GCSE Options Problem.... Choices Blocked!

[IJustWantAUserNameThatDoesntExistAlready]

Hi there, looking for advice from anyone who may be in a similar position with a bit more knowledge. My first post here, so apologies for any presentation errors...
My son is about to select GCSE options. He has the core, plus 3 optional.
Core is English Lang / Lit, Math, Combined Science and MFL (French). All good so far.
For his options, he needs to select one from each of the following blocks:
Block 1: Geography, History
Block 2: RE, Sociology
Block 3: Triple Science, Art, Geography (only if History chosen as Block 1), Computing... plus a bunch of vocational stuff.

Here's the problem. He's academic, and is determined (since he was 4) to make a career in the historical sciences (details don't matter). As a result, he wants to take Geography, History and Triple Science. All 3 would be very beneficial to him, and allow him to select the A-levels appropriate to progress into a degree in the appropriate area.
But because of the structure of the options, he can't. He has to drop one of these in favour of RE / Sociology, both of which are utterly useless to him (I'm not knocking them as subjects - I personally took RE to A-Level - but they're not suitable for his purposes).

Does anyone have any experience in how to approach the school to try and get this limitation changed? I'm quite happy to play softball or hardball with them to get the options he wants. Or does he just have to do a subject that is a waste of time for him, and get whichever of the preferred subjects we can't get through school privately (he already has private tutoring, I'm not bothered about the cost, but the additional schooling on top of what he already does might be too much?) If I say to the school "fine - force him to do a subject he doesn't want to do that will be a waste of time for all concerned, but don't be surprised if this straight-A student lands an F and brings down your school when he could get an A in his useful subject" - will this bounce back on him?

So frustrated that we're being blocked from GCSE options that he wants that could hinder him through the rest of his education!
Grateful for any advice...

when did RE stop being compulsory? But other posters are completely right. Doing double science instead of triple is unlikely to reduce his A level choices. Doing Re or sociology wont either.

It might be worth asking if they do the half course in RE, on the grounds that only studying for half a gcse in RE would leave him more time to study geography privately.

Surely if you son does Triple Science then he won't be doing Combined Science as well. So there should be no reason for your DS to be able to so History and Geography.

FWIW these are the option my DD has taken and sitting this year.

She is also looking at doing History, Geography and Chemistry and Maths which will either be Core maths (AS Level) or a full Math A Level

No I’m not suggesting this is a class issue, stop putting words in my mouth. I’m saying from my 10 years experience of working in a secondary school it would be absolute chaos for lots of different reasons.

It is the precedent that then sets too. If one child is allowed to do it then very quickly other parents will realise and want a similar set up.

In my dd school triple science isn’t an option as such - rather you can do it if you are in the top sets or reach a certain level in science. Is it definitely an option that prevents you choosing Geography?

It does seem a very odd way of doing it, but I presume if they are doing triple science it counts as the additional GCSE so all children do the same number of GCSES iyswim. In my Dc's school, you do combined science e and they choose who can do triple science, but it's an additional GCSE, presumably as it stretches the most able.

That’s a very narrow range of options, much worse than most schools offer. I’m not sure why triple science is in with the options as most schools just teach that to top set in the same time as double to everyone else. It’s not needed for a level but it’s an even bigger step up then which is making life harder if you want to do multiple science. Also can’t take computer science and triple science that’s a very rational combination. Can’t take art and triple science or computer science? They really are Limiting people’s options for a levels and beyond. History I’m pretty sure you can pick up at a level though

@Clutterbugsmum No. When doing Triple Science they do the same core Combined, and then 1 option is used to do the units that are extra to triple. So triple needs an option and core science.

Not at my children's school. The Top sets in year 9 do Triple science GCSE'S and the rest do combined.

OK, yes some schools do do accelerated triple, but that isn't what the OP's school is doing, as triple is in an option block.

Naive to think that a state school has both a library and a librarian! Some do, but they are usually timetabled for lessons just like classrooms and teachers are.

I would go with taking one privately.

As someone who is currently sorting options for GCSE and dealing with parents who want literally every combination except the ones we’re able to offer: Timetabling is much more complex than you’d imagine. Chuck in teacher shortages and massive class sizes, and often you have to block options against each other to manage size of class or because teachers are part time or teach multiple subjects. Complain away but you can guarantee you’ll also have parents wanting other combinations and it’s literally impossible in most cases to do anything about it.

Yep agree this is not the case at all. My child is aiming for archaeology too and is doing classical civilisation, Latin and biology a levels. No problems whatsoever. (And isn’t taking maths!)

Maybe it's a bad call. I just was looking for solutions. My DH and I are both teachers, although I'm in primary and he's at the school DS goes to, which does give the boys a lot of independence and flexibility. The only state secondary I go into regularly always appears to have some kids sitting working in the library (you can see in from the Reception corridor).

They’ve probably been removed from class for a myriad of reasons

Was the same for me 50 years ago, the same for my children, and for my grandchildren.
It's due to timetabling and available teaching.

“he's very goal-focused, and considers the idea of RE and Sociology GCSE to be a waste of time when he could be doing something useful, and will resent the lessons / time spent on it.”

I’d say that this mindset needs addressing, to be honest. It could very easily turn into “why should I bother with any subject which I’m not going to sit at A level?”

The answer is a) because there are no sure things in life and you might change your mind about what you want to do, and b) because learning & studying shouldn’t be this nakedly instrumental - ALL subjects are “useful” because you discover information or develop skills you didn’t already have.

As others have pointed out, he isn’t restricting his university choices, so maybe you should have a go at addressing his negative attitude before you go in all guns blazing to the school to complain about something they almost certainly won’t be able to change.

Just to chuck it another thing into the mix: the triple science option may affect the type of pupils he is with in other lessons. In many schools I have worked in, the more academic pupils do triple science. Because of time tables and ‘blocking’ of resources this also meant that determined you were with the same pupils in English and RE.
Timetabling is a nightmare.

How come they only do 8 GCSEs, isn’t 10 the norm? It would make more sense to put Geography in with RE and sociology but then maybe they wouldn’t get enough choosing those.

Also bear in mind exam season if he decides to do an extra one. Exam season is brutal at gcse. He may have clashes and exams one after another. It may be that it’s best to do less and have less facts to swot up on the night before.

@Idratherbepaddleboarding It isn't 8.

Maths, 2 English, 2 Science, MFL plus 3 options = 9.

In most schools RE is compulsory as it’s “easy” at GCSE and they have to have some timetabled time anyway so schools use it for the qualification. It will most likely be a timetabling issue. You can do both history and geography at A Level without the GCSE, so it isn’t going to stop that, but you may need to choose another school if they can’t overcome timetable issue and he really wants to do it

Find out the exam board for combined and triple science and take a look at biology. I think this is the easiest one to do separately, taking geography, history and block 2 in school.
The school might allow him to sit triple science GCSE as someone suggested above. This is what I would be thinking in your situation.

Also look at what the entry requirements are for 6th form. If he only needs 6 high-grade GCSES, then let him do sociology and not put any work into it. If he gets high grades in the rest, then that will be enough to get him into 6th form. He doesn't need 10 GCSES. As others have said, sociology and even Re is the study of society. If he wants to do archaeology, he needs to be interested in how societies work.

I agree. This will also partly be why the blocks are as they are. For a rounded approach.