GCSE mathematics has been shown to be clearly the most popular, as it consolidates the basic academic skills needed in many life scenarios. Mathematics is used both inside and outside the workplace and has many intersections with other subjects, especially science. When it comes to finding a job, most employers will look at your GCSE qualifications to see if the subjects you studied are relevant to the type of work they do. Although every job is different, most companies expect you to have at least 5 GCSEs, including English, Math, and Science, from levels A to C.
In some cases, students drop out of high school with 10 GCSE or more. On the other hand, if you have no idea what career you want in the future (like most students in Year 9, 10 and 1), then you should probably try to keep your options open. Studying a variety of subjects will give you a good overview of the different subjects and the different ways of studying, which can help you identify which subjects you are best at. Talk to your career advisor to see if you can get an idea of the type of career you would like to do.
You are not obliged to choose a topic from each of these groups; you can choose more than one of the others depending on your interests. At the GCSE level, a varied selection of topics is desirable, as this keeps your options open. Please note that a GCSE in a particular subject is not always necessary to take that subject at level A. With some A levels, although you don't need to do the subject in GCSE, it would certainly give you an advantage over someone who hasn't done it before; for other A levels, doing the GCSE is essential.
It's worth looking for A-level subjects that you might want to do right away, so you can check what the requirements are. The law is an interesting topic that allows you to better understand the UK court system and can better inform you about your own legal options in a variety of situations. However, many law admissions tutors don't favorably view law as a GCSE or A-level subject and end up having to reteach it, so contrary to what you might expect, it's not necessarily a good subject to have on your resume if you want to pursue a law degree (it shouldn't hurt their possibilities, but not necessarily actively help them). This is a useful basis for the A-level course, although not required.
Psychology is the study of human behavior, with a little mixed biology (for example, getting an overview of how the brain works and the effect that certain brain chemicals may have on behavior). It's a good way to develop a deeper understanding of those around you and the factors that could be influencing both their behavior and yours. GCSE Music is a fun subject that develops a range of skills, both practical and analytical. It combines elements of performance, composition and listening with the study of the history of music and several different musical genres, from the 17th century to the present day.
Ideal for the most creative among you, GCSE Art allows you to unleash your imagination in a variety of artistic media, including painting, drawing, sculpture and photography. You create a portfolio throughout the course, which will be sent for evaluation at the end. You will also have to take an exam that involves the creation of a work of art in timed exam conditions. Because of the focus on coursework throughout the course, it's not a topic you can leave to the last minute, so it requires your full commitment right from the start.
The “Design and Technology” umbrella covers a number of individual topics, each of which constitutes a GCSE in its own right. This is Food Technology, Textile Technology, Systems and Control, Electronic Products, Graphics and Product Design. These subjects provide useful knowledge for those who want to pursue business or manufacturing, but are largely less relevant to traditional academic subjects that you might aspire to study at university. Business Studies is arguably not considered to be one of the most “serious” GCSE subjects, but it is nevertheless an interesting introduction to the world of business, and it is likely to be of great use to you at the beginning of your career.
You'll cover how to create and grow a business, as well as business aspects such as finance, manufacturing and marketing. GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education and the selected subjects are studied for two years and the final exams are held in year 11. Since mathematics, English and science are generally mandatory in GCSE, this leaves you free to cover the rest of your quota with subjects you'll enjoy. A modern language in GCSE may be mandatory in your school, although it is not officially a compulsory subject. The latest concrete evidence of your academic ability comes in the form of your GCSE scores, so they are important.
Learn about the new GCSE '9-1' grading structure and learn how changes to the GCSE curriculum will affect you and your future university prospects. If you have the opportunity to make a GCSE that could be useful for a particular title, do so. If this is the case, you'll want to have the best GCSE scores you can get in the subjects that are most relevant to what you want to do. GCSEs are qualifications that UK schoolchildren study when they are 14 years old or in year 10. Languages are always a good option to have on your resume (employers love them), so it's highly recommended to take one at GCSE.
There is a lot of material available to help with those subjects (some for which your school may pay a subscription), so make sure you're on track for at least a fourth grade in GCSE English and GCSE mathematics. There is no right way to choose your GCSE options, but it does help if you think about your future when making your decisions.
