GCSE options

[ChoudeBruxelles]

Ds has only just started year 8 but they are already talking about options - they have to put their choices in before Christmas which seems really early to me.

Anyone else DC's having to pick so soon?

DS has to take triple science, and either a language or a humanity subject so with maths and English that's 7 subjects taken up.

Anyone with experience of choosing subjects which they haven't studied before. He's been talking about sociology but is worried about spending three years doing something which he doesn't have a clue whether he'll like it or not.

My DD had to choose in March of year 8.

Her school did a taster day of all the new subjects before the deadline. Contact the school, they might do something similar.

My DS's school is one of the only ones round here that still waits until year 9, so his friends at other schools all chose in yr8. It's so they get longer to study the subjects they're taking. Which I can see the logic of, but it narrows the curriculum a year earlier, e.g.: if they don't choose, music, art, geography, history, etc, etc, they don't get taught them past year 8. I hate it, but it's very common.

DD also has to pick by March of Y8, but they are very definitely talking about it already in school.

In terms of picking a subject he's not studied before:

• go to any information evening provided and ask pertinent questions (I'd suggest you should help with these, my DS had no clue what to ask).
• read all the information provided as to what the syllabus includes
• talk to older DC at school who are already studying the subject (this is where you enlist your DC's friends' siblings ...)

To add ...
Reading the syllabus information carefully is important even for subjects he's already studying.
Don't assume that the GCSE will be "more of the same" of what you are currently doing!"

Does the school do taster sessions for those subjects that they haven't ever studied before? At DS's school they did and it helped him make up his mind to avoid one he thought he might do and definitely do another.

Our school has a day where kids can try the subjects that they've never learned like psychology. Does your school offer this?

ChoudeBruxelles - how many does he get to take as that will differ from school to school.
My DD has just gone into Yr 10 (they don't pick theirs until end of Year 9). Her school only does 9 GCSEs (seems the norm) so as you say, with Triple Science, Maths, English x 2, Spanish & History that actually only left 1 more for her to pick (PE). She will be taking RE as a 10th subject in her own time (lunch times and after school).
You may find there just isn't space left for new subjects if he wants to do a language and humanity etc. From what I've read, there isn't a need to pick other subjects at GCSE, if only doing 9 or 10. They aren't needed for A Level or even degree. Sociology, Economics, Physiology etc can all be studied later on (although I do question how will they know if they want to study it at A level or Degree level). I guess by then they will know if they are interested in it or not.