Choosing options in year 8 and starting GCSE's in Year 9

[ICantFindAFreeNickName2]

My local high school has just announced that Year 8 pupils, will be choosing their options in the new year and starting their GCSE subjects when they start Year 9 in September.
This means they have one year less of doing the KS3 work and then spend 3 years doing the GCSE work.
Does anyone have any experience of this or have any views about whether its a good or bad idea.

[SheGotAllDaMoves]

yeolde I think it does matter what certain schools do.

The gap between what some schools are offering ( in both sectors) versus the rest is growing and growing.

This has massive implications for social mobility moving forward.

[Anotherusername1]

Like everything I think it probably works for some kids and not for others. I would have been delighted to get rid of the subjects I didn't like a year early. But other kids probably don't know what they want to do yet. But then they may not know in year 8 either.

My son's school chooses options in year 9 and does two year GCSE courses, although I think the higher sets for science etc start their GCSE courses in the summer term of year 9.

Colyton grammar in Devon is the other way round. The kids do GCSEs in year 10 and then has 3 year A level courses. I don't know if that is going to change with the new GCSE courses being more difficult.

[Anotherusername1]

I meant they may not know in year 9.

[Marmitelover55]

My DD is in year 9 at a state school. We have an options evening in January plus various other option related events after that. She will be doing 10 GCSEs - maths, 2 English, 3 science, at least one of geography/history, at least one language plus 2 other options (she is considering drama and photography with ict as reserve). I think they have already started the GCSE maths and science courses, but not sure about the others. Music, drama and art are all popular options at her school and she is currently performing in the school play and will be playing in the chamber orchestra at the carol concert.

I work at an academic independent school at it is very similar, although the students there do 9 GCSEs rather than 10.

[Marmitelover55]

I meant to add: so slightly more bread the than the independent school.

[Marmitelover55]

*breadth!

[mimbleandlittlemy]

My DS is doing this - picked GCSEs last year and started in Y9 this year. It has meant that he was able to drop the subjects that he hated and didn't always behave well in and concentrate on the subjects he enjoys, or that he knows he has to do (he has to do Eng Lit/Lang + Maths + RE). At his school they also have the option to sit a GCSE in Y9 and Y10 so he will do one in May, another next year then 10 the following year and for him that's been a good and stimulating challenge and has made him knuckle down a bit.

I know that particularly with Maths, the school felt the level of extra content in the new GCSE made 3 years important rather than trying to cram it in in 2.

[pointythings]

If schools are doing 3 year GCSEs to get pupils to do more by making them sit exams early then that is bad practice . However that is certainly not what my DDs' school is doing. They just want more solid teaching and preparation time.

[MrsUltra]

I think its a good idea as I see so many schools where Y9s piss about in the subjects they have no interest in as they know they will dropping them a the end of the year. As long as there is sensible choice structure, it works well. My own Dc go to a very academic school, and one of their GCSE choices has to be in either DT, Art, Music or Drama.

[balletgirlmum]

I don't like the idea.

Dd goes To a school where they iften have new children arrive or leave at the end of year 9 so it wouldn't work there. However they are thinking of starting science gcse half way through year 9 just for the top ability candidates so they can start offering triple science.

At ds's school they get to make some choices for year 9 eg they can choose whether to take up a second language & they can choose which 2/3 creative subjects to study in year 9.

[balletgirlmum]

I do however think IT could be a good idea for core subjects such as maths to start gcse in year 9 for their very highest ability students with a view to perhaps entering them early then doing AS in year 11.

[mummytime]

Plenty of people at the Comp get As and A, more than would have got into the girls school at 11.

The main reason the comp has gone to a 3 year GCSE is because it has to get everyone or nearly everyone through at least 5 GCSEs at the right grades. (Even though it is comprehensive and takes pupils with a wide range of abilities and economic/family backgrounds.) And that it has to sit GCSEs, with all the government interference rather than have the freedom to do iGCSEs.

[dodobookends]

Lower/middle/upper round here, so they finish KS3 at the end of Y8 and move to upper at start of Y9.

I think the way dd's school organised things was pretty good. For the first term and a half they did maths/eng/sciences plus several weeks of taster lessons in as many other subjects they could cram into the timetable, to help them decide on their options. They then started working on their GCSE's after Y9 Feb half term.

[ICantFindAFreeNickName2]

Thanks for all the replies. Can I just stress that the school is moving to 3 years, to enable them to teach the children the subjects in the depth required not so that they can take the exams early. Plus the school are actively encouraging everyone to take the ebacc subjects but they can still choose from an additional two subjects which includes various Art, Drama, Music etc as well as more traditional subjects.