Choosing Subjects for National 5s (Scotland)

[soontobeslendergirl]

I know it is still nearly a year away, but we have just had parents meetings so it's a bit at the front of our minds at the moment.

No1 son is due to start 3rd year after Easter and will be choosing his subjects for National 5 next December/January.

He is very quiet but academically able in all subjects. He likes everything except Social Subjects (Geography, History and Modern Studies). Given his obsession with Lego and Minecraft, and his abilities in Maths, tech and Physics, we were all thinking along the lines of Engineering. He is however very good in English and likes anything to do with Computers and a late meeting yesterday with the Art teacher reveals that he is "very talented" and she would love to see him continue (he also loves Art).

So, given that he can only choose 7 subjects, it's all getting very tight. By looking at last years options forms English and Maths are compulsory (that's fine) and also one of the columns only gives and option of one of the Social subjects (not fine in his opinion). Giving him only 4 subjects left to choose. Out of those he'd like to do Physics, Chemistry, Engineering Science, Computing Science, Graphic Communications, Art & Design and feels he should probably continue a language. There will be lots of combinations that are simply not possible given the structure of the timetable.

The Art teacher was suggesting that he go into Architecture or Product design which would combine the artistic qualities with his mathematical skills. I think we are less sure of his employment prospects with those types of qualifications.

It's really hard to know how to guide them isn't it? He is showing no clear opinions himself, he tends to be overly compliant which makes it hard to know whether you are guiding him to what you think is better from your own point of view or what would make him happier. Garrrgghhh!!!

What is everyone else thinking with their own upcoming childrens choices or what would you think you would choose given the above circumstances.

I know we are lucky btw that he is a good all rounder, but it does make it harder to narrow it all down.

National 4 is general level.

prettybird - like the sound of your ds's school columns, makes a lot of sense!

My daughter did mention Nat 5 being harder than standard grades to make the transition to highers (or whatever if they are changing) but don't know if this is the case.

Achieving Nat 4 gives a certificate not a qualification. Nat 5 gives a qualification that allows the child to take that subject on to higher.

Someone downthread said that the Nat 5 was a higher level than even the Credit level Standard grade, to stop the big jump between Standard grades and Highers. Ds' geogrpahy teacher intimated something similar at the Parents' evening, as he said that even now he is trying to get the able kids to work at a higher level than the "official" gradings so that they'll have an easier transition.

Harrietchild - just had a look at ds' choices sheet (his draft one: he took in the final, signed version, today) and even he wouldn't be able to do Art & Design together with PE - both of them are only in the one column.

The SQA states that Nat 5 is equivalent to Standard Grade credit and Int 2, but we were also told that it covers more depth/breadth than the the old qualifications to ensure that it's not such a big step up to Highers (new Highers).

A c grade pass at national 5 is the equivalent of a grade 2 at standard grade.

In my subject there is more scope to stretch the most able students who were sometimes coasting through s4 then getting the shock of their life at higher.

It's interesting hearing about all the different ways that schools are approaching the N5s. Our school seems to treat them just the same as standard grades- ds has just picked his subjects, he's S2. He'll do them for two years , like standard grades, and he does 8, like standard grades.

I'd thought it was just an exercise in rebranding- school has told us they're not really altering how they approach it although a couple of teachers have said they prefer the new courses. Must look into it a bit further-I'm feeling a bit uninformed.

Interesting maybe OwlMother, but certainly worrying if a child has to change schools within Scotland beyond S2!

Your school is in effect going against the spirit of CfE, where a 3 + 3 system was the plan, with one year Nat5s after 3 years of BGE. Will schools like yours continue with 2+2+2 beyond this year? I would prefer that to the other way i.e. reducing subjects to 5 or 6 in S4, but as a parent have no clue which way schools will go as the years progress.

The fall out from this will be interesting too no doubt.

I think a lot of schools will get a shock when the league tables come out. There will be much readjusting after that. I suspect those previous high flying schools who are following rigidly to the 3+3 are going to end up with a lower rank because of the restriction in subjects of 6 instead of 8. But who knows? They may end up teaching fewer subjects better, as there is more time in the timetable set aside for each one...

I agree intheround I don't think it will be so much the number of subjects completed that will affect the data, it will be more affected by the fact that some students will have been studying the subject for 2 years and therefore they will be the ones that have had additional hours rather than the schools that have abided by the the 3+3 and limited the subject choice.

I guess it all depends on how they compile the stats - it will be a car crash I think.......and at the centre of it all, while all this mad scurrying and one up man ship is going on, are our children and their future. :(