Number of GCSE’s

[mightyducks]

DS is preparing for his mocks but is just becoming a bit overwhelmed with the amount of revision and content , he’s doing 11 GCSE’s, can’t help feeling it’s too many and 10 or 9 would be ample , is there a correct/ good amount?

personally I think it's too many and places too much stress on young people.

My.son did 5 plus 2 btecs. He is starting his 2nd year at uni

Pretty sure there is not an issue even at Oxford and Cambridge with a student having 8 or 9 GCSEs. Yes 11 top grades would be impressive but I am not sure what evidence you have that "old school" unis like this - as in, are more likely to make an offer to you if you have 11 GCSEs.

@mightyducks 11 is a lot - most schools local to me offer 8-9-10 - but the 10 is usually only those taking triple science in the time when the others take double. Certainly 8 GCSEs is not unusual now. The thought is better 8 good grades than stretched out over 10/11. It's a shame tho as bc of the Ebacc and the cut in numbers taken, a lot of creative subjects – DT, art, drama, food, textiles, music, graphics, PE – are getting squeezed as DC can maybe only pick one from that list.

My DS1 has LD and took eight with an LS option; my other DC took triple so they did 10. All three of them took at least one creative, one humanity and one MFL so they got a decent spread. DS2 was the only one to take GCSEs fully under the new spec tho which was a lot of exams, as anyone with a DC who has done GSCEs lately will know. Best of luck to your DC @mightyducks

11 is impressive - especially if the pupil doesn’t come from a home where multiple languages are spoken.

My dd did 9 (combined science but further maths ) and quickly received offers from all unis that she applied for.

So happy to hear this, one of my children is home educated and we are aiming for six GCSE’s , so it’s encouraging to hear your son was not held back in any way

Just to update this thread , my DS took his GCSE’s in the summer , he ended up dropping to double science after his mock exams , he found 11 GCSE’s just far too much content to revise - 10 seemed much more reasonable and 9 would have been even better! One of his friends at another school did 8 , I think 9 or 10 is enough. I don’t think doing more than 8 or 9 has any benefits for Universities places that I am aware of , oh and his school also had him doing an EPQ in year 10 , which I’m still not sure has any benefit either

My DD has 12 GCSE’s but 1 taken in year 10. She got all 9’s so is one of a small number of students no doubt to take 11 and achieve all 9’s. She never stopped working but I feel it was way too much. 25 exams. A lot of pressure and she has an ongoing illness too so not sure how she managed to stay at the top of her game all that time. She’s happy to have a lot less subjects for A level now

DS is doing 11 in theory (with separate science and further maths) and I think it's ridiculous. Likely to tell school not to enter him for FM as I can't see the benefit of the extra (hard!) exam. He's in year 10 though so biding my time as I actually do want him to do the FM coursework (as a bridge to A-level), just not sit the exam.

Even 10 is madness in my mind. I don't understand why there's the need to make it so hard for them. I went to Cambridge with 9 and there was never any debate I didn't do enough.

Almost all jobs need at least 5. I wouldn't go less than 6 because one might be a dud.

At my DC school 10 is the default and 11 allowed for the brightest but my Y11 with SEN is doing 8 (plus a level 2 certificate officially worth half a GCSE in a language as the language GCSE was proving too much).

It's very sensible to drop one or two and focus on the ones that your DC has the best chances in. 8 GCSEs at grades 6+ are much better than 11 at grades 4&5.

Edited: oops sorry didn't realise this was a dilemma from January!