GCSE options are looming and I wondered if there where any good websites on the ‘tinternet that offer guidance?

Our daughter is bright enough, but not A* in every subject.

French is by far her best subject, near top of class.

Maths is OK, but we know she has to take this anyway.

Science… Chemistry and Biology she gets on with OK, but really struggles at Physics. So will probably do 2 sciences.

Good at History, Food Tech, General Tech, and PE.

She’s has no idea of a career though!

French Maths Chemistry and Biology History, Food Tech, General Tech, and PE.

sounds like a resonable mix – go with those plus the English ones and put off a decision for a couple of years?

She’s has no idea of a career though!

Unless she wants to be a doctor, dentist or vet, it doesn’t matter.

Pick what she enjoys/is good at.

Go with the subjects she’s good at and enjoys. Too early for most young uns to pick a career path. As above reasonable spread of subjects….

EDIT: beaten to it!

Science… Chemistry and Biology she gets on with OK, but really struggles at Physics. So will probably do 2 sciences.

You cant do two sciences. You can do all three as 3 individual GCSE’s or double award GCSE science which is a mixture of all 3 but has less content.

Similar situation last year.
Sat down with boy and drew up two lists:
What do you enjoy?
What are you getting good results in?
Anything on both lists plus the compulsory subjects gave him a fairly balanced selection.
Too early to start worrying about the rest of your life at 14!

the-muffin-man – Member
Good at History, Food Tech, General Tech, and PE.

Looks like she will end up as primary school teacher …

I’ve just been through something similar with my Niece who didn’t really have an idea on a career but wanted a good spread of GCSEs.

She went with something similar to what your daughter went with to give a good general spread of subjects.

Depending on whether she then wants to go on to sixth form or college and what she wants to do there so long as she has maths and english she should be fine.

French Maths Chemistry and Biology History [+English]

That’ll cover potential careers as varied as part of the diplomatic/civil service, biochemistry, teaching, military, blah blah blah. And that’s just covering jobs that require a degree – the food tech and pe qualifications obviously open up possibilities in restaurants, personal training etc.

But I’d say don’t sweat it, as long as she’s doing well in these subjects it’s far too early for her to be deciding on her future.

You cant do two sciences.

Really? Pupils can do all three as individual subjects but not just two? What about one?

What she enjoys/is good at and fits in the choice columns.

Forget about what her friends are doing (she can see them most of the rest of the time), what teachers she likes/gets on with (odds are she won’t end up in their class) and what parents think she should do (no offence but you probably don’t know half of what is happening at school or what she enjoys or is good at).

I still don’t have a career idea and I’m 54 in two weeks. As above, go with what she enjoys most. Doing the individual sciences rather than combined would be good, but no point if Physics is a non-starter.

My lads in the same position.

Based on the almighty **** up I’ve made of my life, I’ll be pointing him towards doing what he enjoys and is good at. I dropped subjects I enjoyed and was good at – top of the year good at – to please other people’s opinions, and it’s been a general slide downhill for the subsequent 34 years.

Really? Pupils can do all three as individual subjects but not just two? What about one?

No, you can do single award GCSE but that is again a mix of biol, physics and chem

If she enjoys technology subjects, then get her to stick with them.
Statistically girls do better at subjects with larger coursework elements, and if she decides to pursue technology/engineering/product design/etc. after school she’ll be snapped up by universities, as they are crying out for girls in those areas.

dd1 is a bit of a high flyer and at a selective school had to make the decsion before the summer break she conciously chose the usual academic subjects plus PE so she could have a bit of a break..from the serious stuff..kids today are so much better educated than we were in the late 70’s..makes me a bit Jelly

No, you can do single award GCSE but that is again a mix of biol, physics and chem

So individual sciences not available as a GCSE option unless someone takes all three?

For example, a pupil couldn’t have a timetable with english, maths, art, history, French, biology and PE?

So individual sciences not available as a GCSE option unless someone takes all three

Yep

Yep

I don’t believe you.

Fair enough

Choose what she enjoys / finds interesting.
Don’t do it based on which teachers she does /doesn’t like.

Tip for physics – if they give you 3 numbers in the question multiply 2 together and divide by the other one (1 in 3 chance of being right). Can improve these odds with a little bit of knowledge / understanding.

Is this across England or just at your school?

Is this across England

England and Wales. Not sure about Scotland I expect its the same.

It’s certainly not the case in Scotland where I teach. When did this happen?

When did this happen?

No idea

Curricula at key stage 4 should comprise approximately equal proportions of biology, chemistry and physics.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-curriculum-in-england-science-programmes-of-study/national-curriculum-in-england-science-programmes-of-study#key-stage-4

She should do what she’s best at because a) she’ll enjoy it more and b) gcse results are going to be more important than ever now that AS exams have been ditched. Universities used to look at a child’s AS results to decide what offer to make but will now have to use gcse results instead (internal exam results mean nothing).

She’s has no idea of a career though!

I wouldn’t worry too much at this point. I turn 45 tomorrow and I’ve still no idea.

Good core base: Maths*, 3 sciences*, English plus a language – great foundation
* can be taught and learned to top grade without difficulty – again great foundation

What does she like doing? You then can balance practical subjects (tech,art, PE) with humanities (History and [/s]colouring-in geography*. Bias the latter if destined to higher Unis
* as above but more material to absorb with case studies etc, but human is a piece of pi$$

* can be taught and learned to top grade without difficulty

You dont half live in a bubble

The choices seem quite limited for GCSE really.

I’d suggest a look at some university prospectuses before picking GCSE options. They can be quite inspiring. When you see subjects like ‘brewing technology’, ‘chemistry and business’, ‘paper science’, ‘computer science and…’ it can at least create a reaction. And consider looking at some of the apprentice options and European and US university course for inspiration too.

French sounds like a good choice as she likes it. I suggest that physics is an easier subject at GCSE than either chemistry or biology because of its reliance on ‘simple’ physical phenomena and mathematics.

Does she have the option of computer science? Fun and useful.

This AQA site has some useful information on subjects. You might already have it from the school.

Curricula at key stage 4 should comprise approximately equal proportions of biology, chemistry and physics.

‘should’: government policy as moral imperative. As it doesn’t say ‘must’ it’ll be negotiable. I’d judge 1 hour of chemistry as worth more than 1 hour of the vagueness of biology.

1) Google “EBacc buckets” – 2nd one down from NAHT is good.
Understand the school will be under immense pressure to ensure all buckets are filled, never mind what the child wants to study, that really is secondary in this unfortunate target driven world.
2) Ask the school now for the “Options choice blocks for year 9 or 10 – whatever she is in”

Reading just your first post.
English Lang + Lit, Maths, Separate Sciences, French and History.
Then pick one for fun from This list of approved GCSE’s that are on the option block sheet.

If she likes French could she take another language?

If she is good at chemistry and biology then I’d do the three as individual sciences. Physics at that level is only simple maths so a bit of graft will get her through.

Maths.

English – I don’t know the options I did literature and language.

But as above, enjoyment is still the most important consideration. You do best at what you enjoy. Career path will flow from this.

I’d suggest a look at this site. Sounds like there might be some useful info on there.

We’re showing the next generation that girls do Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths (STEM) too at our free, fun, food-filled experiences.

OP you seem to have it spot on, good subjects chosen for good reasons. Is she good at Geography ? You have History but another social science would be good. Can she do two languages ? If she’s good at French then (say) Spanish might work well.

Definitely do what she’s good at, my middle daughter wanted to be a dentist and struggled with A levels “required” so got avg results. Went on to get a First in a Sociology/International Policy degree. Two lessons, do what you are good at and some less than stellar results need not hold you back.

Good luck

I did my GSCEs seven (yeah I’m 23) years ago now, I ended up with nine of them in various subjects which nobody ever cared about. In hindsight I would have concentrated on getting the highest grades possible in my ‘core’ subjects – English, Maths and Science, since high grades in these subjects make all the difference for future career prospects… nobody cares about your A in french and foodtech if you failed your maths. Just take a look at the requirements of any college (for A levels) or apprenticeship.

I’d recommend doing the triple science, if she really doesn’t get on with physics and worst case fails it she still has two other science GCSEs at a higher level than they would be if she had done double science.

As for any other GCSEs the french is a no brainer as it is easy for her, knowing a language shows intelligence which is always good, any thing else just pick what is easy and fun for her, just to make up the numbers, last thing she needs is to be bogged down in a history GCSE when she should be putting all her effort behind those all important ‘core’ subjects.

Since this is what happened to me, I got Bs in graphic design, geography, religious education, I remember putting real effort into these subjects partly because I liked them and in a way I neglected my core subjects and came out with a C in Maths and English literature, in hindsight I would have rather failed geography for example and had an A in Maths.

Some of my friends did history at GCSE and found it rather difficult, it was a lot of effort for very little gain, PE at GSCE again a lot of my friends did that too and said it was also difficult due to it being very biology theory based.

She’s in year 9….. did you have a clue at that age? I certainly didnt and mostly still dont! So long as her choices are ones she’ll enjoy and do well in, for now that’s all that matters. Same often goes for Alevel/BTEC choices, stick to what you’re good at and enjoy the most, worry about the future when the time is around to make that decision!

Geography.

Everyone loves colouring in.

Geography.

Everyone loves colouring in.
And field trips.
aah, field trips…

She could do single sciences if the school is doing IGCSE exams which are becoming more popular in the UK.

Really IGCSE don’t make much difference to career choices, and little difference to alevel choices, other than if you are crap at a subject at IGCSE you will be crap at alevel. Although business studies is a bit of an exception.

Don’t worry too much at this stage
Schools seem to be fairly flexible and you can take subjects at A-level that you didn’t follow to GCSE. Our boy started computer science in the sixth form, he’s had some catching up to do tho. The school will advise you
A few of his mates did GCSEs at school and then specialised in FE college, e.g engineering, before going to Uni.