GCSE options - 1 science

[Jimjam68]

DD1 is at a super selective independent. She is choosing her options at the moment and has 3 free choices after the compulsory subjects. She is an all rounder but passionate about and talented in art and drama, so wants to do both these subjects. She also wants to do two humanities to keep options open for A level (no idea what she wants to do at A level yet, but quite likely to do Art). The only way she can achieve this is to only do one science. The rules are that you have to do two sciences but school may flex that in exceptional circs. They don’t do double or triple sciences, but sit the sciences as separate subjects. My question is will she be disadvantaged when it comes to uni applications if she only has one science?

Given that the biggest thing that stops people progressing where I work is not having 2 science GCSEs, I’d be a bit wary unless she’s 100% sure of what she wants to do after school.

I’m not sure it’s particularly progressive though. Most independents have stopped doing it and offer double instead. And if you’re aiming for broad and balanced it will look more unbalanced than what most other students will be offering.

I also only did one science and got to Cambridge. Wouldn't have thought it would harm university chances in arts (though check) but does narrow career options at an early age.

I only did chemistry which I loved - didn't like biology and thought cutting open live frogs etc barbaric and physics didn't take as the make teacher said it "wasn't a subject for girls". I am very much encouraging mine to do triple science to not narrow any career options - not that I wanted any it closed but best to maximise choice. So I would do double or even triple and cut back on arts. I did history A Level without the GCSE, not a problem at all.

All this stuff about not valuing science is rubbish - I'm sure the OP values science, but it is not her dd's forte and she has a passion for other subjects.

I've had a similar issue with dd wanting to do just 2 sciences instead of 3 at her super-selective school, she would have to drop a subject she is passionate about to pursue a subject she doesn't particularly enjoy or excel at and it's quite clear she has no interest in a scientific career or degree, she's always been a creative person. Like OP, I only did one science O-level, which was fine at my very academic school. and went to Oxbridge with no one giving a monkey's. I would, however, say maybe not both art AND drama, I'd do drama as an extra-curricular and squeeze in a second science to keep everyone happy.

It's all a balance of grades and subjects. She may get great grades, but if it was just in arty subjects, then they may not fit with their requirements.

As a PP said, I'd drop either art or drama and take up a more academic subject.

My DN was able to do A Level Drama at her super selective school without GCSE Drama or any LAMDA exams and had no problems with it, so that may be an option for your DD if she wants to do 2 sciences now. There were also girls in her class who had taken Art and Drama GCSEs, one of whom is now at drama school studying Scenic Arts/Theatre Set Design.

I think the other point i would make is that for someone who has a passion for drama, Drama GCSE is entirely optional and in many ways a bit of a sidetrack (unless the school limits access to school plays etc to those who study drama - I mean, some schools are daft, so I just wanted to put that caveat out there). Doing drama - taking part in productions and backstage, doing drama residentials or weeks in holidays, being involved in local youth and adult theatre etc (most big theatres have a good youth theatre offering) - and seeing all types of drama - through family or solo trips to the theatre, and perhaps doing LAMDA type exams (as well as absolutely nailing the plays done in English Literature) would be equally good, if not better, as a preparation for further drama study.

It's a bit like GCSE Dance, or GCSE Music. No serious dancer gets a place on a dance course because of their GCSE - they get there through their dance training. No serious musician gets a place in conservatoire due to their GCSE Music grade.

Whereas studying Biology or Physics is, genuinely, best done in school, in school hours.

I feel the 3 Sciences are all important in terms of general knowledge and I'm surprised that a high achieving selective school doesn't recommend that most kids take the 3 separate Sciences.

That still leaves 7 other subjects! In addition you can take Drama and/or Arts classes outside of school.

At our (selective) school all pupils are required to take 3 separate Sciences.

And as others have said, learning Chemyor Biology outside of school is much more difficult

Sorry Chemistry

But she doesn’t have 7 other choices. She will do 9 GCSEs and of those only 3 are free choices (or 4 if she’s allowed to drop a science). That doesn’t leave much choice for someone who prefers humanities/creatives. Yes I take everyone’s point about drama, she does do some out of school but she would love doing GCSE drama far more than say physics. But I hear the concensus opinion loud and clear and I don’t necessarily disagree, it’s convincing a 13 year old that’s the issue!

Can't she take 10 GCSEs?

"Can't she take 10 GCSEs?"

I'm surprised a highly selective school isn't offering 10 GCSEs.

We're in Scotland. At age 14 kids have to drop down to 7 subjects, and at age 15 down again to 5 subjects. So DC has decided to do only 1 science. It means making an early decision not to study science at a higher level. I'm not very comfortable with it, but what can you do? She's just picking the science she enjoys most.

Honestly a GCSE in drama won't do a lot. My uncle teaches at a performing arts university and he says when he's auditioning people, he doesn't take into account things like GCSE drama as it really doesn't hold up.

It's all about their performance on the day. She'd be better off going to a drama school in her free time.

She would like to do music or drama, but there's no room for luxuries like that, when you're only allowed to do 5 subjects. High achiever too.

DS1 is at a highly regarded academically selective independent where it would be incredibly unusual for any child not to go on to do Alevels and then go on to university. We were told the important things when considering GSCE choices are :

1. pick subjects you enjoy. You are far more likely to get top marks in a subject you enjoy

1. don't pick too many time intensive subjects e.g. don't do more than one out of the following: art, DT, drama, music

1. don't limit your options too much (doing one science would fall squarely into this camp)

I realise this post is WAY out of date, but your rationale is so similar to mine. It makes no sense for someone to study three sciences to the detriment of having other options.
Out of interest, what did your school advise?

I WISH they would bring back the one science option. Then my not-interested-in-science-in-any-way child could have done something more interesting with those 6 hours a week and that they might actually get a decent grade in.

I only did Biology... hasn't held me back in anyway, and I ended up working in vet science research for the civil service at one point. I was probably the only person there without a PhD but never wished I'd done more chemistry.

The languages and humanities I was able to do instead have been far, far more useful to me.

Given the terrible recruitment problem schools are having for sciences (I know one school that are now putting entire year groups in a lecture theatre with a single teacher as they have such problems recruiting) I wonder how long it will be before they go back to making it optional for GCSE to take 1, 2 or 3.

My DD did sit one science GCSE (well it was a Covid year), she went onto to sit 3 A levels (no none of them was a science), and is now happily at Durham Uni who couldn’t care less that she only sat 1 science GCSE. So all turned out well and it was the right decision for her, and I’m glad her forward thinking school allowed their pupils to follow what interested them.

I will also add after re-reading the whole thread, she did go onto to do Art and Drama, something many counselled against and she enjoyed them both and achieved top grades. At the end of the day unis are looking at your grades. It’s sometimes very clear at age 13 that your child is not going to go down the science route, that was the case with my DD and she had a much better GCSE experience for following her passions.

Thank you so much for replying @Jimjam68. Hope your daughter is enjoying Durham! I am ashamed to say I have no sciences but that was in O level days haha. Still got into Oxbridge lol but realise that that was another era.
On reflection I wish I had done one science for breadth but having to do THREE is crazy and prevents children who are more Arts orientated doing subjects they like/are interested in/ will get better grades in ie Latin/History/Drama/Art/Music/History. It seems silly that they could get an 8 in those subjects but potentially only a 4-5 in Physics.
DD's school doesn't offer single sciences, but your daughter's success in getting into Durham has convinced me that mine should opt for the double award (though it is very much "looked down upon" in her school.)

Exactly!
Out of interest, who did bring in the compulsory three sciences?

I did one science (o level) in Biology and wished I didn’t even have to do that. I’m not saying that’s for everyone but that Biology O level has been of no use to me (and I would have got a much better grade in a humanity). I should add DD2 is sitting 2 science GCSEs (through choice) and she is a different child with different interests.

On the other side of the argument, why make DC study languages or humanities subjects if they are stronger at STEM subjects?

Basically, I think at that age a rounded, broader education is better.

The point is that at the moment stem subjects are compulsory so children who are strong in science are at an advantage. The don’t HAVE to study history/geography/latin and even if they HAVE to do a MFL ( which might not be their forte) at least they don’t have to take GCSEs in THREE languages. What we’re saying is that fine, do one science, but having to take three really restricts options available to do other subjects.