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Original poster

<sigh> GCSE Options - dd's school are oversubscribed with Art, so she now has to choose other options and hates all on offer

31 replies

GetOrfMoiLand · 01/07/2010 12:37

You may remember my long and boring thread on this subject some months back. Sorry - I am back again!

DD is lucky in that she is sorted with the main subjects she wants - she has been given Geography, history, triple science (she had to opt for double as an option, because she is in top set they are doing Biol, Chem and Phys GCSE which I am delighetd about).

She is dyslexic so wanted to do a very non academic subject for a fourth option. She chose art (great), however the school has had to withdraw this option. So - she has the choice of the following:

Business studies (she would hate it)
Health & social care (ditto)
Music technology BTEC (says it is all divvy boys being DJs)
Music (she can't read music, can only play guitar self taught)

As she is dyslexic I have asked if she can just NOT bother doing a GCSE in this block, and just go to teh study support area to work on her other subjects. This has been refused as the school says that she would not be adequately supervised/registered for this lesson. Fair enough I suppose. But has anyone requested this in a similar situation and had it granted?

I think it's a shame that dd has to spend x hours a week studying something which she patently will not enjoy, but ho hum.

Anyway which of the above lessons do you reckon will be the easiest, and the least rigorous. If she has to choose one of them I want it to at least be easy!

Thanks

OP posts:
RobynLou · 01/07/2010 12:52

look again at the music, I did GCSE music years ago and i can't be sure but I don't think being able to read music is entirely compulsory for a pass...
you have to compose music, but there are all sorts of types of notation aside from the traditional notes on staves. As with anything it depends on the teacher I suppose, but I found GCSE music a wonderfully creative subject, with lots of room for expression and very few 'academic' intrusions into the fun!

Original poster
GetOrfMoiLand · 01/07/2010 12:52

They have withdrawn art completely - are only doing it in one option block now instead of two (dd doesn't want to take it in the other option block as she would have to drop geography).

I also think mucking around with DJing boys sounds fun as well, but for some reason dd is dead against it. personally i think that would be her best option - sounds a bit of a doss really compared to the others (apols to music tech teachers if this is not the case). Plus, exasperatingly, dd has spoken to someone who says that BTECs are not looked upon favourably at the uni she wants to go to (Bristol). I told her that I am sure that they won't care of she has got one solitary BTEC amongst 9 other GCSEs, but she won't listen

DG - she wants to join the RAF so don't think business or health would help her there!

Thanks everyone

OP posts:
GrungeBlobPrimpants · 01/07/2010 12:47

I remember your thread GetOrf, so sorry your dd didn't get art.

Don't have any experience but I'd certainly query it on grounds of dyslexia and it is fairly pointless expecting anyone to do an option in something they're just not interested in.

Music - v hard, pointless if can't read music
Music tech is 'easy' I have been told but not sure what it actually involves. Again pretty pointless if she doesn't like music I'd have thought. The other two - arrrghhh! The subejct matter either grabs you or it doesn't, really!

Dumbledoresgirl · 01/07/2010 12:45

How does she get to choose 4 options? My son, also year 9, only had 3 choices. English Lit and Lang, Maths, Double Science, Modern Language and RE being all obligatory (well, the RE one I think is obligatory to study but they also make the brighter children do it for GCSE).

Re her remaining choices, I don't think Music is an easy option. Has she any idea what area of work she wants to do? If it is vaguely businessy, I guess BS would be best, if vaguely to do with working with people, H&S care.

I agree with you though, bum choices all of them if they are not her thing.

Decorhate · 01/07/2010 12:42

Why has your dd been one of the ones chosen to not do art? Was it done randomly or methodically? Could you not argue that a special case should be made for her because of the dyslexia (I have no in-depth knowledge of dyslexia but as a lay person would think that using a pictorial method to communicate ideas would be good for someone with dyslexia).

I have all this to look forward to next year! My dd used to love art but doesn't seem to get very high grades now so probably won't keep it on for GCSEs....

GypsyMoth · 01/07/2010 12:39

dd2 is doing business studies,says it counts as 2 gcse's .....but i realise i'm NO help with that!!

the dj'ing with the boys sounds fun!

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