Art - gcse option?

[milkonesugar35]

My dd needs to make her choices and she's settled on triple science, Spanish and geography. She's also doing further maths as an additional. But still needs to pick one more. She's brilliant at drawing but I'm wondering if she'll manage the coursework load. Could anyone else shed some light on it? Other option is business.

My dd did those same subjects! 10 subjects in total. She loved it BUT big chunks of weekends were spent on the art coursework as she wanted to do well.

My son loves art and is doing GCSE now coming up to the exam in June. I feel as if it’s taken over our lives - it just takes so much time. He’s a perfectionist about his drawing but not very organised which is probably the worst combination for getting it all done. His advice is don’t do it. I guess if she can be pragmatic about her project work and is organised it might not be so bad. Also maybe if she just doesn’t mind doing the work as a bit of a hobby rather than seeing it as homework time that would help. I think business would take a lot less time and be less stressful.

I studied art and although it was great as I enjoyed it, it was far more demanding than say my History or Science homework as you can close the book once the essays are done, with art you just want to perfect it or even restart it etc
Good luck with whatever choices are made

My dd is such a perfectionist too; this is my concern that she'll spend so long on one piece it'll be to the detriment of other subjects. She does a sport six hours a week we can't afford more time on weekends.

Thanks both - I'll steer her to Business Studies!

From what I gathered from DD’s friends it’s a huge amount of time and coursework for very little reward, unless of course she’s very passionate about it and wants to go into the arts. DD did drama and said that whilst she enjoyed the subject in hindsight it wasn’t worth it and she wouldn’t have picked it. It took up so much of her time and was quite full on + stressful between rehearsals, script writing, performances etc. It seems to be the common theme with arts subjects!

@MaloneMeadow definitely not! She wants to do medicine - loves maths and science! She's great at drawing though so thought maybe a good idea to do something less intense like art as the "academic" subjects but seems not!

I’ve had experience of supporting students in Business and Art lessons, and yes Art can be a lot of work if you want to get a top grade, but bloody hell Business is dull. I think that she should have a look at the course content of Business, and consider who will be teaching it. I’d chose Art every time.

My son will be sitting gcse art in June (and gcse business actually!) - one thing I wish we’d known when he started was that the coursework (for the whole two years) is worth 60 per cent of the grade - so there is no coasting at all - all of the projects/ stages have to be completed to a high standard and there are lots and lots of specific requirements for each aspect of it. We are in the situation now where he has to try and finalise / fill gaps in the coursework (as he didn’t realise it counted til June, end of year 10); when he should really just be focussing on revision for all the other subjects. Actually, my son really enjoys business studies gcse - it is not too content heavy (a lot of the BS exam is about considering scenarios and coming up with solutions / approaches to certain situations) and there are some good discussions in the class (the teacher is great as well!).

Thanks all!

Third contender.,, food and nutrition?!

I can't speak of business, as I have no experience of the GCSE. My daughter loved art and used to paint and draw to relax. She took GCSE art, is still in year 10 and has said that she'll never do art for fun again. It has completely ruined her love for art.

Food and Nutrition is surprisingly difficult to get a good grade in. Anecdotally, a relative is a HOD (art) at a large school and he said that they've considered not offering it as a GCSE because the grades tend to come out quite low. There's a lot of theory.

My DD has found GCSE art quite hard going due to the amount of coursework. She's very bright too, but the art option has perhaps not been a good choice for her. In hindsight, I think she would have been happier with food and nut.

Very very helpful replies thanks! Dd is definitely put off by the coursework load of art.

Her certain choices are geography, Spanish, triple science and she's got such lovely enthusiasm for all of these. By contrast...

Really struggling with the final choice - she hates drama, music, computing

She's already doing a language. She's already doing two humanities.

It's basically pick out of art (not now!!), business (I think she'll find it dull), media (brand new subject also so going in blind), and food tech which is her current front runner.

If she's put off by the idea of the coursework then it's probably not for her. I would recommend doing art if she has a passion for it and wants to do it - i.e. the time she puts into it would be enjoyable rather than something she has to force herself to do. There is no point doing it if you're dragging your heels, it's not the kind of subject you can coast through whilst not really being interested.

My DD did art and sounds v similar to your DD. She ended up working on it more than any other GCSE. She got an 8 and in the end she was very pleased and proud of her portfolios which are lovely to have. But we have mused that if she'd done any other subject she would probably have the same grade or better with a lot less effort. I think she might have been better off doing computer science but I gather that's also very dull at GCSE level. It's a tough one. She did come away with the ability to paint beautifully and it did take her out of her perfectionist comfort zone (which at the time was very stressful for us all!). Not sure this has helped!

I support students in food and nutrition, and again it can be quite time consuming, especially spring term Y11 when you are doing the 35% practical coursework element. That said, as a subject I find it really interesting and there's a lot of opportunity at home to get some practice in by making family meals.

Is Creative Media an option? That would give her the chance to do some drawing, especially in the graphics unit. I would say it takes up less time outside school than the others.

When it came to options I tried to persuade my Dd not to do Art as Id read on here about the huge amount of work with Art. She wouldn't listen and I really regret not having put my foot down because she's had enough-it's taken over. Art at lunchtime, after-school support and so much work during the weekends/evenings.

She's also a perfectionist and slow apparently. Think she's lost confidence in her ability and love of art. I'm also concerned it'll affect her other grades. She's also doing further maths but doesn't have time to put any effort in. I'm actually wondering if she should just call it a day with the Art. 11 GCSEs is a lot!

She wishes she had done PE or Food and Nutrition. I believe Business Studies is considered "easy"

Food and Nutrition is surprisingly difficult to get a good grade in. Anecdotally, a relative is a HOD (art) at a large school and he said that they've considered not offering it as a GCSE because the grades tend to come out quite low. There's a lot of theory.

Very often it's foisted onto the less bright children or those without good English because it's a practical subject. But the written and scientific component is quite heavy now so even if they can cook competently and imaginatively, they struggle to access the top grades.

I think it would be a great option for a bright child looking to do medicine in future. Who knows, dietetics or nutrition could even be a fallback if the medicine plan ultimately falls through. And what more important life skill than learning about the food we eat, how to prepare it and what it does for us?

Does she need to do another? She's doing 9 already and they are all academic so lots of content. Our school were very good at letting us drop one so they had free periods for extra revision. Some did 11, some did 8. Having gone through GCSEs with one I will be suggesting my second caps theirs at 9 as I don't see the need to do any more. Was a mental relief to have time free in the school timetable for revision especially as they have a lot of training for sport (8hours +) so it gave time for this as well. Just a thought as you mentioned they do sport as well. We didn't do Art but it was probably the most moaned about subject from peers! If she is keen to do another so they offer PE? Sciency but also an enjoyment factor if she is sporty?

Gosh I'm so glad I asked! Seems art has a general consensus of too much / too overbearing. Dd is such a perfectionist (bordering anally retentive tbh) that it would be a huge mistake to do art.

Will have a good look at all of the course outlines for other subjects.

It's a shame that this feels like a tick box exercise to find a fourth option. She does have to pick four at her school.

I need to ask if further maths can count as one as that would instantly solve that issue. Though they're being taught it within their existing maths lessons so not additional lesson time iykwim.

DD did the exact same GCSEs as your DD (minus drama of course!) and wishes she did food & nutrition instead. I’d say go for it, always good to have another science subject especially if she’s planning on applying for medicine