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Secondary education

Connect with other parents whose children are starting secondary school on this forum.

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Original poster

GCSE options for Russel Group Uni

23 replies

beaufies · 22/03/2023 20:59

We are finalising DSs GCSE options and are in a quandary so hoping you wise ladies can help 😬

He has 9 options to fill, and all are decided apart from option 9 - his choice is Spanish, Geography or Music. His likely grades in all the others are 7+ but in Spanish it is more likely to be 5/6. The school are encouraging him to do Spanish, saying his competition for the most competitive courses will have one or even two languages.

My question is if it really is that important, even when it means he is likely to get a lower grade in this than he would in the alternatives? It is also his least favourite of the three options.

The follow on question is given he can only sit 9, would taking music be seen as a ‘soft’ option? (He is also doing piano and drum instrument grades)

He is likely to be doing STEM subjects at A Level and at Uni so no need for a language as such.

Your thoughts and advice would be most welcome. Thank you 😊

OP posts:

redskylight · 22/03/2023 21:04

Take the subject that he prefers.

Unless he wants to study MFL at university, it will not be a disadvantage not to have a language.

however, one lower grade is unlikely to make a difference to university offers.

Music is not a soft option. And performing is only one part of the GCSE.

(I'm assuming his other 8 choices include maths, English, Science and a range of subjects).

Leggingslife · 22/03/2023 21:13

Ebacc, the academic package, needs to include a language.

redskylight · 22/03/2023 21:15

EBacc is irrelevant for everything except school reporting though.

Eddermarmay · 22/03/2023 21:18

I don't know how many times it can be said on here, but you do NOT need a language for university - unless you want to study one! School is talking rubbish and likely interested in their Ebacc figures.
He should do what he likes best. Music is emphatically not a soft option. Has he got another Humanity?

peppermum60 · 22/03/2023 21:19

Music is not a "soft" option. He should choose the subject he prefers or enjoys most, is good at and which gives him the broadest scope for choosing A levels in due course

Zonder · 22/03/2023 21:21

Has he said he wants to do STEM? I'd encourage him to go for whatever subject he enjoys most.

Verylongtime · 22/03/2023 21:24

Music is not a soft option. Not having a language at GCSE makes no difference.

Mimosa08 · 22/03/2023 21:32

Ds1 is at an RG University
They don't look more kindly on MFL at all (unless you are doing an MFL degree..)
I will give the same advice I gave to ds1;
Pick subjects you like that you will get a decent grade in
Bear in mind the school will be pushing the EBacc for their own stats/reporting

Mimosa08 · 22/03/2023 21:33

Stem?
Then geography definitely
Ds1 did it at gcse then at a level
It will have overlaps with physics and maths (physical geography)

clary · 22/03/2023 22:09

As everyone else (almost!) says - no need to take MFL unless you want to and want to study it further.

Ebacc is just for the school's benefit; no university asks for MFL; take the subjects he enjoys. Geography is better for science interests than Spanish or music. But if he likes music then deffo not soft. DD took music and found it v hard. Esp the composition.

carriedout · 22/03/2023 22:11

It will make no difference. Let him make a free choice.

SeasonFinale · 22/03/2023 22:13

I can't believe schools are still trotting out this MFL for uni applications and EBacc bollocks

cptartapp · 22/03/2023 22:18

Neither DS did a MFL/EBacc. They got ten RG uni offers between them.

puffyisgood · 22/03/2023 22:29

it doesn't really matter (subject choice that is, grades obviously do), I'd personally quite like a language but if the expected grade there is lower then it's a very easy swerve, should absolutely do a subject he's stronger in.

lv884 · 22/03/2023 23:06

Teacher here. Tell him to take the subjects he enjoys most and is best at. His prior success will motivate him to excel further and he won’t get bogged down in disproportionately revising for a subject he struggles with. All of these subjects are potentially great choices and ‘academic’, if that was his concern. Good luck to him.

Original poster

beaufies · 23/03/2023 12:02

Thank you all, your comments are confirming my own instincts.

His other confirmed options are Maths, English x 2, Science x 3, History and RS.

His preference for that 9th spot would be Music, then Geography and then Spanish. His likely grades are 7+ in the first two, but he would find it easier to do Music as it comes very easy to him. We were just concerned that as he will have at least Grade 5 piano and drums by the end of GCSEs whether the 'music box' was already ticked and he would be better adding another discipline.

I notice a number of you refer to the EBacc - this has never been mentioned and is not a 'thing' at his school, or not outwardly, so would this be having any impact on the school's advice?

Thank you again for taking the time to share your thoughts 😊

OP posts:

lv884 · 23/03/2023 13:55

History ticks the humanity box as Geography would - not that he needs to tick boxes, of course, in terms of his option subjects. Equally, many choose to do both as they are interested in both (as I was many years ago) which is also great. It’s really with A levels that the combination of subjects needs more careful thought.

Sunnysunbun · 23/03/2023 14:05

My DS Has offers from Exeter, Leeds, Southampton and Manchester. HE didn’t do any languages and did Art and DT at GCSE. I’m not sure what the obsession is with RG universities. Let him do what he enjoys.

Riverlee · 23/03/2023 20:00

We were advised to work backwards. Does your dc know what he wants to do long term? Ie. If a vet, then look at a couple of uni prospectuses to see what a-levels are needed, and then choose the appropriate GCSEs.

If unsure, then choose a broad spectrum of subjects.

Lastly, for some subjects, non Russell group unis offer the best course, so don’t be blindsided by the Russell universities hype.

aslkde · 23/03/2023 20:19

Most kids don't know what they want to do at uni / for a job.

He has to do science, maths , English, he has chosen a humanity. It really doesn't matter what he chooses as his 9th subject. He should choose what he likes.

Meredusoleil · 23/03/2023 21:27

Sounds like he would be best off choosing Music to me.

Zonder · 24/03/2023 08:12

Meredusoleil · 23/03/2023 21:27

Sounds like he would be best off choosing Music to me.

This. My eldest is at a selective 6th form and they don't even look at the 9th GCSE. Or the 10th! They just ask for English and Maths grades then the highest 6 remaining grades.

redskylight · 24/03/2023 09:24

Given your update, he should absolutely do Music.
The GCSE is about more than performing (in fact I think performing was only 30% on the board my DS took) - it also involves composing and wider understanding and appreciation of music. I'd also suggest that as his other choices are heavily academic, he might find taking Music a little bit of (slightly light relief).

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