2 Free GCSE choices only

[Bunce1]

School is in special measures and failing in every aspect. We have got a MAT in now and things are looking up.

However the school has now set the GCSES as follows
COMPULSORY
Eng language
Eng Literature
Maths
Science (double or triple. But no extra time on timetable for triple)

MUST BE ONE FROM
Geog
MFL
History

FREE CHOICE OF 2 from
all the usuals like art, PE studies, food DT, drama, music and so on. And then also Psychology, some BTECs, business and a media GCSE

So that’s 8, and not the more common 9 so lots of parents asked and they said oh yeah the extra GCSE is COMPULSORY and it’s RE.

AIBU to think that there should be 3 free choices. Totally free and not RE. I am a RE specialist and did it at Uni so I see the value in the subject but I think more broadly the push back from the parents and kids will be huge and really the children should have more choice at this age not leSs!

AIBU- RE is fine.
YANBU- 3 totally free choices is better.

*school 😊

This is commonplace, students must have a language for the E Bac

Oh I see - sorry - it was different when I did mine at school. The triple ones did it instead of an additional GCSE choice so it took up the same time period that other class would have done. Guess things have moved on now!

I think how schools approach triple science is very variable.
My DDs school used to do it 'accelerated', it in the same time as double.
Then it moved to accelerated and non accelerated (ie using an option).
For DDs year soon after the 9-1 grades were introduced, then did it in 14/fortnight instead of 10. The extra 4 came from not doing ICT and not needing maths/English intervention.

This sounds completely normal.
Even 25 years ago I had to do Maths, advances maths or stats, English language, English lit, double or triple science, RE, plus 1 language, geography or history and then pick from art/music/PE/drama.

Completely normal, you have the government’s Ebacc obsession to thank

They will know what is a good balance. A lot of schools make language compulsory for most kids. I'm surprised they are allowed to choose a language instead of a humanites.

Two different high schools here, and apart from there being enough time to do triple science, that list looks very similar.

RE is compulsory at DD’s school but it’s done in year 10. DD has the exams coming up in May. She had a choice of more than 2 though, she chose 4 I think

I'm not sure what you think is unreasonable. All the core subjects are compulsory - maths, English x and the sciences (double or triple. DD also had to do citizenship). She then had three choices on top of that because she took triple science. Students taking double science had 4 options as triple science took up one option, which IMO is the most sensible approach. Expecting students to learn half as much again in the same amount of time isn't the best approach.

Oh I thought it was from lessons. Can't say I remember anything from the lessons we had. Would have been more beneficial having an extra maths lesson. Learnt more about religion outside of school.

Learnt more about religion outside of school.

I doubt that many young people would nowadays. If RE can help reduce religious intolerance then bring it on.

Thanks so much for all the views.

DS will do compulsory
eng lit/lang
maths
statistics
further maths
triple sciences
RE

free choices—
PE studies
History
Geog

its a lot but stats is done in y10 and further maths is a level three they are awarded if they complete the work for top set.

The heavy load will be on the sciences and history/geog but DH is a geog specialist and I am an ex RE teacher!

Anyway- I think it’s ok. We will see how it goes. I feel like 12 is quite crazy. I did 10

Wow. That's an insane amount. Kids rarely did that many in old money GCSEs and the current GCSEs have double the exam papers.

@Silvergreenblue RE well taught teaches you an enormous amount about a range of religions (though I do have a beef with atheism not having a mention in the syllabus). More importantly it also goes into ethics and teaches debating skills. DD1 had in depth discussions in class on war, the environment, politics, abortion, assisted dying, the treatment of LGBT people - you name it. And this wasn't just about selling one 'acceptable' point of view - her school was and is religiously quite diverse, so there were evangelical Christians, devout Muslims, several devout Catholics, many C of E, some atheist and a couple of pagans. The debates got passionate but always remained respectful. She learned a lot.

I'm often surprised by what choices schools give for GCSEs. I had to do Double Science, Maths, English and English Lit, History, Geography, French and RE - all mandatory. You then chose a technology and another from a group of PE, Art or German.

GCSE is a pretty basic level of education, it seems mad that we are happy for 16 year olds to leave school without this in something like history or geography. But then, schools have an awful lot to deal with and there are a lot of teenagers who are just struggling to read and write, so I get it.

Our school do English baccalaureate so the usual English Lit & Lang, Maths, Science x 2 or 3. But then compulsory language and compulsory humanity (history or geography). Then 2 free choices.

Some students are on different pathways where they don't have to do the language.

It's a bit strange to have compulsory RE, but if it wasn't that, it would likely be compulsory something else.

Offering 3 totally free choices makes it a nightmare for timetabling, you'll inevitably get a combination that just can't be made to work, or subjects with not enough students taking it.

Yanbu OP that including RE as a mandatory full GCSE is a cop out. Yes RE must be taught in KS4 but decent schools fit it in as a short course in addition to 9 GCSEs.

At my school twenty years ago you did ten plus RE short course. Non selective bog standard comp.