options for year 10 parents 2013

Options for Year 10

2013-2015

The Options Process

• Why make choices?

The Key Stage 4 Curriculum

Core Curriculum

Science

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

Option 4Curriculum Structure

Core Curriculum: 30 lessons per fortnight

English

Maths

Core Science

Core PE

Core RE

Core ICT

PSHE

Core Curriculum

Non-Core Science – 6 periods

• Single Science– Core Science - one GCSE– Plus Certificate in Personal and Social Development

• Additional Science– Combines with Core Science to make 2 GCSEs

• Triple Science– 3 separate GCSEs: Biology, Physics and Chemistry

• Students are placed on one of these courses dependent on their performance in Year 9 Science assessments

Options – 24 periods per fortnight

• A range of GCSE, Cambridge National, and BTEC courses

• Four options• 6 periods per fortnight in each option• Options organised into two pathways

Subjects on offer

• Specialising: History, Geography, RS, Music, Dance, Drama, Technology subjects, languages, ICT, PE/Sport...

• “New” Subjects: Business Studies, Health and Social Care, Media Studies, Construction

Qualifications on offer

• GCSE– Awarded from A*-G– Combination of exams and controlled assessment

• Cambridge National / BTEC– Awarded Distinction, Merit, or Pass– “Vocational” or work-based learning– Available in Sport, Business, Construction, and

ICT(iMedia)

The English Baccalaureate

• Represents breadth and strength in academic achievement

• Awarded to any student gaining A*-C in GCSE:– English Language– Two Sciences – Mathematics– History or Geography– A Language

• Not to be confused with the English Baccalaureate Certificate

The importance of a language

• The English Baccalaureate places studying a language at the heart of the curriculum

• The Russell Group (top 20 UK Universities) have designated languages as “enabling subjects”

• Some universities have made a language at GCSE a requirement for studying any degree course

• The global economy will increasingly require linguistic ability

Options in Insight

Things to consider - students

Do consider:• What do I enjoy?• What am I good at? • What to I want to do post-

16?– Sixth form? – College?– Apprenticeship/employment?

• Choose a good range of subjects

• Read your report carefully

Do not consider:• Choosing subjects just to be

with friends• Choosing subjects because

“I like/don’t like the teacher”

• Choosing subjects “because you ought to”

Things to consider - parents

• Read the recommendations of subject teachers in the report carefully

• Discuss progress and suitability with subject staff at parents’ evening

• Discuss with your children what they want to do, and whether this will keep the right options open post-16

Options Viability

• We will make every effort to meet students’ first option choices

• Where this is not possible, we will use the reserve choice

• On rare occasions, some options do not recruit a viable group

• Students cannot take the same subject twice – this includes Sport with GCSE PE, or Applied ICT with GCSE Computing.

Important Dates

• Monday 7th January: Options Assembly• Wednesday 9th January: Options Evening• Thursday 17th January: Subject Evening• Friday 25th January: Final Deadline for

completing options in Insight

Sources of advice and information

• Other parents / friends• Students in Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form• Subject Staff / Tutor / Head of Year• Careers Team• Mr Kenny and the Learning Support team• School Website• Senior Staff – Mr Hildrew or Mr Gaynor

Any Questions?