Business Studies GCSE

[Lisamummy22girls]

Hi everyone

My daughter has just been given her GCSE options and didn’t get her first choices and has been allocated Business Studies

Just wondered if peoples kids enjoyed it

Loved it and is doing A level business now too

Both mine did it, both really enjoyed it.
Bit of maths in it, but fairly intuitive and one of their "easier" GCSEs.
DS2 planning to do it for A Level.

What were her choices? Her requested subjects?

I did it and went on to do a-level

at the time it was fairly easy. I got an a without working very hard at all at it.

She wanted to do Add Maths but they aren’t running it for her year

she has chosen
French
Geog
PE and her last choice was

RE but we have found out they aren’t running that either for her year

her first reserve was History but she hasn’t been allocated that, we aren’t sure why as school sent letters out with the options allocated on at 530 on Friday and it’s half term

So I’m guessing she’s mathsy? Doing the 3 separate sciences? And she’s got French, geography, PE? She’ll be fine with business but if she stays for 6th form will she be allowed to do A level history or RE without the gcse? Is there any point in asking school regarding history given she’s not got Ad maths nor RE? Especially if there’s any chance she’ll want to take history at A level? She wouldn’t need gcse Business to take business at A level but history on the other hand… If she’s very keen on history (an analytical essay subject like RE) then I’d have a chat with school. Her other choices aren’t analytical essay subjects really bar English Lit.

My dd did it, it wasn’t her first choice but she actually really enjoyed it, and got her best grade on it, so it all worked out.

I have a few friends whose DC are doing business studies and are enjoying it. So much so that I am slightly disappointed that my DC’s school doesn’t offer it at GCSE.
I am slightly confused by your post. Has there been a comms error somewhere with the school or have they pulled a couple of subjects at the last minute due to lack of interest or a lack of teachers? At my DC’s school, Add Maths isn’t seen as an additional subject. You just do it as part of your normal timetabled lessons if you’re in the upper sets and then sit the exam and get the bonus GCSE. It’s not seen as one of their choices though. I’m not sure there’s much you can do about the fact the school aren’t offering it this year - it’s disappointing but could well be a staffing issue.
The RE aspect is more interesting. When you say it was one of your DD’s choices and now they’re not offering it, was it one of her choices before they officially started telling you about it or did they offer it and, only once choices had been submitted, did they cancel it? There will always be timetabling challenges for some subject combinations which may mean a school can’t offer that combo to a particular year group, group within that year or even an individual and that is largely outside of their control. For them to cancel an optional subject, though, is different and, in these circumstances, I would expect them to be treating history as if it was one of the original choices and, if that combo doesn’t work, contacting you again to explain the situation and ask for an alternative first choice. It may be that it had to be out of a limited number of choices but I feel that they should have done that rather than randomly allocate subjects.

She is at a smaller then average secondary school which doesn’t have a 6th form

we don’t know why RE isn’t being run but I’m guessing not enough have picked it unfortunately but we don’t know why she hasn’t been offered history as her 1st reserve as the letters were sent after school closed on Friday and it’s half term now

We are very disappointed that letters have been sent with no contact from the school

Friday before half term isn’t good! I’d push hard for history. If she’s keen, very very hard. I’d actually go in and have a conversation with school - I’ve learnt over the (many) years that these things are so much better face to face!

Yes we are going too.. school know us well! DD is ASD and we have issues with school avoidance and anxiety

Did they have option blocks? It seems unlikely history wouldn't run but maybe when RE was cancelled Business Studies was on at the same time but not history.

Yeah they are option blocks but we don’t pick based on those blocks so I don’t know what they are

As a Business Studies teacher, there is a fair bit of maths in the syllabus so she may well enjoy it and it goes well with Geography too. If she really doesn't want to do it, is there a way to appeal?

DS likes it but both me and DH have our own Buiness so he is interested anyway. Plus he wants to do Economics at A Level
He did choose it though as his school have free options