Making Course Choices at School
What to think about when making course choices
There are lots of things to think about when making course choices at school. Your child might find it helpful to think about their course choices in terms of their next steps:
In S2, your child will be asked to make choices about which Standard Grades they would like to study in S3 and S4. In making these choices, your child should think about the subjects he/she enjoys the most and might like to carry on at Intermediate and/or Higher level.
In S4, your child will be asked to make choices about which Intermediates and/or Highers they would like to study in S5. The key things to think about here include which subjects your child enjoys and the sort of career they might like to pursue. Remember that there are people you and your child can talk to for help and advice (see below for further information).
In S5, your child will have the opportunity to choose which Highers and Advanced Highers they will study in S6. They can also choose to study towards the Scottish Baccalaureate. Again, your child should pick subjects that he/she is interested in and that would be relevant to the college or university course they wish to pursue.
How you can help your child
There is a lot to think about at this time and you can help by encouraging your child to:
- pick subjects they enjoy and are interested in - but remember that choices should be based on enjoyment of the subject rather than enjoyment of being in that particular class;
- remember that your child does not have to be really good at a subject to pick it – effort and commitment can be just as valuable as, what might be perceived as, ‘natural’ ability;
- do some research and find out what kinds of subjects your child will need for the career they want to pursue;
- make the most of opportunities for your child to gain qualifications that will be helpful in the future – English and Maths, for example, are relevant to many careers;
- keep subject choices fairly broad if your child is unsure about what they want to do
- be aware that in S5 and S6 there is more focus on independent learning
- use the career planners available online (www.careers-scotland.org.uk).
Making an informed decision
Having got an idea of what your child is good at and what they enjoy, you can help by finding out more about college and university courses and the subjects and grades they might need. You can do this by checking out college and university prospectuses and websites. See ‘help and advice’ section for contact details of colleges and universities. You can also talk to careers advisers, guidance teachers, college/university student support staff and LIFT OFF staff.
