GCSE Choices - Computer Science and?

[SometimesYouWinSometimesYouLearn]

I have a little IT nerd at home. Now finishing Y7 but time flies fast! Obviously, he will be taking Computer Science as optional subject.

If you have a similar child, what were his/hers choices? What did the select for EBaccs?

High grades in maths. Also, look at universities near you and see what maths/computing summer schools they run. He is probably too young at the moment but worth bearing in mind for the future. For his age there are computing and robotics summer clubs that you can pay for.

Yeah, I get that but clearly this school does have the staff and the time to teach that subject and some of the capable students whose parents can afford the additional expense will be able to study FM and other students in the same school will be just as capable but too poor to do that subject. That's a bit distinct from timetabling and staffing issues.

Thanks. We are in London. this is 👌 excellent advice

If your child is a competent programmer, GCSE comp sci can be very dull. DS1 loved it at KS3, but has come to despise it at GCSE - and won't be talking it at A level next year.

It was taught after school so the cost I guess was to pay a teacher outside normal hours. My dd wants to do A level Maths so it was recommended to do FM. I don't know how well she will have done as they only had around 15 1 hour lessons in total in yr 11 compared to others saying they studied it as an option in yrs 10 and 11 with presumably more than 1 lesson per week.

Computer science, triple science, business studies, art and design!

it’s nice to have a non-academic subject even if you’re not great at it.

At Alevels, did Maths, further maths, physics and CS. Then maths at uni, followed by a Masters in computer programming. Now works as a software engineering consultant on mega-bucks.

The school stuff was almost a sideshow: was never off the computer throughout schooling, designed games, learned languages, wrote code from the age of 11.
Becomes a great hobby and a lucrative career if you’re good!

Also check if your school does Bebras challenges - would be good to ask them for that stretch if not.

Well, if I child wants to study IT subject he has to take Comp Sci at A levels. How otherwise he would be accepted to uni studying IT subjects?

He will have two languages. He is bilingual + French

Yes, my 12 years old is writing a script in Phyton in 5 min whereas his class is working all hour on the same project by using building blocks in Phyton. Of course he is bored

You don't need gcse computer science to do it at higher levels.
On the other hand, a subject he can do in his sleep means more time to concentrate on subjects he struggles with!

Thank you. Very useful info

Maths, FM and physics ALevel, with an EPQ demonstrating his programming skills.
Look up the uni entry requirements. Comp sci not essential for many courses.

Or, A level without the gcse (not our route)

No need for CS a level to study CS at uni, as I and others have said. By all means take it but maths and FM much more important.

Dc1 did computer science, creative imedia, art and music, then music performance and production at college, then music performance and song writing at university
Dc2 did computer science, geography, design technology, music and further maths, then maths, computer something and music production at college
Dc3 is doing art, drama and history.

No idea what my dc4 in year 7 will do (thought that was normal!) He is very good at science and he likes music.

There is Computer Science subject at GCSE. There is also DT the OCR part with CAD programming.

Quite a lot of IT and computer science degrees will take people who haven't done computer science. They are more likely to require maths.

That doesn't mean it isn't a good idea to do computer science. It may give them a better idea of exactly what sort of IT/CS they want to do in their degree, which might affect where they apply to uni. It may make some aspects of the degree course easier.

Some students won't have done CS A-level, perhaps because it wasn't being offered at their school/college, or because of concerns about the teaching of it (CS teachers are hard to recruit), or because they've done so much coding outside school they think it will be boring, or because they only decide partway through sixth form that that's what they want to study.

Yes I know that – my DS took GCSE CS!

What there is not any more is a GCSE nor an A level in IT – pretty much not any more anyway. It’s just that you have mentioned IT qualifications, so I didn't want you or your DS to think that that was still something that existed (it did until about 10 years ago).

Sorry clary, where did I mention qualifications? If so that would be in a different context Can we even talk about any qualifications at GCSE or A level?

They offer Media Studies at our school but it is more advertising than using Apps and softwares. My child is Inam afraid not bery creative type

Sorry @SometimesYouWinSometimesYouLearn you have mentioned GCSE and A level more than once - these are qualifications. And you’ve talked about IT studies - I just wanted to clarify for you that there are not really any GCSE or A level qualifications in IT as such in England.

Just being totally ignorant but what's the difference between IT and CS. Purely asking out of interest @clary

Unis don’t need Computer Science A level - they do want Maths though. So I’d advise not doing anything computing wise, just let him do what interests him. Do focus on his Maths though - try and get him into set 1 before he starts GCSEs.

Oh I understand what you mean now. Yes, what I mean by IT is studying IT subjects ( Robotics, AI, computer science, Cybernetics etc) at a Uni level.
For GCSE and A level he can do CS

And I was asking what else the people who were going this pathe have taken

His interest is CS... He is also good at two foreign languages.

Yes he is tutored twice a week in maths. He is in second top set out of 9- they allocated them basing on SAT scores