Critique my DS’s GCSE choices please.

[Thingsthatgo]

DS’s school are giving him quite a lot of freedom of choice, but not much guidance. He has to take statistics, further maths and three sciences because he is top set. I think they take statistics in year 10. He is likely to get good marks and would like to study history at university and maybe a law conversion (but he is open to changing his mind).
I don’t know if this is a good mix - seems heavy going to me, but not much coursework. He doesn’t play an instrument, so music is not an option. Thank you for your help!

maths
further maths
statistics
physics
biology
chemistry
english lit
english lang
spanish
drama
history
philosophy and ethics (or computer science)

It seems like a lot to me - but if he wants to take fewer he has to drop down a set in maths and science.
thank your for advice.

I would not say that RS is easier - as the PP said, the wider range of grades will be because there is a more academically diverse intake taking it, as opposed to computer science, which will tend to be taken only by those with a particular interest in the subject.

I think RS is probably a better fit for your DS, but don't go into it, thinking it is easy!

Triple science will be taught in the same time as the double science

Not necessarily. Many schools use up an option for triple science so that triple science students have more science lessons.

Although, in this case I very much doubt it because I can't see how they could fit so many subjects in the curriculum.

I get irritated by schools thinking that more than 10 GCSEs is better unless the student is exceptionally bright and can handle the pressure. The number of exams at the end of two years for 12 subjects is utterly ridiculous. It's no wonder so many young people are stressed.

Agreed.

At our dc school Further Maths/Statistics is one option block in timetable. They do Statistics in year 10 and have done in year 11.

Triple Sciences has more lessons and therefore takes another option block in the timetable.

It seems that at OP dc school this child is being expected to cover all the maths in the Maths time alloted and all the science in the science time alloted. Then the usual spread of other subjects too. That is a lot of additional content and huge amounts more exam time for very unclear benefit. Especially as op dc isn't planning on doing science or maths a levels.

I know in dd1s group they did stats in yr10 and the whole group got 7-9s, but they all still only did 9 in year 11 = 10 overall. They are all bright kids, getting good grades but none of them would have done so well if they also had an additional 2-3 subjects to fit in!

The less capable won't be in top sets taking the extra 3 subjects. They'll be sticking to the bare minimum. I think its a little sad that so many school have moved to delivering the absolute minimum they have to and dressing it up as it its in the children's interest. Kids that have used their time studying further maths rather than plodding through standard in the same time will have a massive advantage at A level.

But for the dc who don't plan to take a level maths?

Dropping to 9 or 10 gcses and aiming for top grades is in no way slacking, and is still more than 6th forms and unis take into consideration for entry!

There will be so few young people for whom rattling through extra content and sitting hours more exams in May is in anyway a good thing. It's really unusual for schools to do this for a reason.

No one has ever stuffed from have stronger maths skills.

Maybe not.

But plenty suffer from overload in y11, too much pressure, too many exams at the end. Schools need to be more aware of this. A good at maths DC might quite like the maths lessons to relax a bit in to prepare for the harder History lesson or whatever. Similarly filling the exam timetable with extra exams puts more pressure on those final weeks.

Our comp do the following (if in top set)

Maths
Numeracy
Further maths
Biology
Chemistry
Physics
Welsh
Welsh bacc/skills challenge
English
English Lit

Then they choose 3 others

DS1 did Geography, Spanish and Computer Science
DD (didnt do further maths) did Media Studies, Design technology and Art
DS2 is doing all the above and Geography, History and IT

Not in and of extra maths alone.

But plenty of 15 year olds most definitely are completely unravelling from being pushed too hard, being overscheduled and facing weeks of multiple exam papers and being made to feel like these are much more important and defining than they are.

Well said @GloriousGiftBag

Honestly it looks fine when considering the specific courses and how the school structures it. Statistics and FM will be built into the maths course for the top set, it's not the same as adding two additional courses. Same for a school that does triple science for their top set instead of making it an option choice. And no I would not encourage him to drop to lower level maths or sciences right now just because he thinks at age 13 that he'll do something different at uni - let him work at the highest level he's able as long as it's manageable.

Encourage philosophy and religion over CS unless he has a strong interest in CS. The multidisciplinary reading/writing/thinking is beneficial and the CS curriculum at GCSE is frankly a slog for most students. Boring work will almost always feel like more work.

If he's struggling down the road then start talking about wise time management (prioritizing top grades in specific subjects even if it means aiming lower elsewhere), not sitting some exams, or even dropping sets. But let him give it a go.

It’s 6 science subjects! Bonkers if he likes history! 12 is too many. One of the maths type ones should go and probably philosophy. Surely computer scrience making it 7 science subjects is very skewed?

Solicitor here who did a non law degree and converted.
Drama is unnecessary. Stick to academic subjects. If you have an interest in drama and music, do ABRSM music exams or LAMDA public speaking grades.
Maths grads are highly sought after and further maths shows academic depth
I would go with the maths / physics overlap for higher grades (it's the grades that matter, not the number of subjects) and then History and Ethics as they will have a similar question style.

You need a solid bunch of Grade 9s and a degree at 2:1 from a solid Red Brick for law these days.

Drama is an academic subject - it's not just acting. That's actually quite a small part. You have to study plays, and analyse them is a similar way to Eng Lit. There's all the technical knowledge too.

Exactly this. Same as my child is taking except for statistics. I presume they can teach this within the normal maths lessons. And then 4 options is usual at most schools. He's got a language and a humanity, sounds perfect.

it's the grades that matter, not the number of subjects

Too many schools don't seem to have that memo, especially when it comes to A levels. They don't have the pupils' best interests at heart. They just want to look good.

Our place used to do this but has recently dropped back to 10 - so I don't think it's unheard of. Top set maths still do further maths as part of their maths timetable, but triple science now takes up one of the four option slots so it's a bit more relaxed. DS1 is still doing triple because in the absence of being set for science, triple becomes the top set and he wants to have the focus and more academic rigour of having a stronger cohort.

I think your options look good and pretty similar to ours - we were really keen that given a pretty heavy exam load that he did one with more coursework - he's wavering between music and PE at the moment. His other two are history and geography so heavy on writing but we've been assured he'll be fine.

That seems like a crazy amount of work!
Dd is just choosing her options at the moment - she’s at a very good grammar school and they only do 8, or 9 if doing triple science. Although it means dropping subjects she really likes, I’d prefer this to being spread too thin with no time for extra curricular activities.

@JustMarriedBeccaMy DD is a barrister and Drama is excellent with history and English GCSE. It gives confidence and enables dc to work creatively with others. I’d only take it where dc get mostly 8 or 9 in the subject though. Back in the day, only one dc got an A in drama in DDs school. The rest were A star. Everyone took it seriously with brilliant teachers.

The problem here is too much science! If he prefers humanities, why all the science?

It looks good for the school to get lots of kids through lots of GCSEs? I have no idea!

my kids school lets them do anything from 5 to 12 GCSE’s, they all sit RE in y10 as a trial run. It’s a lot of work

my dd had to do 11 because she wants to do triple science and they wouldn’t let her drop another subject. She could have switched a gcse for a certificate in healthcare or early years but she said it was only lower ability kids who sat those and people would think she’s weird

Drama or another creative or practical subject can be good when doing lots of subjects if there is only 1 written exam to revise for. Last year drama was right at the beginning so that would be 1 subject completed in the first week. Doing 20+ exams over 5-6 weeks is a slog and anything that reduces that is a good idea.