Changes in school students' approaches to subject option choices: a study of pupils in the West of England in 1984 and 1996

This paper reports on the second phase of an ESRC-funded project into the changing nature of pupil approaches to subject option choices in Year 9. It highlights the reasons cited by a sample of pupils in four West of England comprehensive schools for choosing particular subjects and compares them with those given by a similar cohort 12 years ago. Although there is evidence that previous gender differences have reduced, other causes for concern have emerged: notably the decrease in the popularity and perceived importance of modern languages, and the possibility that the move away from the more practical nature of some subjects, such as PE and technology, has had a demotivating effect on boys. It also comments on the social class differences in pupil aspirations and knowledge about the ways of realizing those aspirations, as well as the conflict between the advice given by parents and schools to students when making their choices and the realities of the needs of the labour market for transferable skills.