GCSE options

[strugglingwithmaths]

I'm looking through the prospectus for a local school. Does this sound right....?

Obligatory GCSEs in English, English lit, Maths, all 3 sciences and RE
Then choose 4 optional ones, to include either history or geography (or both), and a MFL

I make this ELEVEN GCSEs. This seems a lot..... is this usual these days?

However, if it is mandatory triple science, this sounds like a selective school? In which case maybe 11 is reasonable?

Or is 'all 3 sciences' actually double science (which still covers all 3 but is only 2 GCSEs)?

Yes check if 'all three sciences' means double or triple science. Also RE might only be the half GCSE course (if it's examined at all).

Ds's school has the same subjects, but science is double, except set 1 who do triple, and RE is half, except set 1 who do full. So 9.5 is standard with 11 possible.

All three sciences may be double award where all three are studied but the exam is worth two. That would be 10. It may be reviewed in due course as the breadth of exams is evaluated (and the resulting workload). RE is often half, as said above. Choice is good, in my view, because GCSEs should show breadth, not specialisms.

It's the same as the comps in my borough except some do half gcse in RE so 10 1/2 is the usual. They all offer triple science but it's usually restricted to top two sets.
To be fair, while I've no issue with DS learning RE, it seems fairly pointless to do a half exam in it!

loooseattheseams It is compulsory to teach RS at secondary age. Therefore many schools do the half RS GCSE because if they have to trach it they may as well get a qualification out of it.

RS tends to cover quite interesting topics such as abortion, divorce, animal testing etc - so more ethical dilemmas. Son has actually decided to do the full RS course as he finds it so interesting.

That's exactly what my y9 is choosing at her school (comp) at the moment.

It just seems like a lot, especially as they are all supposed to be harder. It's a private selective school - definitely does all 3 sciences instead of combined and RE is compulsory.
As most school seem to be asking for something similar I think I'll just stop worrying- gcse exams will probably have changed again in another 4 years....

Allthebest yes I know the logic behind it and DS is a good essay writer so he isn't suffering. I like the subject regardless of the exam as it's a chance to have genuinely interesting discussions.

Our selective school offers 11 GCSEs inc triple science. RE is taught but it's not compulsory to take the GCSE. They insist on at least 1 humanity and 1 MFL to fulfil Ebacc requirements.

I was hoping they'd drop it down to 10 in total, given the supposed greater difficulty with the new GCSEs. No such luck.

That does seem a lot. DS is at a selective Indy & they do 9 GCSE's (top set maths do further maths which makes 10).

There is also the option of an extra curricular GCSE in drama or computers taken in year 10.

11 at our shop too

I have read that some universities are looking more closely at GCSE grades and when taken. Doing a GCSE early seems a bad move these days unless you nail the highest grade. Some universities discount GCSEs taken early as well because they want them all in one sitting - so little point in doing early ones these days.

9 doesn't seem like quite enough - maths, 2 English, 3 science, a humanity, an MFL ... you only have one free choice. All my kids would have struggled with that. I think ten with no compulsory RS gcse is about right, and that's what I'd been hoping my dd's school would drop to this year. One of my older dc went to the same school and did 12 gcse's a few years ago, so they have reduced already.

OP - I expect your prospective school will be kept a close eye on the results of the new GCSE's and things might well change before your dc chooses options (fingers crossed!).

I think that 9 is plenty but then again my children's schools are much more flexible as to what constitutes a humanity rather than the ebacc interpretation.

Scientifically minded kids get two choices, one choice must be history, geography, RS, classics or Latin. Non scientifically minded kids get an extra choice.

DS thinks he will take 2 x English, maths, double science, Spanish, Classics, Music & Food Tech

DD is taking 2x English, maths, triple science, French, RS & Music.

Whether it's important to people or not (or just to the government) we've been told by our school that RE doesn't count towards the Ebacc. So our school insists on at least one of History or Geography.

Our school does 9

I think it might be 10 if its triple science

They dont do RE at all unless they have opted for the gcse, all 'ethics' is wrapped up in their PDL classes which covers drinking, smoking, drugs etc

It looks like all the schools we are looking at seem to be suggesting 11 is usual. However, reading all this I think perhaps the wind may be changing. I'd much rather DD did 9 or 10 well then 11 badly.....

DS is choosing options at the moment. Maths, English (2), Science ( will be 2 or 3 at the school's discretion) , RE (full GCSE) , MFL, practical subject ( he will choose PE, but art, music, design, construction etc available to choose from) and 2 other options (he will probably choose history and either geography or business studies.). Which is 10 of he does double science or 11 if he does triple. It's a non selective state school.