A Parents’ Guide to GCSE exams
Is your child struggling to choose their GCSEs subjects? This can be a challenging time for students and they will need plenty of support from their parents to help them choose wisely.
Parental support is one of the most important factors in a child’s success. Here is a great guide from Mount House School for parents who want to help their children make the right GCSE choices.
First and foremost, if your child is feeling stressed or anxious about choosing their GCSEs, take some time to reassure them. Explain that this is an exciting opportunity; because now they have a chance to focus on the subjects they enjoy the most. The subjects they choose now could even help to form the foundations of a particular career.
Take time to discuss your child’s favourite subjects, because enjoyment of a subject will lead to the best results. Try to embrace this milestone together and consider all of your child’s options.
Deciding which GCSEs to choose involves a number of factors, such as your child’s interests, which optional subjects their school allows and your child’s future plans.
It is also a good idea to talk about what they wish to do after school, such as university or a particular career interest. These kinds of conversations will prompt your child to think about their academic strengths and how they could benefit their future.
If your child does have a particular career interest, you could research the qualifications needed in order to secure a role in that industry. However, it’s also worth encouraging them to select a variety of subjects that will allow them to explore and develop a range of skills. In doing so, they are keeping their options open in case they change their mind about their career later on.
The best thing you can do for your child when they are choosing their GCSE’s is help them to collect as much information as possible. Relevant information will help to make your child’s decision making as stress free as possible.