Help with option choices please

[Optionnightmare]

Hi all,
This is for my eldest child who has no idea and is oldest child in family including extended so we really have no one to 'chat' to and gain feelings of what is right and what would be totally wrong choices, in respect to keeping as many doors open ( for when said child does know what they may want to do).

Child is predicted B/C grades with possibility of a couple of A's if works hard in all subjects.

Have to do the standard
Maths Eng lang and lit
RE
Double Science

Really wants to do Business Studies

We then have 3 choices to make out of these subjects:

French, History, Geography and GCSE Food tech

Your choice and why please?

French, because having an MFL is a useful thing. Then whichever two they prefer. (Food Tech might involve an ongoing project, which might or might not suit your child.)

This really is very individual.
Teens will generally do better doing a subject they like, so us saying it would be better to do one won't stand, if you dc isn't keen.

Equally, it's better to get better grades, so if your child is better at one, or, inversely not so good at one, then that should influence the choice too.

The first three would be seen as considerably more academic than the Food Tech, but obviously if they want to go into catering then that might be better. History is a good, solid subject, but if your dc struggles with writing then it wouldn't be the best choice, as there's a lot of writing involved. If they are confident of getting a good solid grade, then I would always say that a foreign language in the mix somewhere is senn to 'be a good thing'.

if he really can't choose among them, keep these in mind:

French: high chance of being useful in real world if he wants it to be; chance for travel as part of the course (so you'd have to stump up for foreign residential)

History: LOTS of essay writing

Geography: some essays & certain way of thinking about the world, & environment some people hate it

GCSE Food tech: goes really well with Business studies because a lot of it is about business models, packaging, presentation, product quality (not much actual cooking!)

French ,food tech and Geography.
Having a good spread of subjects will stand them in good stead for the future.
Food tech will teach life skills that are invaluable.

Check the syllabus for food tech - often there's very little in terms of actual cooking!

I am a secondary school teacher. My number one piece of advice at gcse option time is do what you enjoy. A student will put in more effort for a subject they enjoy than one they were forced to pick. They are doing a broad range of things anyway so ignore the - keeping options open rubbish. Just focus on what THEY want to do and will work hard at.

Not sure I agree sunshinemeg. The best Universities like a broad range of GCSEs in academic subjects, not a collection of easier ones that are not even offered in the better schools. Allowing a student to choose if they have no career in mind can be a recipe for disaster so that's why most people recommend a spread of a humanity, an MFL and an Art subject to complement the required subjects - then add what you enjoy!

Define "best" university?

Please give rough estimates how many places these "best" universities offer to each yrs cohort of rising 19yos?

Coz I reckon only a very small % of rising 19s will be affected. Something to keep in mind for the ultra-ambitious, but not for vast majority.

DS history teacher is a gem; his advice to the yr9s was "Don't choose it just because your parents like it. And every teacher will want you to do their subject so don't be swayed by that. Choose what you know you want."