Many Year 9 students are considering what subjects they wish to take for their GCSE options; this short guide will help you think about different things to be aware of.
We have supporting vlogs to help at:
Note: your individual situation may vary slightly, depending on the school you attend. For example, in some schools, option choices are made in Year 8 as opposed to Year 9 and some GCSE exams are taken a year early in year 10, rather than year 11. Some schools will also offer BTECs alongside GCSE subjects.
Many of us, don’t know what we wish to do when we are twelve or thirteen (this is perfectly ‘normal’[i]) although, a few of us may have very clear ideas. Find out more about this in our “When Do We Know Vlog”.
In Year 9, getting curious and exploring what is possible is probably the best thing you can do, to help yourself to develop some career ideas. You can do this in lots of different ways, from talking to people you know about their jobs, through to work experience organised via your school.
There are lots of useful websites to help you explore your initial career ideas – some of our favourites are listed on our free to access, mobile friendly CXK Careers Hub found here:
We also have a list of our favourite Careers Quizzes here, which can help develop ideas: https://www.cxk.org/blog/career-quizzes
Many industries have specific career quizzes and guides which can help you develop your ideas, including MI5 (do you have what it takes to work in intelligence?) and the CITB with their construction quiz. Here are a few that may interest you (see your careers adviser or careers leader in school to discover more):
There are many ways, to choose what subjects to take and how to decide! Here are a few different approaches which may help you:
Take subjects you are good at and/or enjoy often means you will gain higher grades in these areas, increasing the range of options available to you at post-16. You may also have a more enjoyable time in school during your studies, thereby having a better quality of life and fewer concerns with regards your mental health due to stress or worry.
Certain subjects are highly useful in developing transferable skills for the future, often being useful in more than one setting. For example, studying history allows you to learn about historical events but also enables you to develop your analytical, comprehension and essay skills; all of which are desirable in careers requiring these skills such as areas of law and business.
Numerous reports talk about the affect automation is having on the possible careers we can pursue, with some jobs being replaced by robots and computers. Leading commentators have discussed the benefits of building skills and abilities in areas which automation may struggle to replace.
For example, roles involving creativity, empathy, and ingenuity.
However, the latest evidence shows that AI is increasingly being used within a widening range of sectors, including the creative industries; notably within areas which were once seen to be “safe from automation”.
Useful careers websites such as: http://explore.skillsroute.com/main allow students to explore roles facing a greater chance of automation and identify the skills and subjects they may need to circumnavigate this threat; some reports highlight that the evolution of AI and automation may lead us to “sharing the world of work” with robots and computers, rather than being replaced by them.
An alternative way to choose subjects, is to consider whether these are things you wish to take with you as a broader life skill or just for fun.
For example, you may take food technology not because you wish to be a chef but because you wish to be able to cook when you move out of home or live away at university. Perhaps you wish to take Spanish because you plan to travel when older, rather than because you wish to work as a translator or within international business.
Mental health is increasingly important in our lives, in a world which can seem to be going faster and faster. It may be that you choose a subject which helps you to destress and decompress.
A variety of articles online highlight the importance of this. At CXK, we have developed some resources to support individual mental health alongside our emotional wellbeing services:
If you need further support and help with mental health, it is important you reach out for help and speak to a trained professional. You can do this via teachers and support staff at school or college, or via your GP.
If you feel there is no one you can turn to please look for help from support services such as those listed below:
Lastly, you may choose a subject because it forms the foundation for a career, such as taking art for a career in architecture or VFX design.
For example, I have seen students take a subject such as computing or engineering, as they are curious about what is involved and wish to see if it is for them, as an area of work.
Such “trying things out” is useful and key during this period of our lives. Being curious can really help us to develop our career ideas.
You may choose your GCSE options based on a combination of some or all the above. However, when choosing subjects, there are certain pitfalls which are worth being aware of or to be cautious of:
If you are deciding whether to take history or geography as a subject, it is worth being aware that if you choose not to take these for GCSE and then decide that you wish to study them for A-Level or IB later, most 6th Forms will have preferred you to already have studied the subject you are wishing to take for GCSE. Very few 6th Forms, will let you take these as A-levels without prior study.
If deliberating whether to take any of the art subjects, there are two areas of importance to note.
Firstly, we have seen a growth of careers which require, or find useful, a prior training in the arts. Traditionally this was within the area of architecture, where a combination of maths and/or physics and art at Year 9 kept open the pathways to these A-Levels at Post-16 and then later, training via an architecture degree or degree apprenticeship. Now, we are seeing a growth in VFX and digital art degrees which look for students to have skills in both art and maths.
Choosing to not take art can cause problems later at post 16 & 18 (if there is an interest in these areas).
Secondly, if you don’t pick an art related subject then, if for post-16 you wish to study this to a higher level (without a GCSE as a foundation) many students must study at college, at a lower level first.
This has significant implications for some areas if these courses aren’t available at a lower level.
Like the arts, for many courses in these areas after Year 11 (but not all) if not taken as a subject choice in Year 9, students will need to start their training at the lower levels first, before being able to progress, either via full-time college courses and/or apprenticeship pathways.
Arguably, this is the hardest subject to pick up later at post-16 if not taken now, with very few options to do so in mainstream education later in life. Partly due to this, MFL forms part of the EBacc which is a performance measure schools are measured by the government on: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/english-baccalaureate-ebacc/english-baccalaureate-ebacc
It will depend on the policy in your school whether the EBacc is compulsory for all students or not. If it is, you will have to take English language and literature, maths, sciences and then a choice of geography or history and a language from their option choices. The government feels that these choices help prepare students for a range of different careers and allow them to their options open.
“A study by the UCL Institute of Education shows that studying subjects included in the EBacc provides students with greater opportunities in further education and increases the likelihood that a pupil will stay on in full-time education. Sutton Trust research reveals that studying the EBacc can help improve a young person’s performance in English and maths.”
English Baccalaureate (EBacc) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
The EBacc, as an approach, isn’t without its critics, as some point out that this isn’t the only way to consider assessing the worth of options for the future. It is worth being mindful that choices at Post-16 do link to choices in Year 9 (so it is worth being aware so, as to avoid potential pitfalls).
In contrast to the EBacc some schools will offer BTECs as part of their option choices. In contrast to traditional GCSEs these offer a different way of learning, which may suit some students as they are predominantly coursework based, and in some cases focus on honing practical skills.
Contrary to some opinions, BTECs can open doors in their areas of study, providing a foundation for many options at Post-16 including 6th form, college, and apprenticeships.
A balanced way to consider the choice between GCSE and BTECs is to consider where you may thrive best. If you would struggle with exams and achieve a lower grade in this form of study, arguably taking a BTEC may provide you with the tools to gain a higher grade at the end of Year 11 – keeping open a wider range of options for Post-16.
Regardless of which options and approaches resonate the most, doing your research is important. Don’t assume that studies at GCSE will be the same as what you have done so far. Formats can vary as can content, so it is crucial you speak to the subject teachers at your school to find out what a course is like, what is involved, what it will cover, as well as how it is taught.
From experience, the students I see in Year 11 who are most disappointed in the option choices they made at Year 9, are those who didn’t do their research, who assumed that they could tell what a course was like just from its name.
If possible, speak to older children in the school who are studying the subjects you are interested in and attend tasters of these subjects in school (if offered).
Many schools will also be running virtual or face-to-face open evenings and/or provide video insights on their websites for students, parents, and carers to attend or watch to support with the decision making. These are well worth attending.
Whilst at these events, discuss with subject teachers not just how the subjects are taught and what they cover but also, how much homework will be involved (this is a question which is often overlooked).
Finally, some words of advice to consider:
All of this may feel a little daunting, but our independent careers advisers as well as our colleagues at the National Careers Service helpline for teenagers: https://www.gov.uk/careers-helpline-for-teenagers are here to support you if you have any questions or queries.
These years are a series of transitions and transformations, be curious and enjoy the discovery that comes with learning and taking your subjects further!
Good luck with your research and decision making.
Written by Chris Targett, Careers Adviser and Area Manager for Information, Advice & Guidance
