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Secondary education

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Original poster

GCSE options - History AND geography or

44 replies

winterrabbit · 10/02/2022 00:10

Trying to decide options for DS1 who is in year 9. He is bright and sporty but also lazy/unmotivated. He'll be doing triple science, French, Geography and either History or PE. He can't decide between History & PE as his 3rd choice and I am not sure what to advise him. He used to love History but has gone off it a bit in year 9 owing to the teacher plus I am worried it will be too much work alongside Geography and that one of the options should be a bit lighter such as PE. He is sporty and does sports to a competitive level outside of school and will do well in PE but is PE taken seriously as an option?

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 10/02/2022 00:19

Assuming he's doing maths and 2xenglish, the ones he's decided on are a good range of 'academic' subjects so assuming he's not weak on any of those, his 9th doesn't have to be 'taken seriously'. Though I'm not sure anyone particularly distinguishes between gcse subjects except if they're relevant to subsequent choices. I'd have thought PE would be fine, and make for a nice balance.

SilkySusan · 10/02/2022 00:30

A practical subject at GCSE does make a nice balance - but history is also a great A-level option which fits into any arts / humanities combo - and not taking it at GCSE almost inevitably closes the door to that.

Is there no chance he'd want to pursue it later on? It's a popular A-level for wannabe lawyers, journalists, English grads, PPE students etc etc

iwantavuvezela · 10/02/2022 00:34

my maths, science, physics (and drama)loving daughter told me she wished she had chosen PE over history - with your sons choices I would let him decide between history or PE - his other subjects are already a good range and it helps to have a few subjects that are more "fun" as there is a lot of learning involved for GSCE's

Original poster
winterrabbit · 10/02/2022 00:38

Thank you both. I would be happy to let him decide but he can't make up his mind and wants me to tell him what to do! I think he will actually be doing 10 GCSEs (Eng X 2, maths, triple science, RE, French, Geography and one other. So maybe it won't matter if less academic? I just think he would love studying History although I am probably biased as I loved it but I am reading that it is a lot of work and material to cover which may not work for him as he's pretty lazy and often behind with his work. The other option would be to do History instead of Geography but his marks are far better in Geography and he finds it quite an easy subject to do well in so seems silly not to take it.

OP posts:
ErrolTheDragon · 10/02/2022 00:49

So maybe it won't matter if less academic?

Pretty much definitely won't.

Original poster
winterrabbit · 10/02/2022 00:57

Do you have to do GSCE History in order to study it at A-level? I reckon DS1 will want to do Maths and French A-levels but not sure what for the 3rd, possibly Geography or a Science. If he did want to do History would that be ruled out>

OP posts:
Tiana4 · 10/02/2022 01:25

Pick a practical fun subject
PE would be great
Don't do history as well as geography and all those other e academic subjects 9-
10 GCSEs is a lot without a more relaxed practical subject - art, D$T, media, music, cooking, drama or PE

It won't make any difference to his future at all but it will right now

History is a heavy subject with lots of info learning so together with geography on top of all the other academic subjects I too think it'd be unnecessarily too much & if he equally likes PE that variety will be better for him

TeenPlusCat · 10/02/2022 07:03

For a 'lazy' child, I'd think PE might be better as less revision at the end...

daisypond · 10/02/2022 07:08

PE is fine.

RampantIvy · 10/02/2022 07:09

PE is much more academic than people think. Yes, it involves playing a sport, but it includes some biology and essay writing as well.

When DD was choosing her options she was given a booklet which summarised what was involved in each subject. The first sentence under PE was "don't choose PE if you hate writing essays" Grin

OnTheBenchOfDoom · 10/02/2022 07:22

Definitely not History and Geography together. I cannot comment on Geography but Ds2 is year 11 and both he and Ds1 chose History. It is a large workload in terms of content.

They actually started it at the end of year 9 so that they can fit it all in and you have said your son is lazy/unmotivated so it would probably feel like a slog if he doesn't love it.

Re marks always try to combine high marks with love of a subject, at the end of the day this is about numbers on a piece of paper, they need to play to their strengths.

Ladywoodster · 10/02/2022 07:26

@winterrabbit

Do you have to do GSCE History in order to study it at A-level? I reckon DS1 will want to do Maths and French A-levels but not sure what for the 3rd, possibly Geography or a Science. If he did want to do History would that be ruled out>
At most schools, yes. You can check what your school's policy is if you look at their 6th form prospectus which will be somewhere on their website. Speak to staff too. In our experience History is a lot of factual knowledge and very heavy on the revision. As he's doing RS as well as Geography perhaps there is no benefit for a third humanity.
OurWorldIsChanging · 10/02/2022 07:33

Don't write of PE as easy, Btech is a bit easier but PE is hard. Best to ask his teacher, to do PE you need to be a good standard at three sports one team, one individual and one either/or. If he doesn't play a team sport outside of school it can be tricky. A good point of PE is that it really helps with biology.

RedskyThisNight · 10/02/2022 07:59

If he's doing 10 overall, I'd definitely push towards PE as a more practical subject.
History has a lot of content. Possibly it's the most content heavy GCSE.

sofakingcool · 10/02/2022 08:02

@RampantIvy

PE is much more academic than people think. Yes, it involves playing a sport, but it includes some biology and essay writing as well.

When DD was choosing her options she was given a booklet which summarised what was involved in each subject. The first sentence under PE was "don't choose PE if you hate writing essays" Grin

Absolutely agree with this! DS did GCSE PE and found there was a lot of essays and revision involved. I've heard of lots of children who take it as they think it's just sports lessons, it really isn't, if I remember rightly at least half of his lessons were classroom (theory) based
LaMagdalena · 10/02/2022 08:03

@winterrabbit

Do you have to do GSCE History in order to study it at A-level? I reckon DS1 will want to do Maths and French A-levels but not sure what for the 3rd, possibly Geography or a Science. If he did want to do History would that be ruled out>
I did A Level History without having done the GCSE and got an A (this was over 10 years ago though). It probably depends on the school as to whether he would be allowed.
sofakingcool · 10/02/2022 08:03

Forgot to add - DS did Geography and History, he found History hard work with lots of essays. He's now doing A Level Geography at college

labyrinthlaziness · 10/02/2022 08:05

I would be happy to let him decide but he can't make up his mind and wants me to tell him what to do!

Refuse. It is a really bad idea for you to take this leve of responsibility for a child of that age.

Explain to him neither choice will matter terribly as he can go on to do anything with either, it is important for children to practice decision-making and practice making mistakes too.

labyrinthlaziness · 10/02/2022 08:06

At most schools, yes. You can check what your school's policy is if you look at their 6th form prospectus which will be somewhere on their website. Speak to staff too.

This has not been my experience with my children, they needed a good grade in RE but were able to switch.

BorisBooster · 10/02/2022 08:07

I wouldn't say that PE is an easy option.
DS took it at GCSE & A level.
Along with history and Geography at GCSE -no MFL
Now studying History at University

LlamaLucy · 10/02/2022 08:08

Sounds like a heavy workload with a lot of serious GCSEs, for someone who is sometimes lazy. PE might be a welcome break, where he regains motivation to get through all that science!

PE can look great on a CV - especially for competitive industries. It also shows teamwork, and he may get lots of opportunities through PE to gain valuable experience teaching, volunteering or competing. On the other hand, for management positions, any coaching qualifications or experience he gains through the PE department is very well received, too.

I vote PE!

pikapikapukachu · 10/02/2022 08:08

@winterrabbit

Do you have to do GSCE History in order to study it at A-level? I reckon DS1 will want to do Maths and French A-levels but not sure what for the 3rd, possibly Geography or a Science. If he did want to do History would that be ruled out>
It was many years ago but I did history a level without having done the GCSE.
BorisBooster · 10/02/2022 08:10

With GCSE you have 3 sports to manage plus providing evidence which includes filming of their sports. Quite patent intensive if their sports are out of school setting - I.e rowing , snow sports and even rugby if not being played at state school.

mumonthehill · 10/02/2022 08:10

Ds doing PE gcse and it is quite science based and only 50% of lessons are actually doing sport the rest are in the classroom. In his school PE gives you 2 GCSEs a PE one and a coaching one so worth thinking about. He is also doing history and geography!

BorisBooster · 10/02/2022 08:10

Parent intensive ! *

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