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Secondary education

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Original poster

Please critique these GCSE option choices

39 replies

PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 08:16

Recently had options evening at school. Dd is thinking of:
Geography, Art, Creative media ( btech) and psychology.

Not sure about creative media..is too much coursework with art?

Is it too artsy overall?

Thanks for any replies

OP posts:
MrsElijahMikaelson1 · 09/11/2022 08:20

Art GCSE is very Labour intensive and a lot of work outside school. If the Creative media is the same then your DD may struggle with lack of time. What do the school and her teachers say?

MrsMontyD · 09/11/2022 08:23

Does she know else she wants to do next?

I don't know about creative media but dd found that the coursework heaviness of art and design sort of balanced out by the lack of an exam that needs revision.

MrsPnut · 09/11/2022 08:23

It depends on how much your child loves creating. Mine did GCSE Art and Photography so we were in the "is this too much coursework?" camp but she loved being in the art department. She ended up with 9's for both subjects and is doing A level art now.

MrsMontyD · 09/11/2022 08:26

MrsPnut · 09/11/2022 08:23

It depends on how much your child loves creating. Mine did GCSE Art and Photography so we were in the "is this too much coursework?" camp but she loved being in the art department. She ended up with 9's for both subjects and is doing A level art now.

I agree, DD loves art and creative subjects and enjoyed being in the art room after school, and does a lot of drawing and painting in the evenings anyway, so it took a lot of time but she enjoyed it. She went into do it at A'Level and now College.

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 08:37

Dd wants to be a dance teacher, but we want to try and keep some breadth...I think she would enjoy both and they work well together, but does it narrow it down too much and is it too much..the art teacher said 2 hours outside school a week...but I suspect it would be more than that

OP posts:
nobird · 09/11/2022 08:42

If she’s happy with her choices that’s all that matters.

SomePosters · 09/11/2022 08:46

You need to step back and let you daughter make her life choices

it will be good practice for when you don’t have a choice

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 08:58

SomePosters · 09/11/2022 08:46

You need to step back and let you daughter make her life choices

it will be good practice for when you don’t have a choice

Thanks for your helpful input. Ultimately its her choice and she knows that. However wishing to guide her and discuss it with her is not a bad thing.

OP posts:
sheepdogdelight · 09/11/2022 08:59

I take it Dance isn't an option?

My DD took Art and Drama so 2 coursework heavy courses. There is a lot of coursework in Art and Creative media, but if you can keep on top of it, it should be manageable. I think the BTECH is also more structured that the GCSE so hopefully it will be less "last minute panic to complete portfolio!"

sheepdogdelight · 09/11/2022 09:04

To pick up on your previous post - DD was also recommended to do 2 hours each week for art. I'd say that averaged out, that's probably roughly what she did although she worked a lot more in fits and starts (so none out side of school some weeks and 8 hours other weeks). (She got a 9). You also need to consider what type of art she wants to specialise in - DD specialised in fine art and textiles, and did a lot of sewing whilst listening to music/sort-of watching TV at home. If your DC wants specialist equipment and needs the school art room, she would have to be more disciplined about regular time.

A lot of the GCSE Art mark is also about the portfolio - that's well worth being disciplined and keeping on top of in a consistent way. DD did most of hers over the Easter holidays, which was a cause of a lot of stress (for me, as I was worried she wasn't revising other subjects).

JanglyBeads · 09/11/2022 09:06

We also need to know what she'll be doing in addition to her options - what's compulsory for her? This varies from school to school (and within schools eg Trilogy Science or Combined)

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 09:08

So she has to do eng lang, eng lit, maths, science ( combined or single decided later on)

OP posts:
Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 09:11

Oh and has to do either history or geography but could do both

OP posts:
PickySlackTastic · 09/11/2022 09:15

Why do you want to keep some breadth? I was delighted when my daughter got to year 10 and could focus on subjects she enjoyed and was good at.

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 09:18

@PickySlackTastic good question! Because I have it in my head that she may shut down some unknown option!!

OP posts:
QuebecBagnet · 09/11/2022 09:20

Dd did art, photography and graphic design GCSEs and got good grades in all her GCSEs. If your dc is organised, passionate and motivated it is doable.

EweCee · 09/11/2022 09:23

With Geography, Art and Psychology she'd be a good candidate for Landscape Architecture as a career!

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 09:25

Dd is extremely organised..unlike me!

OP posts:
Tonty · 09/11/2022 09:44

SomePosters · 09/11/2022 08:46

You need to step back and let you daughter make her life choices

it will be good practice for when you don’t have a choice

Why do people post nonsense like this? It's called Parenting. Parenting includes supporting your dc and advising them, especially at crucial points of their lives e.g education ensuring they are armed with all the correct information and understand the difference between choosing one subject or the other and how it might open doors or limit choices in the future. They need all this to make the best decision. That's why MN is so popular. Not sitting back and folding your arms watching them stumbling about! because, 'it's good practice for when you don't have a choice', (whatever that means), they'll learn!. Perhaps that's the type of 'hands off' parenting you had, I call that poor parenting and neglect.

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 09:51

@Tonty thank you. Its been a long time since I did my O levels and i feel a bit out of my depth! I am not making the decision her..but I do want her decision to be informed.

OP posts:
PickySlackTastic · 09/11/2022 10:11

@Tonty Your argument makes sense in most contexts, but not with regard to GCSE choices. I think most people who have replied to the OPs post are aware that GCSE options rarely have an impact on future life choices. There are obviously a few exceptions to this, but teachers and schools will have made children well aware of these.

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 10:34

@PickySlackTastic yes the school has stated that choices made have no impact at all on anything.......in fact just told them to pick what their friends are doing and what they think will be an easy ride

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 09/11/2022 10:35

@PeacewithinLily This might sound a silly question....but why isn't she doing GCSE dance if she wants to be a dance teacher?

Original poster
PeacewithinLily · 09/11/2022 10:38

Needmorelego · 09/11/2022 10:35

@PeacewithinLily This might sound a silly question....but why isn't she doing GCSE dance if she wants to be a dance teacher?

It's not silly. Because she does it outside of school is the main answer

OP posts:
Needmorelego · 09/11/2022 11:20

@PeacewithinLily does her out of school dance get her a recognised qualification? If yes then not doing the GCSE makes sense.
I think out of school dance + art + creative media might be a bit much. Shame. Because I think they all so sound good to do.
(Personally I can't dance so wouldn't have chosen GCSE dance but I am still a bit bitter - 30 years later - that we could only do one 'art' subject and one humanities subject but it was compulsory to do science and a language which I had zero interest in 😕)