Year 9 – Key dates 2015

Briefings for students & parents January 15th

Information about option subjects

given in assemblies or in class

January 19th –

February 6th

Individual student interviews January 26th – 30th

Consultation evening and

information about KS4 subjects February 11th

Students return options forms By February 23rd

Careers Convention at Imberhorne March 5th

Year 9 transition briefing June 18th

Challenge 2015 / Activities Week June 29th – July 3rd

Students start KS4 courses July 6th

A curriculum which:

Meets the future needs of students in

a changing world

Provides flexibility with balance

Identifies a core curriculum for all

Introduces students to a variety of

qualifications

Supports a smooth transition to KS4

The Core Curriculum

English Language & Literature 2 GCSEs 8 hours

Maths 1 GCSE 8 hours

Double Science 2 GCSEs 9 hours

RE short course ½ GCSE 1 hour

Personal, Social, Health &

Citizenship Education RoA 1 hour

Core PE 3 hours

TOTAL HOURS 30

The 2 Options Pathways

Fixed Pathway – BLUE

Broad and Balanced or Early Specialisation

Flexible Pathway – YELLOW

Extra Support & Applied Learning

Fixed Pathway – BLUE

20 hours

Foreign Language

(normally 1st Foreign

Language)

1 GCSE 5 hours

3 Options GCSE

or equivalent 15 hours

Flexible Pathway – YELLOW

20 hours

4 Options GCSE

or equivalent 20 hours

Applied Learning courses are recommended.

You may have a recommendation that you

choose Support option, English booster or

maths booster options.

Flexible Pathway + Construction – YELLOW

20 hours

Applied Learning courses are recommended.

3 Options GCSE

or equivalent 15 hours

Support or booster options may still be

recommended.

Construction City & Guilds Level 1

Certificate 4 hours

These students will do Core PE together – 4

hours instead of 3 hours

Qualifications available

Qualification Nature of subject

Hours

per

fortnight

Value

GCSE Class based assessment and

examination 5 1 GCSE

Applied Learning

(GCSE, BTEC, OCR)

Class based assessment and

examination 5 1 GCSE

ASDAN (CoPE) Class based assessment 5 1 GCSE

City & Guilds Level 1 Portfolio of evidence taken from

class based assessment 4

1 GCSE

Grade E

KS4 Attainment

Applied Learning

GCSE

Higher/ Further

Education

Applied A Levels or BTECs

A Levels

Recommendations

For most students:

Broad & Balanced

For some students:

Early Specialisation

Optional Subjects

RE can be extended to a full GCSE course, using 1 Core PE lesson.

Students can only choose one Technology course.

Students studying Italian in Year 9 can choose this as their GCSE Language.

Languages Arts Humanities Technology

French

German

Italian

Spanish

Art

Drama

Music

Geography

History

Electronics

Food

Graphics

Resistant Materials

Textiles

Optional Subjects PE Applied Learning Support Vocational

Dance

GCSE PE

BTEC/OCR Courses:

English Booster

Maths Booster

Support Option

Construction

Business

CoPE

Creative Media

Health & Social Care

ICT

Travel & Tourism

GCSE Courses:

Business

Computing

Students can only choose one PE course.

ICT cannot be chosen with Business, Creative Media or Computing.

Booster and Support groups are for recommended students only.

Twilight Courses

After school classes running from 3pm to 5pm.

Triple Science for students wanting to take

separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

French or Italian for students wanting to study an

additional language.

Final Qualifications

All students can achieve up to

9½ GCSEs or equivalent

Booster or Support Option

students: 1 GCSE less

Some combinations of

courses will add to the total

The Options Form

Top Section

1) We recommend that you follow the Blue / Yellow

pathway

2) We recommend that you choose the Booster /

Support option

Top Section

3) Interested in the RE upgrade to a full GCSE?

4) Interested in a twilight course?

I would like to upgrade to full GCSE RE using 1 hour of Core PE.

I would like to be considered for a twilight course

(we recommend that you only choose one).

Triple Science

French

Italian

Blue Pathway – broad & balanced with 1st Language

Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects

1st Language

1. French

2. Art 3. Dance 4. Business GCSE

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

You must include a Language, which will normally be your 1st Foreign Language

We recommend that you follow the Fixed (blue) pathway.

Blue Pathway – early specialisation in Humanities

Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects

1st Language

1. Italian

2. Geography 3. History 4. GCSE PE

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

You must include a Language, which will normally be your 1st Foreign Language

Blue Pathway – early specialisation in Languages

Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects

1st Language

1. Spanish

2. Drama 3. Food 4. Computing

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

I would like to be considered for a twilight course

(we recommend that you only choose one).

Triple Science

French

Italian

I have chosen a Technology subject. My Reserve Technology choice is: Textiles I would be equally happy to study my 1st Technology choice or my Reserve: YES NO

Yellow Pathway

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

I have chosen a Technology subject. My Reserve Technology choice is: Resistant I would be equally happy to study my 1st Technology choice or my Reserve: YES NO

We recommend that you choose Support or Applied Learning options together with

GCSE courses.

Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects

1. Graphics 2. History 3. Creative Media 4. Travel & Tourism

We recommend that you follow the Flexible (yellow) pathway.

Yellow Pathway – English Booster recommended

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

We recommend that you choose Support or Applied Learning options together with

GCSE courses.

Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects

1. English Booster 2. Music 3. Business BTEC 4. Health Social Care

We recommend that you follow the Flexible (yellow) pathway. We also recommend that you choose the English Booster option.

Yellow Pathway – with Construction

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

We recommend that you choose Support or Applied Learning options together with

GCSE courses.

Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects

1. Construction 2. CoPE 3. Resistant Materials 4. ICT

I have chosen a Technology subject. My Reserve Technology choice is: Food I would be equally happy to study my 1st Technology choice or my Reserve: YES NO

Maths Booster recommended

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

We recommend that you choose the Maths Booster option on the Flexible (yellow) pathway – but if not, you should follow the Fixed (blue) pathway instead.

Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects

1. Maths Booster 2. Geography 3. Art 4. GCSE PE

Maths Booster recommended

Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………

We recommend that you choose the Maths Booster option on the Flexible (yellow) pathway – but if not, you should follow the Fixed (blue) pathway instead

Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects

1st Language

1. German

2. Geography 3. Art 4. GCSE PE

This Options PowerPoint

Presentation can be

found on the school

website.

Year 9 – Key dates 2015

Briefings for students & parents January 15th

Information about option subjects

given in assemblies or in class

January 19th –

February 6th

Individual student interviews January 26th – 30th

Consultation evening and

information about KS4 subjects February 11th

Students return options forms By February 23rd

Careers Convention at Imberhorne March 5th

Year 9 transition briefing June 18th

Challenge 2015 / Activities Week June 29th – July 3rd

Students start KS4 courses July 6th