Art and Music GCSE? Possibly without Hist or Geog?

[LinksEche]

So, compulsory Maths, 2xScience (school doesn't do triple), 2xEng, RS (actually a 1/2 GCSE) with 4 options. These are genuine choices with no restrictions other than 'is this a good idea for you?'

DS is bright, in all top sets, thinks he wants to be a Graphic Designer and therefore wants to take Art and Computing. He also really enjoys music and is at Grade 6 level, would like to take it at school to do the composing and theory bits to go alongside playing in orchestras out of school. He is also really good at and enjoys languages and would take both Spanish and German if it were possible but will go for German.

So two things, this leaves no room for History or Geography, is that an issue for a bright child?

Is doing Art and Music really a recipe for a disaster? I know Art is seen as a massive time vacuum on here.

My Dd1 in a similar boat and dropping both history and geography in favour of a language, Latin and music.... I have read lots of threads on here saying it's OK to drop them both, fingers crossed...

I know geography or history are required for the English Baccalaureate, but AFAIK that is something schools are measured on rather than it being an actual qualification. I don't recall any of the universities my dd looked at asking specifically for the EBacc or for a humanities GCSE, but you could look through a few courses to see if any have that requirement if your son's planning to go to uni. You could also try posting on the higher education board as parents on there might have dcs who haven't chosen humanities GCSEs and whether there were any implications for uni or job applications.

There's Composition in the music GCSE, so that might need quite a bit of time? Art takes at least 3/4/5 hours a week on top of lessons for portfolio I'd say, but many schools let pupils into art rooms every break and lunchtime and after school most days.

And computing is now programming rather than IT skills, so not sure how helpful that would be in terms of cadcam etc?

Neither of my two did or are doing history or geography. Dd wishes she’d done Geography instead of French as a French was her lowest grade but it confers no disadvantage.

Thanks, yes we know Ebacc isn't an issue. D'S enjoys the programming side of computing.

Composition doesn't involve much extra time as it is all done on software (usually Sibelius) which you are unlikely to have at home, so probably just a few extra lunchtimes or an occasional hour after school towards the time it's due to be finished, otherwise will probably all be done in lesson time. The main extra time music requires is for practising and learning pieces for the performance element, but they will (hopefully) be doing this already, and can choose to play one of their grade exam pieces for the solo.

Surely he doesn’t need music so you are chasing a 9 at the expense of History or Geography. Hiwever, as it’s Design he wants to do, I don’t suppose anyone will care. The universities won’t be looking at his GCSEs in all likelihood. If he’s really bright he doesn’t have a good spread without a humanity and clearly music won’t challenge him plus it’s not necessary. Given his career choice, it’s of little consequence.

Anyone with an ipad can get some greatmusic composition software for that, I think ds uses notion, not sure what dd used on her Surface (we do also have Sibelius and Logic Pro however. But the majority does have to be done in school as the teacher has to sign off that it's all the student's own work.

I think it's a bit harsh to say he's 'chasing a 9', he's just doing the things he likes best. His predicted grades are the same for all subjects.

It's also harsh to say that music won't challenge him. The syllabus requires students to be able to perform at around G4/5 level by the end of Y11, so having this skill/knowledge doesn't make it an easy choice, it's a pre-requisite for the course. It's unusual in this respect. Is it the only GCSE that more or less expects that students will have had paid for lessons outside school?

I would say PE and Dance are also like this- expect a standard of performance that most children haven't a hope of achieving through school input alone (unless you're in a really competitive school, theyre unlikely to have sports teams of the required level in the state sector).
G4 for GCSE is fairly achievable for children that began playing at primary school, but fitting in required practice in an instrument begun in secondary school could be tricky. Depends on how musical they genuinely are I suppose.

My dd stopped all humanities at the end of y8, opting for 2 languages instead. She dropped French at end of y9 and is now y10 doing GCSE's.

Compulsory: Music, Maths, Eng x2, Comb Sci x2,
Options: German, Art. So 8 in total.

She is enjoying Art and so far her coursework is averaging an 8.
The music side is already sorted though, and predicted 8/9

I think she is happy with her options as the creative subjects will gain her better results than the academic.

bsc I forgot PE and dance. Yes, definitely dance would involve lessons outside school, and PE possibly, though I know a couple of friends of dd whose sports were school ones, but still involved after school clubs, competitions, etc.

He will have a humanity by doing RS, just because it isn’t a humanity counted for the eBacc doesn’t stop it being one. If he isn’t particularly interested in Geog or History and is good at Art and Music and enjoys them then do them. I’d be more concerned that triple science isn’t offered for those who are keen on science. If the school has a sixth form that most progress to then they will teach A level starting from double but not so easy if going to a sixth form where everyone else has done triple.

The school has circa 500 students in the sixth form. It is incredibly rare for anyone to opt for another school, although lots join from elsewhere.

OP your plan is fine. My DS is not an artist but is doing music and computing (now much better now it is coding linked rather than playing with Office) and two MFL and neither history nor geography. I’d be more worried about the lack of triple science and compulsion to RS frankly. Suggests school priorities are really off course.

I would suggest a modern foreign language and history and geography for a balanced set of exams and that would traditionally be the standard GCSE set too, Some of mine did music (none did RS) in addition.