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Original poster

Anyone else's dcs doing 12 GCSEs?

32 replies

irises · 18/03/2009 12:15

I'd blithely assumed that DS would be doing 9 or 10 GCSEs, but got the option booklet yesterday and he has to take 12 options, only one of which can be a soft option like dance/drama/art/tech.

He's not the hardest working person in the world and I'm worried that he won't be able to cope with the work (it's a grammar).

Any reassurance/experience gratefully received!

OP posts:
snorkle · 18/03/2009 15:35

I'd have though most grammar school children would be able to cope with 12, but probably only need 10.

snorkle · 18/03/2009 15:27

10 is normal at dc's independent school. PE is optional 11th which some do. A few do extras if they feel like putting extra work in themselves - e.g. bi-lingual children often do their other language separately from options & ds plans to take extra science papers to take double science to triple (but not sure that is really worth doing tbh).

Piffle · 18/03/2009 14:53

Is he doing them all in yr11? Any of those half or short courses?
Ds1 is at high performing grammar and is doing 14.5
But 3 of those are this yr - yr10
Maths stats
Chinese
IThis are all academic. Don't assume ART soft option. Workload is massive.

pagwatch · 18/03/2009 14:48

MY DS is doing his at the moment (academic independent ). They have 5 compulsory and then a few to select from options but limit was 10.And the choices were up to the pupils as long as the teachers accepted them.
If they were more able than that then they do some GCSE's early and start things like Further maths at AS and A level.
Extra GCSE's just seems like extra work for little value tbh. And I am wondering why they offer their pupils no choice ? Very odd. Don'tthey trust them?

risingstar · 18/03/2009 14:43

I think that my DD could do 11? max, 2 english,maths,3 sciences, critical thinking/ethics, and 4 options. She goes to a good comp. They had a freeish choice over options though so could do art and drama and textiles for example.

tbh i guess that is Grammar for you,but what if they personally choose to focus on 10? IE if it doesn't look like they are going to get a good pass, i assume the school would not enter them for the exam

Original poster
irises · 18/03/2009 12:47

That's what I would have thought, Lilymaid. Surely it's better to get 10 good solid GCSEs than 12 not so good ones.

There's never any consultation, just "this is what is going to happen". Sigh.

OP posts:
Lilymaid · 18/03/2009 12:24

The school must want their pupils to keep their noses down.
DS1 (leading independent day school) and DS2 ("outstanding" local comprehensive) both took 10 and would not have been permitted to take any more at their schools.