11 Plus Exams Forum

Apart from the mandatory options, my DS has three subjects to choose. Two he has found easy to choose which are History and Geography. He enjoys these and does very well in both.

This leaves one option left. Choices: Latin, German, Computing or Design/Technology.

German is least favourite as he wants to concentrate on his French and does not really enjoy it.
Latin, OKish but does find this harder than most subjects.

Computing - we do not know if this will be useful or not.

Design/Technology - again, do not know how well this is regarded. DS is favouring towards this option after a positive parents evening.

My DS does not really have any idea about what he wants to do, both as a career, A levels and University. With this mind, which direction would you steer him towards regarding the above options.

This is completely new to us and we feel inexperienced in trying to advise him what to do. Any comments or suggestions would be helpful please.

Funnily enough we have been having the same conversation but for us it's business studies, and computer science (?studies). MY DD did DT (resistant materials) and I have to say it was an awful lot of work, so unless they have a passion for it...

I have suggested to DS that BS or CS would be a slightly lighter option, and to be honest as long as they've got a good spread and aren't cutting off a career path I don't think it's too important at this stage (does anyoone know if DT needed for engineering, for example?).

DT might be good if they are looking to go for an engineering apprenticeship, but if they are going for an engineering degree, it shouldn't matter. Maths, physics and possibly chemistry (especially if doing chemical engineering) are far more important. Not to say they shouldn't do it if they want to though.

As for GCSE computing, you don't say whether it is ICT or computer science. The former I don't believe is well thought of but the latter is. The emphasis is different.

If all the other subjects are 'academic' then i don't think it matters too much what the final option is from that respect.

Latin is acknowledged as being very hard so it is well regarded but if DS finds it hard already then it might be best avoided.

DT probably has a lot of 'course work' and can be time consuming so as already suggested he woudl need to enjoy it. Sensible to look closely at the details though as ther are so many different boards and options for each.

Computing is seen as a proer subjrct whereas ICT isn't so much but again there can be a requirement for project work. it is often taken by boys who love spending hours on that sort of thing.

Be worth checking how much experience the staff have with DT/Computing and the grades in previous years - where project work is concerned the staff need to really understand what the examiners are going to be looking for - so many examples of work being 'moderated' down.

Have just read that computer science is going to count as a science as far as the EBacc is concerned.
Make of that what you will.

oh, for goodness sake!

out of interest only - where did you see that?

BBC news site:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21261442" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

RM beat me to it. That's where I read it.

Seems strange that they are happy to have computer science as a science, so you can have that and no other sciences and still have e EBacc (as long as you had the others needed), but they haven't widened the humanities form just geography or history.

Not that I care much.

I'd go with the DT - it shows a breadth of qualification. It is useful for engineering degrees and some ask for it at A level.

DT is a lot of effort and results are very variable, IME.

I would probably choose computing science out of that lot, particularly if he is interested in IT. Latin is a lot of work, I think, and it sounds as if he has all the academic subjects covered.