1. Year 8 Options Evening
28th March 2018

2. School Prayer
Father, Pour out your Spirit upon our School and grant us a renewed vision of your glory, so that we may experience your power, be faithful to your Word and consecrate ourselves to your service. We pray that your love may grow among us, and your kingdom come. Through Christ our Lord Amen

3. New GCSE Grading
From 2018 grades A*-G will be replaced by a 1-9 system

5. New GCSE Grading Government directive video Link:
Overview of the GCSE reform
Government Postcard Link:
More detailed review of the GCSE/A Level reform

6. Making your choices
You have 15 subjects to choose from, in addition to English, Maths, Science and RE
Think about the following:
Any future career plans
Your likes and dislikes
Subjects you do well in
Do not pick a subject just because your friends have chosen it

7. GCSE or BTEC?
Study the advice you received via the letter that was sent out at the end of last week
All GCSE subjects are now linear with no coursework/controlled assessments
All BTEC courses will contain an externally assessed unit but a majority of the assessment will be done internally

8. Progress 8 The new measure for schools from last year.
Employers, colleges and universities will be looking at pupils’ best 8 grades (not just 5)
Pupils will need to choose one of the following subjects:
French Spanish
History Geography

9. English Baccalaureate
The English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is a performance measure, awarded when students secure a grade C (4/5) or above at GCSE level across a core of five academic subjects – English, Mathematics, History or Geography, the Sciences and a Language. It is not a qualification in itself, however is recognised as a strong set of academic qualifications

10. Please note
Most pupils will receive a total of at least 9 GCSE or equivalent qualifications by the end of Year 11
All students get to choose three options
Combined Science is now a compulsory double GCSE within the core subjects
Triple Science is not an option and all students will begin on the Combined Science route (with the ability to transfer at a later date – End of Year 9)
All courses are subject to change as part of the Department for Education’s overhaul of examinations
Courses can only run with viable numbers

11. Overview Core Options English Language A English Literature B Maths C
Combined Science
Total 9

12. The Process Options Evening – Tonight
Over the next week/first week back
Over Easter
Year 8 Parents Evening
Completing the Options Form
Submission of the Options form
Option Blocks
Communication
Allocation of Options

13. Tonight Ensure you have collected: Options Booklet Options Form
Ensure you use pg 38 of the options booklet to record your discussions
Discuss student suitability
Course content
Examination methods

14. Over the next week/first week back
Talk to students who already study the subjects you are considering
Look over the handouts you have been given this evening
Cross off any subjects that you know you don’t want to study
Try to narrow your choices down to at least 6 or 7

15. Over Easter Try to narrow your options even further
Compare specifications and examination style/suitability
Look at examination board websites
Have an honest discussion regarding studying that subject for 3 years
Try to narrow your options down to 4/5 subjects

16. Year 8 Parents’ evening (26th April)
Ensure you book appointments with those subjects that are on your final list
Discuss suitability
Consider progress and current working at levels
Make those final decisions

17. Filling out Options form
The options form is divided into two sections:
Pot A – Students have to choose at least one subject from this pot
Pot B – All of the other subject on offer

21. Submitting the Options Form
Deadline – Friday 27th April 2017
Ensure all reserve choices are indicated on the form
Ensure you have selected at least one option from Pot A
Hand the completed form in to your House office or at Parents evening on Thursday 26th April

22. School Option Blocks
Subjects will be divided into 3 blocks with 8 classes in each block
Average class size of 22
We will try our best to accommodate everyone’s first choices but inevitably there will be the odd occasion where this is not possible

23. Communication
After all of the options are collected and analysed we will ensure we speak to all students:
Course suitability
Alternative options available to them
Parental contact (if required)

24. Final Letters Final letters will be sent out w/c 21st May 2018
Any queries must be received in writing, signed by the respective parent/guardian and addressed to the students Head of House

25. Making your choices Choose subjects You like You are good at
That you need
You have been advised to take
Subjects that give you balance

26. Here to help Head of House Curriculum Managers Subject teachers
Form tutors
Mr Henderson (Careers co-ordinator)
Mr. Pillinger (Assistant Headteacher – Curriculum)
Mr. Rowarth (Deputy Headteacher)
Mr. Walters (Headteacher)