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

[brizzledrizzle]

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

Thank you. Are all schools expected to offer Comp Sci GCSE these days then?

Yes, they have to as per DofE (it’s part of the Ebacc as well) unless you are an Academy, where they should offer Computer Science as an option but have the ‘academy get out clause’!

The recent palaver over the NEA debacle has hurt numbers though, I think. We should hear soon how the DofE what to assess it but this year’s Year 9s won’t have the Programming Project (renamed NEA) count, when they take it in Year 11, towards their 9-1 grade-just the two exams.

Yes Teen, an independent.

I don't think the ebac is important for individual kids, though it matters for the school. The main thing is that they choose good, solid subjects in which they will do well.

As it happens, dd's option choices mean that she will end up doing the ebac anyway, but a few of her friends really struggle with languages and are planning to drop them. I think it's a shame that we make our kids specialise so early, but I don't think it will impact negatively on the kids who don't do it. Not at all!

DD is in year 9 and is starting to think about what she wants to do. We don't have the options evening until after half term and parents evening the week after. She doesn't have many decisions to make though as they have 6 core subjects - 2 x english, maths, 2 science and SRW (she's not a big fan of science so will do the combined one, SRW is Society, Religion and Wellbeing and is compulsory even though it's not a church school but they can choose to do RE or citizenship as the GCSE they sit). They also have to choose one from geography, history and a MFL and she is going with french.

She loves art and wants to do something arty in the long term so that's definitely one of her choices.

So that leaves one and she was trying to decide between geography and history but today she's started talking about wanting to do sociology. I'm not sure about that but have told her to research it thoroughly first. Anyone know about sociology? Is it considered a good GCSE? Is it worth doing or just an "easy" option? DD isn't 100% sure what she wants to do but is thinking of something like stage and lighting design as it's something she is very involved in at school through the drama dept.

I've got no idea about the sociology GCSE but the a level is very much a proper, academic subject.

DS is doing sociology GCSE on the suggestion of his English teacher. When we went to look round our local sixth form DS was looking at sociology, psychology and politics a-levels and they were all quite pleased he was doing sociology. I think it's an essay subject so getting a good grade in it shows you can think about cause and effect, analyse data, that kind of thing.

I know they've covered different types of society, racism and crime and punishment so far. Not sure what else as DS has missed a lot of school lately because he has quite severe mental health issues.

We are in the lucky position of having a free choice, they don't do option blocks, but dd wants one subject more than is on offer.
So frustrating as ds goes to the boys school next door, and there she would have been able to do the extra.
So ds is doing 10, and dd will do 9.

I know that the total number doesn't matter, but it annoys me because she will end up dropping geography and history, and I do feel that that is not a good broad curriculum any more.

Dd is now almost definite on triple science, geography, history and drama. The only one I'm a bit worried about is history. My niece sat history last year (same school) and said that they hadn't covered any of the content on one of the three papers. I don't know if that was just because it was the first year of the new exams and the school weren't up to speed or whether it's because the department is crap.

Also a bit worried as they do a trip to Germany and geography do a field trip and being on benefits I'm going to struggle paying for that. But I will worry about that in private and encourage her to do what she wants.

Susan re cost of trips. I would suggest you contact the school now (or after options from is submitted) and ask if they can assist at all (do you qualify for Pupils Premium?), and also perhaps about payment plans if that would help. Otherwise I suspect the Germany trip is a bonus, but the Geography Field trip may be quite important.

Field trip is not optional, I think, but by the same token, if it is essential, they should bend over backwards to help you pay for it

Yes field trip is compulsory as one of the exam papers is based on it. There isn't any financial help for trips unfortunately. To be fair I live in a deprived area so if they helped everyone who needed help they would be bankrupt! The geography field trip is in the UK though so shouldn't be too bad. We will have to see about Germany when it comes up.

I'm very aware that dd has missed out on things because of her brother's disability and it's why I can't work as well so I always feel extra guilty when she can't do something because of money.

Apparently she just found out today that the drama department may.be doing performing arts btech either as well as, or instead of, drama GCSE and is very keen on that as she dances outside of school. I'm hoping they will as it's 100% coursework and will give her less pressure at the exams.

Susan does she get Pupil Premium?

If she does, you have a really good case for them supporting her financially for the geography trip. It is an essential curriculum trip, so they can justify it, and they ar eallowed to contribute to the educational part of it, but not the transport/accomodation (I think, not 100% sure I have that the right way round)

dd will do geography, and the school will use some of her pp towards her geog trip

Yes she does get pupil premium. I might ask about that nearer the time. They do a trip to Iceland too but DS didn't go as it was over £600. But that was an optional extra.

Oh I'm so annoyed! Turns out the options evening is when I have a course that I really need to attend. DH can go with her and I can attend the first 45 mins which will be the main meeting but the bit where you can talk to the teachers afterwards I'll miss. We do have the parents evening the week after so hopefully not too big a deal?

I wouldn't worry too much if you've got a parents evening following. Perhaps your dd and dh can come up with a shortlist which can then be discussed with the applicable teachers at parents evening. To be honest a fair few parents didn't even bother going when my sons year chose options. And it was quite busy so there wasn't too much time to talk to each subject teacher.

It is a good chance to discard some subjects though. I remember DS was keen on the idea of doing music, I think because he enjoyed the lessons. But as soon as the teacher started explaining the course he just looked at me and said no, not for me.

Titsy The bit where you talk to the teachers will be general about the courses and not specific to your child (unless it happens to be your child's teacher).
With DD1, I remember collecting leaflets that covered things like exam board, topics covered, how examined etc.
Just send them with instructions to come back with info on any of the options being considered.

our parent's evening was before options evening, and dd made appointments with the staff of the subjects she is interested in, and we talked mostly about GCSE.

I can't actually see the point of the options evening now, as I think we have covered it, but dd wants to go and we will.

Still haven't decided if I am happy for her to do computing instead of geography, but I think it is a done deal

We've pretty much got the options sorted now - triple Science, Geography, Engineering and Sports Science. I think that's a reasonable list. They only have 3 options if they are doing triple science.

brizzle You've clearly got a budding scientist from those options.

Just a bit! Current favourite is biomedical science or medical engineering.

DD has to take maths, 2 English, MFL and at least 2 science. She’s planning to do all 3 sciences, Spanish, history, computer science and design & technology. She would love to do psychology but her school only offer it at A-level.

DS did DT and art GCSEs - word of advice, only do both if you really need it enjoy both! It’s a ridiculous amount of work to fit in outside of class.

DD has finalised her choices now. She is doing maths (plus FSMQ), statistics, English language, English literature, triple science, French, history and drama. I'm pretty happy with that selection, and so is she.

Mine will do the options plus Maths, 2 English and RS plus D of E I think, not sure as it says the science specialist route doesn't have enrichment activities so I'll be checking at parents evening if they want to do silver D of E.

Hmm dd is now thinking maybe she will do drama instead of sociology! Does this sound ok or too heavy on the 'lighter' subjects?

Eng Lang
Eng lit
Maths
Double science
Re
French
Art
Drama

I wish re wasn't a core subject! She'd prefer to do history really.

dds will be Eng x 2, Maths, 3 sciences, German, Drama and computing.

still wish she had kept geography in there.

brizzle - I'm jealous of your engineering GCSE, dd would love that!