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Original poster

Wanting my child to do less than 11 GCSEs - what are our options?

155 replies

toomanygcses · 30/09/2026 21:55

Hallo, my child is in year 9 and at a state school where if you do triple science you take 11 GCSEs. And there's an additional maths qualification they do as well in top set.

This seems really unecessary to me. I live in a heavy private/grammar area and these schools get kids to do 8-10 presumably because they've realised kids do better without being totally swamped with loads of different subjects you don't even need....noone needs 11 GCSEs.

I'd like my child to do less. As far as I can see I have little leeway with this & the school are unlikely to be keen as they are a good student.

I believe my only parental right might be to withdraw them from RS sometime in year 9. And then presumably they won't sit RS GCSE which is "compulsory" at their school.

Is this right? Any other ideas? And how to go about withdrawing from RS (I don't believe I need to give a reason?) and when it might be sensible to do it?. Do I need to get it in writing they won't put them in for the GCSE or is that overkill?

Many thanks!

OP posts:
LoremIpsumCici · 30/09/2026 22:32

A language is not required. No need to take one.

Original poster
toomanygcses · 30/09/2026 22:29

Thanks for the advice. The maths is Additional Maths (OCR FSMQ). I think they might want to do maths for A-level so might be wise not to bunk that one.

Which makes me even less keen on the 11 GCSEs!

OP posts:
clary · 30/09/2026 22:18

bababamama · 30/09/2026 21:57

Why though? My dd did 13 all at a star bar 3 which she got at a. She could have taken 14 if she had done pe gcse but she hated pe

Was that in the last six or so years tho? Presumably not since you mention letter grades. GCSEs have changed with new specs coming in between 2017 and 2019, with no controlled assessment and almost everything on the final exams. A lot of schools have scaled down the number taken as there is barely anything you can get in the bag in advance (for example until 2018 sitting, if you took my subject, MFL, 60% of the grade was done in advance – as far ahead as you like and certainly later year 10/early yr 11; now it is all on exams in April/May/June).

So it's very unusual to take more than 10 tbh. In 2024 only 1.8% of those sitting GCSEs took 11 or more.

@toomanygcses I agree 11 is unnecessary. If one is RS, I would ask the school what happens if you withdraw your child – do they still take the GCSE (presumably not). What do they do in RE lessons?

Does the add maths make it 12? That cannot be compulsory surely.

If the 11 includes compulsory RE, then dropping that will give them six core subjects and four options – what my DD and DS2 took. DS2 took all his under the newer spec and it was fine. I would ask the school.

Weirdpig · 30/09/2026 21:58

I don't know the mechanics, but I think you're absolutely right. My DD is doing 11, started at 12 but dropped the additional maths by asking to go down a set. It is honestly too much.

bababamama · 30/09/2026 21:57

Why though? My dd did 13 all at a star bar 3 which she got at a. She could have taken 14 if she had done pe gcse but she hated pe