How many GCSEs do kids take these days?

[backinthebox]

DS will choose his options next week, and we have only just been sent information home on this. DD chose her’s 4 years ago (same school) and did 11 GCSEs, but DS has been told pupils only do 8 now. This is obviously fewer than he was expecting to be able to choose, and he is worried about how this will affect his future prospects. Am I right in thinking that 8 GCSEs for a top set pupil is a rather low number?

My own state school (mid 90s-mid 00s) we did 13 but that school has now cut down to 10. Presumably offering 10 means they get more lessons in each and as such scores are better?

9 at my kids school plus they did an extra something or other (my DD did a Silver Art Award, others did a business thing and there was a third choice too). Those that did more tended to be students doing a language in their native tongue, a few did a further maths GCSE. Scheduling made it hard to fit in more.

The new style GCSEs have more exams and considerably less coursework than the old ones (especially pre ~2010).

Doing 12+ at the end of y11 would be untenable for almost all DC from a revision and exam loading point of view.

Maths - 3 exams
English Lang - 2
English Lit - 2
Science - 6
History/Geography - 2 (or 3?)

That's 15 exams just from a 'core' 6 subjects.

@TeenToTwenties oh wow that is more, I'm sure maths was only 2 exams (and coursework) when I was a teen, I'm sure I didn't do 6 science either (even doing triple).

Honestly it is so different.

The modern GCSEs are much more akin in structure to the old O levels that I did: no modular exams or multiple retakes, very limited coursework/controlled assessments, only tiered entry in maths, science and MFL (so a struggling reader has to take the same English papers as one aiming for a grade 8 or 9).

My DD took her GCSES last summer. She had 28 exams for 10 subjects.

@Zonder 😱 I'm going to have to go through my old diaries to see how many I had (early 00s) I did 11, but I'm very sure I did no where that many exams!

Is coursework still a thing for most subjects?

I did 8 and it was a bit limiting. DC’s school does 10 - a few kids do 9 if they have SEN or would otherwise benefit from extra prep time and a few do 11- these are almost exclusively dc who are doing a modern language as a native speaker so do v little prep for it.

Yeh @TeenToTwenties is right; the current spec means a lot of work and a lot of exams for YP.

So people who took 12-13-14 GCSEs (say) 15 years ago had a very different experience. It would be a massive overload to take that many now.

No there is practically no coursework at all now. Only in subjects like DT (food tech, resistant materials) and even then it is only a small part. Drama and music have elements of performance which is coursework.

No coursework in MFL, history, English lit or lang (apart from a speaking assessment in lang which doesn't count), science (apart from practicals, I guess), maths. MFL is four exams btw, on top of all the other mega lists, And some of these exams are 2 hours or more. If a student has extra time (which is obviously intended to support them) it can mean some very long days,.

DS2 took 10 GCSEs all under the newer, current spec; he had two weeks where he had 10 exams; it was exhausting. He's not one to moan about that kind of thing tbf but I recall waking him one morning and he just groaned and said "These GCSEs can end now." bless. He did well tho (not MN well but still well haha).

Mine took 12 three years ago although one was an early one (native language) so 11 in one go including triple science and further maths. She managed to get all 9s through regular work whilst still enjoying a couple of extra curriculars and a full on social life. I can't remember this period as being particularly stressful. Comparatively A levels were more stressful as she did 4, alongside having to prep for entrance tests and interviews. The stakes were also higher and she needed 2 A stars. I'm convinced that doing all those GCSEs gave her a strong foundation and improved her organisation skills which made the A level process slightly easier than it could have been. Able children should be aiming high.

@Poinsettiaa that is an amazing result for your DD so big well done to her. You should know tho that that performance is exceptional – she must have worked hard and be very able. I just checked and 123 students gained 11 grade 9s at GCSE in 2019 which is obviously a tiny tiny percentage. I'm just making the point in case anyone thinks that your DD's achievement is typical or in any way what a student, even an able one, should expect to attain.

Edited to add: I know your DD didn’t take GCSEs in 2019, but I usually use that year as a reference as it was the last year not affected in any way by Covid, so it makes sense as a barometer going forward (when Covid factors will become increasingly less).

@clary that’s a fair point, she indeed sat GCSE exams in 2022 when grades were positively impacted by Covid inflation (many in her year got all 9s). She’s able but not at all genius/G&T. However she’s hard working, well organised (makes timetables for everything including when to call me 😅) and very driven/self motivated.
My point was really to say that with hard work and structure, able children should aim to do at least 9 if offered as it will set them well for A levels and allow to keep options open, eg if interested in studying a stem subject take further maths and/or triple science.

Bloody hell! I had no idea.

Dd is doing 11 but that includes further maths

Further maths GCSE is another new one to me. Isn’t that pretty much A level maths?

My advice is to do Double Science -
you can do Alevel from there.
It is just as challenging as triple science
It is just as well respected.

I am always for keeping breadth at GCSE.

(Physics teacher)

@JamesWebbSpaceTelescope that's interesting, my son wants to be an engineer and is considering mechanical engineering at university, so he wants to opt for triple science with engineering as his option, computer science would be his back up. He gets extra science lessons if he does triple science (hence why he has to drop an option) do you think triple science is still beneficial if they're interested in STEM? (He is doing a humanity and language also, school stipulates it). At A level he's considering physics, maths and history (he's a planner like me!)

Would you say that even in schools that do triple in the same timetable space as combined?

Another one whose DC did 15 in Wales. 13 is standard, then add maths is optional and so is triple science. But they start the courses in Y9 and take some of the exams in Y10. So the curriculum narrows a year earlier but not by as much. And instead of 10 in 2 years they do 15 in 3 years. They seemed to have a similar number of exams in Y11 to English DC, judging by threads on here.

Mine both did additional maths GCSE followed by maths A level and found that they had covered a lot of the Y12 syllabus already. But no, it's not like A level maths.

My top set boys have both done 11 at their state school:

English Lang & Lit
Maths and Further Maths
Triple Science
Language
Humanity
Compulsory RS
Option for PE, Computing or other practical subject

@durness further maths is akin to the old AS level I believe. It was non negotiable for those in the top set but also encouraged to the kids wanting to do alevel maths.

Even more so. Better to get 2 top grades than rush the course and potentially lowering the outcomes. Plus rushing through the course can kill all the enjoyment as there is so much content.

I’ve no experience with the engineering gcse so can’t comment on that. Computer science is a very good fit with mech eng as there will be coding /computing lessons in the first year.

Another option to consider would be DT, the product cycle and development is very relevant.

I would suggest double science, engineering or CS and use the freed up option to do DT.

He is young so flexibility and increasing options is important.

@JamesWebbSpaceTelescope DT was his initial preference but most students are opting to do engineering over DT now in his school, it's one of the fastest growing GCSEs for popularity, it's ran by the DT teachers. I will speak to the lead teacher to find out the difference between the 2.

My DS did 10 including triple science and RE, at a standard comp in 2021 (so TAGs). I think most children did 9 or 10 depending on science, unless they were struggling. DD at grammar also did 10 in 2023. She also did further/additional maths, whatever it’s called, but I don’t think that counts as a GCSE? Pros and cons for doing more than necessary - it allows for a couple of disasters to be not included in top 8, and to continue with a wider range outside compulsory, but obviously is more pressure/revision/spreading teaching hours more thinly. Also exam season is crazy and they are in their knees by the end.