Facilitating subjects at GCSE

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

Dd not sure what she wants to do long term, fluctuates between Vet, psychology, law, biology. She is in yr9. She is fairly sure on most of her subjects, in one block she has to chose two from a list. She has narrowed it down to music(plays piano), drama and RS. She does very well (top in class) in RS but enjoys the other two more. Will not doing RS narrow any options later? She is doing History rather than Geography if that is relevant.

In your DD's position I would pick RS and Music.

For music I think she would need to be Grade 4 level or above on the piano and to be good at the composition component of the GCSE.

Maybe Drama could be pursued in other ways - school production, weekend drama group etc.

Pick the ones she likes, as long as she is at a high enough level in music, as mocha says.

DD did drama and music on top of French and geography plus core subjects; she is doing three facilitating a levels. No one is ever going to reject her for a course at any stage because she didn't do RS GCSE. Unless the course is RS A level of course!

She should compete her piano grade 4 this year so will be 5/6 by yr11. She enjoys drama but hasn't done it out of school much as clashes with other things she does. What exactly is classified as a facilitating subject? There is a rumour at her school that RS helps if going to do psychology A-level, although to be honest, knowing psychology, I think biology and statistics are more important, possibly even at A-level rather than psychology A-level.

How subjective is the marking for music and drama? Is it a bit random like art can be? Her teacher raves about her artistic abilities but dd says hers looks much the same as the next person! If she was going to pursue any of the three further as a career I think it would be drama but I think she would probably go down the drama society route alongside a degree route rather than drama college/ degree.

At GCSE, for her free options she should choose the subjects she likes and enjoys most, as she is more likely to achieve better grades in subjects she enjoys. DD did GCSE drama and loved it, and got a great mark too.

Facilitating subjects are:
The three trad sciences; maths and FM; Eng lit; MFL; history; geography; classical languages I think.

This is for a level hence further maths. Note that RS is not on there. Nor is Eng Lang. Maths at a certain level is required for psych at my DCs' school.

Facilitating subjects are those most often required specifically for uni courses (eg sciences are often needed say for dentistry, medicine etc) which is why they are a good idea at a level. Another an issue at GCSE.

Sorry, that should say NOT an issue at GCSE

That is the dilemma- RS is on paper her best subject of the three and if she wants to do something like medicine even the less important subjects will count, but she prefers the other two.

How subjective is the marking for music and drama?

DD's Drama was:

40% written exam, externally marked
40% devising, including performance and a portfolio/log - marked by teachers internally, external moderation by exam board
20% performance - externally marked

Follows a mark scheme for assessing, including the performance sections.

Hi OP,

I'm a careers advisor in a secondary school - ask me anything, ha! That's a joke by the way.

With the exception of wanting to go onto study sciences, maths or English at A Level, which requires higher grades in the same subject at GCSE, nothing is really off limits for A Levels based on what you've studied at GCSE. For example, you don't HAVE to have studied history at GCSE to do it at A Level. Encourage her to choose what she likes, is interested in and feels she can do well in. So much can change for her between now and the end of school.

Should say that although good at maths (would be fine for psychology - her set are on track for 7 and above) and MFL they are not her favourite subjects, so can't rely on the grades to be really (Mumsnet!!) high in them.

Sounds as if Drama is fairly objective then. She is clearer about her A-level plans!! Probably Biology, Chemistry and either English or Psychology. Of course it may all change and she enjoys ethics and debating. Thank you all for your advice, sounds as if any combination would be fine.