Choosing GCSE's

[Moon unit]

Just chatted to my DS and his advice is just because you like music below gcse level and have a couple of grade 8s under your belt doesn’t mean you will necessarily find the gcse easy or enjoy it.
Only one of my sons friends said they would choose it if they had their time again and he is doing it a uni.
The other problem he had was they needed to work on the compositions after school to keep up but he had sport training sessions 4 days out of 5.Music lesson on the other night.
We ended up buying Sibelius and a new laptop to run it on although we would have bought the laptop anyway but just not so soon.
The boys that were very committed to sport found it the hardest.

[KS10]

Similar story with music here. DD enjoyed performance but not composition or the course in general if the truth be told. Many underachieved in her year group.

[Stroller]

I wouldn’t attempt subjects like art, drama, music or PE unless the student loves it, the school is strong in that area and there are extensive opportunities to be immersed in it outside the classroom. In the case of music, that could mean weekly singing and choirs and/or playing a variety of music on a regular basis with other musicians to supplement what a competent subject matter expert teacher covers.

Our Music Department is strong, so the very real pitfalls mentioned by a previous poster don’t arise. We were also told years earlier - perhaps even at open day or induction day - that it would be very helpful for anyone wanting to take GCSE music to aim to have a great grasp of what’s covered in Grade 5 music theory by the beginning of Y10 and to be at least Grade 5 standard in performance no later than the beginning of Y11. That combo (or equivalent) makes composition a bit less daunting and frees up time to focus on it.

[KS10]

DD’s school has a strong music dept but the HoD left at the end of Year 10 and the group struggled to maintain their enthusiasm. The underachievement in their case wasn’t necessarily massive across the board but I do know that some supposedly definite 9s were 8s and 7s and significant enough that the school queried the results for that group (but very few changed).

[Goodbyekitty]

Oh dear and we were thinking it would be an easy GCSE for him.

Luckily he has covered some composition work when he took Grd 5 Music theory a few years ago and he does seem to have a good Head of Music at school. His piano teacher also teaches GCSE and A level music so he might be able to be of some help if he starts falling behind.

[KS10]

Gosh, we must stop being negative about all his options .

I’m sure he’ll make the right choices for him. And just because my DD wasn’t too keen on GCSE music in the end it doesn’t mean your DS will dislike it. Some students are more proactive than others and sometimes it’s all to do with that.

[Goodbyekitty]

Gosh, we must stop being negative about all his options .

I’m sure he’ll make the right choices for him. And just because my DD wasn’t too keen on GCSE music in the end it doesn’t mean your DS will dislike it. Some students are more proactive than others and sometimes it’s all to do with that.

any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

[Guest55]

My DS loved his music GCSE - the school provided composition software that could be used at home.

He was tempted to do A level but there was no space with heading toward Science/Engineering.

[Daogroupie]

Both my dds loved GCSE Music and both went on to do A level Music and both are involved with choirs at University.

GCSE Music was a real passport for them. I would recommend it. DG

[Goodbyekitty]

My DS loved his music GCSE - the school provided composition software that could be used at home.

He was tempted to do A level but there was no space with heading toward Science/Engineering.

He definatley wants to take GCSE music, but not sure about taking the A level as I imagine that's a whole different ballgame.