1 minute read
GCSE Options
Welcome to your GCSE Options Booklet. It will provide you with much of the information you need to choose your GCSE subjects and your teachers will also be more than happy to advise you.
GCSE courses are studied over a two-year course (Years 10 and 11). You will continue to study a range of subjects but you will also be able to focus on subjects that you enjoy most and study these in greater depth. Some pupils find making decisions about their GCSE courses very straightforward, whilst others need a little more time to think and discuss options. By helping you choose the right subjects for you, we hope that you will be happy in your studies, feel positive about your abilities and maximise your potential.
Advertisement
In a number of subjects, we offer the IGCSE instead of the GCSE. This has no material bearing on your results or university application. IGCSEs (the International GCSE) are very well-regarded qualifications taken by a large number of independent school pupils and we have chosen them in a number of subjects because of the specification and the quality of the marking. All GCSEs and IGCSEs are now graded using the 9-1 grading system. Both grades 8 and 9 are the equivalent to the previous A*.
At GCSE level, all pupils will study English Language, English Literature, and Mathematics. All pupils will continue studying all three sciences, either as separate GCSEs or by following the Double Award pathway. This option involves continuing with all three Sciences but equates to two GCSEs as there is less subject content. All pupils will continue with one Modern Foreign Language and then have a choice of three or four optional subjects, depending on their science pathway.
The expectation is that pupils will look to choose options that provide a balance between modern languages, humanities and creative, performance or design-based subjects. It should be noted that not all subject combinations can be guaranteed, but we do aim wherever possible to meet all requests for options that are made by the February deadline.
Best wishes,
Mr Chris Ives Director of Studies
