Year 9: Guidance For Choosing Your Options

This is perhaps the first time you’ve had a real choice in school to influence the direction you can go in terms of your future. Choosing secondary school happened when you were in year 5 and 6, when I am sure your parents spoke to you about what you wanted, but how much influence did you really have at that point?  Today is about launching the GCSE options process with you, to help guide you through the decision making process and what you need to consider when making those decisions. 

We’re very proud of our students and our teachers here, who year on year achieve amazing things. Last year at GCSE, our results according to the progress they made were the best in Warwickshire with students on average making nearly a whole grade more progress in each subject than their targets for students of a similar ability.  The decision making process that they went through in selecting the subjects that were right for them, for the right reasons, was one factor in ensuring their success. 

You’ve reached the next stage of your education journey and it’s time to choose your options for the next two years... How will you choose what subjects to study? How will you decide which courses are right for you? What should you do? What should you not do?

One MFL (French, German or Spanish) You all have to study: Maths English Language English Literature Sciences One MFL (French, German or Spanish) PE PSHE

Why do you have compulsory subjects? Universities want to know you have that knowledge. Employers want to know you have that knowledge. The knowledge you gain will be useful in many in many areas of life. Key is having a breadth.

You must choose 3 other subjects and a reserve. How do you do that?

Design Technology: product Design Other options Art Computer Science Design Technology: product Design Drama Food and nutrition French Geography Geology German History Music Religious Studies Spanish

Do choose a subject because : You are good at it and think you will enjoy it It fits your interests and abilities   It links to a career idea You think you might want to continue studying it after Year Eleven    It will help you give you plenty of choice post-16 Do be flexible – remember you need a reserve choice that you would be happy to study. Highlight the first point – this is so important

Your friends have chosen it   Don’t choose a subject because : Your friends have chosen it   Someone else thinks it will be a good idea for you to do it You think it will be easy You like the teacher you have now You don’t have time to research your options properly or to get any information and advice

Other sources of advice on your decision making

Keeping a record of your achievements Remember to use your school email address as a contact and let a teacher/ someone at home know if you decide to use the 'live' MOOCs where you can interact with people from around the world.   

Logging in is easy – Do this tonight! tutorgroupstratford2023     e.g. cy1stratford2023 Use this link - https://www.unifrog.org/code 44 already logged in – well done. We want all of you to do this. You will then create a username and password

So what should you do now? Speak to your family, Speak to subject teachers (do they think it is a suitable subject for you?) Look at the school’s option information and read the booklet that you’ll get on Friday 11th January 2019 Attend Options/Parents’ Evening on Thursday 17th January 2019 Speak to girls already studying that subject but remember they may have completed different courses; we all have very different tastes, skills, strengths and learning styles. Speak to your tutor, HOH, Ms Bell or Mr Blackwall Common theme – speak to people - a range of people. Read up about topics. Keep your options open at this point.