GCSE dilemma - is 7 GCSEs enough?

[Gratitudegal]

My son has GCSEs this summer. He is currently taking 10 subjects although there is not a hope he will pass physics and he quiet quit it earlier in year 11, doing lessons and homework but no revision.

His mocks were mixed, we have a maths tutor to help him with that as his mock was a 3 and obviously he needs to pass that. he's look at getting 6s and maybe a 7 or two for the subjects he actually likes and has an aptitude for, maybe a 4/5 in biology.

Other than physics, there are a further two which he is not confident of passing and his mock results would indicate that he's weak there, predicted a 3 and a 4.

He does study hard, he revised pretty much every day for autumn term right up to the mocks. he even did an hour a day during the summer so his work ethic is fine. I predict he will pass 7 subjects, getting probably 7,6,6,6,5,5,4. Is this enough, or should we be trying to get further support in one of the other subjects to bring that up to 8 passes, even if that just means getting another 4?

he wants to do 3 A levels and his school require 5 passes. For the subjects he wants to do there are no minimum requirements for grades, but he's interested in the ones he's more likely to get 6s for anyway.

I guess I am thinking that a. he is a smart kid and other that being made to study subjects he's not good at, he ought to be doing better and b. will only having 7 GCSEs affect things like Uni?

His a level choices sound like an interesting selection that all fit together , any chance he can start 4 and then drop one?

You might know this already (possibly hence the timing of your question) but schools will very soon be finalising exam entries if they haven’t already, meaning they formally enter students for exams and pay for them. Once this happens, if a child decides to ‘drop’ a subject (by not going to the exams as opposed to by not being entered for them) they will still get a grade and certificate but obviously likely a U.

Also, just another thought, but a school won’t necessarily allow a student to drop subjects (especially multiple) at this stage. Unless there is very good justification, like a specific need or special circumstance, this is considered ‘narrowing the curriculum’. It’s something that schools can come under a lot of external scrutiny for.

You actually get a grade of X if you don't attend the exam.

I infer though that the OP's DS is planning to do no extra work for a certain subject or subjects and accept that they will not pass. I assume he will still sit the exam, but the concern is that he will probably get grades below a 4.

Oh yes, you’re right re. Grade X.

I’ve probably read too quickly late at night and taken the reference to ‘dropping’ to mean officially dropping (as that’s just always how we use it internally).

My DC’s school are only offering 8 GCSEs in this year’s option choices, One option has to be a practical subject and a couple of those, including PE, are not actually GCSEs, with drama or music not being offered, and so most if they don’t want to do art/design or food, will probably try to do PE and then come out with 7 GCSEs or possibly 6, depending on their choices.

(My DC is not impressed because they dislike the practical subjects and are limited to French (no other languages offered) and a humanity, or two humanities with no language. Combined double science is compulsory for all and computer science has been discontinued too.)

That's not good is it @TheOj. Sounds like your DC's school has swung a bit too far the other way. Not offering Computer Science is sadly not unusual these days as there is a severe shortage of specialist teachers but only one option for MFL and no music or drama eithed is disappointing. I can understand why you're unhappy.
What exactly are the PE arrangements? PE is a compulsory part of the national curriculum til the end of KS4 so everyone has to do some PE whether they like it or not. The usual arrangement would be that the "core" PE lessons are timetabled for the whole year group and then those who are taking it as a GCSE subject use an option slot for extra lessons, a substantial proportion of which are theory lessons. Are you saying that your school are just filling a slot with extra PE but it's not examined? That seems really strange. Or is it another qualification, just not a GCSE? I know some schools do a Level 2 Btec in Sport for instance, and there's a Cambridge National in Sports Studies which I don't really know anything about but sounds like another, more practically based alternative to GCSE. If they're offering another level 2 qualification then they're equivalent to a GCSE so would still count as 8 so I wouldn't worry about that.

yes agree @TheOj if the PE is Btec sport then that is fine, equivalent to a GCSE. Sadly yes no CS not unusual; no music or drama is a bit disappointing tho. Not even music Btec?

One MFL only is also weak but again, not that unusual sadly.

Yes, the PE option is a Cambridge National and so I think GCSE equivalent and fine, (although that’s the extent of my knowledge on it), just not an actual GCSE if you’re purely counting numbers of GCSEs. MFLs, they’ve only offered French since year 7 and so not a surprise. No drama or music at all but it’s the compulsory practical subject instead of a second humanity that is DC’s issue, having already accepted that separate sciences were stopped a few years ago but which they would have liked to do.

Sorry OP, I didn’t mean to derail your thread!

My son is in his 2nd year at uni. He did 6 GCSEs and 2 BTECs. He didn't do A Levels, went to college and did a BTEC

He will get 10 GCSEs with 7 at grade 4 or above? Sixth forms here have different requirements but only 1 asks for grades in 8 subjects and even that looks at an average Attainment 8 type figure. Most degrees will want at least a 4 in English and Maths and some will want higher depending on degree subject. Concentrate on the best 7 or 8 but make sure he's a safe 4 in English and Maths.