Is Full on Humanities and Sciences too much?

[Guest55]

If you've studied History and Geography to the end of Year 9 you could be at level 8 [in old money] ie at grade B GCSE level already ie an understanding of key ideas - some students prefer practical and performing arts subjects. I loved History O level but the GCSE seems pretty narrow these days.

Some people would argue that Technology should be compulsory in KS4 [it used to be] or MFL [it used to be] and students will be studying RE which is a Humanities subject anyway.

[Catseye]

Poeple often forget Eng Lit is a humanities subject, so with with 2 from Geo,Hist or R.E that makes triple humanities-a bit much mythinks but everyone should do at least 2 imo.

What worries me more in terms of workload is those doing more than nine 1-9 linear gcse.

[doodles]

Surely it depends on the child. For ds1 a "practical" subject such as dt or ict or an art subject such as music, art or drama would have been a nightmare - his strengths just weren't in those subjects - and he wouldn't have got the grades he got.

[Guest55]

Yes - and for some able children Humanities is a 'nightmare' as they are stronger is practical subjects.

I was just reflecting on how 'compulsory subjects' have changed over the past 15 years or so.

[Tinkers]

DD has to pick one from history, geog and RS. She is picking geog, as in her words, "it's the one I dislike the least". She can't wait to drop the other two, she just finds them completely uninteresting. She would quite happily drop geog as well if given the chance. I think it's more to do with the approach than the subject, as she loves historical TV programs.
However she will probably choose both textiles and music, because she loves them both.

[doodles]

I think that's it Tinkers, go with their strengths and hopefully subjects they enjoy.

[yoyo123]

I think that's it Tinkers, go with their strengths and hopefully subjects they enjoy.

I would second that

[kenyancowgirl]

"....Yes - and for some able children Humanities is a 'nightmare' as they are stronger is practical subjects...."

Yes, Guest55, but I did say "academic" children...not able - academic children tend to prefer non practical subjects - at least that is my understanding of how the phrase "academic children" is used - it could be different in Planet Bucks, of course!

(And I have learned by now, that of course, if it's not done in Bucks, it's wrong.....!!)

OP - choose as broad a range of subjects as you can, within you child's interests and abilities - keep options open as long as possible if they have no clear ideas. If a school has the options in such a way that it is possible to do Hist/Geog together, this indicates that, in their experience, with the departments and teachers they have, they do not believe it is a problem to study both. (Our school, for example, will not let anyone do Art and a DT subject together as, in their experience a) it is not necessary for further study and b) they take up too much time, so both would be impossible).

[quasimodo]

If we make the assumption we are dealing with able children at my youngest dd's school the few children who struggle with science only end up taking GCSE's in double science rather than the triple science which is compulsory.On the humanities side if we include English Literature this is compulsory with English language, the girls have to do one humanity from History,Geography and RE.They can do all three.We already know she will be doing Geography and History even though she is in year 7. We can see she is strong in the subjects (from both Secondary and Primary schooling) and likes them.I am in KCG's school of thought without the two how can you have an education?
Since they have to do a modern foreign language and do 10 GCSE's our final choice will be with RE,Latin or PE. Art,music and DT have already fallen even though we encourage her to keep trying.She may yet do RE as I have looked at the course and it requires thinking and is not prescriptive the way I remember it being taught prior to my GCSE options.
The bottom line is you go with the strengths and likes of your child whilst keeping your options as wide as possible.
Good luck in the choices.

[kenyancowgirl]

Quasi, RE is compulsory in lots of schools (they have to study it as part of the curriculum anyway, so some schools think they may as well study a GCSE in it!)

I like the "new" RE - as compared to the more "Bible Study" focus of O level. It is more "common sense" with a stress on Philosophy and Ethics, and involves a study of several religions and their different approaches to the same problem - it also focuses more on "your" opinion - we should all have one and be able to justify why we have it - it's not about being right or wrong and is about being able to appreciate why someone has a different opinion - which I think is a good skill to have. I hope it doesn't change too much...