Key Stage 4 Options 2017 Information for Year 9 Welcome! From Aspiration to Success

Options 2017 Information for Parents   Our Principles We provide a broad and balanced curriculum We have high expectations and achievement for all students We support and challenge all students to achieve their best We aim to equip students for life after school

Options 2017 Information for Parents   Key Stage 4 GCSEs and BTECs have changed GCSEs more challenging GCSEs have more content than before GCSEs all have exams at the end of the course No coursework in GCSEs

Options 2017 Information for Parents   Qualifications: GCSE = General Certificate in Secondary Education BTEC = Business and Technology Education Council. These are vocational, practical and developed by the Education and Business sectors in partnership Foundation Learning = Some students will take this course instead of French and / or Humanities. We will speak to you about this if we think your child would benefit from the course New Grades 9-1 = The Government calls GCSEs grades 9-5 ‘good GCSEs’ Entry level = Grades below grade 1. Some students may achieve entry level. Often they go on to Level 1 and 2 courses at College.

C and D: Arts, Technology Sport, ICT, A and B: French, History, Geography, Religious Studies, Citizenship Core: English, Maths, Science, Lifeskills and PE 2 subjects: 3 lessons each per week Core: English (5), Maths (5), Science (5), Lifeskills (1), PE (3) 9 or 10 qualifications

Triple Science: This leads to 3 separate GCSEs in Physics, Chemistry and Biology. This benefits young people looking to go on to study and work in areas like medicine and higher level engineering. The Science Faculty will select students who have the potential to study and do well in three Sciences.

a Modern Foreign Language The English Baccalaureate: This is a Government measurement of success. For the EBacc, students would need to achieve 9-5 grades in: English Language Maths 2 Sciences (GCSE) AND a Modern Foreign Language History OR Geography. Some universities like to see this on an application. A language qualification gives people an advantage when applying for jobs and courses.

Filling in the Options Form: Blocks A and B: French Geography History Religious Studies Citizenship BLOCK A   P or O (Preferred or Other) French and Hist P  Geog  O There is an expectation that students in the Immersion French group will take French BLOCK B RS Citizenship O O 

Blocks C & D: Interested in Triple Science? Tick the box Interested in Computer science? Tick the box P and O in Block C and also P and O in Block D to show your PREFERRED and OTHER choices Block C:   Block D: Art  P Industrial Product Design Drama Product Design: Graphics BTEC Music Textiles BTEC Dance Food Technology  O ICT (Don’t make this a P in both blocks or put ICT as an O) BTEC Sport (Don’t make this a P choice in both Blocks) Triple Science   There will be 2 weeks of Lifeskills lessons for students to work through the Options booklet. The deadline for the Year 9 Options form is Thursday 23rd February.