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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask parents of year 9 children

180 replies

OneDayIWillBeOrganised · 08/07/2017 09:42

How many GCSEs your child is going to be studying. My DD is currently studying 9 which the school want to reduce to 7 next year. This is being done across the whole year group. Is this typical or is the school limiting my DD opportunity to pass more?

OP posts:
sysysysref · 08/07/2017 09:45

Mine will be doing 9. I'm happy with this but I don't think I would be happy to cut that down as a standard policy across the school

Janeismymiddlename · 08/07/2017 09:48

www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/285990/P8_factsheet.pdf

Have a look,at the Progresss 8 'thing' we are now measured on. I suspect someone thinks it will help their whole school score. Is the school RI? Or are they due Ofsted soon?

Original poster
OneDayIWillBeOrganised · 08/07/2017 09:51

Thanks for the response Smile. I was thinking the same. My DD is very able and I feel this is limiting her. Will be taking this up with the school on Mon but interested to know what others are doing in the meantime.

OP posts:
TeenAndTween · 08/07/2017 09:52

I don't think 7 is usually enough (if this is a standard things s he whole school), as best 8 can often be considered for university etc can't it?

On the other hand, probably better to take and pass 7 than take 9 and only pass 5. My DD dropped a subject after mocks in y11 as it was clear she wasn't going to pass it, and the extra time available then helped her scrape a pass in her English Lang.

user1492287253 · 08/07/2017 09:53

what is left after 2 english, maths and 2 or 3 sciences?

TeenAndTween · 08/07/2017 09:53

X-post. If she is 'very able' then 7 is a ridiculous number.

BigDeskBob · 08/07/2017 09:58

At dd school, the children tend to take 10 or 11 depending on the science option. But this seems high compared to other schools.

Original poster
OneDayIWillBeOrganised · 08/07/2017 09:59

Thanks Jane. I have a good look at that. The subjects she's studying are Maths, English, Science, PE, ICT, History and DT. Not sure if there is more than one element to the Science or English though.

OP posts:
Original poster
OneDayIWillBeOrganised · 08/07/2017 10:03

X post. Started typing then got distracted feeding the cat.Grin The communicaction from the school is shocking. Looking at your responses I'm hoping they'll tell me she's doing two English and three Science which would make it more acceptable.

OP posts:
RandomName9 · 08/07/2017 10:03

We haven't quite got there yet but in our school it's double science & English language & literature so that would make it up to 9. Do you know what they are being encouraged to drop?

BigDeskBob · 08/07/2017 10:03

English will be lit and language, and science will be at least two, maybe three. So that will be 9 or 10 gcse

Chasingsquirrels · 08/07/2017 10:05

10, plus they have to do RE and can take a 1/2 GCSE in it but don't have to.

Original poster
OneDayIWillBeOrganised · 08/07/2017 10:06

She's being encouraged forced to drop Art and Spanish which I think is a shame Sad

OP posts:
PhilODox · 08/07/2017 10:07

English is two and science is three, she's not doing seven.

Chasingsquirrels · 08/07/2017 10:08

And agree on the English = 2 and Science = 2 or 3 (combined or triple).

Ds is doing; Maths, Eng Lit, Eng Lang, Triple Science (=3), History, Geography, German & Computer Science. Plus the RE.

pieceofpurplesky · 08/07/2017 10:10

She's actually doing a minimum of 9 there. Surprised no language option though with the baccalaureate being part of measured progress along side the progress 8

OneInEight · 08/07/2017 10:10

Too few which we are pretty livid about as we were promised when ds1 started at his specialist school that he would be given full academic opportunities. I think at the moment it is down to six but I expect it will decrease again. We are cross as he is academically able despite his SEN.

Dragonglass · 08/07/2017 10:11

Science is only 2 unless they choose to do triple science at our school.

My son is just finishing Year 8 and has chosen his options for next year already. He will be doing 9 GCSE's.

Original poster
OneDayIWillBeOrganised · 08/07/2017 10:15

one seems so unfair for schools to limit children Sad We had a parent's evening not too long ago when we were told she was doing great in both Art and Spanish. Seems a shame that she now can't continue studying those subjects.

OP posts:
Etymology23 · 08/07/2017 10:19

So will she be doing 2 science, 1 maths, 2 English and then 2 of her choice?

I did 3 science, 1 maths, 2 English and then another 5, plus short course RS and an additional maths qualification but obviously that was a while ago now! My brother, who did them more recently, has done 3 science, 2x mathsy ones, 2 English and another 4, plus 1/2 an RS one.

7 seems very minimal!

BigDeskBob · 08/07/2017 10:20

The school would be crazy to make able children drop languages.

It could be about staffing problems, are there currently vacancies for language teachers.

Etymology23 · 08/07/2017 10:23

Oops cross posted, took ages to write that - hopefully with the additional science etc that's a bit better. Could she do Spanish in pace of one of the others? Or art instead of DT?

AspieZilla · 08/07/2017 10:25

I did 9 but English and science counted as 2. This could be similar. I think 9 is needed for a-levels etc tbh.

It think personally that you need minimum of 4 others after you remove English, maths and science.

AspieZilla · 08/07/2017 10:29

It does cut down but remember what comes next. A levels are only 3-4 subjects and a degree is 1. You just need to ensure a decent spread of 4 subjects alongside the core.

speedyhedgehog · 08/07/2017 10:33

Dd (year 10) academically selective school is doing 10. Majority of the school is doing 9 but she is in the maths set that 'qualified' to do extra/ further maths. So they have to take English language and English lit, and maths then have 6 choices which must include 1 science and 1 modern foreign language. 1 humanity is strongly suggested. Dd wanted all 3 sciences plus 2 languages which meant only 1 more choice. In the end she is taking the 2 English, 3 sciences, French, History, DT, and 2 maths. Have to say it is a lot, seems a LOT more content than when I did o'levels - a long time ago 😂 it is difficult when they have interest and the ability to do a lot of different subjects but the workload really has been plenty. The school feels that 9 good results are sufficient so that is what they are aiming for.