Options, anyone?

[lljkk]

DS-y9 got his booklet home today. Anyone up for chat?
(am half excited, half dismayed).

DS is a bit "difficult" about school, I don't think "enjoyment" is conceivable.

And DD1 is the exact opposite, loves art and thinks Geography with it's case studies and long words to spell is very hard work.

loves drama, and is fine with science (but that's what she wants to do).

Finds music heavy going at times, but she's a singer not an instrumentalist. I think she follows the patent of music, but doesn't really read all the notes so composition has been hard work.

My words of wisdom, DD1 now y10.

Make sure you understand the syllabus for history and also any tech subjects.
For any 'new subjects' eg business studies, take a look at the revision guides to get a feel for the subject.
Make sure you understand how they will be examined / assessed, eg terminal exam, coursework etc. Think about how your child works best and what mix will suit best.
Generally aim for subjects they will enjoy but will also do well (for them) in.
Ask straight questions to the teachers 'if my child does this do you expect they can get at least a C (or whatever)'
If they already know what they want to do later, make sure your options don't mess that up.
Don't choose based on which teachers they like or what friends are doing.
Better a C or above in Media Studies than a D or below in Geography.

DD is really enjoying only doing subjects she likes.

Dd doesn't do hers til Easter, but I'm not sure that there's a huge choice anyway. I know she wants to do more than we think she is allowed.

If you are that way inclined, you may like to think about which subjects you can support at home. eg we can support on sciency stuff; drama not so much.

Which reminds me - drama depends on other people & group working. Not many (any?) other courses have that dependency.

Some good points from TeenandTween there.

DS1 is good at (and enjoys) Maths, Science & History. Dislikes Art, RS, Geography, languages.

He will have to do Maths, English language, English literature, German, Biology, Chemistry & Physics.

I'm fairly certain he'll choose History and Classical Civilisation.

Then for the final option, possibly ICT.

We're still waiting for booklet which was promissed by end of term but hasn't arrived

Yes, drama needs a teacher who will kick arse and stand no nonsense. Otherwise the group work doesn't work.

DDs teacher absolutely refuses to let drama be a soft option and chases up DC who don't pull their weight.

Really? DT requires 40 hours of assessed homework from what I'm reading in booklet ( , lazy DS is actually talking about DT as an option).

GCSE RE is compulsory at DS school, is that normal?

He will put down 6 options but only get 4 of them, I guess that depends on timetable. Am very of those of you who get to make considered decisions.

I understand that they have to study RE, at that age, by law, so most schools make a GCSE or a "half" GCSE compulsory, as they might as well get some credit for doing it.

DS1 is in year 10 and tho he struggles with school work, it has been a real improvement for him on KS3.

At last he no longer has to do things he hated like Art and Drama (tho if what you hate is Maths and English then it's tricky!).

He is doing an MFL which is traditionally "hard" but is working at it and enjoying it. I would say OP ask your son what he enjoys and choose based on that. Don't worry about stuff like the e-Bacc - if he doesn't like French (and I speak as an MFL teacher) then there's no point him choosing it. Ditto History which is very essay heavy.

DD also has her form and booklet, we have to choose by mid- January. They have narrowed down the options considerably since DS1 chose his 2 years ago. DD has been placed on Pathway 3, which means she has been forced down the Ebacc route. This is the first year they have enforced this. It is fine for DD, who would have chosen French and either History or Geography anyway, but it has also narrowed down her remaining 2 options, as they have basically created an 'arts' option and a 'technology' option. Or you can do another MFL and the other humanity or Geology.

It means DD can't do Drama and the Btec in Video that she wanted to choose. She is inclined towards Drama and Textiles at present.

She also wants to choose History rather than Geography as she likes it better, but she is a whole level better at Geography.

Raspberry - Talk to history teacher, geography is hard work if you don't enjoy it. Y9 grades can be hard to compare across subjects.

See if the history teacher thinks she'll get a good grade.

ooh... thanks for the tip about history being essay heavy. What about geography, what does most of the course work for that look like? Not essays, then?

DS's Provisional choices now:
Computing, Creative media, German and history as preferred 4.

With DT graphics, French or geography as alternatives for the last 3.

And math with statistics, possibly drama or music as fillers if no other choices.
We've no info to say that he's restricted to any pathway, will probably go with triple sci.

DS has to do compulsory RE at his school, I think it is quite common probably for the reasons Sanity outlined.

Re the languages, depending on how motivated (or not) your DS is, most of DS language group have been pulled up for expecting google translate to do their homework.

Check the exam board and look up the past papers for geography and history to get an idea of what they are like.

eek so then I would need to find out which exam board they use? Crazy bastard English system I hate it

The exam board and specification was in dc's option booklet. Each subject had its own page where they set out what the gcse syllabus covered, how many papers in the exam and their duration along with the % of final mark each paper attracted and details of any controlled assessment element - I assume yours wasn't like that then?

DD would say drama is a more fun and easier banker than music which is very hard work.
She's really enjoyed drama despite normally hating group work, as I said up thread she has a great no messing about teacher.

Grammar and spelling are marked Geog too.

Quite agree about too many exam boards, dD likes CGP books, but said geography board doesn't have one.

DD moans about the number of subjects she is doing, but when a teacher suggested dropping one as she is doing triple science, she was horrified
I think she is finding all the CAs for the two languages that she is doing heavy going and art textiles is very time-consuming.