Year 9 option DT

[Blubell46]

My dd is wondering whether to take DT graphics or DT resistant materials for GCSE and she can't take both. She enjoys resistant materials more however, she feels that DT graphics would open her up to more career options. She also wants to be an architect or engineer of some kind. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thank you😁

There is no separation in curriculum any longer, from my understanding. Your school is not teaching the programme correctly if they are still separating aspects in that manner, likely because they have teachers who can't teach the full curriculum as intended. Do resistant materials which will more adequately prepare them for further study, but you might ask why they're still splitting content in such a manner.

If she wants to be an architect or engineer, resistant materials is certainly more relevant. Graphics is a doss

As an architect, I would say graphics, simply because it will allow her to add to a portfolio when applying to University (as long as the standard is good enough). For architecture I always strongly suggest taking Art GCSE/A Level, for the same reason.

Thank you for your advice- that really helps.

In her school it is split- she goes to a selective school and it maybe the case the teacher can't teacher both.

I have no clue about either b it would like to pursue a career in architecture or engineering.

It seems graphics is the way forward, is this a hard subject?

It may be different if you are outside England, but the GCSEs your dd is interested in have been combined to form Product Design.
In general I would say that if she is interested in making products DT is the way to go for GCSE and if she likes Designing then Art would be a better option.
dd took Product Design at GCSE and then was able to specialise in Graphics at A level. Either Art or DT would be acceptable to progress to A level study.

If they want to be an engineer I would suggest more 'traditional' GCSEs would be more useful; maths, english, 3 separate sciences, history, geography. If she has a spare choice left over do DT but I wouldn't choose it as a 'core GCSE'. For A Levels she'll want to do maths / further maths, physics, chemistry / biology.
Unless she wants to be a CAD drawer I can't think graphics will be of much use..
I would have thought for architecture you need to look towards maths and art. If she knows what she wants to do I would check university course entry requirements. But I think children 'specialise' too young these days and you're better sticking to core subjects for GCSE as it gives you more rather than less university options.

@angrysquirrel73 thank you.

Her core is: maths, English lit, English Lang., triple science and a language ( she has chosen Spanish)

Her remaining choices are geography, RE and a choice of DT. She can't decide between resistant and graphics

Both graphics and resistant materials sound fun. If she's interested in Architecture she's not doing Art GCSE?

@angrysquirrel73 , surprisingly not...she is not that bad at it but thinks it is hard to do well . Plus she has always loved DT in some form.

I was just surprised she had the to option of one or another ...hence the not knowing.

Thank you