Dear Year 9 student During the next few weeks there are, as you know, some important decisions to be made about the subjects which you will study over the next two years. This booklet is designed to help you understand the choices and the subjects which are available to you. Consult it carefully and pass it on to your parents/carers so that they too can read it and discuss it with you. As you look forward to Key Stage 4 and beginning your public examination courses, it is important that you make the course selections which are right for you, ensuring that your studies will give you breadth and balance but include some flexibility and choice. Thinking about the future At this stage in your education it is important to have a broad and balanced curriculum. To ensure this we insist that you study the core of English, maths and science, as well as expecting you to study a modern foreign language to GCSE level, Physical Education and Personal, Social and Health Education which will help prepare you for life beyond school are also compulsory elements of the curriculum. Over and above these you will have a number of option choices. The actual number of GCSE subjects and option choices that you make will vary for different students, personalising the curriculum with a view to maximising success. The majority of students will follow a broad and balanced curriculum of 9 GCSE subjects and some students may choose to take extra subjects outside of the normal school day. It must be stressed however, that it is far better to get higher grades in eight or nine GCSE’s than lower ones in ten, particularly since universities are now using GCSE results as part of their selection criteria. Dual English (English Language and English Literature) – students will all follow the new dual English award which is recommended as the basis for progression to A level study, not just in English itself, but also as students develop the skills of enquiry, investigation and interpretation, they will find these skills transferable and valuable in any A level. The English Baccalaureate Over the past couple of years you will no doubt have heard of the Government introducing a new performance measure called the English Baccalaureate or ‘EBacc’. This is attained by students who get at least a 4/5 (a former grade C) in English, maths, science, a modern foreign language and either history or geography. This is a traditional academic GCSE route and is regarded as such by the current government. Although this did not take off at first, with continued Government backing it is now becoming an increasingly valuable indicator of a students’ performance. Although not yet an essential requirement for entry into Higher Education it is gaining value and many establishments already ask for a modern foreign language as well as maths and English. Successful applicants to Higher Education, particularly the Russell group of 24+ leading UK universities, are expected to have achieved good grades in a range of subjects at GCSE or equivalent. It is for this reason that here at BHSA we are ensuring that our students are fully prepared for higher education and working environment and that your future choices are not limited at this early stage. Therefore ALL students who are currently in the B and H streams in Year 9 must choose a modern foreign language as well as either history, geography or religious education to GCSE level. Students in the S and A streams are also able to choose to these subjects following the EBacc route, but this is not compulsory, although a modern foreign language is still expected.
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