GCSE options

[ImRonBurgandy]

DS is about to choose his GCSE options. They can choose 3 but have to select 6 in rank order for timetabling clashes etc.
He's bright but not overly academic, has ADHD and dyslexia.
I just want him to choose options he will be interested in and thus motivated.

His plan so far (in order of preference):
Photography
Food Tech
PE
Computer Science
Music
Geography

I'm a bit worried about 3 practical subjects, the coursework load etc. What do you think? I don't really want to interfere, just be able to guide him. His school haven't really spoken about the choice of combinations of subjects, just each subject individually.

My DC is academic and doing 11 GCSE’s (separate sciences) and tells me the amount of information in the case studies for geography is huge. She always does well in the geography exams though. Something to consider if doing course work based subjects as well.

That is a lot of practical subjects but maybe they will suit him? I don't know much about photography GCSE, but for food tech there is a largeish element of coursework involving (obviously) cooking but also analysis of the menu and the like.

PE has a fair bit of CW too – again, playing the sport but also analysis, showing progression etc. Does he play sport outside school? I would say that's a must, tho the usual requirement is to offer three sports and many DC do at least one in school. DS2 v sporty offered footy (played for local team) and athletics (competed for his county) plus something he did in school. No need to be national standard, whatever you may read.

Music - again, I would advise this only if he plays an instrument outside school. No need to be super high level; DD took music and was grade 5/6 in year 11, grade 3/4 in year 9.

CS is very dull and not what a lot of DC think. DS2 took it and was not keen in the end. Also it’s very hard to get teachers so if the teacher leaves the students may be a bit stuck.

Geography would I assume be his only humanity – might be worth seeing if he would bump that one up to a higher place on the list.

Thanks @clary
He does an individual and a team sport outside of school. He used to play 2 instruments but has dropped them; if he got assigned Music then he could pick up one of them or another one no trouble I think.
I'd feel happier if geography was higher, definitely.

Well that sounds great for PE and fine for music maybe. Tho if he was not keen enough to keep playing, I would question the choice of music GCSE. It's not an easy option. DD found it very challenging (tho this was the old spec; but I don't support it’s easier now).

I’d be tempted to talk to him about putting food tech, PE and geography as the top three.

DD is ADHD and very dyslexic, clever but not interested in academics. So I have a fair idea of what you might be dealing with.

Music - if they play an instrument to a decent standard, will practice and be able to knock of two G5 pieces pretty easily, that will be a bonus. The composition part - it helps if they have piano/keyboard skills and are reasonably techy.

The composition is all done in school, so they won't be spending vast amounts of time at home on it.

The written paper can be tricky for dyslexics. DD's dyslexia extends to musical notation and is she is never going to resolve the issue, so will lose a lot of marks on that section. If he isn't affected in the same way, then it's not that hard to get a decent score on that paper. Plus... bonus... only one exam paper!

Geography - current bane of my life - there is a LOT of content and DD feels it's quite like Biology. So if he likes Sciences could be a good option.

The kids doing PE and Photography at DD's school all seem to like it.

If school offer any BTECs do take a look at those. There are no exams so it's a subject less to revise for. We have found that BTECs are a much better fit for DD than GCSEs as it's more analysis and projects. There isn't the same tick box approach and more lee-way to design projects around your interests. Plus no memorising vast amounts of information when you have crap working memory.

Definitely go for what he will enjoy - that is half the battle. And think about post 16 and what might help with that.

If they’re grade 5 on an instrument, can read music and are happy with composition then music is a great choice. Also regarded as an “academic” subject.

I would echo pp about CS. It’s not easy, compounded by teachers being hard to find and retain. Of my bright Dc’s subjects it’s the one they will struggle to get a 7 in. And this is a Dc who is “academic” and “good with computers”.

Is it Computer Scoence, or a vocational computing qualification? My DD was offered either. CS GcSE is notoriously hard.

Have the school offered any information about how suitable each subject is for him?

Ds2 got a 6 on CS (almost a 7 tbf) and that was his lowest grade (tho a 6 is a good grade ofc). His comment was "I thought I'd scrape a 5 so that's fine!"

Agree BTW that what he wants to do is what he will work at. But he does need to consider the impact of a lot of CW.

My DD2 is a similar profile and she did dance, food and photography. They were perfect for her. She did start geography too but there was far too much content to remember.

I wouldn’t worry with Music - you don’t actually have to play any instruments or even be able to read music proficiently. It very much depends on the board/ what the faculty has chosen to do from the course options.

Is that so? My intel on music is pre-reform as DD who took it did her GCSEs in 2017 so they are mostly letters. Certs all the pupils in her GCSE class (the school also ran Btec music that year) played an instrument and could read music. The spec has changed I know but I am a bit surprised if it has changed that much.

I was too to be honest. It’s what we were told by my daughter’s teacher because I was worried about her choosing it as her only instrument is voice and she can barely read music! It’s perfectly possible that it’s board dependent though

My niece was told similar... it did not go well.

DS is currently in the throes of GCSE, including Music. His music performance element carries 60/200 marks ie 30% of his grade.

I'm not actually sure which exam board he's doing, but I'd advise anyone considering GCSE music to check the performance requirements of the exam board if they are not likely to be at least G4 standard by Y11. (I appreciate the OPs child has a couple of instruments he could go back to).

There’s quite a lot to GCSE music. He did his performance recordings at after school interventions, and they also had interventions for the composition element.

Where are you getting that information from?

DD has a friend who is doing music (for all the wrong reasons) who doesn't play any instrument and can't read music. She's unlikely to pass.

They all got their results for Performance and Composition last week. Comparing with her friends, it was very definitely the case that the results were directly comparable to the kids music grade levels. Of the ones I know with 100%, they are all G8 level on at least one instrument or voice. (lots of people think voice is the option for those who don't play a 'proper instrument'. It may get you some marks, but you do actually need to be an exceptionally good singer to get top scores).

In terms of reading music - a lot of the written paper requires this, and a lot of music theory. You are massively compromising the grade you could get if you can't.

For composition it also helps if you have keyboard skills and understand a lot of theory.

It hasn't.

It would be hard to get a decent grade without reading music and playing to at least G4 level.

Haha fair enough

My ds was grade 5 in drums in year 9 when choosing options (and enjoyed music tech, doing it as a hobby), but found the music gcse incredibly difficult, as he had no keyboard / standard music notation experience. It was too much for him, so switched to a different subject at the October half term in year 10 (this was a couple of years ago).

I'm glad to see the response re music GCSE; taking it with no grade ability and not able to read music is surely not a good plan. It wasn't in 2017 I infer from other posts it still isn't. If a teacher says otherwise that's concerning tbh.