How many GCSEs is 'enough'

33 replies

Katiestar · 10/02/2009 17:47

At my DS s school they have to do a minimum of 10 but can do more.When does an additional GCSE add no more value ?
Do GCSE s contribute to UCAS points or is it just A and AS levels now ?

OP posts:

wrinklygran · 10/02/2009 18:21

Nowadays, you need English, Science (double award) or the separate sciences (biology, chemistry and physics) and maths all at C or above. Any thing else is unnecessary. except to make the total up to "5 good GCSEs or above" which is the usual rquirement for entry to 6th form with any chance of success.

Mind you, in my youth, (Days of the dinosaurs) I needed the above plus 2 languages to get into Oxford to study Chemistry

There is to much emphasis on getting lots of GCSEs, let the rest of the curriculum be freer and not all geared towards lots of exams

roisin · 10/02/2009 18:18

I think 10 is ample for most things. It is certainly better to get top grades at 10 subjects, than to get lower grades on 12.

Also, if they have stacks of extas, then that's extra homework, coursework, revision, exams to eat into their freetime.

The only exception I would make is you need to do a good whack in one go. If your school do early entry in yr9 or 10, then I think it makes sense to do some extras in yr11.

Ds1's school is already talking about early entry Maths, Science and MFL; then moving on to do AS levels or even A levels in yr10 and 11. I'm a bit personally, as I'm not sure I see the point.

chocoholic · 10/02/2009 18:05

Ahem,
obviously I was talking by the end of junior school, we did far, far more by the time we finished senior school.

diedandgonetodevon · 10/02/2009 18:03

I did 11 (back in the day) which was about right- but then i thought that was how many you had to do

southeastastra · 10/02/2009 18:00

this is mumsnet choc

note to self: must hide education threads

chocoholic · 10/02/2009 17:58

That sounds loads to me. It used to be you needed 5 including english and maths to get into anything. I guess not now then.

Makes me feel old!

brimfull · 10/02/2009 17:55

I would say 9/10 is enough tbh

dd did 11

the grades of important ones is more important I think
some unis look at results of maths and science gcses if relevant to subject at degree level

LadyOfWaffle · 10/02/2009 17:52

I don't think they count towards much but are handy as an extra. I did 2 extras and it bulked up my otherwise sparse Record Of Achievement I guess when it came to it they would pick a 12/13 GSCEs & x A levels over just 10?

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