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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think that there are no actual 'choices' for year 9 options GCSE's?

153 replies

gluteustothemaximus · 01/02/2017 13:51

I don't get it.

Maybe someone can enlighten me.

Such a massive deal is being made of options, choosing options, going to meetings about options, pre-meetings about options evening, how it is the most important time in a child's life at school.

DS has no choices for 7 of the GCSE's. He has to take Maths, English, English Language, Triple Science, RS.

Then he gets to 'choose' History or Geography.

Then he gets to 'choose' a MFL of Spanish or French.

Then he gets to 'choose' one more out of all his favourite subjects. Art, DT, Music, Business Studies, PE. He loves all of these, but can only choose one.

AIBU in thinking, that there are no actual choices but one? Confused

OP posts:
steppemum · 01/02/2017 16:53

we have just done options and I was surprised at how flexible it was.
There were compulsory subjects:
English, maths, triple science and RS

Then they basically had to choose 4 from all of the rest, with a complete free choice. There were no option blocks.
He has chosen French, Geography, Business Studies and one of the DT ones.

But his is a selective school, hence the triple science. I am surprised at comprehensives insistign on triple science, when we were lookign at schools for ds, one of my questions was how many kids did triple and what their criteria were, and many only allowed the top group to do triple.

HardcoreLadyType · 01/02/2017 16:56

gluteus, your DS's "options" do seem particularly rigid, I have to say.

As far as music is concerned, if he has instrumental lessons and theory lessons outside of school, he can achieve a comparable qualification to GCSE. I think Grade 5 or 6 is roughly comparable to GCSE, and Grade 8 to A level. Your DS will get UCAS points for any qualifications above Grade 5, on a sliding scale.

Having had two DC who have done both Art and DT, I would say they are both big subjects. Doing both is very time consuming and requires a lot of commitment and organisation. Unlike some other subjects, there is no opportunity for coasting, then cramming at the last minute!

If your DS is interested in Business Studies, he can pick it up at A level, without a GCSE. Or even at university, without an A level.

Sorry, I don't know much about PE, but I hope my comments on the rest are useful.

Foureyesarebetterthantwo · 01/02/2017 16:56

Purple is that right? I'm pretty sure my dd is taking all three as separate GCSE's, plus now they are three years, I think they are pulling on the lower AS material and there's a lot more content to cover, so moving to A level will be harder presumably without that 3 year content? Unsure but it didn't sound to me like she was doing triple science but all three science GCSEs, this is at a pushy grammar though.

PurpleDaisies · 01/02/2017 16:59

Purple is that right? I'm pretty sure my dd is taking all three as separate GCSE's...
Unsure but it didn't sound to me like she was doing triple science but all three science GCSEs, this is at a pushy grammar though.

That's what most people mean when they talk about "triple science". Three separate science GCSEs.

HardcoreLadyType · 01/02/2017 17:02

I'm not quite sure what you mean about me being talented, Barbarian. I didn't do either GCSEs or A levels. I did different qualifications in another country. My experience of GCSEs is via my children.

Foureyesarebetterthantwo · 01/02/2017 17:04

I misunderstood then, I thought you said that triple science was short of the full GCSE course for each individually. I really don't get the structure at all!

Anyway, if they are doing three year and harder ability courses with more content, this might affect the leap to A level, I don't know how my dd's school would feel about allowing an A level with no GCSE as they all have to do all of them, whether they are great at science or not.

MrsHathaway · 01/02/2017 17:06

I did triple ten years before that - that is to say, separate GCSEs in Biology, Physics and Chemistry. At my school everybody did that as part of the core, but it was that kind of school so the core was eight, and it was a small school so the options were necessarily restricted, although subjects Mr Gove likes (eg History and Latin) appeared in every block so it was easier to choose them.

Timetabling is a nightmare, and the smaller the school, the more fiddly it is to offer choice. If your Textiles teacher only works three days (say) then you can't have two GCSE classes.

I agree with pps that the core is the important bit; and that Gove is deluded.

AlexanderHamilton · 01/02/2017 17:07

dd in year 10 is he first cohort to be offered triple (single subject) science. The school dropped dance GCSE as a compulsory subject in order to accommodate it.

BarbarianMum · 01/02/2017 17:10

Sorry Hardcore got you confused with PurpleDaisies (although I'm sure you are very talented too). Smile

EmeraldIsland · 01/02/2017 17:10

I just Googled. Apparently triple science wasn't introduced until 2006/7

It was definitely earlier than that (in Wales anyway). Year 9 options choices were in 2005 for me and plenty of my friends chose Triple Science.

PurpleDaisies · 01/02/2017 17:11

Sorry, I might not have been clear before. Some schools have always been able to offer three full sciences while others can't so I honestly don't think the jump to A level will be affected any more than it has been in the past. The students that struggle the most ads usually those who weren't allowed to do triple because they weren't high up enough in the year to do it based on ability. It's not surprising they find A levels the hardest.

I don't know how my dd's school would feel about allowing an A level with no GCSE as they all have to do all of them, whether they are great at science or not.

Do you mean in non-science subjects?

Hulababy · 01/02/2017 17:14

The choice in many state schools is more restricted due to the need to do a language and a humanities subject, and RS (though not all do that as a full GCSE.) But then I do remember doing mine many years back and even then the choice was pretty rigid too.

However in most schools it is not compulsory to do Triple Science nor GCSE RS.

DD is in Y10. They are recommended to do 9 subjects - used to be more until the new GCSEs kicked in. Doing 10+ or doing them early is no longer advised (and many schools have stopped it entirely.)

She had to do:
English
English Lit
Maths
Double Science.

They were then recommended to choose a language (Spanish, French or German) and a humanities (History, Geography or RS) though it wasn't compulsory. There were two additional choices then from a list of several, including one to extend Double Science to Triple, and to do an additional language.

DD chose
Spanish
History
Drama
Computer Science

PurpleDaisies · 01/02/2017 17:14

I just Googled. Apparently triple science wasn't introduced until 2006/7

This is the core, additional and further additional way of getting three science GCSEs. Most schools don't do it-they do separate subjects instead.

Setterlover · 01/02/2017 17:15

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

CruCru · 01/02/2017 17:18

Honestly? I would have loved to do triple Science for GCSE - it would have made my A Levels so much easier.

If he isn't sure what to choose, it might be worth choosing subjects that you know have a really great teacher. I had no great love for Geography but the teacher was very good (although strict) so I did well.

Hulababy · 01/02/2017 17:20

Re Sciences.

I was second year GCSE - it was single sciences - you had to chose at least 2 of 3. Very few people did all three when I was there,

My sister did Double Science 9 years later. Don't think she was offered Trile Science or single sciences at all.

DD (Y10) could choose between double or triple - triple uses an extra option. They do the same exam as Double Science at the end of y11 and then 3 additional exams (one in each subject.) Their award is Triple Science as opposed to a GCSE in the three individual sciences I think. These are iGCSEs (they do sciences at iGCSE, rest are normal GCSE) at DD's school though - the GCSE may be different.

NewtScamandersNaughtyNiffler · 01/02/2017 17:22

EmeraldIsland

If you did options in 2005 then you started the work in the 06/07 academic year surely?

Regardless of when certain subjects were/weren't introduced, doesn't this thread just show how many of us don't really understand what our dc are choosing?

PurpleDaisies · 01/02/2017 17:23

I've just spotted I missed a compliment. Blush

I'm naturally good at science, which I'm thankful for since I love it. I teach it now and it honestly doesn't make a difference whether the students come in with double or triple. If they're good enough and hardworking enough to be there, there's no difference in the students by Christmas. I'd always say to anyone considering a levels on science that doing triple is better but there's not a problem (unless there would have been anyway) coming in with double.

MrsHathaway · 01/02/2017 17:28

When I was looking at sixth form options (and university options) there was often reference to double science being acceptable if triple wasn't on offer. This was for fairly academic places.

So whether double science is a good idea may depend on whether triple (or three singles) is available. Someone thinking seriously about science A Levels and a STEM degree ought to think seriously before turning down more science GCSE options - unless eg dropping Biology when planning a life in engineering.

PurpleDaisies · 01/02/2017 17:29

mrshathaway no university in the country discriminates against students who don't have triple science because not every school offers it.

Original poster
gluteustothemaximus · 01/02/2017 17:30

Hardcore - thanks for the advice, much appreciated. I've heard art and DT are both big subjects, and good to know he can pick up business studies later without GCSE.

OP posts:
YoureAllABunchOfBastards · 01/02/2017 17:37

Teacher here

Our option choice has narrowed massively in the last few years because we have to meet the requirements of Progress 8. Essentially kids can choose one subject and that is it. Unsurprisingly they are not that motivated by narrower choices.

Original poster
gluteustothemaximus · 01/02/2017 17:42

Unsurprisingly they are not that motivated by narrower choices.

Absolutely.

It really is one choice (here anyway). It's all a lot of time and effort for one choice Confused

OP posts:
MrsHathaway · 01/02/2017 17:44

I'm glad, Purple, because they did then. As you (?) pointed out, though, some children choose double science because they are weaker at science, so a stronger candidate ought only to choose double as a positive choice (eg wanting Spanish and having a clash) rather than to make life easier.

I am not explaining myself well Blush

PurpleDaisies · 01/02/2017 17:47

I get what you mean. Smile

How long ago were you looking at sixth forms/unis? Certainly in the last twenty years double award has been accepted everywhere.