GCSE options help

[AnnPerkins]

DS is in year 9 and currently considering his GCSE options. The school has identified him as high attaining in maths, English and science and we were invited to an HA info evening last month.

DS will more than likely go to university or do a degree apprenticeship, although he doesn't know what he wants to study yet, he just knows he likes science. DH and I didn't go to university or do A levels (we did O levels and CSEs in our day) so we are relying on good advice from the school.

I wanted to query a couple of things they said at the info evening. Firstly, that universities won't take a GCSE retake result into account, they only look at the original result. And also that universities expect students to take a language GCSE.

Are either/both of these true? DS is currently doing French and doing well but he wants to drop it and we don't want him to struggle with any subjects he doesn't enjoy. And saying that retakes aren't taken into consideration by universities obviously increases pressure on students.

We were a bit disturbed by the overall tone of the info evening, it seemed quite pushy and there was no mention of how they support students against the pressure. We want to help DS make the best decisions for his future but I'm not sure we're getting the best advice from the school.

I think the language option is probably if looking at Cambridge/Oxford etc. Others perhaps not so and if HA in maths/science is he more likely to go this route in uni than language/arts.
I would go with subjects he enjoys and is good at as he has to study them. If has a good spread shouldn't stop options at Alevel which would then lead to Uni.
Try not to focus on Uni as that will all come when doing Alevels.

Some will not like resits, and you have to declare results for all those taken. They also may prefer eight to be taken together. Afaik UCL is the only uk uni which expects mfl gcse or requires one to be taken as a course alongside the degree. However many schools still follow the ebacc balance of subjects which would include mfl.

To be honest I was surprised the school allows them to drop all languages so early. But French is definitely not DS's strongest subject so I'm happy for him to drop it if it's not going to affect his prospects.

Thank you both for your advice

I wanted to query a couple of things they said at the info evening. Firstly, that universities won't take a GCSE retake result into account, they only look at the original result. And also that universities expect students to take a language GCSE.
"Universities" is a very broad term here. All else being equal between candidates for a top-level highly competitive course then the resit might be discounted, but thousands of students re-sit GCSEs and A-levels every year.

GCSE choice isn't hugely limiting for future options at A-level or degree. But, avoid single-tracking and keep a range of subjects. English and Maths are compulsory, keep a balance of science and humanities. I would not drop a foreign language at GCSE, it will always be useful (particularly if he can convert it to a CEFR later).

There was a recent thread on GCSE choices, and I'm not going to repeat everything that was said there. Do check other threads on the same topic.

We're doing Y9 options too right now.
Most kids are being pushed into doing an E-Bac set of subjects - so (English, Maths, Science), a language, a humanity, and 2 totally free choices.

I dont know about resits not counting, but I know you need to declare previous results.

Schools can push the ebacc line quite hard and leave students thinking they must do a language. It means I cover classes like the one I did yesterday where several students were hating doing a MFL GCSE and really struggling with it. DD is y11 and does do a language as she's aiming for Cambridge and was advised that it was the best choice for her (plus, she really enjoys the subject so would have done it anyway). But they made it clear that only one university actually insisted upon it and it's one of the London ones. This may have changed but it certainly wasn't mandatory for 99% of universities.

No OP he doesn't need to take an MFL GCSE to get to uni. The only uni that has asked for it is UCL and it even allowed students without it to take a language course. Think they may even have stopped requiring that tbh.

Oxford and Cambridge do not require MFL GCSE. If he would get a low grade then better to take something he will enjoy and do well in.

DS2's year had to take MFL at their school and a lot of his mates have a 3/4 in Spanish sitting among a load of 6-7-8 grades. Not ideal.

I am an MFL specialist btw and would not relish a class full of GCSE students who had been forced to take it (not obligatory at my school).

You have to declare all grades inc resits, but unis will certainly accept a resit grade in maths or English. If a student was resitting either, it's unlikely that they would be aiming for the most popular unis anyway, I would imagine.

From previous threads

• I think it was only UCL (certainly a London place) that even half cared about a language, and they didn't require a GCSE, just that if you didn't have it you'd have to do a language course alongside or something
• If he's high attaining in maths & English you won't need to worry about retakes

If he is going down a STEM route I don't think anyone will care about whether or not he has a language GCSE.

Schools are measured on EBacc and select combinations for Progress 8. But that's not your problem.

Yes indeed thanks @TeenDivided I meant to say that he is surely unlikely to be resitting maths or English (the only usual resits) if he is high attaining so I wouldn't worry about that @AnnPerkins

Thanks everyone, this is all very helpful. I'll have a read through the other threads too. He has a few weeks before he has to submit his choices.