What O'Level's did you do in the 1980's?

[AnnMcGuinness]

I'm just wondering what o'level's you guys did in the 1980's. My eldest son is currently doing his GCSE's and my only daughter is currently picking her's.

The reason I'm asking is because there seems to be completely different GCSE options than there were in the 1980's when I did o'level's.

In the 1980's in my school we all had to do English language, English Literature, Maths.

Turning to the options block you had to choose a language I chose French and you had to choose a Science I chose Human Biology. Then you had three remaining option blocks. I choose Home Economics, Admin and Typing as well as History o'level.

My friend said to me who went to my school said she done o'level's in the options she picked was Physics, Home Economics, French, Geology and Accounts.

When i seen the option blocks for my children's GCSE's i seen Geology and Accounts is no longer and option. I am wondering what were you O'level options in the 1980's and is there any you done that isn't on offer for children taking there GCSE's today.

Kind Regards

Ann😀

English Lit
English Lang
Maths
French
Geography
History
Chemistry
Biology
Physics
RE
Latin (at home for fun as you couldn't do Latin and RE)

English language
English literature
Maths
Sociology
French
R.E.
Biology
Chemistry
physics
Art

I did the last year of O levels. I did Maths, Statistics, English language, English literature, biology, human biology, chemistry, physics, history, French and German.

I got made to do German as they were short of people to make up a class.

I took my levels in 1981
Biology
Chemistry
Maths compulsory
English lan compulsory
English lit compulsory
Computer studies
Art
History
French
Also took AO music in the VI form the following year

School O levels

Eng Lang
Eng Lit
Maths
Chemistry
History
Art
Drama
French
Spanish

Later did photography and Russian. Yes, I’ve had several different careers 😊

1984

English Language (compulsory)
English Literature (compulsory)
Maths (compulsory)
Drama
French
History
Biology
Chemistry
Ceramics
(Dropped German after mocks - teacher was awful so those of us with her failed our mock whilst those with the other teacher passed!)

1982:
English language
English literature
Maths
Additional maths
French
German
Physics
Biology
Geography
Art

Mine were in the 1970s.

Compulsory ones were:

• English Language (taken a year early)
• English Literature
• Maths

Then we had to do:

• a science (I did chemistry)
• history or geography (I did history)
• a language (I did French)
• a "craft" subject (I did art (pottery). Other options were metalwork, woodwork, needlework and home economics)

And we had 1-2 free choices.
I chose German and biology.

The only other choices I could have had were geography, RE and physics.

O grades because i am Scottish:

English
Maths
Arithmetic
Chemistry
Physics
Biology
Geography
French

Fairly standard even now i would think.

1980:
Eng Lang
Eng Lit
French
German
Biology
Music
History
Geography

The Englishes, one language, one science and one humanities were compulsory as was one 'crafty' subject - luckily music was considered 'crafty'! I did CSE maths as I was hopeless (and got a 3!) All the non sciencey ones (like me) did Biology

I did 4 compulsory
English language
English lit
Maths
French

4 choices
Chemistry
Physics
Computer Science
Design & Tech

My eldest did her GCSEs in the 2010s and hers were very similar, except her science covered biology as well (triple) and she did music and history.

Let’s see if I can remember

English language
English literature
maths
history
geography
french
physics
german

I really didn’t want to do geography, wanted to do chemistry instead but the vagaries of the option blocks meant geography was pretty much compulsory at our school. Early 1980s.

English Lang and Lit
Maths
Latin
French
History
Chemistry
Physics.

Was desperate to do Art but it clashed with Chemistry.

Took mine in 82
Had to do English literature
English Language
Maths
Geography
History.
I also did Chemisty.

Environmental Science
Cookery and
Needlework

I did O levels in 1987. Very similar to you in what I was allowed to choose. 2 English, maths, French, a science all compulsory, then did another science, RE, History and Latin. The scope wasn’t as wide as it is for gcse now.

1982

English Lit
English Lang
Maths
Biology
History
Geography
French
RE

1980

English Language
English Literature
Maths
French
German
Spanish
Biology
History
RE
Geography

1986:
Eng Lang
Eng Lit
Maths
Physics
Latin
History
Economics
Art
Dance

That was at a grammar school and the only compulsory subjects were English and Maths.

Oh, and French

I sat mine in 1985

English Language
English Lit
Maths
Physics
Chemistry
French
Geography
Home Economics
RE*

*An extra subject with just a group of four of us having one lesson per week, during a lunchtime. Only signed up for it because I fancied a boy who was also taking it.
Turned out he was gay.

Maths - compulsory
English Lang - compulsory
English Lit - compulsory
RE - compulsory
French - [one language compulsory - could have chosen German instead/as well]
Biology - [one science subject compulsory - could also have chosen Human Biology, Physics. Botany]
Chemistry
Geography
Art

Other choices included History, Home Ec & Sociology (maybe Drama as well - can't remember)

Did Economics in 6th form (O level lower 6th, A level upper 6th)
Law was offered in 6th form as well I think

Compulsory in fourth year (Lit should not be a fourth year compulsory):
RE
English Literature
Compulsory in fifth year:
Maths
English Language
At least one science: Chemistry
At least one language: French and German
At least one humanity: Geography and History
I also took Art which gave me so many headaches because I found it hard

Am now working in a job where science and language are important.

English
English Lit
Maths
Add Maths
French
German
History
Physics
Chemistry

At school I did (mostly in 1984):

English Lang
English Lit
French
German
Maths (1983)
Additional Maths
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
History
Geography

I also did Latin and Russian as “twilight” subjects, as they didn’t fit into the school timetable.

Mine were virtually the same as my son’s:

Maths
Eng Lang and lit
French (son did German)
Physics,Chemistry and Biology
Design (son did res mat)
History and Geography

We both did 10, but 37 years apart!