Subject choice
The first of the 'last times' that is going to be a feature of the next 15 months. My daughter has just chosen her subjects for her last year at school. This is the 'subject choice form' which lists the subjects on offer, in separate columns to avoid timetable clashes. The school offers a huge range of subjects at the most advanced level, Advanced Higher, and also at the two lower levels of Higher and Intermediate 2 for those who want to take up a new subject at a manageable level and gain a qualification after only one year of study in their last year of school. There are also a few subjects such as Music and Art which offer the English qualifications of A level and Advanced Subsidiary. (Snappy names, eh?) Despite this variety, if you look at the close-up below you'll see that we have encountered the dreaded clash.
Column 4 is the only column which has Advanced Higher Music, but it also contains Advanced Higher History, another desired choice. Fortunately the school has been able to put in place a creative work-around. Not bad with 230 students in the year group. Her other choice, Modern Studies, is really social and political studies. I don't know why they don't just call it that.
It is so strange not to be dealing with school things. interesting range of subjects on offer though. i did Higher Modern Studies - it was one of those subjects you could take in 5th or 6th year without having the o grade. No advanced highers then.
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Jacqui, I have very mixed emotions about the end of my children's schooldays. Sometimes I get tired of some of the constrictions, and at others I realise what a great experience they've had. My daughter is 'crashing' Higher Modern Studies - taking the Higher from scratch in one year. It's an interesting course. We were of the CSYS generation, weren't we?
ReplyDeleteQuite a broad range of classes being offered. Glad that she is able to get what she wants worked out.
ReplyDeleteWow, those are so much more interesting than the course choices I had in High School! We didn't even have music at my high school, I was so envious of the kids in the English language high school next door who did!
ReplyDeletePity she didn't choose Italian, being a musician!
ReplyDeleteLinda, I really like these "Scottish life" posts. This is the kind of information I wouldn't run into anywhere else, and it is so fascinating to me, although I'm glad that I'm not faced with choices like this. I'm pleased enough with myself to be attending a lecture on topology this morning (just had to squeeze that in!).
ReplyDeleteFarmchick, we were glad when it got sorted out! Slightly nail-biting.
ReplyDeleteKarine, it's a pity you didn't have music available at your school. It often drops off the curriculum, which is a pity because it's so life-enhancing.
Svenske Floyd, my daughter is studying Italian this year, and finds it a great help for when she has to sing in Italian.
clairz, sometimes it's the really ordinary things about a country that are most interesting. Like your chillis and telegraph pole.
So nice to read about your daughters curriculum. She really had a lot of clasess to choose from and I can see where it could lead to nail biting. It is a great thing that she is taking Italian. I would really love to hear her sing. Maybe you could post a video of her singing one day.
ReplyDeleteYes, it is a sad thing that so many of our schools have dropped music as a choice, Unfortunately, not too many kids are interested in what we like to call "good music" If they do learn to play an instrument, it is usually the guitar (and not classical at that)
It is all quite confusing to me - the whole A levels system seems so complicated!
ReplyDeleteGood to hear that my point was taken, in beforehand! Piacere!
ReplyDeleteNice list of choices! Glad everything worked out for her. I'm facsinated by the Graphic Communication course...is it what we might of called Illustration?
ReplyDeleteDarlene, would you believe it, we don't own a video recorder!
ReplyDeleteRed Pat, the Scottish system alone is confusing nowadays (it used to be much simpler), never mind adding in qualifications from south of the border.
Svenske Floyd - prego!
Tash, Graphic Communication is "the study of using drawings, sketches and colour illustrations needed for clear and efficient communication. The course covers the use of technical graphics in education, construction, industry and commerce."