AIBU to want my son to take 11 GCSEs?

[mamaliv]

He's currently in year 9 and is having to finalise his GCSE choices. At his school it is normal/expected to have 10 or 11 GCSEs- the normal 7 plus either 3 or 4 electives. DS1 is very very bright and would definitely be able to cope with 11, but has always preferred to coast as much as possible and is insisting he only wants to take 3 electives (so a total of 10). I'm not worried about how this will look to universities etc (he's a bit young for that) but I do think it's not good for him always to take the easy way out! DH is "not going to interfere" which doesn't help...
AIBU?!

Specialising too early is a worry and we've done a lot if soul searching in this subject the last few days. I'd not thought of DT. That's creative isn't it but in a more technical way rather than a need a talent way. Would he consider that subject?

Tiggy - I wasn't at all joking about coasting with maths. For many many kids maths is a complete piece of piss. At GCSE and A level. I remember well the lovely oases of tranquility and noddyness that were maths and further maths A level. I also remember the maelstrom of hard work and challenge that were history and music A level.

Also - please do not confuse 'non academic' subjects with arts subjects. Music and drama are highly academic. I don't know much about art at all but I believe it can be extremely academic.

Be careful about battling with a bright opininated boy. My eldest is at a grammar and well capable of 10 A stars but aint going to get them. He's lazy and difficult to engage and motivate. Like many of his peers. Its been a fine balance and difficult negotiations to keep on track. So different to DDs. Pick your battles. Better 10 good grades than he drops grades as an act of rebellion. If not rebelling at 14 you can be sure he will by 16

I believe that the OP should let her son choose if he takes 10 or 11 GCSE's. If her son is very, very bright then he will work out for himself when he needs to start working hard. It is good to give teens a bit of responsibility and control over their studies. He will appriciate being allowed to make his own decisions.

The OP's son is insisting on doing 10 and very understandably doesn't want to do RS. The fact that he could do it is a bit irrelevent. If the OP forces her choice on her son he may well resent her.

Just imagine who the OP's son will be blame if he only gets a shock, horror B in RS....

I am not saying that you should never make kids do things they don't want to do, more that you should choose your battles. My Uni age DC's regularly tell me that they appriciate the fact that I have let them make their own decisions and am not a bossy, pushy parent. I have always told them my opinion but have supported them in their own choices. (Including when they chose their GCSE's)

My DD2 is coasting in maths. She is in yr10 & expected to get an A* this June. If they 'get' maths, it is easy at this level. She is taking music at gcse & that is much more of a challenge. If she hadn't taken music then perhaps would have done electronics. Imo, they need variety as each will have their different talents and they still need to be stretched. She is also doing silver D of E. As I mentioned before they only do 9 main gcses and then an extra maths qualification in yd 11.

I did 10. His choices . They're perfectly 'rounded'. My school, all those years ago, also didn't do non academic subjects.

What matters is 10+ a*s in well regarded subjects.

tiggytape. The first thing I say to parents when they talk about University Admissions is that everything has changed from when they went to University. Offers are much more standardised these days and admissions policies are clearly documented.

It is now rare for non standard offers to be made.

I can't think of any course where a diverse range of GCSE's would put you at an advantage.

10 GCSE's at A* is fantastic but it is definitely not essential. You can still do medicine, go to Oxbridge or other prestigious Uni's (etc) with a less stellar set of exam results.

You can, but there's no point whatsoever in pushing someone into doing 'creative' subjects when they've picked already picked a traditional academic spread. Art GCSE, even those who are very gifted, is a huge workload and not a lot of freedom of expression. Music is something that you'd expect people to have a good grade in two instruments to attempt.

Hmm. Actually two is A level I think. One for GCSE.

Level 5 or above

Grade 5

Justfornow Firstly, music is a traditional academic subject. Secondly, music isn't the only arts Ed subject on the curriculum, but your point about music grades is incorrect. You only need to be at an intermediate level in one instrument (or, in voice) for music GCSE, and that's hardy a Big Ask. It's rather less of a requirement than the quite common ones that force all bright kids to do triple science regardless of where their interests or ambitions lie, or that force all kids to do PE GCSE regardless of the fact that it may trash their CVs (thankfully neither of my DCs schools do the latter, but I know schools that do).

Justfornow - ah, I see we cross posted. Yes, it's grade 3-5 standard (not actually passed) for GCSE. That's barely intermediate level.

I know it's academic, just like art, but it's something you need to have a talent for and a desire to learn, just like art. There's no point in trying to get a child who doesn't want to pick up an instrument to do a gcse in it.

Music isn't the only arts Ed subject offered in schools. And there is also no point in forcing kids to do triple science or PE at GCSE - but we do that without a second thought.

at enforced PE. I'd imagine that's because they have to do PE in those years anyway so they tailor it and make them do the exam, just like some schools do with RS.

There's a huge point in getting them to do the three sciences.

Justfornow Obviously they have to do PE but to force some kids to take a GCSE in it when they will have no chance of getting a good grade and every chance of trashing their CVs is just ridiculous.

As for triple science of course there is no point at all in forcing kids who have little interest in and no ambitions needing triple science to waste GCSE options on triple science. As a society we are currently cutting off our noses to spite our faces with that one. What sort of system says to an intelligent, hard working kid who is extremely interested in the arts and humanities 'you can perm 2 out of History OR Geography OR music OR drama. And you have to do all 3 of physics and chemistry and biology.' A system gone mad.

Well I'm with you on PE. The DC who really want to do music do it. Drama ... Meh.