To steer DS away from doing GCSE Child Development?

[dson2]

DS wants to do GCSE Child Development.

WIBU to steer him away from this?

Unless he finds it really difficult I would strongly urge a language.
But having done languages at uni admit I'm slightly biased.

The thing is with the ICT/computer studies. The options are very limited in that block - there's that, PE, food technology and music.

My DD did it as she didn't want to do any of the other choices that was left after she picked what she wanted to do. She went on to do A levels and is now at a RG University doing geography.
I agree with stayawoke, Universities aren't interested in what your gcses were.

You absolutely should let him do it.

It isn't any 'better' or academic than ICT.

Let him do it. Telling him not because he will be teased is like telling him: son, in life make choices based on other people's opinion of you, rather than what you want.

Be a good parent, let him do it.

He needs an MFL for the EBacc, which may otherwise limit him later. I suspect people would be less keen to encourage him to study for development of he can were a girl.

The thing is with the ICT/computer studies. The options are very limited in that block - there's that, PE, food technology and music.

Then assuming he has no particular music/pe aptitude he's picked the best one.

What else was in the child dev option block?

DD's school made them do a language, she hated it. MFL gcses are really not good, unless something has changed radically recently, they don't really produce a working knowledge of the language so why inflict that on someone who doesn't like it?

When I picked my GCSEs languages were still compulsory but we could choose

1. a tech subject - textiles, CDT, graphics, child dev or food
2. a humanities subject - history, geography or RE

Then 2 blocks were freer choice, art, drama etc. a second language if we did one, another humanities subject.

Then everyone had to do 1/2 course RE and ICT (and yes ICT was a useless course, more about box ticking than learning)

To be honest, unless he is good at languages and likely to get at least a B your sons options don't sound too bad?

He needs an MFL for the EBacc, which may otherwise limit him later.

No it won't. The only thing the ebacc matters for is school league tables.^^

Gah - stupid autocorrect. That made no sense!

I suspect people would be less keen to encourage him to study child development GCSE if he were a girl.

I was considered academic at school and I did:
English Lit and Lang (not optional)
Maths (early) (not optional)
Triple science (chose to do triple not double as one of my choices)
German (choice of French or German)
Business and Communication Studies (not optional)
RE full course (could have done short course plus geography or history but hated both)
Art (optional)

Art was not a soft subject at all!

Then at A level:
Fine Art
Religious Studies and Ethics
Psychology
English language
Pre-Teaching

I went on to do a teaching degree.

I wouldn't say any of my subjects were soft (except Business and Communication Studies) and it's insulting to say that some courses are not as good as others.

If he wants to take it, then let him. It's his choice.

Does he have access to a small child? It's necessary for the child development GCSE so if he doesn't then that's a way to stop him doing it. I don't think it's a sensible option for him - or anybody academic.

Why is art considered a 'soft'subject?

It is like saying music is a soft subject, which it most categorically is not.

He should be allowed to do what he wants to do. I think it's a good thing for a boy to have. Sounds like he's got all his angles covered. If he does what you want, it becomes your choices and you moulding his future. If he's going for sciences/maths route anyway, what is the problem?
Or is it just that you're worried what ' top' universities are going to think?
Quite honestly I would think it's a talking point that he has an answer for....He's interested in it!

ICT GCSE is a waste of time and also looked upon as an "easy" option by colleges/uni

I'd encourage it tbh. He might not be planning on working in childcare but he is likely to have his own children at some point. I think it should be compulsary.

Child development helps in lots of areas, including how you yourself learn.

He may also change his mind about what he wants to do.

What does he want to do with science?

TeaCakes I've already explained why is picking that. It is literally that of food technology as he isn't sporty or musically gifted.

GCSE choices really aren't that important

Rubbish. Many subjects that are offered at GCSE can be picked up later. Psychology, for example. You don't need to have studied it to be able to do a degree in it. Yet young people go bonkers over it and feel they MUST do it to pursue their dream of child related career/medical related career/sports coaching/etc etc.

For brighter students, keeping options open with traditionally academic subjects is key, not least because they change so much between 14 and 18 and need some flexibility.

The new GCSE in MFL is an unknown quantity till next summer. It requires better grammatical understanding than this years GCSE that's for sure. I wouldn't reccomend to the weaker academically or the unenthusiastic.

That said, there is much to be said about doing what interests you. Does he have romantic intentions towards someone, OP?!

He has a mind of his own ,does he not? Leave well alone it will all come out in the wash...plus if you stop him you will get the blame if he dosnt do well in other subjects..

Do his school not do the baccalaureate ?

He dies seems to be doing ten subjects which us more than some schools, so in a sense it's extra.

I wouldn't prevent him from studying it. It's better to study something you enjoy as you are more likely to do well. Starting to do badly in a subject can lead to a downward spiral in others as you loose confidence and give up.

It would be most useful if he wanted to do any healthcare / education subject and won't affect him if he were to do science.

My DDs childcare lecturer has a physics degree...

I was made to do a language. I can honestly say it was a waste of time and haven't used it at all. Even for uni entry.

Oh I do love that you think Art is a softer subject OP!!
Do come back in two years and let me know how many hours he had to put in to scrape a decent grade!

how likely is he get high mark in gcse in that language?

Also agree with pps who have said he will do better and work harder on a subject he's interested in rather than one he's been talked into choosing reluctantly.

Yabu

It is his choice to make.
It's a good course and I agree Wth the poster that said we need more males in these areas.
I took it and didn't find it easy, the project was a lot of work. I got an A* but most didn't get high grades so it wasn't that easy. I went on to get a 1:1 degree so am quite academic. I found the course really enjoyable and useful too I still remember parts of it years later. Let him do it!

I think a lot of GCSE subjects are not crucial. I know people at Cambridge uni studying natural science without triple science, and a historical subject without GCSE history.
I know people have done medicine without triple science.
My DH has an engineering degree without A level physics!