GCSE choice issue

[slalomsuki]

We have had the option book sent home and have had a discussion with teachers at a parents evening a couple of weeks ago around GCSE options and we are essentially sorted on everything except.....

DD wants to take three sciences but the teachers universally agree that dropping physics would be a good idea. The problem is she is adamant that this is the subject for her and nothing will be able to replace it. But she is not good at it and struggles with maths.

If she drops physics then the only two choices she will have is RS or Art. I have no experience of either as a GCSE but based on DD and her ability to research and write around a subject I would have suggested that RS would be a good option especially sat alongside the English/History/Geography options selected elsewhere.

Any good strategies of suggestion on how to persuade her RS is a good choice without coming across as forceful.

I feel it's better to talk thru aspects of any particular course but making it clear the final decision is hers.

So talk together about her strengths and weaknesses for Physics, RS and Art.
Art is very much learning about past art styles & copying them in an original new piece. Does that appeal to her? Also notoriously time-consuming, because an artistic piece is never finished, only abandoned.

Usually, if a DC doesn't do triple science, they do double science instead. This comprises elements of physics, chemistry and biology. So if she would be doing double science, she wouldn't be giving physics up completely.

Art might be a good choice if her other options are all academic, although do not underestimate the amount of time your DD would spend working on her portfolio! My DD did RS and really enjoyed it, somewhat to my/her expectations. She particularly liked the philosophy and ethics part of it.

I'm interested to see that she wants to do a subject she struggles with. Tbh if that's her choice I would be pushing school to allow her to do it. Remember they are not disinterested. Come results day she may get a lower grade in physics than in the other sciences. So overall that will affect their stats. It's in their interests to push less strong candidates towards double science.

Thanks for your fast replies. I think my issue and the schools issue is that physics is way off the rest of the subjects for grades ie 15% versus 60-80% for the rest including the other sciences in recent class test. And yet she still wants to do it.

Art was discounted fairly early by her due to the volume of work and little writing so it leaves RS. I have tried to have a reasoned discussion about it but it's proving difficult. I am concerned about potential failed GCSE on a transcript alongside the other subjects.

She doesn't know what she wants to do so I can't even guide her there but knows it won't involve maths and physics. The school have said their aim is to get her a GCSE maths with a decent grade if possible and then to drop it. She is better at the humanities than sciences and probably best at History overall.

Some schools offer the three sciences as separate GCSEs. This leaves biology and chemistry as two separate qualifications. If she can't do the maths in physics, I think it is worse in chemistry.

Can she give you 3 reasons why she wants so much to do physics. Maybe they are good reasons (or not). My gut feeling is that if they know you give them the final say, they will be very amenable to listening to your thoughts.

I will ask for three good reasons for doing Physics. I bet I don't get anything except for promises to work hard at it.

The school does offer separate sciences and I checked with the current chemistry teacher if the maths was currently a problem or one that may come up in the future and was told she is fine at the moment and that they don't see an issue at the moment.

Usually in the UK children either do Triple Science (or 3 separate Sciences) or Double Science. Both of these involve studying Physics, Chemistry and Biology and it isn't possible to take 2 separate Sciences i.e. Biology and Chemistry so am wondering if the OP is overseas.
The amount of Maths at GCSE isn't that large in either Physics or Chemistry it's mostly rearranging equations and plotting graphs. It does become more significant at A level though (where of course you can take only one or two science subjects).
If my earlier assumption is correct and OP and her dd are overseas, it would look odd if they are considering returning to the UK for A levels or university if a Science subject is "dropped" at the GCSE stage and perhaps this should be considered when deciding options.

I'm not overseas but in the UK and we have the option of single science GCSEs as part of the curriculum.

In that case are you sure you've understood this correctly OP. The GCSE Science options are:
Single Science (also known as Core Science) one unit of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (all subjects need to be studied)
Double Science (Core and Additional Science) 2 units of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (all subjects need to be studied)
Triple Science (may be described as separate GCSEs in Physics, Biology and Chemistry) 3 units of Physics, Chemistry and Biology (all 3 subjects are studied to GCSE).

Single sciences can still be offered in England. Private schools offer them frequently, state not so much as won't get the school the Ebacc measure.

My DD's school still covers all three science subjects whether it's done as triple or double science. If, however, she has to drop physics, then:

Art, if it's fine art, does she have a natural ability? My DD is fairly good at art, but some are fantastic and she actually realized this. She was lucky that there were other art options available, so is doing one of these. The teacher told us that those doing an art GCSE will involve a minimum of four hours a week to do coursework, so I think they have to be quite enthusiastic to succeed with this.

RE - is she doing RE, ethics, philosophy at the moment? If so, the teacher may be able to give you a feel for whether it's a good option. Her teacher said if she liked taking everything into consideration, coming to her own conclusion and then explaining why, this would be a good option for her.

OP like catslife I didn't realize you could do specific sciences at GCSE, a combined science is much better and IMO one of the better changes to education in recent years.

Physics is basically all maths based, if your DC struggles with maths they will struggle.

RS is a good subject with lots of discussion.

The tiny number of alternatives is another hint it's a small private school.
Not that I think OP should be so keen to convince her DD, but it would be reasonable to ask her DD to ask the science teacher to give an honest opinion (to the DD) how well the DD might do at physics given her dislike of math.

Thanks everyone

It's not a small private school rather a 1200 pupil state secondary that DD is at which obviously contrary to every other school offers single sciences.

DD was with me at the GCSE choice parents evening and heard the physics teacher say they didn't think it was wise as they probably wouldn't pass. They also said they had checked with the other science teachers and there was a significant different between physics and the other two. They suggested to her she didn't do it but then said that if she did they would be available if required to help out at lunchtimes or by appointment.

The lack of other options is we have used them up taking other subjects and its physics, art and RS left in that choice set. We already have 9 other subjects and this would be for the 10th.

I think that I would be a bit worried if my DC was thought capable of attempting 10 GCSE, was getting "60-80%" in most exams but had a "15%" outlier. Does she need screening for something like dyscalculia because, even if she does drop Physics, you want to make sure she gets Maths.

Are the exams IGCSE, do you know?
Weird. DD is at a 1200 state secondary & has a huge range of choice & 6 options beyond core. DS's sate secondary is 600ish and still seems like he had lots flexibility in his 4 options, maybe because of timetabling. I think around here they design the blocks after kids express interest. Core on MWF and options are all on Tues-Thurs at both DC schools.