GCSE Options horror

[Navratilover]

We're 4 days from year 9 options deadline and still no closer to finding a solution. Dd will have to do all core subjects plus Theology, a practical subject, a language and history or geography.

This leaves with her with only one real option choice. She wants to do Drama. And Art. She is excellent at both. I'm more in favour of keeping Art, but she won't countenance dropping Drama under any circumstances.

In a moment of madness I have suggested that she does both and I teach her History as a private candidate (am a qualified teacher, have taught History before and love it, though it's not my official subject).

I'm uneasy though as it takes her to 12 GCSEs in total and I don't want to overload her, especially as she has a v busy extra-curricular and social life on top. She's all for it in theory, but once the time comes, I can imagine her being less keen.

Is there another way? I've spoken to the school and they are pretty rigid about their subject blocking (and I do understand that timetables are murder to organise). Do we just accept that she has to drop one of her great loves? Or do I bite the bullet and register her with AQA as a private candidate?

if she loves drama she should do that. GCSE Art is a massive amount of work and if she is doing ten GCSEs plus Art then she will have a lot on.

Which would she rather do? I wouldn't do history as an extra if I were you. Why make things harder? Lots of students/schools I know are doing 8-9 GCSEs because there is now so much work involved.

Yes, I think the extra work would be more than she thinks. 11 GCSEs is already loads, not sure what the thinking is behind making them all do Theology as it isn't even a faith school.

I suppose I think Drama would be easier than Art to pick up at A Level if she wanted to, and she already does loads of drama outside school. But it's up to her in the end.

I did 13 GCSES and did just fine (drama, history, french, RE, bio, Chem, physics, citizenship, sport, English lit, English Lang, maths and ICT). This was in 2010 though so may have been less work (?)

Art is a HUGE workload though and I would drop that one if possible.

So are you saying she would be able to drop History at school? I assume this is the case as you mention the option of taking it as an independent candidate. So if she is allowed to not take history, then just don't have her take it at all. Why people take more than they need to baffles me. Everyone bangs on about how private school kids do better because they have better resources etc but its possibly because every single private school I know limits the number of GCSEs to 9/10. Why do state schools allow kids to take so many when the unis are not interested?

Don't do it. Too much work.

I agree drop Art as drama far less work.

I doubt she can drop history at school and do one of them instead. There probably won't be either art or drama going on instead of history.

And I don't think she has got a dilemma. She wants to do drama. It's her options so she chooses. I don['t see art being better than drama.

RS GCSE (theology is just one element) is often compulsory at schools as they have to study it, so they say, may as well do GCSE in it. I don't agree, better as an option IMO but there you go.

Art is a really hard subject and every person I know who took it got so stressed by the workload. If she's really gifted in art then she should do it but not because she's "good". You don't need art gcse or a level for art college as most insist on the foundation year and are by portfolio

Ah, that's interesting Anniehm about not needing GCSE/A-Level Art to pursue it after school.

We've talked again and we're 99% sure she's going to stick with History and Drama and drop Art for now. The workload is a good point - I've known friends' dds who have found it really tough.

The new Drama gcse is a lot of written work, not the easy option it once was

BlackPrism GCSEs contain a lot more content these days - probably more than when you took your GCSEs. Also, very little of the content is coursework based, and *no-one needs 13 GCSEs. Even Oxbridge/medicine only want your best 8.

My DD2 DS 12 GCSEs a could of years ago. She had something like 28 exams. Utter lunacy.

Seriously, I would keep the workload as light as possible. Drama and Art are great but take up a lot of time and headspace and can be pursued as extra curriculars for fun unless you secifically want to take them to A level or further.

DS2 is doing just 9 GCSEs and it’s going to be so much easier for him.

Dd dropped history and geography in favour of RS (optional at her school). RS may not be a official ebac subject but no one cares about ebacc and it is seen as a solid academic subject.

Saying that art is very heavy on workload with lots of staying afte school to complete projects.

and 9/10 of the new GCSES is plenty.

I would drop Art. Quite hard to get an A*/9 and workload is unbelievable. All kids who took art at DC academic school bitterly regretted their decision and some even dropped it all together. It will interfere with other subjects and eat into her time, it’s better to spend this time on maths/English/science, unless she is planning a career in arts.

DS said art took as much time as all his other subjects put together (he got an A*, back when those were a thing).

DD said Drama took nearly as much time as Art (she did both, but got 9 in Drama, 7 in Art).

It also put both of them off drawing for pleasure for quite some time afterwards.

Well the good thing if these are her passions she can keep them up in her spare time. Activities aren't only of value if they lead to a qualification. If there is any chance she will want to do art at a level then she should probably choose that. And remind her she is not "giving up" either interest or passion

I accessed an art foundation year purely with a portfolio generated from a life drawing class. At that age you're never going to use work from even a year before in your portfolio so if you read the Sunday supplements, visit the occasional gallery and can draw you can bypass GCSE and even a level easily.

You need Art A level if you want direct access to an art degree and avoid a foundation. Few people who are gifted at Art don’t do the A level. However if it’s not going to be part of her further study, I would drop it. Drama has lots of advantages. Building up confidence in public speaking is a great outcome from Drana and not to be underestimated.

Thanks everyone, especially those who pointed out that giving up Art at GCSE doesn't mean you can't apply for a Fine Art degree down the line. There's no way she'll give up drawing and painting, or visiting galleries when she gets the chance - so she's feeling less fraught about it now .

I do think 11 is a lot of GCSEs, would be happy to jettison Theology and the compulsory practical subject, but there's no way round that unfortunately - that's the way they do it at her school, and since it's the only good local option we're sticking with it.

Although it may not be unheard of to study Art and Design subjects at degree level without GCSE or A level, I imagine it's pretty rare.
Don't forget there will be many gifted art students who have done GCSE and A level Art, so to keep up with them in terms of quality and breadth of work without the GCSE or A level would take some serious dedication. It's not just about being able to draw, it's also about building on what you learn at GCSE and A level.
If you're limited for choice and your dc isn't interested in pursuing a career in Art or Design, then drop it. If she's keen then I'd reconsider.

I did art A-level as an evening course a couple of years ago without the GCSE. It's hard going but doable.

Well, this is the thing, isn't it? She's 13 and not fixed yet on one path. She's good enough at art that it would be a viable career choice for her. I certainly wouldn't want to rule it out.

Ditto Drama.

But we HAVE to rule one of them out at GCSE because of school timetabling issues. There doesn't seem to be a real way round this.

I suppose you could think of it like this - there would be very few designers who didn't take art or a design subject at GCSE or A level (or BTEC) but loads of successful actors who didn't take Drama GCSE!

Art GCSE isn't always a huge workload - it's what you make it, quality over quantity in my opinion.
My DD didn't ever bring work home with her. Just did it in school and also at lunchtimes. But she had a very strong idea and plan of what she wanted to achieve and got an 8.