbsWhereNowI think your school is quite unusual and very lucky to have extra teachers able to run extra PE sessions throughout the day without impacting on the timetables of other year groups, and a SEN team who can accommodate additional, non-SEN, children, not to mention teachers who are able to absorb the extra workload of setting additional work. Make sure you value that school, but I'm sure that you already do.

My child has a bespoke timetable at her secondary and is just scheduled for extra PE or supervised sessions in the SEN department (teachers provide her with extra work to complete during these).

There is generally a solution if schools are prepared to be pragmatic and sensible.

Our nearest grammar schools routinely take 9 or possibly 10 if they’re doing further maths or another language. They have to argue the case for more. They are expected to do a lot of in school time extra curricular and community stuff though. They have plenty of Oxbridge candidates.

If she drops a subject where will she go during the timetabled lessons of that subject? She can't just wander round school and she's unlikely to be allowed to just sit in the library.

You need 5 including English and Maths. Additions can be subjects you might want to do at A level, or because you enjoy them.

I know people at Oxbridge and other very competitive universities with 6.

Anything more than 9 is overkill really. Better to have fewer and higher grades.

The data is skewed by schools that take a mix of GCSEs and iGCSEs.

My nephew took 7 GCSEs and 4 iGCSEs. He'd be on the GCSE stats as taking 7 GCSEs, but clearly that is misleading.

Some students also take BTEC Level 2 qualifiations in lieu of GCSEs.

The answer to OP's question is that her child really doesn't "need" more than 8 Level 2 qualifications, but whether they can drop one is down to the school.

I stand corrected then. DD took hers in 2016 before they were reformed.

@RampantIvy Actually, more people took only 7 GCSEs last year (15.6%) than took 10 (12.2%).

Taking more than 9 is common in grammars and private schools but not so much in state schools. Countrywide the average is something like 7.4.

DD took 10 when 10 was the norm.
Most schools do 9 or 10 these days.

My son took 6, he's now in his first year at UCL.

He was also interviewed by Oxford.

My DS in year 11 is meant to be doing 11 including further maths. I think it's too much.

Sufficient for what? 28.4% took 9 GCSEs, and 25.1% took 8 GCSEs last year. Only 1.7% took 11. Universities usually look at your 8 best grades sat at the same time, but A-level results are far more important.

There seems to be a bit of a weird “more is better” at some schools, particularly high flying academic ones. It’s only worth taking more if your child has a real interest in those extra subjects.

Some say that encouraging work shows the child can cope with the extra workload, but I read something on Oxford admissions that actually the student who can crack out a string of top grades but also maintain extra and super curriculars too is more impressive than someone who is only glued to the books.

Government data on GCSEs

That is more than sufficient .
I honestly don’t understand why they need to do so many GCSE tbh. Dd1 did 11 and Dd2 did 12.
Both my dds tried to drop two subjects but the schools refused which was a real pain
I think nine GCSEs should be the maximum allowed