Choosing options in Year 8

dani* · Post by dani* » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:30 pm

You should try a lower tier CGSE maths paper on a child who achieves a reasonable level 5 in Primary. Interesting

Bex mum · Post by **Bex mum** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 1:30 pm

Are any other schools in Bexley choosing their options in year 8 though? Most schools still take their options in Year 9 in Bexley don't they?

tiredmum · Post by **tiredmum** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:26 pm

Tracy wrote: With BH, I think that there is a drive for kids to go into yr11 already having got the 5 A*- C. If some of these subjects have already been passed a year early then it gives room to improve the others. This is already being done at other comps in the borough.

bex mum
i think tracy is saying that other comps in the borough take options early too

Tracy · Post by **Tracy** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:26 pm

Choosing options is not like when we were young.

There are so many compulsory subjects that the option subjects are quite limited. Out of 12 that my eldest is doing only 3 were her choice.
The 9 compulsory subjects are:
2 eng
maths
rs
3 science
2 mfl

There really isn't too much leeway regardless of year but I can't see how you can decide to ditch any subject after only really studying it for 18 months.

Post by **hermanmunster** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:42 pm

I'm not too happy about them trying to do the GCSEs too early - no need really. Can also be problems with chosing between languages when you haven't beein doing them for very long

Bex mum · Post by **Bex mum** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 2:53 pm

Tbh I don't really remember choosing my options - think I just ticked what I thought would be the easiest subjects - so glad my kids have more sense than I did!

Think I will google old GCSE papers though, be interesting to see what they are like now.

Tracy · Post by **Tracy** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:45 pm

Bex mum - I mentioned taking gcses early not choosing options early. The exception to this is choosing what language to study in yr8.

BH is the first I've heard of formally choosing their options in yr8. Is this actually correct?

Post by **hermanmunster** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 3:55 pm

Bex mum wrote:Tbh I don't really remember choosing my options - think I just ticked what I thought would be the easiest subjects - so glad my kids have more sense than I did!

Think I will google old GCSE papers though, be interesting to see what they are like now.

Yes it was a case of taking on german or greek and dropping history or geography. My non linguistic abilities being fully recognised there was really no choice

Yes the GCSE papers are quite interesting ! Could have a bash at some - Biol and maths but can't remmeber any chemistry and they have changed how they teach geog

Bex mum · Post by **Bex mum** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:00 pm

Yes, I think it is as the information is on their website. Also, when we looked round the school the guide told us they the lower years would be completing KS3 in 2 years.

Bex mum · Post by **Bex mum** » Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:03 pm

IT says on the website 'Yr8 KS4 option booklet'. Haven't looked at it properly as it doesn't affect me, but interesting just the same....