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Original poster

choosing options in year 8

11 replies

jellybeanmum · 02/02/2008 13:49

My dd is choosing her options for gcse this year and only in year 8. My son is year 9 also choosing. New way of the school doing it this year.

She has been chosen to go the triple science route because she is bright but she is not happy as she doesn't like science. This would mean she couldnt do child development which she is desperate to do.

If she goes that way she will only take a BTEC in science and will have to replace history with child development. I want her to be happy in school but would rather she did triple science.

Any advice

Thanks

OP posts:
Hallgerda · 02/02/2008 21:54

My DS is choosing his options in year 8 too - they do seem terribly young for such big decisions, don't they?

Why is your daughter desperate to do child development? Might she be persuaded that science (and history) would get more interesting later on? Or that it would give her more options later? (It might be worth looking at the school's criteria for admissions to A Level courses to investigate that.) What doesn't she like about science? Why does she believe she would like child development better (presumably there is some science involved).

Probably on the whole better to persuade her than veto her choice, if at all possible (but I'd not rule out the latter).

AMumInScotland · 02/02/2008 22:16

I guess it depends how much you think it should be her choice - personally I think people do better at subjects they feel motivated to do because of their own interest. The school have chosen to offer her the triple science route because they think she can cope with the workload, but if it doesn't interest her, will she really apply herself? Why do you want her to do triple science if she doesn't like the subject?

If she is really desperate to do child development, (and not just because she likes the teacher or her best friend will be doing it) I'd allow her the choice. If she decides later on that she'd like a career in science, she'll no doubt be motivated to do it then.

Heated · 02/02/2008 22:17

If she's academically capable imo try to gently persuade her to choose the triple science route as it keeps open lot of options. Not to denigrate the child dev route but I don't believe it has much standing even with the childcare employers since the relevant qualifications are done post 16.

fizzbuzz · 03/02/2008 13:22

Why triple Science? No better than double, doesn't mean anything to any prospective uni's.

I have done options with my various forms three times now. The advice is: Only do triple if you really love Science. Dual award is fine for vetinary science,medical school etc.

There was a thread about this a couple of weeks ago and Martianbishop posted. As a Science teacher she said the same.

If she doesn't like Science why on earth is she going to do triple science. Sounds madness. If she is bright she should be able to choose lots of things she enjoys. Sounds like she has been given very wrong info. Any secondary teacher knows about this!

I think you should let her do CD. Does this lead to an equivalent award to GCSE?

mumeeee · 03/02/2008 17:50

Triple science is better then dounle. It is actually 3 seperate exams. Chemistry< Biology and Physics. Butshe would only need to do this if she was really interest in Science and wanted to do some sort of science based degree. I think year 8 is much to young to be choosing options for GCSE it's hard enough for those in year 9.

Hallgerda · 03/02/2008 20:44

fizzbuzz and mumeeee, I don't think double science is actually on offer to the OP - it's triple science and history or BTEC science and child development.

DITDOT · 03/02/2008 21:05

I find that with the majority of students whose parents have 'pushed' them into certain options, they are not 100% happy.Usually ICT instead of a D&T subject! 2 years is a long time to study a subject they are not happy in. It is difficult if they do not know what they want to do in the long term but most schools can organise a careers interview on request if that would help her. I teach child development and usually teach the mainly higher end of the academic scale as these students have chosen it to be a complete contrast to their core subjects and something they can enjoy and contains lots of different subject areas (biology, physchology, sociology).

Original poster
jellybeanmum · 03/02/2008 23:00

Thank you for all your replies. It is true that if she goes child development route she can then only take BTEC science. Worried that this will leave her short of gcse's to get into uni later if thats what she wants.

Spoke to several other parents at the school and apparently they have come up against the same prob.

Will talk to the head tomorrow and let you all know what we decided.

Thank you

OP posts:
fizzbuzz · 04/02/2008 18:59

Very odd option choice.........

southeastastra · 04/02/2008 19:06

why are they choosing them so early? my ds(14) is in year 9 and doesn't have to choose until march afaik (after mock sat results)

Crystaltipsandalaistar · 05/02/2008 20:51

my son does his year 8 also. It is very young.

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