It seems that more & more schools are going down the route of choosing options in Year 8, which does give the students more time to work towards good grades. However, it does mean that they are committing themselves earlier to certain paths, especially as GCSEs are often a required precursor for A level subjects.
There are 2 websites where you can find general information on choosing options and careers:
nationalcareersservice.direct.gov.uk/youngpeople/Pages/Youngpeople.aspx
and, the one which I think is better:
www.careerswales.com/en/education-and-courses/how-to-choose-a-subject-course/
The important thing is to keep as many career routes open as possible, so do choose a balanced range of subjects. If your DC are capable of coping with it, I would advise choosing triple science, as separate subjects. This means that if they decide to study a science subject at A level, the step up from GCSE won't be quite as difficult.
There is still some snob value about certain subjects being valued more than others, which becomes more prevalent at A level. The A level subjects which the elite Russell Group of universities value as being "facilitating" subjects are:
Mathematics and Further Mathematics
English Literature
Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Geography
History
Languages (Classical and Modern)
To see the full document which gives details on which A levels to choose for different university courses, as well as info on GCSE choices, see:
russellgroup.org/InformedChoices-latest.pdf
However, as a Careers Adviser, I would strongly advise allowing the student to choose subjects that they enjoy, which fortunately are often the ones that they're best at. This would include allowing really academic students to choose subjects for pleasure, like Art, Graphics, DT, Media Studies etc. Yes, the Russell Group may not value these subjects at A level, but at GCSE, it really isn't a big deal so long as they also have a strong range of traditional subjects alongside. Yes, there may be a lot of work if they choose these subjects, but it may develop a talent that they want to use later on.
I'm conscious that a lot of MN discussions focus on the very academic. For those who aren't, the same thing applies - go with the subjects that they enjoy and that they're good at. The subjects which are essential are English & Maths, with Science coming a close third. As for the rest, they could all lead on to Level 3 qualifications, either at school, college or in the workplace, and even on to Higher Education at university. Lots of graduates from red-brick or ex-poly universities go on to graduate jobs - not least because many of the degrees offered there are vocational and highly valued by many employers.
If you would like advice on which would be good subjects for your DC, ask to see your school's Careers Adviser. Since responsibility for providing impartial careers guidance has fallen to the schools now, hopefully they will have employed a qualified professional.
If you're not satisfied with the service provided by the school, it is possible to see a Careers Adviser privately. Look at the professional register for the Career Development Institute to find a qualified professional in your area:
bit.ly/19pxU9h