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How to ask school to not do compulsory language gcse options

Out of the three gcse options I could choose from, I have to do a language wether it’s Spanish, German or French. I understand the school asks us to do this because it will give you more work opportunities blah blah, I mean I get it, but I’m not interested, so I’m curious as to if any of you guys had this problem with your schools aswell, how did you guys tell the school and make them change it for you guys?

Reply 1

Black_Beast007

FYI learning another language doesn't necessary increase work opportunities. Its a lie. I suggest to go to the person who is in charge of this. Not your teacher or head of year. the person who is allocating the options. There are different pathways you can take or simply switch the subjects. The teachers may or may not give you a hard time but it is YOUR GCSEs. You are taking them not anyone else. Do what you want.

Hope this helps!
Good Luck!

Reply 2

miisakii

Original post by Black_Beast007

Thank you so much!! I will try to see if I can find the person allocating the GSCE options talk to them about it, it’s so annoying how they try to implant the idea of “increased work opportunities” because of knowing some language into our heads :angry:

Reply 3

EOData

Almost everyone has to study a GCSE they're not interested in - Biology, English Literature, RE, a language, whatever. Your school has probably made you/your parents sign something at some point to say you agree to their curriculum. I don't rate your chances of getting out of it.

Speaking a second language helps to protect against dementia.

Reply 4

Tammie2345524

Just do a language. It's not hard as long as you actually learn the vocabulary and grammar as you go and it's pretty cool.
Doing a language GCSE obviously doesn't make you fluent in that language but it's a good starting point. I did Spanish and although I didn't do language A levels (I did STEM A levels and I study natural sciences at uni) I carried on listening to Spanish podcasts when I finished GCSEs. My Spanish is pretty good now.

Reply 5

wifd149

I know that there might be universities like UCL stating* somewhere about having a second language in their GCSE/high school requirements? Unless that was scrapped or I’ve been mistaken?

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 6

ReviseSleeping

Hi!

I had this issue. I was told I had to take an EBacc (which obviously meant I’d need to do a language). However I didn’t want to take it for GCSE as I knew I’d dislike it. I was awful at it anyway.

I spoke to the head of year (who was also sorting out our options), and after a lot of back and forth she said my parents need to sign a letter saying they are happy for me to drop the language.

Worked out quite well for me as the subject I took in the end I got a 9 in.

Definitely go and speak to the person allocating the options and tell them why you don’t wish to do it. Hopefully it shouldn’t be too hard. Best of luck!! :smile:

Reply 7

Muttley79

Original post by miisakii

There is no requirement to take a language GCSE - your school is doing this for their benefit, not yours.

(edited 2 years ago)

Reply 8

Muttley79

Original post by wifd149

I know that there might be universities like UCL stating* somewhere about having a second language in their GCSE/high school requirements? Unless that was scrapped or I’ve been mistaken?

They have scrapped that - no university requires a language GCSE.

Reply 9

Muttley79

Original post by Tammie2345524

Why? Lots of students struggle witha MFL especially if they have dyslexia.

Reply 10

Muttley79

Original post by EOData

There's no requirement to do a language GCSE - schools should be flexible espexcially with students with dyslexia. If a selective school like mine can be so there's no reason for any school to MAKE people do a language.