Your GCSE options

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Things to consider when choosing your GCSEs

Choosing your GCSE options is an exciting time – after all, it’s probably the first time you actively get to choose what you study. They’re also a big milestone in your education as the results you get will be officially recognised by potential employers, sixth form colleges and even universities.

With all that in mind, they can feel like overwhelming decisions, but don’t let that bewilder you – here’s what you should keep in mind.

GCSEs do matter

Think of your GCSEs as dominos – the choices you make and the results you get can impact what happens further along the line and affect the options open to you later on.

For example, if you want to eventually study biology at university, it’s more than likely that you’d be expected to have achieved a good grade at A-level and to study biology at A-level, you’d need to have earned a good pass at GCSE.

So, if you’re already planning on going to uni and study a certain subject, it’s worth doing a little research to see whether or not there are particular subjects that will help you reach that goal.

Think about what you enjoy

You’ll be expected to take GCSEs in English, maths and science, after that, your school should offer you a choice in subjects within these areas:

  • The arts (such as music, drama or art)
  • Design and technology
  • Humanities (such as history or geography)
  • Modern foreign languages

Some schools provide more choice and offer subjects like sociology, media studies, law and psychology.

Ask for help making decisions

If you’re not sure about what GCSE options to choose, ask your teachers, parents or carers for advice.  Teachers are a valuable source of information and will be able to objectively tell you where your strengths and weaknesses lie.

Your school may also organise assemblies or offer careers advice and if they do, it’s worth taking the opportunity to find out more about different professions and the path you may need to follow.

Making choices that are right for you

Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose the subjects that you’ll find the most useful and rewarding – here are some tips on your GCSE Options:

  • Choose subjects you enjoy – you’ll be studying them for the next two years so focus on what you like, are good at, and find rewarding.
  • If you have a career path in mind, spend time working out what subjects you need to fulfil your ambition.
  • If you haven’t settled on a career choice, keep your options open and broad and opt for a mix of subjects.
  • Don’t choose subjects based on what your friends do, as harsh as it sounds, friendships don’t always last. Similarly, don’t base your choice on a favourite teacher as they may leave or not teach your class.
  • Think about workload and assessment, having a coursework-based subject like art, drama or music may be a welcome relief if the rest of your subjects focus on essays or final exams.

How The Community Schools can help

Lots of students find GCSEs intense so don’t worry about being the only one. If you feel you need a little extra help, then that’s where we can step in.

At The Community Schools, we offer tuition in core subjects English, Maths and science, as well as in Spanish, French, German, Psychology and Computer Science.

Our teaching takes place online, in small tutor groups or one-to-one sessions and because we’re not restricted to particular textbooks or programmes, we tailor classes to suit individual learning styles.

To find out how we can help you, call us on 07747 037441, fill out a contact form, or apply online

Last Updated on November 18, 2020

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