Cooks Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Well a friend is coming to collect me but I have got to go to a meeting about the different options OS has. It's the first time I have done this with him being my oldest and to be honest it's a little confusing as he is given the option of not only GCSE's but also Btecs and Diplomas.... lets hope tonight will shed some light on the situation Anyone else going through it at the moment? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Not this time,but I did last year,& 2 years before that too. There is a lot to take in, for parents & pupils,especially now that the Diplomas are a choice too. Just keep calm,talk everything through & you will get there in the end. In fact my youngest swapped 3 of her GCSE's for a Media & Creative Arts Diploma midway through the first term,so there is always option to change about a bit if your child thinks they have made the wrong choice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Falkor Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 oooh good luck!! No advice really as I am sure it has all changed since I was in year 9! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 We have already been through it with 1 and have Options Evening with DD on Thursday. There is little in the way of choice for her as the students are given different 'Pathways' according to ability which does make sense and actually only leaves her 2 subjects to choose. Unfortunately the 2 subjects that she was going to take are in the same column and they have to choose from different columns. So, now she has to decide whether she takes History or Geography. Leaning towards History but she will decide on Thursday I think. We have only done GCSE's our school is one of the few that doesn't do Diplomas. Btecs yes, Diplomas no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lewis Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 We can only do GCSE's - I don't know anyone round here that does btecs and diplomas - I wanted to do a Technical theatre btec but school said we weren't allowed. We had to choose 4 subjects and had to do 2 english, 2 or 3 sciences and maths Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
helenc Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 We are in the middle of it now. My daughters school only does GCSE's and some of them are IGCSE. They all have to take 6 - English Language and Literature, Maths, French, Science and additional Science, they then have 3 columns and have to choose 1 from each but there are 14 subjects to choose from and they can do 3 separate science using one of their options if they want. She has decided to do Latin and RS and just needs to choose between Drama and Textiles, but its so hard for them - they seem so young to be making such big decisions. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chook n Boo Mum Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Got this to look forward to next year...can't wait Sha x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Space Chick Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 No advice from me either (although I can remember vividly studying my options sheet and deciding what to do from each column. It still upsets me that Music and Drama were both in column 6 so I had to choose ) Let us know how it went Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 well I think I am clearer but where it gets confusing is I come home and son (who wasn't allowed to this meeting) says he's had a re-think and changed his subjects.. I despair... although I am clearer in knowing that I want him to select subjects because he enjoys them not because he thinks they are the best etc etc etc sooooooo I think the line up so far goes English Maths Double Science Geography Graphics btec Construction (as has elements or Architecture/surveying) Literacy and Numeracy Support (as mid set lad and he wants to enhance these subjects) But tomorrow it could change, it's already changed a few times in the last few days. :lol: :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 ok it;s changed again... line up now reads.... English Maths Double Science Geography Graphics btec Construction (as has elements or Architecture/surveying) counts as 2 GCSE's ICT OCR Nationals Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Yes, we are going through the options process at the moment too. We have done the options evening then we have a meeting with his teachers on Thursday to discuss his progress and what his options choices are. He still hasent decided what he wants to do. He has a couple of definates and then a couple of possibles. I think we are hoping for some guidance on Thursday at the mentoring meeting. They do G.C.S.E's here and also BTECS. I might be being old fashioned here but I prefer the idea of having a full set of G.C.S.E's than BTECS. I have got a BTEC myself and they arnt easy but unless its particularly relevent to a career choice, in my sons case, I cant see the point and we are hoping he chooses a broad base of G.C.S.E's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 it's just my thinking that having a btec in there will take the pressure off, theres no exams etc thats time he can concentrate pureply on coursework. I like that idea and so does he, it works for him. edited to add he;s doing his GCSE ICT at the moment in year 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missuscluck Posted February 1, 2010 Share Posted February 1, 2010 Yes, having no exam is a big plus. They do need a subject that is perhaps not as taxing. Its a hard slog picking a pile of tough subjects. My step daughter picked at A level, Maths, Physics, Biology and Psycology. She flunked 2 of them. Too much for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 1, 2010 Author Share Posted February 1, 2010 I think thats it, rather than over tax him I'd rather he have at least one subject that he can study differently. He's not a top set boy so no point settling sights too high to come crashing down again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAJ Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Construction is great - even to know the skills for your own DIY projects in later life, if it is not a career direction he goes down - never wasted. You can spend a long time on this and still get it wrong, but some will allow changes early in year 10. Tracy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seagazer Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Went through this years ago with my eldest two and remember it as quite a confusing time. YS is only in year 7 but has already decided that there is no way he will be taking French when gets to the appropriate year Can you tell he doesn't like it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laurmurf Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 i've just been through this too: both my lads choosing their options. They are both doing the OCR IT course, as an IT option i required. They say it's useful, modular coursework, but a bit boring. I've also just been to a governors' training session on the curriculum for 14-19 and i think the 'new' options like diplomas sound brilliant! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 yes I have to admit the diplomas sounded great, they just didn't tick the boxes for my son... maybe in two years for my youngest.. Yes french and Spanish were off my sons books as an option, he was 'told' that he had to take one of them but thats rubbish, he doesn't and to be honest he doesn't enjoy them, you either into languages or your not.. he isn't. Well the latest line up of subjects has stuck overnight.... We took some advice from a friend on here and realised that the study support was probably not needed for my son, although I was looking at it as extra time he can study the main subjects, I hadn't looked at it from another angle and needed to be turned around sharply.... :lol: she did give me virtual cake though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 Went through this years ago with my eldest two and remember it as quite a confusing time. YS is only in year 7 but has already decided that there is no way he will be taking French when gets to the appropriate year Can you tell he doesn't like it? yup that came across loud and clear :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 Option choices here too ES about to leave and can't decide whether to go to uni or not ED choosing A levels although she is sticking with her choices at the mo YS has sort of chosen triple science, and perhaps performing arts although that's a double option and the remaining choice if he does performing arts is probably geography/history/RE At the moment he wants to be an orthodontist, but who knows Got to go through this again with YD as she is only in year 7 Good luck to everyone going through the options choices. Karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 they do make you a bit like dont they... trouble is with my son he'd love to take geography and History but cannot do both with the other subjects he wants to do and he had to decide what he would enjoy doing the most and what he felt would give him the best knowledge in the future. Now whether WE totally agree with this I am not sure until I speak with his teachers but at least he feels a tad clearer. I am still like this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 It will become clearer at options evening but my advise would be to be wary of taking subject because they like the teacher. Teachers leave - if the department is strong it is fine but if they are choosing a subject because of an individual, be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Speckled Hen Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 It will become clearer at options evening but my advise would be to be wary of taking subject because they like the teacher. Teachers leave - if the department is strong it is fine but if they are choosing a subject because of an individual, be careful. Absolutely. My daughter was very good at French and the class had a really good and passionate teacher. Half way through GCSE she left and her replacement was terrible in all ways. My daughter limped through and gave it up after her exams when she was more than capable of taking it to A Level. Such a pity; so useful having a second language Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
docsquid Posted February 2, 2010 Share Posted February 2, 2010 It will become clearer at options evening but my advise would be to be wary of taking subject because they like the teacher. Teachers leave - if the department is strong it is fine but if they are choosing a subject because of an individual, be careful. Also beware of not choosing it if you don't like the teacher. I really didn't get on with the teacher of French I had first of all for my O'Levels. She was French herself, and very sarcastic. I was good at French, and got put in the top stream, but almost all the children in that stream were bilingual (i.e. had a French, Lebanese, Belgian or other French-speaking parent). I had never been to France, and neither of my parents spoke French (my Mum did German at school and my Dad spoke Welsh). In consequence she took the mick out of me a lot. I nearly gave it up. My parents got me transferred to the second stream, and I thrived in that class. I got double A's (no A* in those days), and am SO glad I carried on, as with my passion for skiing, it has been really useful to be able to speak French. And the first teacher gave me a M"Ooops, word censored!"illes accent, which is handy in the Alps, as they don't like Parisians there The point is, if you don't like a teacher there may be options, if you like the subject, or at least think it might be useful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cooks Posted February 2, 2010 Author Share Posted February 2, 2010 it's a mine field... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
