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Secondary education

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Original poster

Photography gcse

40 replies

Dadzzz · 04/12/2023 09:46

We have the options meeting coming up for DD1, Yr 8, so as yet I don't know how many choices will be available to her.

At the moment she has expressed an interest in food tech, pe and photography. DW did pe gcse so we have a slightly older insight to that. Has anyone had any recent experience with any of these that we can consider once we have more information from the school.

Just to clarify, I don't know what other non optionalal subjects she will have, can only assume maths, triple science, double English, re (c of e school), will be on there which would mean it's possible only 3 or 4 options

OP posts:
sashh · 04/12/2023 10:19

If the school is following the ebacc she might only have one true choice.

ebac is

Maths
English x 2
Science (1 2 or 3 GCSEs a lot of schools only do double)
A humanity (RE doesn't count for this, only geography and history)
A language

You have said RE is compulsory so really that only leaves one option.

It's crap for kids who are better with practical subjects

RampantIvy · 04/12/2023 10:26

PE is more essay writing than you think. DD's school was at pains to point out that just being good at sport is only part of it as you need to write essays as well.

As has been pointed out your DD may not get as many optional subjects as she thinks. Depending on how the school timetables science subjects triple science could take up three subject slots.

At DD's school double science students had four optional subjects and triple science students had three optional slots. This was before the GCSEs had been reformed.

newmum1976 · 04/12/2023 11:01

I have children doing all three of these. Photography is the easiest by far if they are creative, as there is no writing involved.
PE- surprisingly difficult. You need to be very strong at biology to get the high grades.
Food- again the theory is harder than you’d expect.

Great subjects though if your child has a very keen interest in these areas. They shouldn’t be done as “easy” options though.

RampantIvy · 04/12/2023 11:05

Students doing photography needed a decent digital camera, so you have to factor thus expense in.

TeenDivided · 04/12/2023 11:28

PE, Food Tech and photography all have practical elements.
This will lighten the final exam load but may give stress if deadlines for practical bits are close together.

Pieceofpurplesky · 04/12/2023 11:36

newmum1976 · 04/12/2023 11:01

I have children doing all three of these. Photography is the easiest by far if they are creative, as there is no writing involved.
PE- surprisingly difficult. You need to be very strong at biology to get the high grades.
Food- again the theory is harder than you’d expect.

Great subjects though if your child has a very keen interest in these areas. They shouldn’t be done as “easy” options though.

DS had loads of writing - they have to do a research on a photographer and a presentation of their own work.

DS went on to do A Level photography and loved it - it's hard work, like Art, and time consuming but really great for a creative mind

newmum1976 · 04/12/2023 11:46

Maybe it depends on the board, but definitely no writing involved for my child, apart from some annotations. Presentations yes, but these are being done with images and verbally.

Original poster
Dadzzz · 04/12/2023 12:39

We have options evening later this week so hopefully should be able to ask more questions and find out a little more about she can choose. At the moment she is wanting to get into a nutrition type job, possibly animal nutrition. So I can sort of see the logic with 2 of the 3. If she has a good mix and enjoys some of the subjects it might result in more effort put in.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 04/12/2023 17:32

If the options meeting is in year 8 does this mean that the school is doing GCSEs over three years? I thought this was frowned upon now.

MrsWimpy · 04/12/2023 17:40

She may only have 2 choices and they might be timetable limited.

Many schools insist on a language so that's maths, 2x English, 2 (or 3 sciences) and potentially a language.

TizerorFizz · 04/12/2023 17:57

3 practical subjects is high. She should do a humanity and geography is the obvious one with a food interest. Does she need triple science? Many DC don’t. PE is great with Biology. Is she sporty?

My DD did Photography A level without Photography GCSE. She did Art GCSE. Lots of schools don’t insist on a MFL. In my view they should but 9 subjects would be normal. 10 with 3 practical ones is too much and a bit skewed away from academic subjects.

Original poster
Dadzzz · 04/12/2023 18:17

I don't know if they require a humanity or language, if they do I understand what sort of course this might be. Just have no understanding on a photography course.

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 04/12/2023 18:22

Photography is a sub set of Art. At A level it does have a written component. If she’s confident with a camera already, it’s great but it’s also a narrow gcse and obviously has less breadth than Art. Does she have a decent camera and can she use it? If she’s never shown any interest in photography, is it a good choice?

Original poster
Dadzzz · 04/12/2023 18:33

@TizerorFizz thats what I was thinking but if she has to choose an art why not this over any of the others?

OP posts:
TizerorFizz · 04/12/2023 18:47

Well as I said it’s narrow. It’s a sub set of art so not a general subject that breaks down into options as Art does. She just has to decide if she’s keen on photography!

TizerorFizz · 04/12/2023 18:52

I’m trying to say it doesn’t prep anyone for A levels other than photography. Art does because it’s broader. History is good prep
for politics and other a academic subjects are good prep for A levels in their family of subjects. However as I said, if she likes photography, why not? It’s only one subject. With the other practical ones though, the work will mount up. DD did Art and Drama for GCSE and would not have been allowed a third practical subject.

Rainsdropskeepfalling · 04/12/2023 22:20

If it's a choice between art and photography I'd suggest art as it is broader (and a bonus for lots of things - architecture, photography, even at degree levels).

Pieceofpurplesky · 04/12/2023 23:28

I disagree @TizerorFizz DS found the research and independence of GCSE photography great prep for A Levels.

Bobbi730 · 04/12/2023 23:36

My son is doing photography. We got him a cheapish second hand SLR.
The practical is only 40% thought. The rest is written exam. He's also doing food and nutrition which is again about 40/60 split.
He wantrd to do PE but was put off by the 80/20 written to practical ratio and (at his school), they have to be actively involved in a sport at a competitive level.

TizerorFizz · 04/12/2023 23:44

It pretty low level research and writing up, even at A level, isn’t onerous. You just plough through it. Actually some unis won’t accept Photography A level as a qualifying A level for an academic degree.

What you learn about at GCSE isn’t the same in terms of academic study as other academic GCSEs (how can it be?) and doesn’t prepare students for economics or politics, say. It’s definitely enjoyable but other subjects are better prep. DD enjoyed the A level but you don’t need GCSE for A level. The bigger issue is three practical subjects is too many.

Original poster
Dadzzz · 05/12/2023 05:25

@TizerorFizz why do you think 3 practical subjects is too much?

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 05/12/2023 07:22

@Dadzzz practical subjects are very content heavy due to coursework. It was 60% coursework and 40% exam when DD took GCSE art. She used to spend hours at weekends perfecting her portfolio. Times that by three and it is a lot of work over the two years.

TizerorFizz · 05/12/2023 08:25

@Dadzzz Yes. As @RampantIvy says. Most schools limit these subjects to two. As I said DD did drama and art. Two is enough to manage time as they are coursework heavy.

Original poster
Dadzzz · 05/12/2023 09:33

Hadn't considered the time required for that side of things.

OP posts:
RampantIvy · 05/12/2023 13:00

Dadzzz · 05/12/2023 09:33

Hadn't considered the time required for that side of things.

As the options evening is in year 8 does this mean that your DD will start GCSEs in year 9? If she has three years to study for GCSEs then time won't be such a problem. althoug, as I said earlier, I thought three year GCSEs were frowned upon as it is felt that narrowing the curriculum at 13 is too soon.