Options- RE or Food Tech GCSE?

[N0rdicStar]

Dd will be taking maths, Eng, Eng Lit, German, triple science and history. The last choice is between RE and Food Tech. No idea what she wants to do yet. Says she prefers RE and hates the stress of Food Tech cooking sessions. She may well go into chemistry though and I’m wondering if a more light weight option would balance the other weightier options. Dd is bright but v dyspraxic, gets extra time in exams. She’s kind of ambivalent either way. Friends doing Food Tech but school have told them not to base choices on friendship choices.

Any advice?

she prefers RE and hates the stress of Food Tech cooking sessions

There's your answer. It's not a lighter option if she finds it stressful, as opposed to the subject she enjoys.

Is it actually food tech? Most schools now teach 'food and nutrition' and it has a more scientific approach. They still cook but there it is a lot more experimental then the old food tech gcse.

Would have thought the practical aspects of Food Tech may be challenging with dyspraxia?
RE is a good solid Humanity subject....

I think RE is a much better choice. Will look much better than food tech(although GCSE options don't really have any impact on applications to uni anyway).

Presumably the dyspraxia isn't impacting organisational / thinking skills otherwise she wouldn't be doing the other options. (DD1 with, as it transpired, dyspraxia, was hopeless at both RE and History as she couldn't organise writing or make decent arguments).

My DD2 is looking to do both Food and RE, she has motor skills bottom 1%, but also struggles with processing and literacy and gets extra time.

I don't think 'food prep and nutrition' is an easy option. There's the science, the research, the practical skills, the doing things against the clock, and the 'finesse' to make it all look good at the end. The write ups are long. We understand DD will get extra 'prep' time for the practical exam but no extra 'cooking' time.

I think RE is more 'straightforward' provided the DC has got good literacy and arguing skills, which from your other selected options looks likely.

In your situation I'd be very happy with her choosing RE!