Another GCSE options thread!

[crazycrofter]

So dd has made the decision (the subject of another thread!) to drop Physics in favour of an extra option elsewhere. She has to do Maths, 2x English, an MFL (Spanish), Chemistry, Biology and has four options.

She can’t decide between RS (I think this one is non-negotiable for her though), History, Geography,Drama and Ancient Greek.

Any thoughts? I’m not keen on the Greek as I think it will be hard but she loves the Ancient Greeks (Percy Jackson fan!). I’m concerned she doesn’t rule out any potential A Levels as she’s definitely humanities-oriented not sciences.

Classical Greek is half literature (by which i mean Homer and the like, not Percy Jackson!) and half language. Has she already studied some Greek or Latin? How does she find Spanish?

If the school offers double science, that would be much better than only 2 separate sciences.

I thought you had to take all 3 Sciences?

History and Geography are both quite content-heavy, maybe better to choose just one of these?
Greek is usually offered in addition to Latin, seems a bit odd if that is an isolated option?

Geography is a really good GCSE to take IMO. It's very interesting and is just great for general knowledge. Some good field trips usually too. History is good too. Drama would be a no for us ! I would advise Geog and History, not RS but that's just me.

How is she able to not do Physics ? I thought they either did a double award or triple award but both cover all 3 sciences.

The Science issue is decided now - for better or worse! She can’t do double and we’re pretty sure she won’t take Science any further so she’s going to drop the Physics.

She does Latin at the moment and is dropping that. She’s got on ok with it but much prefers the Greeks to the Romans apparently. I’m not sure she’s a linguist so the language side of it does bother me. She’s ok at Spanish but not a natural. Greek doesn’t involve any listening or speaking though so quite different!

How much work are History and Geography and is one harder?

Re history and geography - they both cover a lot of stuff!

Check with the school which bits of the syllabus they do for each (there are optional bits which the schools pick and choose). eg for History DS has done Nazi Germany, Fall of Communism and China stuff. DDs school has chosen to do a lot of American based history which doesn't interest her at all so has decided to drop it. Obviously it will depend which board your DDs school follows.
DS is doing both and it is a lot of work to cover (just done his mocks).

Have you spoken to the school ? They will be able to advise what would be best for her to take and also let you know which exam boards they go with and course content.

No, we have a parents evening next Monday so I think we’ll do that then. The decision has to be made the following week.

I’m a History graduate and so is my husband so we’re really struggling with the thought of her giving that one up! Need to be impartial though!

The history syllabus is modern world - rise of the Nazis, Cold War, early 20th century US including Ku Klux Klan etc. It sounds really interesting!

Yes - but does it sound interesting to your DD crazy

Having been helping DS with his mock revision over Christmas most of his subjects seem much more interesting than anything I did at school (in the Dark Ages). He doesn't seem to agree.......

Very true! She’s just texted me to say it’s between History and Geography so I suppose it’s down to what she thinks sounds more interesting!

I’m going to ask the school whether she could still take History A Level without the GCSE. I’m thinking that if she’s doing some element of history within the Greek course that might still keep that option open? I’m guessing it would be less likely for someone to want to pick up Geography again after dropping it at 14.

Schools will let you do history a level without GCSE, but if you like history so much, why would you drop it?

Does she do Greek now? I did Greek o level, it was hard but of course will be different now. Doubt if she'll have t read tracts of homer tho, I did that for a level!

No, Greek is new. That’s my concern-that it’s just the novelty ! Maybe she doesn’t like History that much? She doesn’t talk about any of her subjects that much but my observation is that when she comes home and talks about something, it’s usually either RS, English, Geography or History. She enjoys Drama too I think. It’s just Greek that’s caused this dilemma! If it wasn’t for that, she’d happily do History,Geography,RS and Drama.

History, geography and RS is a heavy load so I would recommend drama for a bit of light relief!

Has she not done Greek at all? How can anyone choose it as an option in that case? I loved it but I had done two years of it when I picked it. Why does she want to do it?

Drama is equally academic now with the written exam and play study. It is one of the remaining courses that include coursework, practical and written. Nice to get 60%under her belt before the written exam season.

So we've been told that both 'Double Science' and 'Triple Science' cover Chemistry, Biology and Physics, it is just that the triple option covers them in more depth and is only available for pupils working at Level 6 or above. Is it the case that this is not nationwide and some schools still split out the three sciences and you can choose to do only two? My sons science teacher gave me the impression that that was no longer the case, but I may have misinterpreted it?

My DCs school only offers double or triple science. I cant see how it would be logistically possible to also teach 3 more science classes for those who want to drop an individual science.

The science thing is unusual but not unheard of. It wouldn't be my choice but a friend's DD did physics and biology, not chemistry at all. She went to a small private school, no idea if that makes a difference.

I didn't do physics o level but often wish I had. Instead of what I am not sure tho!

This is an academically selective independent school. Most of these schools still do three separate sciences and allow you to drop one or two for GCSE. My sister works at Manchester Grammar and if you look at their GCSE results there are vastly different numbers of boys doing each Science.

Greek is offered as a new language, taught from scratch to GCSE in 2 years. For the last four years all their results have been A* (admittedly only 5-10 take it each year) and not all those students have also taken Latin. I need to check with the teacher that she thinks dd is capable.

I agree Drama would make a nice change. We’ve agreed to speak to the teachers at parents evening and have a look at the A Level Geog and History courses in case she thinks she might like to take either of those subjects further - and let this guide her.

Most schools do not like Histroy taken at A level if the student has not done the GCSE. Most expet a highevel GCSE to continue as well. It is harder than RE and completely different to Geography.

Ds is going to be allowed to drop a science at his state comp - which is fantastic for him as he has a particular problem with biology. His predictions are Physics 7, Chemistry 6, Biology 3/4

But that's by the by

Drama is a great subject if you have a genuine interest in theatre but it is very time intensive & the new syllabus places much more emphasis on the written work.

My dd is loving RS, it's heavy on written though.

If she is contemplating History A level I'd advocate doing it for gcse.

Geography. History and RS is a very heavy load.
And adding drama to the mix isn't going to provide much relief - there is still a written exam with analysis of play scripts etc at the end of that now.
Sounds like an awful lot.

So... she definitely won't be taking sciences forward (dropping physics), and also isn't a keen linguist. So given that, I think she should stick with history, and drop geography. It keeps her options wider open within the kind of subjects she likes, for both a levels and degree.
Greek, history, drama, RS is a nice combination.

Private schools not offering double science is very shoddy, IMO. Terrible shame, a child dropping physics aged 12/13.

Many drop languages at 12/13 and no-one cares much! Three year GCSEs mean some children only do 8 subjects for 3 years! How narrow is that?

It depends what you value doesn’t it. I took Geog and Hist to degree level and I think it’s terribly shoddy that lots of state schools enforce a straight decision between those two subjects so you can’t do both!

Other schools only allow one language - dd had the choice of six languages (two classical) and could have chosen four if she wanted!

As it is, dd has decided for her it’s a decision between History and Geog. I agree that History seems a better long term option given her interests. However to me, Geography would add some variety. I think it hinges on whether she would close the door to History forever by dropping it now - we’ll check at parents evening next week.