Choosing options in year 8

[Jamrollypolly]

Hi

My dd's school have just sent a letter to say that the current year 8 students will be choosing their options this month! They will have meetings in school and we will also be invited to an options meeting to help decide. The reason for the change is to give students a better chance due to the changes being brought in.

Are any other schools doing this? Does anyone know the pros and cons? Can any experienced parents/teachers share their experiences.

I really want the best for my child (like any other parent) and would really appreciate some advice. I thought I had an extra year to do some research.

Ds1 yr 8 compulsory:
Maths
English language
English lit
physics
chemistry
biology

Chose:
Latin
German
geography
statistics
pe.

He discovered pe wasnt what he was expecting and switched this to computer programming at christmas. I think this was possible because of the extra year at gcse.

He also has games and r.e each week but will not take these at gcse.

He was very happy to drop art, music and history.

Thanks. I can see how you can easily take lots. When it comes to a levels and uni does it make a difference whether you have 9 or 12 I wonder?

Good question. Will 3 year GCSE students be looked at less favorably when applying for college/university courses? Does anyone know?

I bloody hope not, JRP as it is not their fault the school choose to do this!

Mummy1973, I think 9 good grades would be plenty (wonders why DD's school insist on so many...)

I can't see how they can be looked on less favourably since all students study maths, english, science, languages etc etc for years not just the 2 or 3 running up to GCSE. It's really just dropping a few to concentrate a bit more, it's not like taking 3 A-levels over 3 years for instance.

Thanks bigtilly. I think 9 or 10 is plenty but I see many doing 12 or more. Great if the child wants to but unnecessary I'm thinking. More chance of getting better grades if you don't spread yourself too thin?

And so many schools doing over 3 years now. Surely it wouldn't !take a difference? Need Careers advice!

Dd had an assembly on Tuesday and there was mention of 3 different pathways but they haven't been told which pathway they are in yet. I wish they would hurry up and provide more information. The parents meeting is in 2 weeks time!

Does anyone have experience of different pathways when choosing options?

Thanks

Ds1's school seems to have different pathways for the 'curriculum offer' they give them in y9. DS came home with his sheet which appears to be the E.bacc offer. He said there were different sheets for other people in his form, but we got no info about the BTEC courses etc. All DS knew was that the other forms were longer and had more options on them than his form.

The school seem to go for 8 or 9 GCSEs (depending on whether you're doing double or triple science). I'm not sure there's all that much value in doing more really.

They have English, maths and sciences as compulsory subjects (we don't find out if double or triple science until Y10 starts). Then they have to choose one of the languages they're studying in Y9. Then three from the crappiest set of option choices imaginable (well, they're probably great if you're arty and what to take art, textiles and drama etc). They have to choose a first and second choice in each column and can't choose the same subject twice (whether as first or second choice). They have to do modular PE too.

If he gets his first choices, hopefully he'll sit:
Maths
English
Triple science
Computing
Geography
History
French

His decision making process for second choices were based around whether he'd hate DT, business studies or RE more. He plumped for RE being the most tolerable of the lot.

He's hoping he'll be prioritised for computing because there are maths entry requirements for it and he's in the top set for maths (and lives maths).

Well we had the option meeting on Thursday which was more like a cattle market!

Dd is on learning route 1 which means she does
English Lang/lit
Maths
Triple science
Re
Citizenship
Btec sports leadership (triple science can't do GCSE pe)
French
History
Computer science (this is her choice)

She may have the option of choosing an extra subject next year.

Personally I would rather she did geography (she is doing well at it) and choose computer science next year. I don't want to be pushy but I see computer science as a subject she could do later. Where as if she stops the geography it will be more difficult to rejoin after a one year break. Am I being unreasonable?

Any views on computer science vs geography?

Sorry for the urgency it has to be handed in tomorrow??

I think computer science is programming. If she's good at the logical aspects of maths, I think this would be good. At my older children's school you are allowed to geography A Level without GCSE geography.

Younger DD is also choosing options in Y8, but won't start the GCSE courses until later in Y9. Initially they carry on with the KS3 programme of study, but just not doing some subjects.
DD has to do English lang and lit, maths (she'll probably do this at the end of Y10 and then do GCSE further maths in Y11), triple science and RE. She then has 4 option choices. She's going to do history, geography and Spanish and is still deciding between French and drama. For her it is complicated by the fact that she may move schools at the end of Y9 so we are also trying to marry it up with the potential new school!

9 tends to be the minimum now as children who are good at science will do triple science and linguists might do more than one language. For some, this will be 5 GCSEs before you add in any more compulsory ones or chosen ones. 10 is fairly normal but no-one will ever need more than 10. Quality over quantity is better. Therefore 2x English (literature and language), maths, 2 or 3 sciences, a humanity, preferably a language and a choice of 2 or 3 more is just fine.

Why do sports leadership? Is citizenship compulsory? If she wants to be a sports teacher or working in that industry I can see sport as being good but it is not anything a university academic course will look for. Isn't citizenship just lessons rather than an exam? Geography is more value than computer science but as there is already a humanity in the mix, history, geography won't make much difference either way. I would do it instead of the BTEC and citizenship though.

Good luck pretty daisies it's hard enough deciding without the school change to factor in.

Molly Molly mama citizenship is compulsory. As it is a sports specialist school they all have to do some pe type qualification. Although she is in top set pe because she is doing separate sciences she is not able to do GCSE pe and has to do the Btec sports leadership instead.

She has to do French, can choose between history and geography and can choose one more from the list, from which computer science and geography look the most appealing. There are other subjects like art, dt, media studies, drama, music etc too.

My husband did a computer science degree and would prefer she did that, where as I would prefer she did geography as that is my area. Dd is being drawn towards the computer science. She is doing equally well on history and geography 5a.

Computer science and geography are both well regarded as academic gcses so she should do whichever one interests her the most. Not the one that interests you the most!

I know titchy I'm a very naughty mum! But it's just because I care and want the best for her.

I've got 2 sons who have just chosen options this year.. Ds1 is yr 9 at a selective and ds2 yr 8 at a comp.
Ds2 has gone for
Maths
2 English
3 science
History
Geography
German
Mandarin

And ds1 is doing
2 English
3 science
2 maths
History
Geography
Spanish
Re
Art
I've been really impressed with the way ds2's school has handled options and the structure for next year.. I think it's a really good system, especially for those who could do with the extra year.

I agree ingles 2. Dd's school are usually very good, but this time I feel it is new idea being rushed in. We were only told the learning route on Thursday during the meeting and tomorrow we hand the form in. I would have really liked to speak to teacher about her choices and suitability.

Seriously either are fine. If she wanted to do cookery that would also be fine! She is doing 9 or 10 academic gcses - what the 10th or 11th or 12th is will make no difference whatsoever. The best for her is what she prefers.

In my opinion being taught computer science is a real bonus as programming is very hard to learn alone whereas geography knowledge is a little easier to pick up on your own if necessary. I have university qualifications in both.

Thanks for all your advice, it's been really helpful to get other perspectives.

We finally decided on computer science as it seemed more progressive and it was the one she wanted to do. Like no ego woman said geography will probably be easier to pick up again later. She is more likely to enjoy and work hard on something she has picked.

DD1 has just got hers together, she is doing

English x2
Science x3
Maths
Statistics
History
Geography
French

And then compulsory non-examined PE, PHSE/Citizenship and RE (half a GCSE).

She would like to drop RE as her current RE teacher is a Christian fundamentalist who sees her pupils as fertile evangelising ground as she doesn't enjoy it and has no interest in it, but that isn't possible.

It's a shame she can't drop it for something she enjoys.

AFAIK it is compulsory to take RE until the age of 16. It's actually the same in Holland, where I went to secondary school, with the only difference that it isn't an examined subject at all.

She'd love to be able to drop it and take drama instead, but she can't. Our hopes are pinned on her having a different RE teacher in Yr9 because the relationship has seriously broken down.