GCSE Guidelines & Summary of Choices

GCSE GUIDELINES

& SUMMARY OF CHOICES

The key to GCSE selection is breadth; students should select a broad scope of subjects which expand their knowledge and skills in a variety of fields. There is no ‘one-size-fits-all’ answer to an individual’s best choices. A variety of factors should be considered and these will be expanded upon below.

FUTURE PLANS / UNIVERSITY CHOICES

The majority of our students will go on to study at University, as such it is important to work backwards. Students who have a clear idea about future careers and university courses should do their research. Some university courses require specific A Levels, and in turn certain A Levels require specific GCSEs. Many students do not have a clear idea of their future career, or indeed, their career plans may change. As such it is important to maintain breadth in their choices, keeping open as many options as possible.

APTITUDE AND GCSE PERFORMANCE

With the reform of the A Level system, by which students no longer take AS exams in Year 12 and thereby removing a predictor of final A Level performance, universities are likely to place a greater emphasis on students’ GCSE grades. As such, it is important to consider how well a student is likely to perform on a given GCSE course, particularly as the new GCSEs are more challenging. Students should consider which courses are likely to lead to the most successful outcomes.

INTEREST

If students have a passion for or genuinely enjoy a subject, they are likely to be well motivated to study that subject. As such their level of effort and engagement is likely to be much higher; the level of effort at GCSE is a key component in future success. Ultimately students should opt for a combination of subjects which play best to their strengths in order to maximise their chances of a successful and enjoyable two years of study.