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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSEs 2021 - choosing options **Thread title edited by MNHQ**

172 replies

brizzledrizzle · 10/12/2018 13:23

Year 9s will be choosing their GCSEs after xmas, including my youngest. I couldn't find a support thread.

OP posts:
catndogslife · 10/12/2018 14:25

Surely current Y9s will be taking GCSEs in 2021?
Y11 GCSEs 2019
Y10 GCSEs 2020 etc.

TeenTimesTwo · 10/12/2018 14:35

brizzle , yes cat is right 2021 for the exams Smile

My DD2 y9 will be choosing in January too.

We have a problem in that she struggles at school as she has slow processing and other difficulties, so it is not obvious what options to do. I'm hoping she may be allowed to not do a full set, (or that they surprise me with some hitherto unmentioned BTEC options).

They have to do one of History or Geog plus I think 3 others. Compulsory will be Maths, 2 English, 2 Science. Possibly also half an RE, and maybe something ICTish but not sure as this seems to change each year.

I'm awaiting this term's report to see what they think she might pass.

catndogslife · 10/12/2018 14:41

I think MN will edit the title of your post if you ask them OP.
I don't have a child in Y9, but my dd is slow-processing and had no problems with RE teen.

Original poster
brizzledrizzle · 10/12/2018 14:50

Yes, 2021 - I was thinking of school years. I can't report on the app unfortunately.

My dc is looking at history, geography, triple science and engineering at the moment but also fancies business studies or politics although there aren't enough options.

OP posts:
Original poster
brizzledrizzle · 10/12/2018 14:52

Compulsory here is PE, RE (though pe isn't to a GCSE unless it's an option, a humanity and two sciences, two English and one maths.

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 10/12/2018 14:55

cat
My DD1 failed RE short course. Turned out she had dyspraxia. She couldn't think of opinions off the top of her head, nor follow the 'rules' for answering the questions...
DD2 is doing OKish with RE, it is on my list as a possible 4th option for her.

bfmhgmum · 14/12/2018 00:12

Hi
My daughter is also y9 and will take his options in March after Jan exams and parents evening

He has to take maths English language and literature, MFL and a science that leaves him 5 choices so he can favour all sciences computing electronics or take all Lange or humanities. They also have the choice of taking one option as an EPQ

bfmhgmum · 14/12/2018 00:13

Meant son autocorrect changed ds

indy69 · 14/12/2018 05:36

Same for us. Options assemblies are on from January and we have the options evening inFebruary. My daughter has to take maths, eng Lang, eng literature, science. Triple science will take up an option otherwise if we do combined she chooses 4 subjects. They gently suggest 1 Mfl and 1 humanities and 1 creative in the mix.

TeenTimesTwo · 20/12/2018 18:45

Still waiting for end of term report here to help the musings re options. Smile
DD has been told she has a science exam 2 weeks into term. I really don't want to do revision over the break, but think come the new year she's we're going to have to!

Goabroad77 · 20/12/2018 20:18

We've had a letter about this. DS been offered a flexible pathway which means they may not pass a language (not v good at languages) which I'm glad about, still have to do maths, english etc but then more flexible in other options. Have to choose end of Jan after meetings and an assembly and parents evening. Got the report also, lots to think about.

Hellohah · 21/12/2018 09:51

DS doesn't pick his until April.
He picked them last year (in Year 8) and then in July the school sent a letter saying they were going back to 2 year GCSE's.

If it's anything like last year, DS will have to follow the Ebacc route (so English Lit/Lang, Maths, French, Humanities) and he will be forced to do Triple Science (very strong in Physics and Chemistry). They only do 8 GCSE's (9 with the Triple Science). So actually he doesn't get many options at all, just the choice between Geography and History, and a free subject choice :(

TeenTimesTwo · 19/01/2019 11:04

I'm bumping this for the new year as we have options evening next week.

Also, so there is something on the first page that isn't about independent selective schools. Smile

Hello1290 · 19/01/2019 11:52

My DD is year 8 and picking options next month. We haven't had the booklet home yet but my understanding is she will be doing the usual compulsory Maths, English, Science plus RE and either Geography or History as well as two free options. So that's a total of 9 subjects.

She has inattentive Adhd with associated learning difficulties. I think she is hoping to do music using voice as her instrument. She also likes Drama but struggles to work in a large group (just gets lost in the crowd and zones out) and put forward ideas so I don't think that would be a wise choice but will discuss with her teacher.

She struggles to retain information and get her thought written down. She doesn't want to use a laptop as its "boring" so prefers to write instead - it can be difficult to read her writing.

There is an options evening coming up with stalls on each subject which will also showcase optional subjects the students haven't previously studied.

Original poster
brizzledrizzle · 19/01/2019 20:50

We have options evening coming up soon as well, parent's evening on Monday and then options not long after. Spanish (local state school do French and Spanish because the head of languages is Spanish) is apparently on the short list here despite DD not having an aptitude for languages, she wants to drop geography in order to do it because geography (which she is good at) isn't necessary and she wants a challenge.

OP posts:
TeenTimesTwo · 19/01/2019 21:46

We have options evening before parents evening.
So we can understand the choices we are making, and then make sure we see the relevant teachers.

When DD1 chose 6 years ago it was under the old system with controlled assessments, so it will be interesting to see how the options process has been adjusted.

SusanWalker · 19/01/2019 21:53

Dd year 8 is choosing hers soon, we have options evening beginning of feb. They have to do English lang/lit , double science, maths and then she gets to choose four.

She's definite on triple science and geography. The others are drama, history, french or art. Shes struggling to whittle it down at the moment. I suggested dropping art and keeping it as a hobby with the possibility of doing evening classes in it when she's older. But she's predicted an 8 in art which is swaying her.

I guess we'll wait and see what her teachers think.

TeenTimesTwo · 20/01/2019 09:12

Make sure she really understands what is involved with Art - all the background recording etc. Also, does she have perfectionist tendencies? Art is often reported here as being a real time eater.

Trampire · 20/01/2019 09:21

My dd is in a state comp. we have to pick by the 28th.

We've already had options evening and had parents evening next week.

She must do, 2 Eng, Maths, Combined Science (we have to be invited to do triple and the invites haven't gone out yet. She may do triple)...

She wants to choose, History, Spanish, Art and Drama.

I'm a professional artist and dd hasn't shown much interest in Art until this year. Her thing has always been Drama. She aware of the heavy coursework but wants to dive in.

Everyone keeps asking me what dd wants to do. Their children of the same age all have a career idea. Dd really doesn't yet. Is that unusual?

TeenTimesTwo · 20/01/2019 09:28

I think plenty of kids don't know what they want to do at 13/14.
And of those that do, a good proportion will change their minds.

DD1 certainly didn't have a clue then, and I'm not really sure DD2 does either (we have ideas based on her abilities and interests, but she might disagree).

I think being too sure can be dangerous anyway as it might narrow GCSEs too much, and then they change their mind...

Original poster
brizzledrizzle · 20/01/2019 09:44

My eldest wanted to do the same job from when she was about 5 right through until she was 16 when she suddenly changed her mind. It's still in a similar field (medicine) but a totally different job.

OP posts:
Trampire · 20/01/2019 09:52

Thanks that reassuring that others don't have a clue. I was beginning to get a bit weirded out because nearly everyone else I know says their children have concrete ideas....

Policeman
Physiotherapist
RAF pilot
Solicitor

Etc.

I had no clue at 14. Hopefully my dds choices for GCSE are pretty broad so we'll just roll with it.

Original poster
brizzledrizzle · 20/01/2019 09:55

Policeman Physiotherapist RAF pilot Solicitor

Cynical me says that those are jobs that the parents want their child to do.

OP posts:
Trampire · 20/01/2019 09:56

Grin possibly!

MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 20/01/2019 10:06

Not necessarily-DD wants to do medicine and has wanted that since she was around 11/12. DH is a surgeon and we really don’t want her to medicine and have tried to talk her out of it but she remains insistent!

DS is in year 8 and takes options this term-school are taking the 3 year route. They have to do the Ebacc so very little choice really. He’s always wanted to do engineering of some kind but is still struggling to settle down into high school so we shall see.