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Original poster

GCSE Choices 2013 (exams 2015) support thread

206 replies

DizzyHoneyBee · 11/02/2013 15:27

Here we go....options choices this month, exams in summer 2015. We're choosing options at the moment but I've not come across a support thread.

Does your DC know what they want to do already or are they needing a lot of help deciding?
Where have you gone for information?

We get a booklet this week apparently and then have a meeting at school to discuss listen to a sales pitch by the teachers discuss the options that are best and then we have about 2 weeks to make a decision.

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 01/03/2013 17:00

Hi Horse. Smile We have Options evening on Monday. An hours talk followed by a meet the teacher thing.

Horsemad · 01/03/2013 18:27

Hi Sparkling - does he know what he wants to do when he leaves school?

Green have asked my DS1 and he's doing American West and also Surgery in addition to the ones I mentioned earlier. His board is Edexcel.

Tinks313 · 01/03/2013 20:16

Hi, I'm feeling a bit disappointed DS had his option meeting today at school and he is not able to take two humanities, not enough students at his school want to take two humanities, so he has had to drop one. He will now be doing:-
Triple science
Eng Lang & Lit
maths
Geography
Music
Law (GCSE), this is instead of History.

I guess he will also be doing the compulsory short RE/citizenship course.

I'm disappointed because this is a young lad (year 8) who has no idea what he wants to do in the future and I felt his option choices kept his options open with the two humanities. I'm not sure Law GCSE a good option, or what use it'll be. No real interest in Law. Says it was the best available option in the block.

Sparklingbrook · 01/03/2013 20:35

Not a clue Horse. Grin

Horsemad · 01/03/2013 22:19

Mine says he wants to be a primary school teacher - or a footballer Grin

Sparklingbrook · 01/03/2013 22:28

Are they supposed to know at 13 what they want to do for a career?

Horsemad · 01/03/2013 22:38

I still don't know what I'd like to do Confused

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 01/03/2013 22:42

We've done the form and submitted it, though this evening it is debatable if my DC will live long enough to take her GCSEs! Angry Teenage attitude anybody?

OP posts:
Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 01/03/2013 22:42

Love them really lol Grin

OP posts:
Sparklingbrook · 01/03/2013 22:45

Grin Dizzy DS1 has just had the mother of all strops. He has just come in from footy training and asked if he can have a carton of Orange juice. I said to make himself some squash. Huge explosion. Confused

Jux · 01/03/2013 23:56

Sparkling, I was well into my 30s before I'd worked out what I wanted to do. Thanks to evening classes etc I had been able to chalk up loads and loads of knowledge since I was 18, so getting a degree was pretty straightforward - and they still had grants (I think I was the last year to get anything like it, paltry as it was. WHen my friends had gone to Uni and I had gone to work - 70s - the grants were more than I earnt!).

OTOH, my younger brother knew when he was 11 what he wanted to do. DH was about the same age.

My daughter has known what she wants to do since she was less than 5.

Despite those 3 people, though, I think it's exceptional to know for sure what you want to do when you're only 13 or so. Though quite a few of dd's contemporaries want to be famous Grin

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 02/03/2013 10:56

I was in my 30s too. I always knew what I didn't want to do, well guess what I ended up doing?! I did do well at it but was glad to give it up and retrain. My to both know exactly what they want to do.

As for being famous, I hate it when that is the only ambition that some teenage girls have :(

OP posts:
Jux · 02/03/2013 13:28

Yep, and teen boys too.

Tinks313 · 02/03/2013 22:36

DS not able to take History due to option blocks. He had chose GCSE Law a a reserve option (but was not expecting to need it). Now tells me he really does not want to study law GCSE, but is thinking of asking to swap to Latin. I'm not sure how best to advise. Just wondering what others would recommend.

Original poster
DizzyHoneyBee · 03/03/2013 07:36

If he's got a good mix of academic subjects for the other options then why not use the last one to choose something that he really enjoys? My DD has done that and opted for fine art as her last one.

OP posts:
MelodyBaker · 03/03/2013 09:19

Dds school are faffing us around. Should have had her choices last week. Now we will find out maybe this week more likley the week after.
Dd is climbing the walls! She is desprate to know what she's got. It's rather hilarious that whenever a brown envelope has arrived in the post she asks me to open It as it must be her options and then a meltdown when its a Amazon order.etc!

Hope your all good and your dc will know.soon

OddBoots · 03/03/2013 16:09

My ds won't know until May. Sad

Sparklingbrook · 03/03/2013 16:12

Is there any need to see the teachers? And if so which do you see and what do you say?

We have an hour's talk in the hall to start with tomorrow. It's going to be a long night....

5madthings · 03/03/2013 16:18

sparkling I found it quite helpful to talk to the teachers and see what they thought re ds1 taking their subject at GCSE. Obv some are compulsory but re the optional ones it helped to get an idea on hoahr is currently doing and how he could be expected to do in GCSE and to find out a bit more about what theory entailed coursework/exam wise and what would be co red re history/geography etc. Our problem was that actually as ds1 is a top set student and expected to get a and a* grades that all the teachers are Keen for him to do their subject.

He has chosen now. 8 compulsory and then history, geography, computer science and statistics.

Sparklingbrook · 03/03/2013 16:20

Thanks 5. Was it chaos like Parents Evenings can be-with big queues for the teachers?

5madthings · 03/03/2013 16:27

Yes it was chaos, we had specific time slots but everyone seemed to ignore them and it was a free for all :(

One teacher we didn't get to see but he really impressed me actually by phoning me up during half term! And we had a lovely chat despite the mad things being noisy, he has three kids himself so got the half term chaos! I was impressed he took the time during the holidays to call me and he was very helpful :)

One bonus was free tea/coffee and biscuits at our evening!

Sparklingbrook · 03/03/2013 16:28

I will have my elbows at the ready. Grin

Horsemad · 03/03/2013 17:19

Ours is Parents Evening and Options combined, we have appt style here - everyone ignores that and it's a massive free for all Grin

Sparklingbrook · 03/03/2013 17:28

OMG Horse, that should be um, interesting. You may need Wine

Horsemad · 03/03/2013 17:34

Grin I think I may Sparkling!!

I remember it well from DS1 - it is chaotic!