How important is language GCSE?

[sheeplikessleep]

DS is Y8 and choosing his options (feels way too early, but anyways).

He is very keen to do geography and food tech as his definites.

He's also interested in history, business studies (we've been told lots of children want to, but not many places, so kind of disregarded this - and he can opt into this A-levels if still interested) and photography.

I'm keen he continues with spanish. He doesn't hate it, but doesn't enjoy it very much.

We also had a parents evening this week where his history teacher said he's doing very well and is keen for him to take it as a GCSE. His spanish teacher said he should achieve a good grade, but not quite as enthusiastic as his history teacher!

I'd prefer he takes Geography, Spanish, Food tech and photography in terms of balance. He'd prefer Geography, History, Food tech and photography. He's pretty much a mix of achieving expecteds / goods in terms of performance.

Any thoughts please? Thank you.

As DD1 is a linguist I know what I would do however DC want the best results don’t they? It’s always languages that get pushed aside and DC don’t really bother to work hard at them. Food tech and photography sound nice and easy to me. Two fun subjects but if he will achieve highly, why not? You can’t make him like Spanish can you? Why doesn’t he do Art? Photography is easy to do at A level without the gcse.

Thanks PresentingPercy. He really isn't into art at all, but loves photography and images, hence why he thinks photography would be good.

He's always been into cooking and food, so I can see why he is drawn to that as well.

I'm pushing spanish, because of the fact that I think food will be 'easier' (I'm not sure photography will be - a lot of essay based writing and analytical writing and technicality side of it).

Thanks for posting

Dd hasn't picked a language.
She hates French and her must do favourite subjects and the blocks they were in meant she only had French as an option.
She was going to do Latin but there were not enough takers.

@peasinmysoup

Dd hasn't picked a language. She hates French and her must do favourite subjects and the blocks they were in meant she only had French as an option. She was going to do Latin but there were not enough takers.

Thanks peasinmysoup. I keep reading that language isn't necessary. But then I also read geography and history combined are quite full on as both are content heavy.

Wish I didn't overthink these things!

They have to do one at DDs school, they say it helps with college and uni applications. No idea if it’s true though

So the choice is History or Spanish?

Taking a language is not necessary.
History is very content heavy. However this would be balanced out by taking 2 GCSEs with more practical content. I don't think the overall set (assuming he also has Maths, English, Science) should be too bad.

I'd encourage him to take the subject he prefers.

DD is taking both Spanish and history. She finds Spanish harder than history and also quite content heavy. She thinks he should take history :) [Disclaimer - DD loves history so may be biased]

@sheeplikessleep

DS is Y8 and choosing his options (feels way too early, but anyways).

He is very keen to do geography and food tech as his definites.

He's also interested in history, business studies (we've been told lots of children want to, but not many places, so kind of disregarded this - and he can opt into this A-levels if still interested) and photography.

I'm keen he continues with spanish. He doesn't hate it, but doesn't enjoy it very much.

We also had a parents evening this week where his history teacher said he's doing very well and is keen for him to take it as a GCSE. His spanish teacher said he should achieve a good grade, but not quite as enthusiastic as his history teacher!

I'd prefer he takes Geography, Spanish, Food tech and photography in terms of balance. He'd prefer Geography, History, Food tech and photography. He's pretty much a mix of achieving expecteds / goods in terms of performance.

Any thoughts please? Thank you.

I'm keen he continues with spanish

I'd prefer he takes...

You're not at school - he is. He's the one who is going to have to do the work - let him choose.

My DD2 did Photography A level and its great. She did not do the gcse as her former school did not offer it.

I actually think dc are more likely to say they hate a language more than any other subject. It is a British problem. Everoyne else manages to learn that ultra hard language called English but British kids are doing fewer and fewer MFL exams. Such a great shame.

None of the universities my DC looked at asked for a language except for language degrees. They didn't do a language at GCSE so obviously not A levels either.

There are one or two Universities who insist on a MFL at GCSE for all Undergraduates - UCL does and I have in the back of my mind that Edinburgh might but I could have made that bit up! But there are ways around it, and of course the majority of Universities aren't bothered so it isn't crucial. I think as a general rule, provided there's a reasonable mix, it is best to opt for the subjects that they are likely to gain the best grades in.
Our school insists on virtually all pupils doing the EBacc subjects now which I have mixed feelings about. My youngest is doing French, and he will do ok, but I think he would have dropped languages given the option, and he woukd have been more likely to get higher grades in other subjects. But onn the other hand I think we force children to narrow down too early in this country and insisting on a broad based selection of GCSEs is not a bad thing really. (Quite agree with you about picking GCSEs in year 8 by the way - its far too early. Year 9 felt too soon to me, but year 8 definitely is. )
Does he have any idea what he wants to do longer term? That may sway the decision, though again, he is so young that it seems unreasonable to expect him to know that yet. I was just thinking when you mentioned his interest in food that if he us interested in a career in hospitality then a language might be helpful?
Incidentally, my DD did Catering GCSE. I'm not sure how that compares to Food Tech but it was very interesting and definitely not an easy option. I was a bit doubtful when she mentioned it but when I looked at the syllabus I changed my mind. It proved very useful when she was a student too actually. She worked part time in several cafes and restaurants and because she had better knowledge and understanding of the business, and her food hygiene certificate, she wasn't just stuck collecting glasses and washing dishes like most of the other students.

There is no need for him to do a language. Especially if he doesn't really enjoy it.

Geog and history are both content heavy. The arty subjects tend to be quite time consuming. Putting a portfolio together is hard.

But it sounds as though he has a good spread of subjects, and ultimately it is important that he enjoys what he picks.

My DC did Geography and History alongside the Science trilogy and Art plus the standard subjects. It was a hell of a lot of work, they regretted doing Art because of it.

I think it will be more useful for him to choose history if that's where his interests are since he'll be more likely to use it later. I did languages at gcse because we had to, but I wasn't very good at it and I didn't enjoy it at all. I have also never used the languages again since leaving school and don't remember anything apart from how much I struggled to learn a language compared with every other subject I was studying. It's hard to learn something as difficult as a language if the motivation and drive isn't there so if he doesn't want to do it, he's not going to be focused enough to learn the language well enough to be able to use it in real life so there's no point.

History and Spanish are both good solid subjects. Personally I would suggest doing both and dropping photography but if he's set on photography then whichever he refers of the other two, and it sounds as if he's likely to get a better grade in history.

Well I thought it wasnt very important at all until I had to help DS with his French schoolwork this week!

No uni requires MFL GCSE. If you want to go to UCL and don't have one, you have to do a language course.

MFL is my subject and I love it (obvs) but if a student is not keen and will not do so well, something else may be a better option. His choices sound fine to me tho I would look at what's involved in photography, I don't imagine it's just about taking pictures.

My dd had to do a MFL and hated it. So did half the other kids who had to do it. We were told by the school that they're now thinking of dropping the subject from sixth form as there just isn't enough uptake any more.

If he prefers to do something else, let him. I have to agree with the pp who said its his choice, not yours. I know a couple of kids who did subjects their parents chose for them and subsequently blamed them when they ended up struggling by year 11.

Thanks all for posting, really helpful, thank you.

Redskybynight - useful to hear your DD's opinion, thank you!

Mrsavocet - he really enjoys geography, shown some interest in environmental sciences and loves cooking. I'm not sure what that might mean in the future, but equally mindful he is still 13, so want him to keep open minded.

Also reassuring that Universities don't ask for languages other than UCL. It is his choice, totally. I just want to make sure he has a breadth of GCSEs and and I thought at least one language was a given, but it seems not. And I know a lot of schools still stipulate one humanities and one language.

I'm going to look up photography GCSE as well, make sure he knows what is involved. But we have chatted that its more about analysing photograph themes, getting to grips with the technical side etc.

Thanks again, lots of food for thought, thank you!

That's a shame... UK proves just once again it's reputation in the world for not bothering to learn foreign languages. I think it is only fair that certain countries do not duplicate the signs in English. Language is a great skill and can open many new opportunities but most British kids can't be bothered as 'everyone speaks english'. Not...

The idea of a school offering no MFL A level is appalling. We don’t value languages and just stick to our own narrow view of the world. Totally agree that languages open up the mind.