How you can help
Where to start
If you're keen to do your bit, but you're not sure where to start,
you could contact your local Connexions centre or careers service for help,
advice and information. Check your local phone book under Connexions or
careers.
Remember...
Not every subject your child chooses needs to be directly relevant to
a job. Some are worth taking just because it is something they enjoy. Some
subjects, like PE, sound like
they'll be easy, but they are not a soft option. Your child will have to
work just as hard as for any other course.
Which subjects should my 14 year old choose?
In the days when a very large percentage of pupils left school at 16,
the choice of subjects for their final exams was all-important.
Now, the subjects your child chooses for 14 to 16 are important as a
foundation for further learning - lifelong learning. Even if you are certain
your teenager is going to leave school at 16 to find a job, they will still
need to learn new skills and knowledge throughout their working career. They
may well have to do more formal study. More and more pupils will do
A levels or NVQs, then go
on to higher education.
Foundations for buildings need to be broad and strong so that they can support
what is built on top of them. Study at 14-16 is the same - most pupils do
better studying a broad range of subjects. Later they can build on this broad
foundation by specialising.
With the exception of English and maths, most jobs don't require your child
to have studied a particular subject at GCSE or
GNVQ. Most employers will probably be more interested in your
child's range of study, grades achieved and enthusiasm for learning, than
in the fact that they did or didn't study any one subject at 14 to
16.
For a very small number of jobs, particular A levels are needed, such as the
sciences for medicine or scientific research. Schools, sixth-form colleges and
further education colleges may require particular GCSEs from pupils who want to
study these A-levels, so it is worth checking their requirements.
So unless your child wants a career that requires particular GCSEs or A-levels,
their best path is to study as broad a range of subjects as possible - subjects
that they enjoy.
The
National Curriculum and the school's options policy are designed
to encourage this, by ensuring every pupil studies a good range of
subjects.
Some things for your child to think about:
- What do I enjoy studying? What are my strengths?
- Am I choosing the best way of working? (For example, some pupils do better with regular assessments, others perform well in examinations, and others do well in courses that have a lot of work-related learning.)
- If I choose this option now, will it keep more options open later for further study, training, work?
Some things to consider with your child:
- Some pupils say that they like a subject when they are really motivated by a belief that it won't involve much work. But your child will have to work hard in all subjects to get a good qualification.
- Some choose a subject to stay in the same class as friends - but because timetabling everyone's needs is complex, your child might well be split from their friend for a particular subject.
Another easy mistake for pupils to make is to think they like the subject
because they like the teacher. But again, timetabling (and the possibility of
staff changes) can place them with a different teacher. Your child should be
confident that they will enjoy the subject no matter who teaches it.
Related Links:
Connexions
[External Site]
Information
on studying or working abroad
[External Site]
Learn
more about qualifications
[External Site]
jobs4u Careers
Database
[External Site]
Connexions
- Parents and Carers (Information you need to help your child make subject
choices in Year 9 and career and learning choices in Year 11)
[External Site]
