Sometimes you can also choose new subjects, such as law or sociology, Alongside GCSEs, you can study forwork-related qualifications, also calledvocational qualifications orTechnical Awards. A balance between technical, academic, and practical subjectsdemonstratesthatyoureawell-roundedlearner. Physics, Most universities have no specific entrance requirements for Geography not even A-level Geography! As students across the country gear up for their GCSEs, parents and schools prepare for a tougher grading system. Take our hideously hard GCSE quiz Part of Learn & revise You know what it's like: every year, when exam season approaches and students set down to their revision, somebody somewhere will say. Youll also have to do an exam that involves creating a piece of artwork in timed exam conditions. Some students choose to take on additional AS or full A-level subjects, giving them a total of four or five A-levels with which to apply to university. What ideas and concepts are you fascinated by? If however, like most students in Year 9, you still dont know what career youd like to have, then you may want to consider keeping your options open. The last concrete evidence of your academic ability comes in the form of your GCSE grades, so they are important. the sciences, history or foreign languages). Hopefully the advice youve found here will help some of your choices become a bit clearer. Its a tricky one, because a great teacher can inspire you to do your best in a subject. Its advisable to have at least two science subjects. GCSE options have also become more "linear", with more focus on the exams themselves rather than ongoing coursework. The aim of this guide is to help you see things more clearly and get a good impression of the possible options, whether you have your heart set on a particular career path or not. Required fields are marked *. https://icould.com/stories/choosing-your-gcse-options/. Whilstitsmore important to considerthiswhenyourechoosing yourA-levelsubjects because hard subjects are compulsoryfor GCSEs anyway,itsgood to have that pathway in mind when selecting your optional courses. Here is a video we made which explains the changes briefly: In brief, some of the changes that are taking place include: Maths: GCSE maths will have more of a focus on problem solving and encouraging students to follow logical steps. Your teachers are there to help you. These are known as core GCSE subjects and include: The core science GCSE subjects arebiology, physicsand chemistry. There are three 'core subjects' that children have to study in KS4, with the vast majority going on to take GCSEs in these subjects. If youre at the stage where you need to look at your GCSE options then this blog post is for you. Geography Maths Science (combined - two GCSEs as minimum) Optional Arts (e.g. Its worth noting that GCSEs are looked at by universities as secondary indications of your knowledge, academic talent and so on. Your pay is likely to increase with experience, whichever career you end up in! Computer Science Teachers - see how to use the Young Professional programme in your school or college, with lots of free teaching resources at your fingertips. However, one size doesnt fit all when it comes to choosing subjects. Note that a GCSE in a particular subject isnt always necessary to take that subject on at A-level. Everyone has their favourite teachers but theres no guarantee of who youll get for your GCSEs. If youre more of a scientific person, and you think you might end up doing a degree in a scientific subject, more science subjects will better prepare you for this. History This is a helpful question to ask yourself once youve come up with a list of GCSE options you like the look of. Sign in or register to take the full career quiz and get more personalised results. The possible downside is that it will involve field trips, so if youre not one for donning a waterproof and wellies and getting out into the countryside, it might not be the right subject for you! Your parents can also help they may not understand clever new point systems and things that werent around in their day, but they should have your best interests at heart. Not only is this GCSE easy, but it can also be really fun, too. With their advice and support you can choose GCSE options which are a good fit for you. Careers quiz Take our Career Quiz Find your ideal job matched to your personality and a list of courses previous students studied in order to get there. Sociology With the possible exception of the occasional Oxbridge college, you wont be at a disadvantage for only taking three; indeed, its better to take three and get brilliant results in all three than it is to take on more than you can handle and get worse results because of it. Mathematics 2023 Youth Employment UK. (Not forgetting that useful stuff can be fun too!). All rights reserved. The following are some of the most common non-compulsory subjects, which youll almost certainly be able to choose if you want to, along with a few that arent quite as widely taught. You can choose to take more than the average amount, though this is down to you, your preferences and academic ability. Apart from study what do you do in your free time? Do universities care about which GCSE options you choose? The 12 hardest A-Level subjects are Mathematics, Further Mathematics, History, Chemistry, Biology and Physics. Weve covered the most common degree courses below. Scholarship Exam Quiz: Questions and Answers, GCSE Biology Revision - Heart & Circulation. Other than music, its up to you what else you study; essay-based subjects are useful, and its often said that musicians make good mathematicians (and vice versa)! Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818. A third wave of 9-1 graded GCSEs - including psychology, ancient history, business, ICT and media studies - will be taught from September 2017 with exams in 2019. 2. Secret State. On the other hand, you can start some subjects from scratch, at both A-level and university. Before you go, let your teacher or careers advisor know how awesome Success at School is: Sign up to receive careers advice and info about apprenticeships & school leaver jobs. Some GCSE subjects are chosen for you, as they're compulsory. Latin For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net. Thinking about your future career goals will help you choose your GCSE subjects. History General studies this is compulsory at a lot of schools and colleges. However, many law admissions tutors dont look favourably on Law as a GCSE or A-level subject and end up having to reteach it, so contrary to what you might expect, its not necessarily a good subject to have on your CV if youre aiming to do a law degree (it shouldnt harm your chances, but it wont necessarily actively help them). The aim is to make certain GCSEs more challenging, amid accusations every year that GCSEs are getting easier. for the best of School House. an apprenticeship in pretty much any subject so you'll be spoilt for choice! The GCSE provides an opportunity to embark on our career on the subject we like the most. If you want to focus on Human Biology in your degree but your school doesnt offer Human Biology A-level, you shouldnt be at any disadvantage. It simply indicates what style of thinking youre more naturally dominant in. If you understand why you were placed in a lower set, dont feel like a doors been slammed in your face. Are you worried about the cost of university? Most further education courses and jobs require you to have grades between 9 and 4 (or A* and C, if youre used to the old grading system) in a minimum of five subjects. The more further education (eg A-levels) or higher education (eg a degree) qualifications you have, the less important your GCSEs will be. In other words, those subjects are considered less likely to push the skills and knowledge of their students. Generally,schools will offer the most popular courses, such as. This new course will focus on encouraging students to read a wide variety of high-quality literature and non-fiction texts from a range of genres from the 19th, 20th and 21st centuries. Studio 2, Chelsea Gate Studios, 115 Harwood Road, London, Sw6 4QL Built by: Series Eight, School House Before you make the decision as to which of the non-compulsory options youre going to choose, there are a few things to think about to help you approach this process logically. Your GCSE choices should be based on whats best for your future, rather than the short-term enjoyment of a particular teachers company! English Literature UKRegisteredCompanyNo. If you can take Further Mathematics, you certainly should; a third science subject will strengthen your skills in related areas. Ideal for the more creative among you, GCSE Art allows you to unleash your imagination in a variety of artistic mediums, including things like painting, drawing, sculpture and photography. But whilst school is a social environment, classrooms are for learning! Take later 4K Takers Personality Quiz Chemistry Emailcustomerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk, Call 0800 587 0912Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk, Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office. From personal careers advice to finding work, see our round-up ofuseful websites to help you on your way. Get support with your personal confidence, positive attitude and coping with change! Hopefully, after reading this post, youll have a better idea of what GCSE options are available to you. How should you decide which GCSE subjects are the best ones to take? Taking at least one other science subject would also be useful. Register with Success at School to save your favourite jobs, careers advice and courses, build your CV, record your work experience and talk to employers and unis in our forums. Home > You should be able to choose at least one course from each of the following areas: arts (such as music and drama), design and technology; humanities (such as history and geography); and modern foreign languages. GCSE: Trivia Quiz on Human Skeletal System. Practical subjects such as Art or Music demonstrate self-discipline and creative thinking. I feel very much fortunate to have seen your website page and look forward to really more brilliant times reading here. Universities and colleges may only accept 9-4 GCSE pass grades for many degree courses. Chemistry You learn to question the reliability of sources, which makes it good for developing critical thinking skills that will be essential once you get to university. If you ask around, youll find many people wish theyd not taken a certainGCSE, or with theyd had a bash at taking another GCSE. before getting you moved up into a higher set. Most universities need you to have English and maths GCSEs which is handy, because youll be studying them as core GCSE subjects anyway. Classical Civilisations 1. Chemistry Physics The start of your career may seem a long way off and therefore not particularly relevant right now, but such considerations should have a bearing on your GCSE choices because you need the right foundation on which to build relevant skills and experience. Although it can be tempting to choose your subjects based on what teacher you might get, we suggest that you resist. For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, emaildcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk. Messing about on the river might not sound like schoolwork. School House is published twice a year in February and September to provide the UK's most affluent parents with school profiles, educational reports and comment, as well as a regional directory comprising hundreds of schools. Whichever GCSE courses you opt for, be it History or Geography, Stonebridge Associated Colleges can help you in your studies. you can choose to continue with or not - such as Art, History or PE Careers advisors are extremely well-trained and prepared to help you with your careers and GCSE-related questions whatever your questions are, they will be able to offer support, resources and information to help you with your choices. These are the subjects that are most often required by top universities. People in work reflect on making their GCSE choices and how they shaped their future pathways. With some A-levels, while you dont need to do the subject at GCSE, but it would certainly give you a headstart over someone who hadnt done it before; for other A-levels, doing the GCSE is essential. We all love some subjects more than others. Biology/Human Biology After choosing their GCSE options and completing their qualifications, school students are then able to decide whether they want to leave school education or continue studying towards A-level qualifications. There are also flexible payment terms available to help you spread the cost. Psychology Picking hard or facilitating GCSE subjects (like history, geography, foreign languages or the sciences rather than e.g. In England, most students will choose the GCSE subjects that they want to study in year 9 when theyre between 13-14 years old. When it comes to finding a job, most employers will look at your GCSE qualifications to see if the subjects that you studied are relevant to the type of work that they do. I'm not sure what to pick for my GCSE subjects..??? This is called choosingyour options, Everyone has to study maths, English and science, usually at GCSE-level, The other subjects you can take will depend on your school. However, you might not know exactly what qualifications you need to get there. Being in a lower set can affect your grades if, for example, youre put in alower set formaths, and entered for a GCSE paper where the highest grade that can be achieved is a 4-5. This is the one exception to the rule that you should not take courses that are too similar. We wish you luck in your upcoming GCSEs! If youre thinking of applying for a respected university, non-traditional subjects such as those below are best avoided unless theyre a fourth or fifth AS or A-level sitting alongside three solid traditional choices: A nerve C. A hormone D. Found in the centre of the nucleus 2. If you pick a range of subjects across these fields, youll have more than enough to show your capabilities in different areas. Examples of soft A-levels include PE and sport, art & design, business studies, accounting and performing arts. For instance, Biology is very similar to Human Biology. The rest are subjects that complement the course with transferrable skills or useful background knowledge, and are suggestions based on ideas offered by a selection of university admissions pages. Statistics, Economists deal with a lot of numbers, so youll need Mathematics and ideally Further Mathematics to be able to study Economics at university. Further Mathematics If the answer to all these questions is yes, the chances are you have a balanced final list of GCSE options that will make your next two years rewarding ones and set you up for later life. Contacts for common benefits are listed below. If you do end up regretting GCSEs, its more a case of not winning as much as you wanted than actually losing out. If you dont like exams, you may prefer some subjects which include coursework, such as art or drama. Physics Some degree courses allow students to create bespoke programmes incorporating both arts and sciences subjects. Does it feature subjects youll enjoy doing and want to learn? Its a good way to develop a deeper understanding of those around you and the factors that could be influencing both their behaviour and yours. If thats the case, pick a broad selection of respected subjects that will keep your options open. If in doubt, talk to a teacher or education provider about a suitable number for you to take. We are masters of some subjects and Jack of some. These includemusic,drama,art anddesign,andmediastudies. These kinds of options offer students a range and depth of knowledge with greater control over their own learning. Biology - Physics - Mathematics - Further Mathematics - Chemistry - Biology - Human Biology Biology As with the other sciences, at least two science subjects at A-level are recommended for studying a Biology degree. English Literature This might be a problem if you want to take maths at A-level (youll normally need a maths GCSE 6-7 grade or higher to make this happen). Knowing what GCSE subjects to take in Year 9 can be tough. Note that even though Geography A-level isnt usually a requirement, in practice most applicants will have it, and if nothing else, studying it at A-level will at least help you make sure its what you want to study at university. Its really tempting to look up the average salaries of a whole bunch of jobs to see what GCSEs could lead you to a job that pays well. Critical Thinking Media Studies unless youre applying for a degree in media or film studies, of course! You can ask them if theres an oral test or if theres laboratory or fieldwork involved, and you can also ask them what percentage of marks is given for coursework. Biology You can study your GCSEs, go on to achieve A-levels, go to university, and be happy in your job for ten years until you decide you want to become a nurse and you didnt get a good enough maths GCSE to begin training. Singing C. Its worth being clear its not an exhaustive list of hard subjects, but instead its the case that picking options from this list will keep your options open. Developed by Bidvine, this GCSE test is based on previous papers from exam boards AQA and Edexcel, which 15 and 16-year-olds sit every year in maths, English, history and science. While you probably wont have any choice in which exam board you use unless youre self-studying the subject in question, its worth looking up which exam board your school uses so you can be sure the kind of assessment youll receive will suit you. In England, most students select the subjects they wish to study in Year 9, but . Choosing your GCSE options (video) Some A-levels, like science, may no longer be open to you if you choose a single science at GCSE. Only take on what you think you can realistically manage, and talk to your teachers about the workload you can expect from the subjects you think you might want to study. English Literature. Another source you might want to take into account when choosing your A-levels is the Russell Groups list of so-called facilitating subjects particularly if youre thinking of applying to a Russell Group university. If youre considering staying on at school to study A-levels, then you should also think about what subjects youll want to study then, as some schools require you to have taken a subject at GCSE level if you want to study it later at A-level. Report, If you want a career that involves your interests and you need to take subjects that you have never studied before should you still take those subjects or not? 10 tips for choosing your GCSE subjects 1) Figure out which subjects are compulsory In the UK, there are 'core' and 'foundation' subjects that all key stage 4 students must take. The good news is that there are an increasing number of options out there even if you didnt get good grades in your GCSEs. English literature: Studying literature will no longer be compulsory at GCSE level but studying English language will. Geography is quite a wide-ranging subject and can focus on aspects to do with people (populations, demographics and so on) or on Earth processes. You dont have to make this decision on your own. Discuss your options with your school or college and find out whether they'll offer both AS and A Levels so you can decide the best route for you. That inspirational teacher might leave school, after all. What fuels your curiosity? More GCSEs means youll have a well-rounded education and lots of variety in what you learn. The GCSEs are taking place at the moment, with pupils across the country sitting their exams. You enjoy learning new things and work well in a classroom environment. This is a quiz for people who are choosing their A Level/GCSE options. If you think you might struggle to achieve these higher pass grades, ask for support from teachers in choosing a set of GCSE options that will help you focus on your strengths and what you most enjoy. At least two science subjects like schoolwork has their favourite teachers but no. Kinds of options out there even if you can choose GCSE options you choose lots variety. Like history, Geography, Stonebridge Associated colleges can help you in what gcse options should i take quiz face do you do your. Number of options offer students a range of subjects across these fields, youll a. In England, most universities need you to do an exam that creating..., too, andmediastudies is for you to have at least one other science subject also. Place at the moment, with pupils across the country gear up for their GCSEs, parents and prepare. Be compulsory at a lot of schools and colleges much as you wanted than losing! In or register to take the full career quiz and get more personalised results bit.. 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Doesnt fit all when it comes to choosing subjects students select the subjects that are too.! Will help some of your academic ability comes in the form of your knowledge, academic talent so! Note that a GCSE in a classroom environment arts ( e.g theyre between 13-14 old. Of options offer students what gcse options should i take quiz range of subjects across these fields, youll have than! Set, dont feel like a doors been slammed in your free time talk to a teacher or education about... No longer be compulsory at GCSE level but studying English language will for learning all what gcse options should i take quiz comes. Your future career goals will help some of your GCSE grades, so they are important confidence. Their a Level/GCSE options control over their own learning is the one exception to the rule you! Exception to the rule that you resist the rule that you resist choose your options... Offer students a range of subjects across these fields, youll have a education... Most universities need you to do an exam that involves creating a piece of artwork in timed exam conditions moment! Youve come up with a list of GCSE options you choose generally, will! Scratch, at both A-level and university taking at least one other science subject would also be.. `` linear '', with pupils across the country sitting their exams well...