KS4 Options Evening Presentation February 2020

KEY STAGE 4 OPTIONS EVENING 2020

Purpose of the evening • To explain the options process to parents and students • To update parents and students on the reformed GCSEs • To allow for discussions with subject staff and current GCSE students on the content and structure of the Key Stage 4 courses in our ‘Options Marketplace’

What do you want to be?

Is it a specific job?

• • • •

A lawyer An electrician An accountant A genetic engineer

• • • •

A marketing consultant A farmer A police officer A nurse

Or is it less specific than that?

• • • • • • •

You want to be happy You want to make a good living You want to keep your options open You want to have a wide range of skills You want to be confident in yourself You want to enjoy getting there You want to be proud of your achievements

What can we be sure of?

• Very few of us end up doing what we set out to do • All of us should keep our options as open as we can • All of us should choose what we enjoy and are genuinely interested in so that we keep motivated • There are subjects which currently have more currency than others

Changes to GCSE from September 2016 • All of your subjects will now be graded from 9 – 1 with 9 being the highest grade • Along with Maths, English Language and Literature the majority of subjects will now be solely examination based • There has been an increase of content for most specifications

Changes to GCSE from September 2016 • Previously a ‘good’ pass was defined as a grade C • A ‘good’ pass is now defined as a grade 5 • Grade 4 is known as a ‘standard’ pass.

What are the Compulsory Subjects?

• • • • • •

Maths English Language English Literature Science Core PE PSHCE -(inc. Citizenship, compulsory RE, enterprise, careers, sex & health education, Work Related Learning etc.)

What are the variations within the Compulsory Subjects?

• Maths – Higher / Foundation • Science – Separate or Combined • English – all students will study Language and Literature

What is the English Baccalaureate?

The English Baccalaureate is not a qualification in itself; it is the name given to a collection of subjects which include: • • • • •

English Maths Two Sciences A Foreign Language (French or Spanish) Geography or History

All students who want to make their applications stand out are strongly advised to choose subjects which would lead to the ‘E-Bacc’ as this may give them an advantage when their applications are considered. This is particularly the case if you hope to go to university or want to make their application to college or a higher level apprenticeship.

The ‘EBacc’ Compromise • Ebacc subjects are not compulsory as a whole, HOWEVER all students MUST choose at least one of the following: – – – – –

History Geography French Spanish Computer Science

GCSE OPTIONS • You MUST choose one subject from each of three option blocks • You MUST choose at least one of either History, Geography, French, Spanish or Computer Science.

• You will only be able to choose the following subjects if you have studied them in Year 9 – Spanish, Art & Design, Music, Drama Computer Science and Food Preparation and Nutrition.

• In some practical subjects such as Art and Design and Food Preparation and Nutrition, class sizes will be limited due to health and safety requirements.

• We shall do our best to provide the choices that you have selected but we cannot guarantee that this will be achieved in every case.

Options Process Important Dates in the Options Process • January – Discussions start to take place in lessons about the GCSE courses • 23rd January – PSHCE day - focused on options and the options booklet will be published • 13th February – Options Evening • 26th February – Review day - Students will be given the opportunity to discuss options with their tutor • 27th February – Students to return options form with their initial preferences to tutors •

March 2020 – Students who have any issues or who are still unsure will have an individual options discussions with their House Progress Lead or a member of the Senior Leadership Team

•

April 2020 – Options decision published to Students and Parents

Option Blocks You must choose one subject from each column

DEADLINE: 27th February – Return options form with your initial preferences to tutors

Advice to our students….

• Make sure the choice is right for YOU, not just what your friends are doing • Talk to students in the higher years • Talk to your parents and teachers • Hand in your form to your Tutor, don’t miss the deadline on the 27th February.

Conference Room 2

L2

French Spanish Geography History RE Conference Room 1 Physical Education

Ribbe Building R1 - Music R2 - Drama R3 - Computer Science

Advice to our students‌.

"We cannot always build the future for our youth, but we can build our youth for the future“ Franklin D. Roosevelt