How many gcse is the norm at your dc school?

[Starfishyellow]

our dc school used to do 7 but now it looks like it will be reduced to do a minimum of 5 and they constantly have staff changes or temporary teachers so I think it’s due to this.

8 in lowest sets, 9 for most, 10 if taking triple science as in top sets for science. More if taking a home language in year 10.

Note that the government statistics count combined science as one exam entry so some schools that do maths, English language + lit, combined science and 3 options only shows as 7 exam entities but is actually 8 GCSEs. Some taking fewer GCSEs may be taking vocational qualifications too.

And RS.

Selective independent school.
They all have to do maths, English x2, 3 separate sciences and a modern language. They choose 3 option subjects.
Top set maths sometimes do further maths. Children with SEN are sometimes allowed to drop the language to allow more time in learning support.

Oooh that's interesting about combined science! That must skew the stats hugely tho.

10 but that includes further maths which isn’t officially a GCSE

I only realised that as Michaela have 7 exam entries on average but an extremely high Progress 8 and I couldn't figure out how if they only took 7 and had an empty slot.

8-12 as the school would rather the less able focus on getting 5x C+ and those who can do more would be bored with 8.

My DS did ten actual subjects (including triple science and compulsory Welsh) plus the Welsh Bacc and Skills Challenge Certificate, again compulsory, which were the equivalent of another two, so twelve in total (of which ten were 'proper' GCSEs with exams).

10:
English Language
English Literature
Maths
Physics
Chemistry
Biology
Modern Foreign Language
3 Options

10 at my son's school on average. Most will do the 3 separate sciences, although some will do dual award science, so they will only do 9. The school decides on the sciences and who does what. My son may end up doing 12, as one of his options Is Latin and Greek, which leads to 2 GCSEs, and if he is still in the top set for Maths, they have the option to do Further Maths. His school don't let anyone do exams before Year 11. I am worried 12 is a lot, but he loves a challenge...

DD2's Secondary Modern did split year GCSEs so in Y10: maths, science x 3, RS, computer science, PE (option). Y11: English x 2, further maths, statistics, history, Spanish (last 2 were options).

Couldn't really see any advantage tbh and for DD2 as a summer birthday (and several weeks early) it meant she took the first batch when she was still 14.

We are in Wales and there were changes to some GCSEs for those starting year 10 in September 2025 - other subjects have changes starting on other years.

DC is in a school that was in special measures until about 5 years ago. I would think there is probably a higher than average number of children entitled to free school meals. However, the school has been great for them and they are doing well.

For most compulsory subjects are :
Maths and Numeracy (double award) - 3 exams
English language and literature (double award) -3 modules are exam, the other 3 are non-exam assessment
Welsh - not sure how many papers, but assume it includes oral.
Double science - two exams for each of the 3 sciences, plus two practical.
Level 2 in Equality and diversity (all non-exam assessment)
They then pick three options, but DC is doing music as an additional one (teaching is after school).

Some of the Maths and English exams will be done at the end of year 10, and potentially in the November of year 11, which spreads it out a little.

I did GCSEs in 1990 - we had less core subjects (don't think Welsh was taught at all then) but had 6 columns to pick other options from. The way they were grouped meant you had to include a science, a more practical subject (eg art, music, drama, keyboard skills (typing), office studies etc) and I think a humanities choice. We took 9 in total.

It was 9-11 at my daughters school (state) - 9 were standard with 1 extra if you did triple science and a further 1 if you did further maths. My son's school (private) is the same.

10-11 at DS's school, but it is a grammar school (the 11th is if they opt to do one after school, they can't actually timetable that many in normal school hours).
The local comprehensive does between 7 and 10 (top set do three sciences, children in the SEN base do less to allow for therapies etc). Five seems impossibly low for a mainstream school, and very limiting as there's a minimum of 5 core subjects (2 English, 2 Science and Maths).

9, 10 if doing triple science.

Agree that 5 is too low

5 is a joke. Good grief. How are they even passing Ofsted with that. Are they literally just going to 5 lessons all week for two years??
How is that possible.

Ours does 11. 10 being standard as many schools but they do RE one year early to make 11.

10 at our standard small northern comp if triple science, 9 if not . None are done earlier than year eleven.

An extra one (so usually 11) if you do further maths (or 10 if dual science but further maths).

Plus an extra to all the above if you have a non English mother tongue language from outside school that you are encouraged/allowed by school to sit exam there and school seem to facilitate but don't actually teach on timetable as an option (mainly eg Polish/where you might have local Saturday Polish school if that's your language at home).

English x 2, RE, maths, and science x 3 or x2 are compulsory then three/four options. One option can be vocational certificate though eg I media.