GCSE Economics
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GCSE Economics
My son is considering taking GCSE Economics but it is offered as a half GCSE initially. For students that make pleasing progress and show a command of the subject, the school could enter them for full GCSE.
Please, I need any views on either taking a full or half GCSE in Economics.
Thanks
Please, I need any views on either taking a full or half GCSE in Economics.
Thanks
The way your son's school is allowing the pupils to 'test' the waters with Economics as a GCSE subject choice makes sense. However, it depends on how many subjects they are choosing as a total.
Compulsory subjects and options may add up to a total of 10 full GCSEs and 2 or 3 half GCSEs. So if a pupil starts off with 13 subjects, he may well end up with 10 full GCSEs and 3 halfs or various combinations of fulls and halfs.
Economics, in itself, is not difficult; it requires reading and application but if your son is interested , he may well be able to stretch himself ably and be offered the full course at his school.
The only disadvantage I see with this style of choosing a subject is that after a year of studying the subject and preparing for it (sometimes involving coursework), a pupil might be asked to drop it completely (e.g. Physical Education) if the school deems that the pupil is not suited to the subject/ showing enough aptitude - all the time studying is wasted if not allowed to progress to half or full GCSEs.
So I would check with your son's school how they will proceed if a pupil is not showing command of the subject. If he can ill-afford fewer GCSEs at the end of the day, he may want to choose something else that he knows he can carry on to the finish.
Compulsory subjects and options may add up to a total of 10 full GCSEs and 2 or 3 half GCSEs. So if a pupil starts off with 13 subjects, he may well end up with 10 full GCSEs and 3 halfs or various combinations of fulls and halfs.
Economics, in itself, is not difficult; it requires reading and application but if your son is interested , he may well be able to stretch himself ably and be offered the full course at his school.
The only disadvantage I see with this style of choosing a subject is that after a year of studying the subject and preparing for it (sometimes involving coursework), a pupil might be asked to drop it completely (e.g. Physical Education) if the school deems that the pupil is not suited to the subject/ showing enough aptitude - all the time studying is wasted if not allowed to progress to half or full GCSEs.
So I would check with your son's school how they will proceed if a pupil is not showing command of the subject. If he can ill-afford fewer GCSEs at the end of the day, he may want to choose something else that he knows he can carry on to the finish.