DS2 has to decide in a couple of weeks.
Maths, English Language and Literature plus double science are compulsory and school have decreed that all students will follow ebacc so they have to choose a language and a humanity.
So, he has to name 6, in order of priority and will be allocated 4 (as far as poss the top 4) one of which must be a language plus at least one of History and Geography.
If he had free choice he'd do triple science (which counts as one option in addition to compulsory science) geography, computer science and engineering (offered as btec)
As he has to do a language and hasn't done very well in French so far (he's very science and maths orientated) he's considering Mandarin. That's offered as either a double or single option to allow extra teaching time.
So if he takes Mandarin as a double option, then triple science and Geography, he doesn't get any lighter non ebacc choices at all.
He's a set 2/3 boy except in science and I'm worried this very academic programme will be too much for him. It also seems a shame for him not to do the subjects he's genuinely interested in.
Should I steer him away from mandarin (in which case he'd have to do french, which he hates) be suggesting single mandarin to allow another option, or should I be trying to get the school to allow him to drop the language altogether?.
For a child who's unlikely to be applying to Oxbridge, does ebacc even matter? I have a suspicion it's in the school's interest re league tables etc more than it's in the student's interest?