Friendship Excellence Opportunity Welcome to Y9 Options Evening 27 th January 2015

Friendship Excellence Opportunity This might be the biggest decision that your child has made so far…

Friendship Excellence Opportunity How NOT to choose Who cares? – anything will do Teacher personality Choose what their best friend is doing Choose the same subjects as brother/sister Let parents choose

Friendship Excellence Opportunity A better way to choose Listen to teachers and read the booklet Discuss with parents What are you good at? What do you enjoy? What might you need to take for future plans? Keeping future options open- are your choices balanced?

Friendship Excellence Opportunity What do they have to do?  English Language  Mathematics  English Literature  Science  PE  Humanities Subject- Geography or History or RE or Sociology

Friendship Excellence Opportunity What do we highly recommend they do?  French  Spanish

Friendship Excellence Opportunity Which science course? 1.Separate Sciences: 3 GCSEs (6 Periods) Biology, Chemistry, Physics Science:2 pathways at start of Year 10: 2.Double Science: 2 GCSEs (5 Periods)

Friendship Excellence Opportunity 2. Will doing separate science increase opportunities at A Level and University? 1. What are the differences between combined and separate science?

Friendship Excellence Opportunity The difference between combined and separate CombinedSeparate Receive 2 GCSEs in ScienceReceive 3 GCSEs in Science 2 Teachers3 Teachers (Biology, Chemistry and Physics) Sit 3 exams at the end of Year 10 and 3 exams at the end of Year 11 Sit 3 exams at the end of Year 10 and 6 exams at the end of Year 11 The most important difference!

Friendship Excellence Opportunity Subject When is the content covered? BiologyChemistryPhysics Year 10B1C1P1Core Science Year 11B2C2P2Additional Science B3C3P3 Combined Science At the end of Year 10, students will sit B1, C1 and P1 exams achieving a GCSE for ‘Core Science’ At the end of Year 11, students will sit B2, C2 and P2 exams achieving a GCSE for ‘Additional Science In Science, there are different exams for Biology, Chemistry and Physics

Friendship Excellence Opportunity Subject When is the content covered? BiologyChemistryPhysics Year 10B1C1P1Core Science Year 11B2C2P2Additional Science B3C3P3Further Science Separate Science At the end of Year 10, students will sit B1, C1 and P1 exams to get a grade in Core Science. At the end of Year 11, students will sit B2, C2 and P2 to get a grade in Additional Science Separate science students will also sit B3, C3 and P3 to get a grade in Further Science

Friendship Excellence Opportunity How is the final decision made by the Science department on Combined or Separate Science?

Friendship Excellence Opportunity In February, a provisional recommendation (separate, combined or borderline) will be made for your child based upon cross year assessments and feedback from teachers In March a final decision will be made If a child is consistently achieving a 6H or above, they will be able to separate science. Below this, the recommendation will be for combined science Separate Science (Consistently achieving a 6H or above) Combined Science Core over 2 years If more likely to achieve a C grade through this pathway Combined Science If there is a realistic chance of achieve a ‘C’ grade in the final exam In June a second judgement will be made If a student is borderline, this means that are currently a 6S and we will wait until the next assessment to make a final decision

Friendship Excellence Opportunity More information about choices DT Courses Food Graphics Resistant Materials Systems & Control (Electronics) Construction (Not GCSE) ICT Courses  Computing  ICT Language  French  Spanish

Friendship Excellence Opportunity SciencePlus Option 1Write which subject you are choosing here (you must put a 1 st and 2 nd choice) Pathway 1Separate Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) 3 GCSEs French or Spanish or History or Geography Pathway 2Double Science (2 GCSEs) Media or Business Studies or Sociology or ICT

Friendship Excellence Opportunity Option 2Option 3Option 4 Business Studies Computing Drama Electronics Food Geography History Media Tutorial Support Art Business Studies Construction French Geography RE Spanish Textiles DT RMT Graphics History Music PE Sociology RE Tutorial Support Option Choice: Reserve Choice:

Friendship Excellence Opportunity What do you need to do now….? Return the Options Form to form tutor by: Friday 6th March Don’t rush to complete the form! Read the options booklet Talk to staff, parents, friends... Think carefully Do some research

Friendship Excellence Opportunity “Don’t count the days, make the days count”

Friendship Excellence Opportunity Informed Choices

Friendship Excellence Opportunity The Focus The focus is to give each individual student the best possible opportunity to make informed choices that can positively shape their future. We as a school understand the importance of these choices and therefore have implemented the best possible pastoral care to support our students.

Friendship Excellence Opportunity What can you expect from us? 1.Assembly focus (since September 2014) 2.Tutor Time focus 3.Options Booklet (received Wednesday 21 st Jan) 4.Options Evening 5.Personalised Options interviews 6.Subject Taster Sessions: Sociology Media Business ICT/Computing 6.Student Q & A Session with Year 11 Students 7.Enterprise Day- 30 th January 8.Whole School Input

Friendship Excellence Opportunity Key Dates January 21stBooklet issued January 30th Enterprise Day January 27thOptions Evening for parents January 26 th - 30thOptions Week…. February 2ndInterviews with staff begin March 6 th - after half termOptions form deadline