have your year 9s selected their gcse options yet?

[WalkingTed]

just that really. keen to know.

my year9 is clearly on a gcse course for maths english and sciences, albeit nothing official has wafted down from school. I guess that's because they are the core subjects.

just wondering about the rest and what the "rules" are when selecting options for other subjects?

No, she will select her options in about February/March time. But her school does start GCSE work for Maths, English and Science in year 9, because they all do those subjects and it gives them more time to get into it.

In terms of actual rules, it depends massively between schools. Some have a lot of extra compulsory subjects due to school policy. Some don't.

My personal "rules" (i.e. what I will strongly encourage to consider if she doesn't come up with it for herself) are that history or geography should be in the mix and probably a language unless totally rubbish at them. This is probably the only thing I agree with Michael Gove about!

And then something completely different just because you love it.

Ours selected theirs in year 8 so started their GCSE course in year 9.

I think it's a good idea especially as year 11 is only really a few months teaching time once you factor in mocks and the actual exams.

Your school will probably have different 'pathways' to choose from as due to timetabling constraints it won't be a free choice. One pathway is normally more academic and based on the baccalaureate subjects.

Selected options in year 8
Started all GCSE courses this year with 6 weeks to change if the course wasn't right for them.

Think ours is Feb/March ;maths, English,science(double or triple based on aptitude), a humanity and a language are compulsory. When dd1 went through 5 yrs ago, they were v keen that pupils also took a DT subject although it isn’t compulsory(dd1 didn’t and dd2 can’t wait to drop it either)

Mine selected in Year 8

@heymacwey ours too but I disagree. I don’t think it was a good idea. I feel sad that they don’t get to enjoy all the other subjects for a year longer.

My DD had to choose GCSE options in March in year 8.

In addition to the standard 5 GCSEs (Maths, English x 2, and Science x 2), her school requires students to take an additional 3 subjects (Info Tech, Citizenship, and RE).

Students also have to take 4 options (humanities, language, art based option, humanities/language option).

All students have PE lessons, but the GCSE exam is optional.

@AtSea1979 yes, that's the only downside. But I don't miss the stress from homework on subjects they don't like/not strong on

DD has started the GCSE course in a few core subjects but doesn't pick options until around Feb time.

DD's school always did GCSE options in the February of year 9. It is interesting that some school offer 3 year courses for GCSEs. I think DD's still only does 2 years.

Our school is Feb of Year 9. Apart from core Maths, Eng Lit, Eng Lang, and Science as either x2 or three separate, you have to choose a MFL. Depending on your science options you then have a free choice of a further 3 or 4 subjects, from any subject stream. No-one takes more than 10, and there is flexibility for less if you are very sporty or musical and need extra hours for those pursuits.

My DD choose 3x Science, German, History, Classical Civilisation.

Oh, and Theater Studies..... forgot that one !

DS is in Year 10 now, he selected his GCSE options in Feb/March.
Your school would send you a list of subjects to choose from. Usually English, Science ( 2 or 3), Maths, one MFL are compulsory.

Your DC has to decide optional subjects. It will be good to do some research about the work involved in those subjects. Subjects like Art , Music and Drama will require lot of work. So your DC should opt it if
IT may not be for everyone. DS spoke to Year 10s and 11s about IT and decided against taking it.

Rules of selecting GCSE subject is to keep in mind that DC has to study it for 2 years, so better choose something that he/she loves.

Our selection was based on rejecting the subjects he out rightly hated. Then, whatever choice was left, we selected from that list.

Our options process starts in Jan.

Basic guidance from school will be:

• don't choose based on teacher - you might get a different teacher next year
• don't choose based on friends - they have different strengths and weaknesses and you may end up in different classes anyway
• choose subjects you enjoy and are good at

Additionally I would say:

• if bright enough, choose more academic options in the main, as these will give you more options for A level
• be aware that Art seems to eat time, and that Drama (& Dance?) are reliant on other people for the performance element
• have an eye on content heavy v skill heavy when it comes to revision for exams (though I get the impression everything seems pretty content heavy these days!)

DD's school has started the GCSE Science syllabus, and did mini-options for tech/arts subjects and is building GCSE needed skills in them now also.

By content heavy I mean things like Science, History, Geography with loads to learn.
By skills heavy I mean things like languages, English Lang where your ability improves massively over the two years and the final revision is polishing built up knowledge and skills.

My DD chose hers in year 8 and started them in year 9

I feel sad that they don’t get to enjoy all the other subjects for a year longer.
If you start a year early, you also miss out on the 'extra' content that isn't on the GCSE specification. Our school starts GCSE English in year 10 for this reason (with an English lesson every day!) and in year 9 they study, amongst other things, American texts (Of Mice and Men and To Kill a Mockingbird) which aren't on the GCSE anymore.

I agree but apparently an extra year prepares them

My DS is due to choose his options in February but we've already had a chat about them with a view to eliminating the subjects he doesn't like.

He has to do double science, 2 x Maths, 2 x English. At the moment options are looking like Geography, RS, Spanish plus one other (possibly Photography).

In my dd they do in February.

Yes, selected options in all subjects (except science which is decided by the school at end of yr9) and GCSE subjects started in yr9.