Help choosing options in S1

[WeAllHaveWings]

Ds(12) has to choose options in S1 for S2/3 (know not all schools do this, ours does), they then drop subjects before S4. He is 12 so has no idea what he wants to do when he leaves school, apart from being top professional footballer but doesn't know what he wants to do if it doesnt work out, he doesn't fancy coaching. He has a flair/logical mind for science/maths, finds English difficult (especially story writing as he's too factual) and doesnt enjoy, but manages.

After an hour or so of deliberation so he has to take/or has chosen:

Core P.E., PSE, Science
English
Maths
Chemistry
Physics or Biology (can't decide between)
Geography
French or Spanish (can't decide)
P.E.

He has two more to choose and with the column options we have left have narrowed it down to:

Modern studies (too much writing?)
Graphic communications (I'm too old to know if this is a good choice!)
Design & manufacture (woodwork?)
Admin & IT (word processing, power point and spreadsheets - for 2 years!)

We have no idea what to pick! Any advice or recommendations?

If he is taking chemistry then match with biology, if you're not taking three sciences then the best combinations are chem/biology or physics/biology. For language I'd take Spanush as there are many more opportunities to use Spanish than French. Modern is a good course my DS found in really interesting, the other one that kids seem to love is RMPS. Graph Comm is a nice option and provides useful skill in today's world. Cant comment on design and manf but wouldn't touch that admin one with a barge pole.

My dd is in S2 and has recently chosen to take:
English
Maths
Chemistry
Physics
Biology
History
Art
Spanish
Computing

Think they drop 2 after 3rd year though. S1 is very early for choosing, dd struggled at this stage. They had to put back up choices but hope she gets her first choices

The options given have physics and biology in the same column so not an option to take both (or three!). Looks like chemistry/physics or chemistry/biology are his only options.

When I was at school (30 years ago) Modern studies was always the poor relation to geography and history, is this still the case? He could take history but isn't keen.

He has still to decide on a language, is one easier than the other? He is thinking French but simply because he is already doing it and won't need to start from scratch.

Dd had the other sciences in an end column where you had to put 4 choices in order of preference but would only actually take 2 of them

Dd chose Spanish as she doesn't rate the current French teacher (cant control the class) and doesn't like the other one. She put modern studies as a back up (I did modern studies many years ago!)

the science options are strange I'd go with chem/biology. unless you think he'll want to take 3 sciences for higher - biology would be the easiest one to crash.

modern is v popular and not seen as a poor relation - the topics they cover are interesting. none of my have taken history but I understand it's quite tough whereas modern is more relevant so they seem to engage with it more easily

I can see why chemistry/biology fit together, why would physics/biology be a better mix than physics/chemistry. It's says in the booklet physics/biology is not recommended but doesn't say why? (Probably teacher resource)

Weallhave I think I'm having a bad day and making poor recommendations on the science - you're right it's physics/chemistry or chemistry/biology. These combos are a better fit for entry for many uni courses. Sorry for any confusion.

thanks, awful day at work here too, followed by option booklet only arrived today and his guidance teacher meeting is on Friday! Thought they would have given us sometime and maybe a parents information meeting, but no a book and 2 days

Your help is much appreciated.

Demented, ds is also considering his language choice based on what teacher he might get.

Might get ds to ask about a third science or it he can pick biology up later.

Our school used to do this when Dd was in S1. 2 years later it was all change.

Dd dropped a lot of subjects in S2 but picked them up in S4 again.

I don't think modern studies is a poor relation anymore. I wouldn't touch the admin one but Business management is a decent option if they offer it.

DS1 is currently crashing Graph Comm and likely to get an A, but he is very technically minded (taking Engineering/Computing/Physics/Maths as well)

His already chosen list doesn't have anything from the "technical side" so I'd
Chemistry and physics is a good combination if he would be minded for engineering and tbh Biology is an easier option to pick up as a crashed subject than either of the other two.

Design and Manufacture wasn't offered at Dss school but again would be a good option if he is more technical than wordy.

His already chosen list doesn't have anything from the "technical side" so I'd choose one of those and Modern studies and ditch the Admin.

It's all about keeping as many options open as he can at this stage. So I'd try to keep up something in every discipline.

Dd gave us the option booklet after she chose her options and after the parents night! She had a look at computer gaming too but it was playing and rating them rather than programming so the IT teacher said she didn't really think it was suited to her and said computing itself may be better.

Dd had to pick a subject and a backup and in the last column 4 in order of preference but would only take 2.

The had business but chemistry was in the same column and no other column so can't do.

Tonight he is saying he has chosen modern studies, and physics, and graphical comms (seems the best of the IT type ones they offer).

So full list will be:

Core PE, PSE, General science
English
Maths
Chemistry
Physics
Geography
Modern studies
Graphical communications
P.E.
French or Spanish

He just needs to pick the language, he's not interested in them really so whatever one is easiest!

Quite pleased he's managed to work most of it out himself and it's nearly what I would have picked anyway!

Would have like to have seen a better IT option, and not sure how he'll cope with geography and modern studies together (would have preferred a third science instead), but otherwise ok. Just need to wait to see if he gets his choices as I expect they are popular ones.

Fingers crossed now then. Hopefully he is happy with his choices when he starts the classes

That's exactly the combination that ds took for his Nat 5s, with the exception of Computing Science instead of Graphic Comms (he chose French rather than Spanish but I think he regrets that as he thinks Spanish would have been easier but I wouldn't have been able to help him not that he let me help him until it was too late He also only had to choose in S2 rather than S1

He was able to do rugby for his assessed sport for his Nat 5 PE, so that was an easy 40 marks. PE also meant one fewer exam to be sat in the Nat 5 diet.

Good luck to your ds.

Pressed send by accident.

He enjoyed Modern Studies but that wasn't one of his Nat 5s (8 allowed at ds' school) - but he is picking it up again as a crash Higher for interest in S6.