Number of GCSEs

[shamoola]

My son is choosing his options and he seems to have to take so many - I'm not sure it's normal. He goes to a inner city comp which is not particularly academic but he has to do:
Maths, English X2, RS then he is likely to do triple science. He then has to chose 4 options and he has picked Mandarin, DT, Geography and Computer Science.

It seems like a good range - but ends up being 11 GCSEs. Is that not too many? I'm not sure we can do anything about it but it may mean he swaps his computer science for a Btec.
What do you think?

My DD did ICT in Year 9, and will do another 11 this summer. Seems like a lot, but she’s coping okay.

My dd was the first to sit the reformed exams.

Unless your child took the exams in 2018 or later it is not comparable.

My DDs both did 10 - anyone not doing triple science in their school would do 9.

Having seen how hard they both worked (both pre COVID) I'm glad they didn't have to do any more. DD2 did all new style GCSEs and it was incredibly hard work - in many ways she found it harder than A levels. And oddly enough she is finding her uni work less hard than A levels too, but that may be because it is a single subject she is passionate about.

@HelloDulling

My DD did ICT in Year 9, and will do another 11 this summer. Seems like a lot, but she’s coping okay.

I'm amazed anyone still sits ICT - it's been moribund for a while and I thought it wouid be completely withdrawn by now

My DS1 did 11 GCSE as he was top set doing FM, otherwise most kids did 10.
DS2 will be doing 12 GSCE as RE (short, done in Y10) is compulsory and he is also top set doing FM.
They are at grammar, very selective schools with all academic kids.
For university you only need 8 good GSCEs, not sure what is the need to do 10-12.
Saying this for DS1, I have not really seen him revise and be worried for his GCSE and he got all 9s, one 8. Maybe they were not really too difficult. He does a lot of revision now for A levels.