Could you answer a straw poll regarding options, please?

[ChaosTrulyReigns]

Does that make sense?

I'm just researching sone muttering and rumours going around at our school. DD1 is year 8.

Apparently,the school offers only 9 GSCEs, which by all accounts will be detrimental to UCAS applications.

Would you mind telling me what your school offers, so I can see if this school is unusual?

Nope, she's year 9.

Nope, she's year 9.

Nope, she's year 9.

Nope, she's year 9.

Nope, she's year 9.

Nope, she's year 9.

Nope, she's year 9.

Ours choose options in Y8 to start in Y9. I think DD is doing something like 13.

Do you think the school is counting triple science as 1?

Frigging Vodafone.

Ok, that's another question for my list.

Also, is English Literature compulsory at your school?

One Dd is doing triple science, 2 English, maths, 1 language, music, geography, DT, and sundry other 'half' courses, like RE. I think it adds up to 11 or 12 altogether.

T'other DD is choosing options now and will do 12.

(theyre both in grammar schools.)

I thought English lit was compulsory everywhere?
at my DDs school ( top ac academic, loads of entries to Oxbridge and Russell group) they routinely offer 10 but some girls do 9 - with no downside fro university applications

Ds1 is yr 9 and choosing options. He will end up with 11 gcse's and can do some extra things as well a btec or as level?

English lit,english lang, maths, three sciences, ict and citizenship studies are all compulsory. Then a further three gcse choices plus some extras.

DS does 11 - triple science, 2 english, maths, french, history, RS, music and drama. ICT is an OCR national certificate.

DD's did 10 as science was double then plus a short course ICT GCSE.

I don't think 9 is a problem for UCAS applications its more that it reduces choice. It might be a sensible approach to reduce the number of gcses though with all the changes that are about to happen and make sure that good grades are obtained in the ones taken.

We have the following as compulsory:
Eng Lang
Eng Lit
Maths
Science (could be double or 3 separate iGCSEs)
a language
Then 3 further options to choose.
So pupils generally take either 9 or 10 GCSEs depending on science.

Usually have 10-20 Oxbridge offers per year plus lots of RG places. Its an independent school, so relies on good uni offers rather than just getting the most points for a league table.

Nine is plenty, no problem at all.

Thanks.

It's interesting about you thinking Lit was compulsory, Beck. Is there any official guidelines that I could research regarding that, do you know?

This us a grammar school, btw, and gets 2/3 Oxbridge places each year and many RG places. I'm just worried that such a limited approach is indicative of deeper rot in the school.

School doesn't offer ICT, Citizenship or RE as GCSE options. Options are 3 from additional languages, History, Geography, Philosophy & Ethics, Economics, Art, Drama, Music, 3D design and PE.

I had a 16yo for work experience who have "7 GCSE equivalents" in ICT and double sport science. He couldn't write an email to a customer despite 9 GCSE equivalents.

Ours does a mixture.

DD1 did
3 science
2 english
Maths
RE
Art
Graphics
French
Geography

Had to fo a language, humanity and a DT

DD2 is doing
3 science
2 english
Maths.

She is on a reduced timetable though.

Others do single or double science and one english and diplomas depending on ability.

Sorry, what year is she in?

I thought that Universities - if they are looking at GCSE; most look only at AS/A Level - look at the best eight results, so you will still fit requirement.

DD2 has just chosen her options

Eng Lang
Eng Lit
Maths
Double Science
German
RE
ICT
DT are all compulsory and she has chosen 2 other optional subjects.

I make that 11. Good state school. Majority of pupils stay on for 6th form. Last year 80+% went on to university.

This Guardian Article makes interesting reading on the subject of the number of GCSEs taken.

Ah! A Grammar school. Don't they go for quality over quantity? Better to have 9 A/A* than 12 B.
But I would be very surprised at not doing Eng Lit.

At DS's independent school they only do 9 IGCSE (including triple science) they do not do IGCSE Eng Lit or history but study it as a non public examined subject but can do both at Pre U and their results are very impressive. . They get approximately 34% into Oxbridge 8% into the Ivy League and the rest into top RG universities.
Hope this helps.

At the independent school dd will go to next year (lots of Oxbridge/Russell group/ med school acceptances) they do 9 with optiobs depending on whether they take double or triple science.

Core subjects are:
English
Maths
English Lit
Science (2 or 3)

They then choose 3 or 4 options

I believe they also offer drama as an extra curricular GCSE.

I'm glad of this as it means they can focus on what they need to do to get good grades but still have time for a life/extra curricular without loads of meaningless qualifications.

The optional subjects incidentally are

French, German, Spanish or Latin (a language strongly encouraged)
Art
DT
Home Ec
Music
Ceramics
Geography
History
RS
Textiles