Resources all about GCSE choices, made just for you. Everything on this page is designed to help you help your young person to make their GCSE choices with confidence.

We have split this page into five sections; character, feelings, future, interests and subjects. Go to the section(s) you think your young person might be struggling with and see what we have to help. Do you want to hear from our Parent and Carer Ambassadors, take a careers quiz with your young person, or understand where GCSEs sit within your young person's future? Then this is the one-stop shop for you.

Subjects

Is your young person struggling with which subjects to choose? Whether they have no clue, or too many favourites, this is the section for you.

In this video, hear from a university student explaining how she came to study Geography at university.

 

Then explore the rest of the SUN YouTube channel to hear about other subject pathways and parents' perspectives on their young people's experience of university.

Succes at School is a fantastic website filled with articles about career paths, employers and universities. You can search using the subjects your young person is interested in to explore potential pathways. They also have a dedicated advice section for parents and carers with articles on everything from T-Levels to work experience.

Visit website

Our UEA students are great role models for your young people and in these videos they talk about their journey from GCSEs to university, including top tips for deciding which subjects to study at GCSE.

 

Watch more advice from current UEA students on the Resource Centre.

Feelings

Do you want to know more about how your young person is feeling about their upcoming decisions, or maybe you simply want to know how to start a conversation? If so, this section will help you with this.

Hear from Sharn as she reflects on her experience of supporting a son and daughter through their study choices.

 

Learn from students who are further along in their journey through education. Avoid common mistakes and arm yourself and your young person with good advice.

Read stories

Mental health charity Mind have put together resources and advice for young people, their friends and family. Here's a useful guide that could be shared with a young person to gently encourage them to open up to someone they trust about their feelings.

Visit website

 

MIND logo

 

Interests

Does your young person want to explore their interests, or maybe think about how their interests might link to GCSE subjects? This section will signpost you to some things your young person could get involved in and how they link to their education.

Taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award can provide an excellent opportunity for your young person to build skills and confidence. DofE is offered in lots of schools, as well as through organisations like Scouts. Find out more on the website.

Visit website

 

Duke of Edinburgh logo

NCS are a youth focused organisation that gives young people opportunities to meet new people, try new experiences and make a positive difference where they live. On the website you can search for local programmes, which often run during the summer holidays.

Visit website

Norfolk and Suffolk councils both have pages dedicated to activities and services for young people. These are a good starting point to look for opportunities outside of school such as youth parliament or museum clubs.

Norfolk activities

 

Suffolk activities

Character

If your young person is struggling to reflect on their likes/dislikes, their personality, or identify what skills they have, this section will point you to some activities you can do with them to help.

Skills Builder have gathered simple but effective activities to boost everyone's essential skills. Find inspiration and creative ways to develop your young person's skills at home. Maybe your whole household could get involved?

Skills Builder

 

Skills builder logo

What colour is your personality and what does this say about you? Watch this video with your young person, noting down your scores for each question as you go along to find out. Have a conversation about how your personality type might inspire their future choices.

 

Which animal are you and what does this say about your future? Take this fun quiz with your young person, and in just a few minutes you can:

  • discover your strengths and what makes you both tick
  • understand how others may see you, and how you see one another
  • explore their subject choices and jobs that could suit them.

Buzz Quiz

 

Buzz quiz logo

 

Future

This section will help to put GCSE choices in the context of your young person's educational future. Learn about what is coming up in the next few years and beyond and how this can link to their decisions now.

Our friends at neaco have put together a guide to further study after school or college - specifically for parents & carers. Find out about what A levels are like, how to support your young person as they plot a pathway from school to higher education, discover what's unique about vocational qualifications, how apprenticeships work and more.

Download the full booklet by clicking the image below.

infographic image linking to full booklet

 

The Help You Choose Careerometer lets you compare three different jobs. At a glance you can see:

  • weekly and annual pay -the typical hours in a working week
  • whether there are likely to be lots of openings for these kinds of jobs in the future
  • what sectors you can find this job in -and more.

Use the Careerometer

 

Help you choose logo

Is university really worth the effort, time and money? Explore the ways students develop essential life skills in Higher Education. Hear from some current university students about what they're gaining from their experiences.

University skills blog

UEA campus buildings"

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