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Secondary education

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Original poster

Dd in tears over gcse options.

138 replies

VivaLeBeaver · 05/05/2015 15:40

Aggh.

She's been told she can't do art and graphic design as they're in the same option block. Which is a bit shit when you want to be a graphic designer for a career and have been told you're amazingly talented at both subjects.

She's got to pick an option from a different block, so drama, music, computer sciences, history or geography. None of which she wants to do.

When the bloody forms came out the subjects weren't in blocks. I can't understand why they don't do options forms with the subjects in blocks and tell the kids months ago they need to pick one from each block.

Dd asked if she could carry her second language on rather that do something from block D but was told that's not possible as all the languages are in one block as well. Which for a language specialist academy seems stupid. Surely they should put similar subject areas in different blocks?

Anyway, what do you think my chances of arguing it with the school are. Apparantly head of yr 10 told dd he'd try and sort something but he doubted he'd be able to do it. I want to tell the school that unless they're taught at the same time on the same day I want her to be able to do both. Is that unreasonable?

OP posts:
Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 00:02

Thanks MillyMolly.

I just keep getting such conflicting info.

There's a sixth former at dds school who apparantly is doing English, RS, and biology for a levels and has got an unconditional offer for architecture on the back of a portfolio he's put together......not sure which uni.

Ive just been looking at various uni websites and the random four I looked at all said x number of UCAS points and then decisions made on portfolio. Only one uni specified that one a level had to be from an art and design subject.

None of them said anything about maths or physics but I have heard that before. There's no way dd would do maths at a level. She could probably do physics but I'm not sure she'd get a brilliant grade.

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Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 00:06

Just looked at the Bath website, need a*aa. I don't think she's that bright.

Which makes me think she'll end up doing graphic design rather than architecture. Architecture seems so competitive.

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ragged · 07/05/2015 06:05

There's a moan on another thread about too many architecture graduates can't find jobs; I think there are more diverse sectors to choose from with graphics design under her belt.

She's a lucky girl, really, she has some immense talents already :).

LimeFizz · 07/05/2015 06:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 07:44

Thanks for the heads up about that thread Ragged, makes interesting reading. Had a quick discussion about architect job prospects with dd before she left, that and the harder, longer course and I think that's made her mind up that she wants to do graphics degree rather than architecture.

So that's progress.

She now wants to do graphics rather than art. So I need to ring the school up, she won't discuss it with HOY. Hmm

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HmmAnOxfordComma · 07/05/2015 07:54

We're still waiting to hear, Viva, whether ds can do both art and graphics (wants to be an illustrator). I have reservations about him doing both, but its his passion, he is talented, and the way his timetable work, he will have several free periods a week, so the art teacher will have him in the art department, keeping up.

HmmAnOxfordComma · 07/05/2015 07:56

Also, his teacher already asked him to do art, graphics and photography A level, to which he replied that his third subject needs to be an essay one so he can develop more empathy for illustrating/writing!

Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 08:11

Fingers crossed he gets to do both Comma.

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Bilberry · 07/05/2015 08:24

Schools can be pretty rubbish about the advice they offer. A friends dc wanted to do three sciences so she could be a vet. The school told her she didn't need physics and two would be ok. It was only when she showed them a letter from the head of admissions at the Vet school that the school relented. As others have said, it is a good idea to take advice from universities (more than one) about the courses of interest and work back to GCSE options. But also try and keep options open a bit as interests may still change.

Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 08:47

The school have been useless. Teachers are all very nice and well meaning but ime most of them are talking rubbish.

I still got the "she needs an Ebacc or she won't get into uni" rubbish from a fair proportion.

I kind of like the HOYs philosophy of "oh just do what makes you happy, great motto for life". But then if it means dd has made a load of shit choices with bad consequences the fact that she was happy for two years at age 15 and 16 kind of isn't good enough.

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mummytime · 07/05/2015 08:52

A lot can change over the GCSE years. My DD started worried she would fail Maths, she is now in line for an A*, and definitely doing A'level.

addictedtosugar · 07/05/2015 09:17

I was heavily advised, many years ago, against doing physics A'level without Maths A'level. I ended up doing an extra a'level vs most of my pear group (maths and further maths combo being the exception), and the medics doing Bio, Phy, Chem A'levels did struggle with the maths component - but maybe thats because they were less mathmatically minded anyway??? Just another thing to think about regarding A'level choices - which are still a couple of years away.

Bath architure is one of the best in the country - look at some other places for other grade requirments before it is totally ruled out.

KittiesInsane · 07/05/2015 10:12

Viva, DS did both art and graphics. He much preferred the graphics, but did better in art Confused despite protesting that they kept wanting him to write about his feelings instead of just getting on with the drawing. In fact, art GCSE put him right off painting and drawing for quite some time afterwards, so it's not for everyone. Sounds like your DD has a real talent in the area.

DS did graphic design at A-level, and got both architecture and product design offers off the back of it, though he did have a good portfolio of 'external' artwork. (Then he decided he was going for a different course entirely, but hey ho.)

Does your DD's school actually offer both at A-level? If so, how well do they do in them, how many kids take each, and what are their entry requirements? Same goes for other 6th forms she might be considering -- you can usually get at the prospectus online.

Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 10:45

Her sixth form do product design at a level. But it says in the bumph for that that they can kind of focus on their area, so either resistant materials, electronics or graphic design. Does that sound right? She wouldn't want to do a course if she had to do loads of electronics.

The art a level at her school says they must have shown an aptitude for art at gcse. Not sure if photography and graphic design will count so I'm about to ring up and ask.

Local art college does a level art, but only an as level in graphic design. There is also an extended diploma in graphic design. Not heard of extended diplomas before and also it's on a campus in the next town so would be a major pita to get there.

Will have to investigate other sixth forms now.

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Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 10:52

Have just looked at the syllabus for product design and it doesn't look like it's much to do with graphic design at all. Doesn't look like any sixth forms in town do it.

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HmmAnOxfordComma · 07/05/2015 11:07

I know a lot of students who did product design A level at my last school, and it is very much a tech subject, not an art one. Very practical with actual products as an end result, working to a client brief.

Ds's school has an excellent offer for different art subjects at A level, and very good results (most students skip foundation courses and go straight to art school). It's not free, though!

Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 11:15

Right, there only appears to be two sixth forms which offer Graphics a level.

One is the private school, so looking at about 14k a year.

Other one is a village school 8 miles away which I won't be able to drive her to. So only option would be a daily taxi to a village about 3 miles away from where she can get a bus. Guess that might be cheaper than private school. But that school says she needs an art gcse to be able to do art a level. So she'd be able to do graphics and photography but not art.

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Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 11:15

Why can't she just be normal and like french and history? Grin

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howabout · 07/05/2015 11:19

That is very interesting Hmmanoxfordcomma. One of the reasons my dad is doing "graph comm" is that she and the school sold it to me on the technical content. She is talking about maths teacher or accountant like her old DM but if she decides to do something useful like engineering instead then I thought graph comm and art would be very useful in developing design mindset. Easier decision in our case as the choice was business studies, ICT or graph comm!

Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 11:47

So I think now my fear is if she does graphics instead of art she won't be able to do either art or graphics at a level. There aren't any graphics courses and sixth forms want an art gcse to get onto the a level.

So maybe she'll have to do art.

Or she does graphics now. Just does photography at a level along with some non art subjects and hope she can get onto a graphics degree that way. But Id have thought her portfolio wouldn't be good enough. And she might not even get onto an art foundation course without a gcse in art so wouldn't be able to bump her portfolio up.

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HmmAnOxfordComma · 07/05/2015 11:56

It's just over £12k a year...

They can do art A level with either graphics or art at GCSE at ds's school. Or even with no GCSE providing they have a portfolio and lots of interest.

KittiesInsane · 07/05/2015 12:18

Which product design A-level is it? They vary a lot.

Original poster
VivaLeBeaver · 07/05/2015 12:30

It's product design (3d design), Aqa is exam board.

I've looked at the aqa info and the course seems to be a lot of learning about materials such as hardwoods, veneers, plastics, etc.

Doesn't seem very graphic design at all.

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Millymollymama · 07/05/2015 15:45

I know Bath is one of the best architecture courses but it is a good idea to look at what the best students have to achieve and see if that is possible. Employability is an issue so lesser courses requiring UCAS points might not readily lead to employment. Graphic Design is far less academic, frankly, and is offered at lots of ex Polytechnics. A course at UAL only requires 160 UCAS points so much easier than architecture regarding academics.

Art A level is not so easy without the GCSE because you have not built up a portfolio of techniques. However with good teaching and talent Art is a great subject at A level and is fine for any arts based degree. Lots of schools do not offer graphic design A level but this does not stop students accessing the graphic design degree courses. However, I doubt if you would find a single engineering course that is keen on Art in their entry requirements. They want Maths and Physics A level and typically another science or maybe geography. Engineers don't actually draw much these days.

howabout · 07/05/2015 16:00

This is why life is so much easier for me in Scotland. DD can do 5 "proper" highers in 5th year, a couple of 6th years studies and still have room for an Art higher. Not sure she will take it beyond GCSE equivalent level but very nice to have the option and to have some idea about the work involved and its relevance.