gcse choices time. What is your g+t teenager choosing be how much say do you have?

[Piffle]

not specifically g+t I guess but as ds1 is and his subjects are pretty academic I reckon. He is doing 3 gcses in yr10? IT Chinese and stats. I'm trying to convince him to do history not geography. He is choosing French. Engineering, art and geography. I wish he would choose history though! Did you get any pressure from the schools about what they should choose.

Why do you wish he would do history? If he's more into geography, surely that would be a better choice for him? I was/am also 'academic' and really enjoyed my geography GCSE and A level. It's not just learning the capital countries anymore! Geography involves lots of topics and skills that are valuable in the real world (climate change, population density, habitats etc). Let him choose what he wants to study.

If it helps, I gave up history before GCSE, but still have an interest in it and read books about interesting periods in history, so he's not completely cutting off one area of study if he drops the subject now.

My ds1 is in y10. At an academic private school. We got no pressure from the school (Westminster) except there was a rule whereby they had to choose at least 1 practical subject, eg art, music, DT. Ds has chosen art. We put no pressure on him either, just encouraged him to do the ones he enjoyed the most. (I am disappointed he has given up Latin, but it's his life and he was forced to choose between it and RS which has an interesting philosophical/ethical syllabus).

I didn't know there was a separate Engineering GCSE, as opposed to studying physics or mechanics for example. Is your ds doing any traditional single science subjects too ?

he is doing all three sciences as a triple award, double English, half course RE, PE . These are compulsory as is one modern language. I'm thoroughly pissed off that PE is compulsory as it means he cannot do both electronics and engineering. He is not into geography per we, infact says it bores him as the teacher is dull. But the way the pool choices work he has to choose either history or geography and he says geography is preferable as less essay writing. Perhaps fair enough given his workload. ICT is also compulsory but he's sitting it year early as are all yr 9. Frees up their schedules a bit.

so Piffle, have I got this right:

yr 10:
ICT
Chinese
Stats

yr 11:
Maths
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
English Lang
English Lit
RE + PE (half courses)
French
Engineering
Art
Geography (or History)

It looks a strong set either way and 14 GCSEs is lots in anyones book. I would say with the triple science, ICT, stats, maths and engineering it is quite science-orientated, though with the strong language emphasis I doubt that really matters. Geography of course is the most 'sciencey' humanity so history might give marginally more balance - but so marginal that it's probably better to stick with what he finds easiest. There a news article recently that said history was more demanding than geography, but with 14 no-one's going to look at his results and say 'oh he can't be that bright he didn't do history' and I do think history is something you can read about in your own time as an adult quite easily. From his attitude to GCSE it's fairly clear he's not going to want to do either at A level either.

So probably best to let him do what he wants - he'll only resent you every time he writes a history essay over the next 2 years if you press too hard.

Geog does gets fun field trips for a bit of light relief (ours are going to Blackburn for a halfday on Monday, ROFL) but History doesn't - I can't imagine why

oh and to the original question, ds (who may not be gifted, but is very bright and academic) hasn't heard anything at all about option choices from school yet (grr). I'll leave the final choice to him when it comes to it, but discuss it with him. For what it's worth, unless the option blocks don't allow it he will also choose geography over history any day.

Options Geography, history, drama and business studies.

Compulsory 3 Separate sciences, maths and english that will make equivalent of 10 GCSE's all taken in year 11 (so far) which I think is enough.

yes I know I guess I am disappointed as his steering is so science ) and maths and IT dominated, even his art (which he is passionate about) is with a view to a career in design, architecture, etc

I know geogrpahy is technically a humanity BUT there are shag all trips around here (sth Lincs) and the history ones are brilliant.
But it is up to him, he has questioned himself and saif so many people have said he should consider history again (he is straight A student in it as well)
We'll see, but I'm not going to push it, he does have a hefty laod and best he is happy with it.
Yes that list is about right
The PE is non examination, there is an additional option GCSE students can take for PE if they wish.
Fair to say he doesn't!!!

DS had to choose between history and geography. His initial choice was geog, but he changed to history because his history teacher was persuasive and he is very good at it. The school said he could do Geog at A level even without the GCSE. The pressure from school came from each department individually trying to persuade boys to take their subject.

yr 8: choose GCSE subjects
yr 9: start GCSE courses
yr 10:
Maths

yr 11:
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
English Lang
English Lit
RE + Citizenship (half courses)
German
History
ICT (half)
Latin
Greek (at lunchtime)
Media Studies
Maths (start of A level)

Apparently CCF can count as some sort of vocational qualification equivalent to 4 GCSEs as well.

ds1 has chosen geography for sure now. So final selection is
yr 10
Chinese
maths statistics
half course ICT

Yr11
maths
Eng lit
Eng Lang
chemistry
physics
biology
RE - 1/2 course
French
art
geography
engineering

Bloody big workload btw the Chinese is a once a week after school class he has done since yr7.

That's not too bad. In the world of academic private schools eeryone would do 9 at least in proper subjects I think i.e. would not include the ICT, engineering, art or half an RE or maths stats perhaps. But he is left with 9 normal hard core proper GCSEs there which is not too bad for the state sector. The main think you need to avoid is children in state schools being pushed into lots of non traditional GCSEs without the parents realising they are not valued as highly like art, psychology, PE etc etc

I think all mine did 9 - just 9 normal ones and didn't do any early or 9 plus music I think.

Can't be Chinese presumably as that doesn't exist as a language I think. Mandarin?

Mine - in state school - is doing 10 proper hard-core ones (although one is Food Tech, which I'm sure Xenia won't count )

Yes, if you look at the GCSEs offered by schools like ManchesterGrammar, Westminster etc you will see the subjects th private schools, universities and employers think are acceptable and then compare with the lists at some comps. What worries me is that some parents are not aware of the different. Food tech does not count of course.

art is his first love xenia. Which given how academically talented he is has made it difficult to assist him. Also given that science is the triple award gcse means that his workload is full. I also wish they'd take out the RE also the way they've pooled the subjects means he cannot take history and geography or Spanish and French without losing art. Yes by Chinese I meant
mandarin. He is very keen on science and art and I am presuming he would lean to these for A level. He has already figured he might have to drop art at a level to get in his core subjects in order for top uni place. He is predicted fwiw A* in every subject for gcse. His art teacher has offered to teach him art outside school as a twilight a level subject as well. He is very gifted artist apparently. Hard to balance for him and us.

oh he is at very good boys grammar school too.

I personally think every child should be allowed to study one or maybe two 'fun' subjects that they love regardless of their academic worth. I don't think if you are studying 10 or 11+ GCSEs any university will penalise you for this either.

Like Piffle I don't like the way some schools 'insist' that you do subjects like RE. Piffle is it not your right to withdraw him from RE? I though after the latest rumpus with the RE teacher you were seriously considering it - I think I probably would in your shoes.

I agree with snorkle and Piffle about "fun" subjects. It's important to consider what you get out of doing particular subjects, not just the perceived worth of the qualification at the end. Xenia, I'm sure I read a post on here from someone with a child at Westminster saying that school insisted on every pupil taking Art, Music or DT (or some similar group of subjects - can't remember precise details). If your child wanted to be an engineer or an architect, surely Art or DT would be worth doing? Handling drills and saws properly is a vital skill for aspiring dentists or surgeons.

Piffle, I have every sympathy over Geography. My DS1 is still trying to decide between Geography and Latin. I suspect Geography may win - how can a dead language compete with an opportunity to save the planet and get your feet wet? (I'm trying, with slightly more subtlety than my usual brick, to persuade him the other way - would be easier if his hormones had kicked in...)

DS1 is so dismissive about RE ("It's all about different ways of being wrong, Mum!" that I think it would probably be good for him to do it.

snorkle. The teacher issue was resolved to ds1s satisfaction. A full apology and admission of bullying and unprofessional attitude. Ds has re entered the class and is enjoying it again. I think to remove him atm would go against him. But it might well be a considerationnext year.

yes of course - you need to separate the teacher issue from the desire not to do GCSE issue. I understand.

We are still impatiently waiting for our option choices booklet. Rumour has it they will be posted tomorrow, which is cutting it fine for thinking through the choices before parents eve on Thursday. If ds can't do what he wants to I may be resurrecting this or the other gcse choices thread then.

we only got ours in the last ten days. Real rush. Not impressed with the lack of advice from the school on the possibilities of each subject toward future study/ careers etc

Have you tried looking at the school's sixth form prospectus and seeing what the prerequisites for each subject are? Sorry if that's pointing out the completely obvious.

Xenia, I can't believe universities take that much notice of the subjects taken at GCSE - provided the essentials have been passed with a good grade.

Hallgerda mentioned DT as being considered valuable by Westminster School. Tech is one of the compulsory subjects at DS2's selective grammar - Design is one of the 5 options, Food is another, and the others are Graphics, Systems & Resistant Materials - so they also think it a valid and valuable part of the curriculum.

Like piffle's DS he is predicted straight A*s, and he loves cooking (although that's not all they do of course) - there is more to life than swotting.

Yes, and my sister did art A level plus her main three A levels as she was so good at art. As long as you have 8 or 9 good core GCSEs doing some extras you like is a good thing.

What troubles me is schools suggesting you do 5 or 6 fun subjects and few others and making children think they're academic good ones when everyone in the know knows they aren't; all those state schools doing well in the league tables because they weren't putting children in for English maths and French just woodwork or whatever until the government stepped in.

Resistant materials is offered. It ( tech) is divided up into res mats DT, resmats DT engineering bias and DT electronic products and DT graphics products. He did initially select electronics but after discussion with DP decided engineering more his thing.
Students are urged to keep one of the humanities and one language is compulsory. Most choose Spanish but ds prefers French.
Other gcses are PE, full course RE, business studies and music. Now that the triple science award is pretty much compulsory many are opting for "lighter" courses to spread the workload. The ICT half course is compulsory as is RE half course but the IT thing is laughable as most of the kids know so much more than the teachers. Ds is running a workshop in his own time about google sketch up and a few teachers have asked to do it!!!!