Oh yeah you're right, every kid knows what they want to do when they grow up!

Right?!

Music- rational thinking, understanding of inherent bueaty, understand the contectedness fo the world

English- Thematic thinking, communication. (Honestly, if you want to be a top engineer, you need this subject alot. The same way a top accountant needs social skills. The project manager has to write out the propoals/understand how everything connect, and be able to talk well. English helps with this. Most engieers don't have it, which is why the leader does)

ect

most subjects are important overall. Art is more personall and beyond basic art its probably not that worthwhile unless a person really wants to pursue art.

Some subjects are more important the other, but what subject is more important depends on the person.

I totally think high school students should get a general education and be exposed to all that but if a student likes art and not math, let them take their basic required math and pursue art.

Students should know that some things really arent important.

Maths
Religious education
Food
History
Maths (for the most part)

These just arent important. Sorry but no.

I don't think that they should be told that one is better to take than the other as everyone has their own preferences and dreams for later in life. However I do think that before the GCSE choices are made there should be more career advice and workshops given which would tell students about picking relevant subjects for their realistic aspirations.

This is coming from someone doing Art, Photography and Film Studies for A-level (probably the most "unacademic" courses available). However as I'm moving into an animation course next year these are the most relevant subjects possible to take.

Well, I'm in two band classes, but I actually enjoy those. They aren't required either.

My point with english is based on my own school. I have learned nothing useful. Nothing. Honestly, I don't even need english to learn that stuff anyway; I learned most of it before I even got to high school. Maybe if the english classes at my school actually taught me something useful I wouldn't be so against them, but they don't.

For example, we have been reading a play in there called The Importance of Being Earnest (which is actually very good, despite all the crap we're being forced to do with it). We have to act out a scene of this for the class. There is no reason, other than to act it out. When will I need to use this? We could be doing something productive in the class, but no!

Another thing. We just had a poetry unit. We read all kinds of dark, depressing poetry. Why would I want to read that? When will I need to know how the literary techniques used in a poem add to the overall meaning of that poem? I won't. I hate poetry, but being forced to do stuff like that just makes it worse. 

Yes, I can't stand my english class, but that's because it is a complete waste of time. I have done nothing new in the 4 years I've had it at high school, and what I have done serves me no purpose other than to waste time I could be using to do something I will use, such as Calculus or Physics. Lame.

Just to let you guys know, in my original post I wasn't meant to be having a go at art or maths, I was using team as examples. In fact, one of my a-levels was in an arty subject (media studies(but the rest were all science)).

Being a director I need an understanding of both art and business so it really isn't an situation where its one thing or another. Thats the same for most things in life, just because something doesn't directly apply to your job it doesn't mean that it doesn't enrich your mind and open up other possibilities.

As always it depends on the student, most student don't have a clue what they want to do and thus they should attempt to cover as many bases as possible whereas I knew exactly where I wanted to go and I picked my subjects accordingly.

some students do need to have there maths,english and science improved and focused on, but others dont, infact some may benefit from an increased focus on the arts

The high school level curriculum should contain a lot of variety for a well rounded education. Obviously some subjects are more important than others, but it's not like they're all taught in equal amounts.

That being said, it would be nice to go back and change the things I studied. The second half of all math that I took in high school was a waste of time, and I probably would've survived with slightly less Latin... =P