What has been the most important school subject in your adult life?

[OneUmberJoker]

Maths

I would say English Language or Literature have been the most relevant to my working life. But actually both subjects were taught very poorly. I absorbed what I know via a lifelong habit of constant reading. I went to a fairly useless school where most children were from homes where education was not valued and the teachers were essentially fire-fighting and babysitting rather than teaching. The most useful skills that school shaped in me were more along the lines of resilience, how to navigate different situations, how to fit in socially with different crowds, how to stand up for yourself etc. I did enjoy history though.

Politics A level which gave me a very good grounding in basic legislative Frameworks, voting systems, ideologies etc.

French.

It helps me understand English and scientific words rooted in Latin, and made it easy to learn to speak Italian, Spanish and Portuguese.

Economics…
The study of how to efficiently allocate scarce resources. It gives an insight into many things, such as ideas on how to get more value from the NHS, how Capitalism works, and helps with personal financial literacy on a day to day basis.

This in spades.

I think we went to the same school. I was pretty much auto-didactic throughout.

So, yeah. Touch-typing and resilience.

We obviously had very different home economics lessons. At my school (large comp) all I remember is making a poster about hand washing and heating up a pizza.

English and maths

Science, geography, history, economics, rs - to understand how the world works and be a critical thinker. French - for holidays.

maths and English obviously.

Not useful - music (due to terrible teaching) PE ditto, Art - ditto. I’m cross about these as with better teaching they could have added richness to my life but instead they put me off!

@Crategate Ours didn’t cover everything but pizza was definitely not something we did.
We learned how to cook everyday food, meal plan and balance nutrition plus the science side of cooking safely.
Have never been able to replicate my first attempt at chocolate eclairs though- they were phenomenal!

English

Typing.

Being able to touch type has been of more use to me than any other thing I did at school.

Nobody has ever desperately needed me to explain the history of medicine or what an oxbow lake is.
I've never needed to tell a French person that there is a mouse on or under the table, or announce in Latin that there is a girl in the picture who is small.
I hate hockey so PE was a waste of time, RE I don't even remember although I must have done it as I passed the exam.
The rest of the subjects, other than English and Maths were equally useless from the second I walked out of education and most of the Maths I never needed again either.

Maths, English, of course, then Latin.

Why Labour decided it was elitist and took it off the curriculum seems very short sighted. All schools did Latin back in the day, just the same as EVERYONE did the 11 plus, it was just an exam. You didn't have to go to grammar school. You could have a chance, even if your parents didn't care about you Or not have the ability to sort out the 11 plus applications etc etc.

It's been very useful over the years for translations, meaning of words, stories for dc growing up, Travel is more interesting, medical knowledge with words. Everything!

Music

English, Maths, Physics for work
Music for fun

Maths without a doubt.

Geography and history. I had excellent teachers at GCSE and A level and what I learned heavily influenced my uni course and future career choices. I still greatly enjoy both subjects!

Maths and Science

Re: oxbow lakes. I’m a geologist turned civil engineer working in flood risk management. Understanding how rivers evolve is essential!

Maths

And Chenistry, just because I am a chemist

It sounds like our HE lessons were similar. I took HE and O and A level and for the O level practical assignment we had to cook 5 dishes from scratch in two and a half hours, and 7 dishes in three hours for A level.

At A level we also covered subjects like budgeting, how to buy a house and other general life admin topics. I think it was the most practical subject that I learned at school. We were even taught how to wire a plug (back in the day electrical appliances were sold without plugs).

IMO everyone should be taught how to cook a nutritious well balanced meal.

All schools did Latin back in the day,

How far back are you looking @Beesandhoney123 ? I went to secondary school in 1970 and we didn't do Latin.

French - so useful although I am still inadequate

I got a French O level and thought I’d forgotten most of it but picked up Duolingo during the pandemic and was surprised how much of it I’d retained. Now have a couple of colleagues for whom French is their first language and we practice on and correct each other.

I hear you. Art, I’m particularly bitter about, as three years ago I started taking classes on Saturday mornings, and it turns out I’m quite good!

I’d have loved to have gone to art school and had a great time back in the day. Oh well.