The Student Room Group

What GCSE subjects to take?

I'm ment to be choosing my option's in 2 months but I'm thinking about it now but I don't know what subject's you can choose from can someone please post the list of subjects here :smile:

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Ask your school - different schools have different subject choices, yours maybe different than what mine used to be.

Also in choosing your GCSE subjects, try to choose subjects that you like [of course this isn't all possible as there could be some compulsory subjects you may not like]. Don't just judge your subjects on what your friends are doing or if you like the teacher - its better to do what you like, as you could get higher grades this way.
Take History, i really would reccomend it
its a academic subject, so interesting and i love it :smile:
and you should too :wink: :P
Reply 3
Different boards have different subjects on offer, but the potential list really is vast across all boards, and it's extremely unlikely that your school offers even a substantial fraction of all the GCSEs on offer from a particular board.
Ask around at your school to find out what's offered there.
There is no 'list' of GCSEs per se that you choose from. Your school won't even have a department for at least some of them.

You need to wait until your school tells you what its core subjects are and how many options you have free/what you're choosing from.

For example, at my school we had a core of English Lang, English Lit, Maths, Science, French, IT, RE and one of the DTs (out of Electronics, Resistant Materials and Graphics). We then had two free options out of History, Geography, Music, PE and Art. Or, if you were smart enough, separate sciences.

Given how few options there were for me, I obviously plumped for History and separate sciences, as I gained extra GCSEs through the latter (and History is the best choice out of those on offer).

You'll want to think about covering Arts/Science bases and - crucially - choosing subjects that you enjoy and think you can do well in. At GCSE level it's less of an issue to take something like Drama or Business over Geography, despite the latter being more respected. It's only if you might want to do an A Level in Geography that you should pick it (or, unless I've used a bad example and you really enjoy/are great at Geo!)

In essence: don't stress so much. These choices need to come from you and no one else. Wait until A Levels to seek advice from the internet.
Reply 5
Original post by Greatleysteg
There is no 'list' of GCSEs per se that you choose from. Your school won't even have a department for at least some of them.

You need to wait until your school tells you what its core subjects are and how many options you have free/what you're choosing from.

For example, at my school we had a core of English Lang, English Lit, Maths, Science, French, IT, RE and one of the DTs (out of Electronics, Resistant Materials and Graphics). We then had two free options out of History, Geography, Music, PE and Art. Or, if you were smart enough, separate sciences.

Given how few options there were for me, I obviously plumped for History and separate sciences, as I gained extra GCSEs through the latter (and History is the best choice out of those on offer).

You'll want to think about covering Arts/Science bases and - crucially - choosing subjects that you enjoy and think you can do well in. At GCSE level it's less of an issue to take something like Drama or Business over Geography, despite the latter being more respected. It's only if you might want to do an A Level in Geography that you should pick it (or, unless I've used a bad example and you really enjoy/are great at Geo!)

In essence: don't stress so much. These choices need to come from you and no one else. Wait until A Levels to seek advice from the internet.


Ok I am planning on taking history thats for sure
Reply 6
Hey! Firstly, ask your school - subjects vary for each school. Once you have a list of all the subjects that your school offers, think about the ones which you are currently studying and whether you enjoy them or not. There will be new subjects too which you would have never studied before - research them on the internet or ask people who you know have studied them and see whether you like the sound of the subjects! Good luck :smile:
I did
English Lit
English Language
Maths
History
Geography
French
ICT
Classical Civilisation
Science (Dual)

We didn't get the choice to do triple science, they only let the "smartest" in the year do it (Set 1) And considering our year was dominated by Chinese people, the rest of us were never gonna be able to do triple. I would have done it though because in my modules i got

A* Biology :woo:
A* Chemistry :woo:
C Physics.

it averaged itself out at two As but I'd rather have 11 GCSEs: 5 A*s 4 As and 2 Cs than the 10 I do have: 3 A*s 6 As and a C :frown:
I also Did Music&Food
they are both really fun
Though id reccomend Food over Music xD
I did Spanish aswell, a language is essential :P
Reply 9
Original post by EloquentlySpoken

Original post by EloquentlySpoken
I also Did Music&Food
they are both really fun
Though id reccomend Food over Music xD
I did Spanish aswell, a language is essential :P


I don't really enjoy food tech because when it come to practical I feel under pressure and I am choosing french for a language
Well firstly your school will have certain subjects which you'll have to choose. You do have a choice in which GCSE's you pick, but really you don't. With the Ebacc being introduced as well... You'll most likely have to choose a language and Geography or History.

My recommendations:
DON'T choose a language. People may say it's good to have and whatever else. The work load is massive. Whatever you don't DON'T choose a language.
History is also hard. And in my school both classes are resitting...
R.E would be a good GCSE if the teachers at your school take it seriously. People think it's just about religion, but it's much more than that.
I.T is a good GCSE to have. But it's extremely boring.
Separate Sciences... Again the workload is massive. And if you hate Science, it will bore you to the extreme.
You should totally pick Economics GCSE if your school offers it! Its amazing! So is Hisory on the schools history project with OCR. Medicine through time *orgasm* :O
Reply 12
Original post by >Username<
Well firstly your school will have certain subjects which you'll have to choose. You do have a choice in which GCSE's you pick, but really you don't. With the Ebacc being introduced as well... You'll most likely have to choose a language and Geography or History.

My recommendations:
DON'T choose a language. People may say it's good to have and whatever else. The work load is massive. Whatever you don't DON'T choose a language.
History is also hard. And in my school both classes are resitting...
R.E would be a good GCSE if the teachers at your school take it seriously. People think it's just about religion, but it's much more than that.
I.T is a good GCSE to have. But it's extremely boring.
Separate Sciences... Again the workload is massive. And if you hate Science, it will bore you to the extreme.


Thanks for this I was going to take a language cause because people are saying it's good and in my school I think you have to choose at least one science and in my school we don't take R.E very seriously it's mainly history and geography
I took Art, History and IT.
Original post by >Username<
Well firstly your school will have certain subjects which you'll have to choose. You do have a choice in which GCSE's you pick, but really you don't. With the Ebacc being introduced as well... You'll most likely have to choose a language and Geography or History.

My recommendations:
DON'T choose a language. People may say it's good to have and whatever else. The work load is massive. Whatever you don't DON'T choose a language.
History is also hard. And in my school both classes are resitting...
R.E would be a good GCSE if the teachers at your school take it seriously. People think it's just about religion, but it's much more than that.
I.T is a good GCSE to have. But it's extremely boring.
Separate Sciences... Again the workload is massive. And if you hate Science, it will bore you to the extreme.



Totally disagree.

Taking a MFL has approximately the same or even less workload than an Engish Language GCSE, which everybody does! I would strongly recommend taking a language as it will allow you to qualify for the English Baccalaureate Award and plenty of top universities prefer you to have taken a language at GCSE other than English. You may be put at a disadvantage against other candidates who have got a French or Spanish GCSE so to prevent yourself from that, pick a language.

Again History IMO is such an amazing subject, if I could take 5 AS levels my fifth option would be History! The reason why I didnt pick it having gotten an A* at GCSE was because Im pretty sure I dont want to go into History in the future and needed to pick other subjects to go into the field I am thinking of. I was very low in confidence with Hitsory at the beginning of year 10 and especially when i found that I got a B in my Med through time paper but nonetheless, I kept trying and when i resat my exam in year 11 I got 100% in that paper. Along with that I managed an A* in my coursework and A* in American West. History was my weakest subject in my opinion at the time but because I revised and tried my best to do well I got what I deserved!

Hope this gave you some help :smile: x
Reply 15
Original post by TanishaBellum
Totally disagree.

Taking a MFL has approximately the same or even less workload than an Engish Language GCSE, which everybody does! I would strongly recommend taking a language as it will allow you to qualify for the English Baccalaureate Award and plenty of top universities prefer you to have taken a language at GCSE other than English. You may be put at a disadvantage against other candidates who have got a French or Spanish GCSE so to prevent yourself from that, pick a language.

Again History IMO is such an amazing subject, if I could take 5 AS levels my fifth option would be History! The reason why I didnt pick it having gotten an A* at GCSE was because Im pretty sure I dont want to go into History in the future and needed to pick other subjects to go into the field I am thinking of. I was very low in confidence with Hitsory at the beginning of year 10 and especially when i found that I got a B in my Med through time paper but nonetheless, I kept trying and when i resat my exam in year 11 I got 100% in that paper. Along with that I managed an A* in my coursework and A* in American West. History was my weakest subject in my opinion at the time but because I revised and tried my best to do well I got what I deserved!

Hope this gave you some help :smile: x


Thank you I am going to take history as a gcse thats for sure there is one topic I know in a million years I would never pick and that is art I can't draw to save my life lol
I took um
Spanish
Drama
Pe

You know you should be thinking about what you want to study at university because to do certain a levels you need certain GCSE's and well it all starts with the right GCSE's


Do not pick subjects like Geography History AND Art e.g the course workload will be tooo much.(I mean the exact triplet there really good subjects i just wouldn't advise all at once)

But overall i took:
Triple Science
Maths
English lit & Lang
Btec sport
Ict btec
Re
drama
spanish
PE
Take subjects you ENJOY!

Don't pick subjects which make you look smart because GCSE's really don't mean anything other than getting you into college.

( Of course still go for high grades, just pick subjects you like)
Reply 18
Original post by Fleet Foxes
Take subjects you ENJOY!

Don't pick subjects which make you look smart because GCSE's really don't mean anything other than getting you into college.

( Of course still go for high grades, just pick subjects you like)


thanks I'm not smart anyway lol :biggrin:
Reply 19
depends, are you clever?

Quick Reply

Latest