Gcse options - textiles/food/dance

[Verycold]

Are any of those worth doing? Or should an able child stick to the academic stuff?

If the child has ambitions in those areas, do it (I doubt dance GCSE is that helpful to a prospective dancer though). Otherwise, probably seen as a wasted GCSE and at worst suggestive of a child who can't handle as much academic work as others. I'd guess looked down on more than music and art.

I think it depends on what else they are doing and how many.

If they are doing a broad range of academic subjects then one (or maybe two) more practical GCSE are fine.

I think it would depend on how many GCSEs they were taking. If it was one out of 8 then perhaps it wouldn't be a good choice but DD2 did 11 so taking dance GCSE wasn't a problem. She already had two languages and history as options so something practical was fine.

If your DC really likes any of them, then of course they're worth doing.
It's true that academic subjects are perceived as being "worth" more, especially by those who see education as only a means to an end...

But, most schools insist on Maths, English Lit, English Lang, and either double or triple science. That's 5/6 academic GCSEs straight away.
Most students can afford to take one or two subjects purely because they like them!

Plus, even if they don't plan to become food technologists or dancers, those subjects could be useful in other degree/career areas e.g. Dietetics or Physiotherapy...

DD is doing textiles to be her "not academic" one - but its turned out nothing like we had hoped
too much writing about supply chains
not enough making stuff

Textiles is normally an Art subject, so has a lot of work. They are perfectly okay options, I think most students have one less "academic" GCSE. But they can still be a lot of work.

How many other GCSE's is your child doing?
I would advise stick to 10 and not add any unnecessary pressure on their time.

Do check the textiles course - I've worked on GCSE courses from different boards, one more about the manufacture/supply of textiles, one that focused more on the making/using of textiles - more arty.

I think textiles is quite well regarded.

Dd has informed me (at tender age of 12 bless her) that GCSE dance will be a waste of time even though she wants a career as a dancer as its a lower standard than what she'll be doing in her dance classes.

I took Textiles as one of my GCSEs and regret it now. I don't feel as though I actually learnt anything. I done well on the practical side but didn't enjoy it after a while. I always regret not taking History up

antimatter
the number of GCSEs is somewhat determined by the school
DD is doing lots - but that is because of the sets she is in

also she completely dropped RE at the start of year 10 (as will DS) leaving a timetable slot for something more interesting - Latin in her case, possibly Astronomy for DS

My dd is doing GCSE textiles and I think it has been good for her to have a creative outlet. Her show pieces have all been very thoughtful and quite philosophical - making a great link with her other subjects.

She is also doing GCSE dance as an extra after school GCSE, she loves to dance. Again I have been very impressed by just how thoughtful her approach has been.

How sad talkin that the RE provision is so poor in your school. My daughter has been linking her RE and textiles together, she is currently creating a piece which is inspired by the work she has been doing in her RE lessons.

I'm a foodie. I did GCSE and A level home economics much to the and ridicule of my school friends (cake baking apparently) and then (shock horror) a degree in food technology. I now have a decent career in the food industry. My parents were totally supportive which helped and I'm now using my degree day in day out and earning much more than my friends who did English or history and work in totally unrelated industries. My philosophy was that people will always need food

An able child should be encouraged to follow the GCSE path hey most enjoy!

Philo
How sad talkin that the RE provision is so poor in your school.
Sorry?
I said no such thing.
Those who want to do RE get great results
but its a waste of space in the timetable for those who do not want to do the GCSE
especially atheists like us

The fact that you said it was not very interesting suggests that the provision is quite poor, if two of your children have independently written it off as dull.

I agree most schools tell you how many gcse's student needs to take.
However some actually are trying to encourage good students to take few extra. Hence my question.

Philo not dull, irrelevant

if we thought there was a god we would go to church
there isn't - we don't
at most state secondary schools RE morphs into current affairs
we listen to Radio 4, watch the BBC4 news, read the Economist, New Scientist, Private Eye and others

god bothering is an irrelevance when there are real things to learn about

thank goodness for compulsory RE at primary school : best way to create atheists yet invented
worked a treat for DH and myself and most of our friends

hence why I was hopeful that Textiles would be a nice change - as art was when I did all academic O levels

sadly the obsession with "written" exams has impinged on the subjects where it is least appropriate

Dd is an atheist but she loves RE as she's really into philosophy.

My children are utterly godless but so far have all enjoyed RE, which from is not current affairs but a mix if RE, ethics and philosophy.

I teach history but because I have a philosophy degree I do sometimes pick up a bit of GCSE RE and find our students respond really well - we don't get any students opt out for the reasons you give.

It is interesting how different it is, depending on which school you go to.

My daughter has loved her textiles and it has added an important creative element to her studies.

Food Tech is very popular I think, and top-quality chefs are on the UK national skills shortage list.
Textiles/dance are also good choices if the only alternatives are GCSEs that kid has far less or no enthusiasm for.

Be very careful about food tech as it is more academic than most people (some posters on here included) think.

"Be very careful about food tech as it is more academic than most people (some posters on here included) think."

I agree. At parents evening last week the food tech teacher showed DD some of the coursework she would have to do. DD has decided not to do food tech now.