Have to hand in DS1's options sheet tomorrow and he doesn't know what to do!

[MuddlingThroughItAll]

DS's school has the following as compulsory choices -

English Lit and Lang (two GCSEs)
Maths (apparently two GCSEs but don't understand this)
'21st century' Science (DS doing triple)
MFL (one GCSE)
RE (compulsory even though it's not religious or an academy - is this right?)
ICT (one GCSE)

DS is happy to be doing a language but really dislikes both RE and ICT.

Now onto the whole choosing saga. The following are on offer -

Applied Engineering
Electronics
Graphic Products
Resistant Materials
Food Tech
Textiles
Business Studies
Geography
History
Art
Drama
Music

There are also some BTEC options he isn't doing. It looks like a long list of subjects there but half of them are DT subjects which DS hates. He's also no good at Drama, Music or Art. He's going to do History and Geography but filling the last space is going to be tricky. Is it possible for us to go to the school and say we only want him to do two options? If he does three that will be 13 GCSEs which IMO is too many.

WWYD?

pretty sure he'll need to do the number they say, or else he'll be free when everyone else is in that lesson and they won't know what to do with him - they won't want that to happen

if he hates all dt subjects, isn't good at art, drama or music, then that leaves business studies (as well as history and geography). How does he feel about business studies?

if he were mine I'd suggest a practical subject as a little light relief from the others - maybe food tech? learning how to cook is a good long term life skill :)

Is he allowed to pick both History and Geography? When I was at school picking GCSEs (12 years ago) we could pick one of each catergory, so one Humanities subject rather than both. Then one DT subject, then one Arts subject.

No you have to pick 3 options, you can't just say you only want 2.

Littlewhitewolf, at my DDs school she has to pick one humanities subject also, DDs options are ICT, history and drama, French as mfl and also German as a twilight class after school.

Op did you not have options evening when you go and speak to all the different subjects, find out what it involves, whether your dc would enjoy it etc?

Normally there is parents evening a week or so before options evening, that is when all the subject teachers will tell you which subjects they think your DS should pick based on their performance. I'm surprised you haven't had this already?

If he isn't keen on arts subjects then I would suggest business or food tech.

RS is compulsory, although only half a GCSE.

If he likes languages could he ask to do 2? Or if that is too much work pick a subject that is less academic as BB suggests. If that is out and he doesn't mind doing 1 of the subjects he is less good at, drama would probably be least painful out of the 3 you mention. Art and music are a lot of work even when you are good at them, they would be hell on earth if you are no good at them.

meant to also say take a look on school website for options booklet if you need to find out more info.

Sounds extraordinary. Our ds who attends one of the most academic schools in the country only did 12:

Eng Lang, Engl Lit, French, RE, History, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Maths, Latin, Art, Greek.

Other options, from memory were: DT, PE, Music, Drama, Mandarin, German, Italian, Spanish, IT and that was about it.

DS chose and we didn't get too involved with it.

tantrums, sadly I wasn't able to go to parents evening as I had one colicy DS and one with flu. DH went but typically he is away at the moment!
It doesn't seem to be an issue choosing two humanities - the options booklet just gives the list of subjects then says to pick three. Sadly he can't do another language as they only study one throughout the school (half the year does one language, half the other).
Silverstreet it says on the booklet that RE is one GCSE, is that unusual? I'm still trying to get my head around maths being two qualifications.
It seems to be looking like Business or food tech would be the best options. What I'm struggling to see though is how this 13th qualification would do him any good and, given it will be a weaker subject, it might actually be detrimental.
All of this from an ofset 'outstanding' school, too.

Could the 2nd Maths be just for higher sets. Our school all take Maths in November of year 11. Pass it with a A or A* and you can then do Statistics or Further Maths in June of year 11. So, yes, they get 2 x Maths GCSE but only one set of curriculum time.

You can't just change things because all of this is timetabled. Food tech is useful, as is Drama (but the production is hard work if you can't really be bothered with it). Business studies is a catch all, I suppose. I would think Electronics would be interesting.

I don't think RE counts for much tbh.

Your ds MUST be better at one of those subjects than the others. If you really can't pick maybe ask his Head of Year to help him with more info on the courses?

you should be able to opt out of RE - ask school for the form

Geography
History
Art / Music / Textiles - depending on what extra curricular and future plans

I would press for another language. Can he do a language at a different school?? - I have vaguely heard of a similar practice at a niece's school but it might not be accurate

I would recommend Business Studies. I did it at GCSE and it was quite interesting. My school had a similar system to your DS's where there were so many compulsory subjects and then you just had to pick 4 options from a list rather than blocks/having to do one art, one technology, one humanity, etc. If he is more academic then I would think he would enjoy Business Studies rather than any of the other options left- I know I would have dreaded any technology/art/drama lesson so I avoided those even though the school strongly advised you took a technology. Technologies and art also generally have a fairly heavy coursework load.

I would think that the 2 Maths GCSEs are the ordinary Maths GCSE and then either Additional Maths or Statistics.

It sounds like business studies is the way to go - but he really should have sorted it before now. Don't hand the form in late though as he might not get history and geography if they are full.

ICT (as taught in schools!) is boring but they will probably only do it in year 10, and if your ds focuses and works hard in class he probably won't have to take any work home. Same with RE - it uses similar skills to geog and history so even if he doesn't like it much he should do well.

He could do a lot worse - as other people have said most schools offer much less choice now and make everyone do a 'creative' subject. (Which makes me really annoyed as a very non-'creative' person.

My eldest is in year 11 so have been through the option stage, DD took business which at her school counted as 2 GCSE's and history. She had the option of taking higher ICT so chucked that in also, it does all amount to 13 GCSE's but they were spread between year 10 and 11 so although she will still sit exams in the summer it's only half as she sat half last year.

RE is compulsory in most schools but i've been told it will be an option in the next couple of years, good luck.