Take my advice... and choose the subjects you most enjoy

WHEN I was at secondary school in Scotland, around this time of year we were given a sheet of subjects to choose from and told to go home and choose what we wanted to do for our “O Grades” (GCSEs to folk down south) and return the sheet by Friday.

We were given the sheets on Wednesday so it didn’t leave us much time to decide.

Initially I thought it wouldn’t be a problem but as my eyes moved down the sheet I began to think otherwise.

There were subjects such as economics, sociology and modern studies, which I had no idea about.

I could just about guess what modern studies was, but as for the other two, I had never even heard the terms before. My parents weren’t much help. Being first generation Italian and focusing totally on their fish and chip shop, although they wanted me to do well at school (and then take over the shop), they weren’t really much help.

Economics is something to do with imports and exports my mum told me.

And that was the sole guidance I received.

The following day I chose my options (I won’t say what they were, as I don’t want to show any bias) and handed in my form on time.

The following week I was summoned in to see the deputy.

In those days in Scotland, as far as I knew, you only went there to get the belt. So in I went all atremble. “You’ve chosen the wrong subjects,” bellowed the angry voice from behind the desk. “But I enjoy them”, I dared to reply “Well they’re wrong! You should be doing these subjects.”

And with that he began to list the subjects I should do.

“But I don’t like these subjects and I haven’t a clue what applied mechanics is. Is it about cars?”

“You’re doing these subjects because you’re better at these and we think you’ll be good at applied mechanics.”

He then handed me a list of the courses I was to do and told me to leave.

So that was my experience of choosing subjects at GCSE level.

For the next two years I sat some of the most boring (to me) courses imaginable.

I can remember sitting looking at the clock for entire lessons trying to notice the hand moving.

I got E grades in some of those subjects.

I did do well at some of the others however and ended up doing Higher Grades (A-levels) in them, even though I loathed the subjects.

Again, I did fairly well at these and so rather than go into the chip shop (much to my dad’s disappointment) I successfully gained a place at university, studying one of those subjects. I hated it. I wasn’t interested in the subject and I had been fooling myself throughout.

I dropped out after a year, didn’t tell my parents as I still wanted to avoid the chip shop and for another year studied Higher Grades again in the subjects I had initially wanted to do.

I then managed to get into another university (those were the days when student grants existed!) doing one of those subjects and ended up teaching the subject.

Why am I telling story?

It’s that time of year when Year 9 (or in some cases Year 8) pupils choose their GCSEs for Key Stage 4.

My story carries with it an important message for your child when choosing their subjects, which I’ll keep to the end of this article.

For most, this options process has become a rite of passage for pupils at this age and, quite rightly, they take it very seriously.

It represents a real opportunity for pupils to take some control of their lives in relation to education, for the first time and choose the curriculum this they will follow between the ages of 14 and 16. Unlike when I was at school, the process generates much positive discussion, but can also create some anxiety as pupil expectations rise. Unfortunately, there is little time in what is already a very packed curriculum to take as many optional subjects as some students would like. Even before we take the option subjects into account, the majority of pupils are often studying as many as seven or eight GCSE courses. The amount of additional subjects that can be chosen therefore varies from school to school and can range from between two and four. This means pupils will be studying anything between eight and 12 GCSEs in total.

Will the choices your child makes affect their future career?

Option Choice evenings are often coupled with careers advice and subjects related to future careers, but this is not necessarily the case.

Everyone in the country does a core curriculum, which includes all the subjects a person needs to go on to further education or employment.

Usually universities, colleges and employers will want to know what grades were achieved at GCSE level, rather than what subjects were actually studied.

English and Mathematics GCSEs are the exceptions to this where a Grade C (or B in the case of teaching!) and above are required to progress in many careers, especially if the aim is to go on to university.

Apart from the core subjects, with a few exceptions a pupil does not have to choose a subject in Year 10 in order to study it (or a related subject) at university.

The exceptions might be languages where, unless you are a native speaker of the language, it is advisable to continue studying the language.

What should be avoided when trying to decide which subject to choose?

Your child should not pick a subject just because:

Their friend is doing it (they may not be in the same class and they are very likely to have different tastes in any case); they like a particular teacher (they may not get the same teacher); and you as their parent or carer tells them to. (Sorry parents/carers, but it is important that a course is picked because the pupil enjoys the subject. If interested in the subject, your child will be motivated. Motivation is the key to success.)

How can a pupil decide what subjects are best for them?

They should listen to advice from parents or carers, teachers, friends, older brothers and sisters, but at the end of the day make sure your child makes the final decision.

And they should ask themselves the following questions:

“What do I enjoy most?”; and “What am I best at?”

If answered truthfully your child will gain the most from the subjects they choose.