Why do the amount of GCSE schools allow differ from so widely

[Grrrrrsnarl]

My ds has just chosen his options
The school is above average but on reading other posts on here they are not being offered the same amount of GCSE exams as others.

They take
english literature, language, maths, double science. Which are 5 GCSE (compulsory)

Then 1 gcse in humanities (out of mfl, history or geography) ,. 1 sport (either core pe, sport ocr. Or drama btec)

The 3 options which are a mixture of GCSE or btec courses

So a maximum of 9 GCSE are on offer + a btec drama / sport option

My son who is on course to achieve B grades is doing 8 GCSE and 1 btec and 1 core pe

Is this normal, posts on here are saying 11 GCSE ( my friends dd is doing 11)

Is the school going for quality over quantity? Can't work out why they are so different

I did 13 but had achieved 3 prior to year 11. I think it’s very tailored to the individual.

You only reallyNEED maths and English.

Science and some others are necessary for certain A levels but after A level only math and English GCSE are required ( though ICT has helped me with a few things).

Cant

My children had 4 options (they had to chose between history and geography)

Ds1 Citizenship, history, business studies and geography

Dd German, drama, PE and geography

Ds2 CIDA, computer science, maths and geography

I agree with cantkeepawayforever and piggy that's awful.

As I wrote before about what the top sets (at Ds school) were recommended, it's just that. recommended.

The top sets don't have to take the level they are offered. They can choose to do double science, 1 humanity/MFL, leaving 3 options.

The top sets don't have to take the level they are offered. They can choose to do double science, 1 humanity/MFL, leaving 3 options

Thats what all my children did

Rufus good, it's how I think it should be.

But reinette school sounds so restricting and makes me think they are not doing it for the best interests of the child but to make the school look good with all the Ebacs.

Absolutely

I think our school tried pushing the idea of EBAC but there hasnt been much takeup

IIRC, DC's school has about 70% takeup of EBacc. It is very easy to create an EBacc-compatible set of GCSEs, and there is some minor structuring of the option blocks to facilitate this (e.g. all languages are available in 2 blocks - one all together, 1 separately - so it is easy to choose a language regardless of other interests, and History / Geography are available in 3 or 4 of the option blocks), but there is no compulsion whatever.

I haven't read an Ofsted report yet where this aspect of data - ie EBacc uptake- is commented on (and I read a lot of them!). I wonder if schools are shooting themselves in the foot a bit with this kind of curriculum shaping : which may or may not put their overall results in some jeopardy (hence, perhaps, the 'only for top sets' malarkey : protect the 'bucket subjects'). In fact, Ofsted often praises breadth of curriculum and curriculum choice and comments negatively on restrictive choice.

We're in Scotland so things are different as kids do National 5 and not GCSE, and the intake is different so the age of the cohort is skewed too. But at Nattion 5 stage at my school kids do 7 exams. Here, English (just one paper, not separate Lit and Lang) is compulsory for most, as is Maths.

In addition, DS is doing History, Computing, French, Biology and Chemistry.

If the standard for University entrance is 8 then I can see why schools are concentrating on 8 and getting their students good passes in 8 rather than mediocre passes in 11. Separating out English though and some schools insisting on PE or other things doesn't leave much breadth. Fine for a child who has a very clear career path in mind and knows exactly what exams they need to get there, but I'd argue that's pretty uncommon when you're talking about 13 or 14 year olds. Allowing them to study 11 still keeps more possibilities open for A-level and beyond.

Academically selective independent here. Their approach is 10 GCSEs max since universities only now look at the top 8 and any more than that is spreading yourself too thinly and is pointless.

School has said that the new forms will only actually give room for the top 8 results (apparently - this was via another parent who attended the meeting)

I'm really disappointed with the move towards exams all being taken at the end of study and no coursework. I love coursework.

I went to school in Scotland (but in the days of standard grades!) I can see your DC can do separate sciences and not all three (I actually only did Biology and I was 'clever' : I didn't need any more than that!) I think so much of the restriction of choice does go back to that proclamation that bright students should do triple science - so three separate sciences. Obviously that must be a requirement for science degrees these days and for medicine. But it never used to be in the Olden Days. It takes up a lot of option block room

I do wonder how much of this is driven by the science sector and the increased emphasis on STEM sector employment .

Disclaimer: I have no truck with science but am a bit fed up of its elitist connotations where no one is encouraged particularly to do one language let alone three!

As an aside k2p, now I am in England , I do need to keep explaining my one English is lang and lit! I have been asked what my 'A level' (CSYS) exactly 'means'. This first started happening at uni interviews many years ago!!

School has said that the new forms will only actually give room for the top 8 results

That's interesting

I don't understand the double science/triple science distinction? I did double science and still had lessons in Chem/Phys/Bio. Double science gave you 2 GCSEs back then (how?). Does triple science give you 3?

DS has to do
English x 2
Maths
Science: (three Separate GCSE's if competent enough or Combined Science (2 GCSE's)

Then at least 1 from:

Geography
History
Latin
German
French
Spanish
Computer Science

The remainder:

PE GCSE
Drama
All the Arts (all separate Textiles, Graphics, Fine Art)
Music
Dance
Business Studies
Sport OCR
BTEC Performing Arts
BTEC Health & Social Care
Technology
Religious Studies

So max he can do is 9, but due to his recent Biology assessment result, I don't think he'll be put forward for the Triple Science.

He'll do 8 GCSE's and at the recent meeting at the school, they really encouraged students to do one with course work as the exams are becoming so difficult.

DS has chosen Latin, Geography & PE GCSE.

I just looked it up and it does give you 3. How does double award only give you 2 when you study 3 sciences, is it 2 general science GCSEs? Why would it not just be 1 general?

Demi - yes Triple science would mean you get separate GCSE's in Biology, Chemistry & Physics.

Combined Science covers Biology, Chemistry & Physics but you only get 2 GCSE's.

Yes in Scotland we do all sciences separately, you can't do an exam at any level in "Science". A friend's daughter is in her first year of Medicine at Edinburgh and didn't do Physics at all, she did Maths, Biology and Chemistry right through school as far as I recall. So med schools seem to be happy to take kids without Physics at least. DS is heading for a degree in a related field - Biochemistry, Immunology, Pharmacology, that sort of thing. He's not doing Physics.

I can see why parents are very unhappy with 8 if 2xEnglish, Maths, and three sciences are pretty much compulsory. That leaves only 2 other choices which is really restrictive.

I never had problems explaining my Scottish qualifications but there is a desire often to compare them exactly to the English system. National 5s aren't GCSEs and Highers aren't A-levels. The old CSYS and new Advanced Higher isn't an A-level either. UCAS has the best handle on it, they award points accordingly. The good thing from the Scottish system is that post National 5 (at the age traditionally many kids would have left school), most children go on to take 5 Highers over 1 year, including English and Maths rather than embarking onto a 2 year A-level course studying three subjects.

University applications are based on Higher results, meaning unconditional offers are commonplace for kids who have done well and are still in their last year od school. It avoids that whole predicted grades thing and mass scramble for clearing by kids who have done worse or better than predicted.

Oh and back in my day when we were doing O Grade exams in Scotland, there were separate papers for Maths and Arithmetic. Able students did both, students who couldn't cope with the Maths bit could still get an Arithmetic O Grade as a statement of basic numeracy. Suppose that the English separation south of the border is a similar idea - a pass in Englihs language shows you can read and write to a decent level, Literature is more conceptual and analytical?

What are the two GCSEs in in double science? For example triple science is all 3 sciences, but what is the 'double' for? Why don't you just get 1 general qualification for Science?

I remember I did the 'easier' maths GCSE in the month of March, before they changed the paper for the summer exams. The kids who were expected a higher grade did the summer one.

DD is doing 10.

3 x science
2 x English
Maths
MFL
3 options from Geography, History RE, 2nd MFL, art/drama/music/DT

Combined Science covers all three subjects and is worth 2 GCSE's.

I assume this is because of the number of exams they take & proportion of time tabling? could be wrong!

DS is taking

Compulsory
Maths
English Lit
English Lang
3 sciences
RE
Modern language

Options
Computer science
Graphics
Business studies
Drama
Further maths

That sounds loads.

But if your "top 8" includes for eg: RE, PE and / or drama, then you will be at a disadvantage to those who have 8 solid academic subjects (that is only 3X science, 2X English, maths, a mfl and a humanity, never mind a second language or humanity). Academic dcs should be doing 8 academic subjects, but then allowed to do another couple for interest and breadth. To set 8 as the upper limit seems overly restrictive.