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😀

1988
English Lit
English Lang
Maths
RE
Biology
French
German
Latin
Social & Economic History
Art & Design

I was at a super-selective grammar so we had quite conservative options. Think the only other options on offer were: Physics, Chemistry, Modern History, Home Economics, Music, Drama and Geography.

DD - big state comprehensive - had a massive list of 28 GCSEs to choose from plus a range of BTECs. I preferred being able to just pick one science. She hates science but so much of the timetable is taken up by them and there were other subjects that she'd have enjoyed far more and probably got more out of.

I did GCSEs in 95 so not what you asked but it's so interesting how things have changed.

I did

English Lit and Language (worth one qualification each)

Maths

Science (Chemistry, physics and biology - a separate paper and coursework for each but only worth two qualifications in total)

RE (compulsory as went to Catholic school)

French (we all had to take a language gcse).

Art ( everyone had to do either art or drama)

Textiles (all had to do either food, textiles or childhood studies) with technology (eg standard CDT stuff) which counted as one qualification

History (everyone did either history or geography).

So 10 in total and the exams went on forever!

I think my dd has to choose a similar number and from similar options next easter.

I did O levels in the early 198Os at a girls' grammar school and took:

English Language (compulsory)
Maths (compulsory)
French (either French or German was compulsory)
Latin (Classical Studies also available for lower sets)
Biology (you had to take one Science and people not taking chemistry and physics had a choice of either Human biology or Domestic Science instead)
Chemistry
Physics
Geography (Geology was available in the sixth form for those taking A level Geography)

English Literature was not compulsory, so I didn't choose it. Much to the relief of my teachers. I argued with them a lot!

1986-
English
Literature
History
Bible Knowledge
(you had to choose at least 1 science) so I did Biology
Chemistry
Economics
Maths
Oral English

Compulsory subjects were English Language, English Literature, Maths and French.
You had to take either Physics or Biology, so I did Physics, then 3 choices so I did German, Music and Geography. Those in top set Maths also did AO Maths, so I took 9 altogether.

DD1 took 12 GCSEs in year 10, DD2 took 11 also in year 10.

Maths
Statistics
English language
English literature
Human biology
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
History
French
German

I did English language, French, history and maths O Levels, plus about 10 CSEs.

This was in 1983

Too busy pissing about after various bands, so didn't do as well as I should have

1985, large comprehensive school that was formerly boys' and girls' grammars pre-1974:
English lang
English lit
Maths
Chemistry
French
German
History
Geography
Art

My school did rural science ( did have a lot of farmers children attend so maybe that’s why) typing,shorthand,needlework and woodwork. Some of the boys did motor mechanics. It was very rigid and boys and girls did specific subjects.

1982- Maths , English , English literature, Religious studies , French , Latin , Biology , Chemistry , Physics , Geography , History

I was a 1984 O level girl and I did
English language
English literature
Maths
Physics
French
German
Geography
Commerce

Definitely no option blocks

1980
English Language
English Literature
Maths
French
German
Latin
History
Geography
Biology

Private all girls school. Offered solely traditional subjects at O level and A level.

1983
English Language, English Literature, Maths, Biology, chemistry, physics, Latin, French (all compulsory) and German (my only choice). Small very academic school that only offered traditional subjects.

English Lit and English Lang, Maths, Biology, History, French, Geography, Art.
1987, bog standard comprehensive.

Now, just like then, different schools do things differently.
So, I don't recognise your 'option blocks' as that wasn't what we did at our school, and equally, even between my own dc doing their GCSEs, the options were different in different years, and were different from friends at other schools.

Took them in 1983/4:

Maths
English lit
English language
RE (compulsory, but taken a year early)
French
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
History

I had to choose between Biology and Latin, which I hated as I loved Latin, but needed Biology. A group of us took History 6 months early too for some reason. Meant I was (and probably still am) very sketchy about anything that happened after 1880-ish. We skipped the whole run up to WW1. Not sure the additional revision time for other subjects really justified the gap in our education, but I guess I could always pick up a book now if I was that bothered.

Had to do:
Maths
Eng Lang
Eng Lit
RS

Chose
History
Geography
French
German
Latin

Rejected
Physics
Biology
Human Biology
Chemistry
Economics
Sociology
Art
Music
Home Economics
Needlework

1983 - English (Lang and Lit)
Maths
Arithmetic
Biology
French
German
Music
History
Secretarial Studies
Modern Studies

We had to take Maths, English, a Science and a Foreign Language, others were optional.

1980

English Language
English Literature
Maths
Biology
Physics
Chemistry
French
Latin
Greek
History

i think they’re all still available now. It was a very traditional girls school. I know that as an all girls school, the take-up of 3 separate sciences was unusually high. I’m so glad stem subjects are now seen as normal for girls.

English which I took a year early.
English literature.
Maths.
Human biology.
Art.
History.
Geography.
Needlework.
Typing.

I did my o levels in the early 1980s
English lit
English lang
Maths
Chemistry
Biology
French
Art
Computer studies
Music
History

Passed 8 failed 2

In 1983 I took
English language
English literature
Maths
Biology
French
German
Latin
Music

We were only allowed to do 8. A science (choice included geography) was compulsory but not a language or humanity. Give the choice I'd probably have swapped biology for history.

1980 here
English Lang & Lit
Maths (early)
Additional Maths
French & German
History & Geography
Physics & Chemistry

I remember the option blocks. We could only take 2 from History, Physics & Biology and another 2 from Geography, Chemistry & Latin. The German was from another block with lots of minority subjects. And I think Art was in more than 1 block.

In 1985 I did:

Maths
English Lang
English Lit
French
German
History
Music
Religious Studies
Physics

We only had to do one science and Physics was the one I got the best mark for in my 3rd year exams but I hated it and tried to convince the director of studies that I should do Geography instead as I was much more likely to get a good grade but he refused. I feel really sorry for kids having no choice but to do all 3 sciences now.

I did my O levels in 1983 in a very rough secondary modern. I did English Lit, History, Art, Biology, English Language, French, Human Biology and Music. I also did CSE Maths. Two of those were self-study because we could only take 7 courses due to scheduling - I was just entered into the exams (Eng Lang and Human Biog).