GCSE Options

[Dancemad]

Although its a bit of a way in the future dd has been thinking about the subjects shed like to take to GCSE (we've just had parents evening)

Her teachers think she'll do we'll academically & the science teacher was saying she would be a possible a level science candidate.

She hadn't realised that English takes up two options & science 2 so shed have to drop more subjects

What do people make of this sirt of combination:

Maths, English Lang, English Lit, Double Science, Computer Science, French, Music, RS,

It concerns me that neither history or geography are in that combination.

Dance & drama are big lives if hers but she'll be studying dance at a much higher level anyway.

Do you definitely know that this subject combination would be allowed at her school?

For example, DS1 (Y9) has to choose triple Science because of what level he is on (although it doesn't use up an option).

Assuming she is allowed, that looks like a reasonable combination to me.

He also has to choose at least one out of History & Geography.

We are allowed ten subjects, so there is room for the humanities .

Only double science is available.

If she wants to get the English Baccalaureate then she'll need History or Geography - although in fairness no one seems quite sure what the point of having the EBacc is.

Also everyone has to do a language though not necessarily at GCSE.

I don't think either her or her school is bothered by the ebacc

Apparently not many ever choose IT but the teacher says if she wants to he'll do computer science with her as she's interested in coding.

Science A levels are harder without triple science (do-able, but harder).

Ds has been told that this year they have to do either History or Geography as one of their options. This seems to be a new rule as it didn't happen last year.

I'm shocked that triple science is not available- are you sure? Is this the case in other schools?

Absolutely sure. We knew that when dd applied @ it doesn't bother us.

If vocational school at 16 is a possibility try to impress on the school that yr 11 Autumn term will be pretty much wiped out (the second half at least) for auditions etc

DD's school didn't realise this and neither did we so she is completely over loaded this term with catch up

It is a vocati

It is a vocational ballet school. If she stays there she will study two a levels alongside a level 6 diploma.

There's quite a few schools where triple science isn't available.

That'll be less of an issue then - but she will still have to audition & will probably want to audition for other schools plus there is no guarantee that she will get place at her schools post 16

That's still 9 GCSEs if short in a Humanity......

I would say that RS counts as a Humanity - unfortunately it is not included in the EBacc, but is still well regarded as an academic subject.
This combination would be possible at dds school for children choosing options this year, but changes in the GCSE requirements may mean that this isn't possible in the future.

It's quite a leap from GCSE to A level science for those who have done triple science, but for those who have only done double it is even harder (they effectively only cover 2/3 of each separate science course studied by triple science students).

Surely English is compulsory rather than an optional? I might be worried about her doing computing with someone who doesn't sound as if he teaches it very often? I wouldn't worry about the EBacc. I think as long as she gets good grades in Eng Lang, Eng Lit, Maths, Science and a language it doesn't matter too much what her other options are - provided she doesn't close any doors on subjects she may want to do at A level.

How many options does she get? You've listed 3, most schools would offer 4-5. Does dance take one of her options instead, maybe?

I think they're good choices if she'll enjoy them & do her best.

I'd be inclined to do computer science early if poss & not use an option for it

If it's coding she is interested in it's fairly out of date now (not sure why I think that, I may have read it on-line ) and she might be better learning it more ad-hoc

Nothing wrong with those choices for someone in a specialist school. Couple of comments:

Computer Science is definitely not out of date - it is brand new lhis year and a MUCH better qualification than ICT (perhaps that is what KatyMac is thinking of).

Does she play an instrument well? Music GCSE is a lot of work if you are not performing regularly anyway.

If her place for 'A'-levels is not secure what is your back-up plan? Some schools have inflexible rules for A-level options so probably best to check, although IMHO a school that is not willing to be flexible is not the right school anyway. With this in mind, double science should not be an obstacle to A-level physics.

Maybe or maybe it was an 'older' qualification - sorry