KS4 Options 2024

No. We will try to allocate your options in your order of preference; however, it is unlikely that all top options will be allocated to any one student, as the subjects have to be allocated on a best fit basis across the entire year group to ensure a fully fair process.   As such, it is essential that you will be happy to study any of the subjects on your preference list.  In addition, we will only run each course if the demand is high enough to make it viable.

You are able to make a change to your option choices up until the start of Year 10. To make a change you will need to complete an Option Change Form, which you can collect from your Head of Year. The form will require a signature from your parent/carer and a signature from a member of the Senior Leadership team. You will also need to provide an education reason for wishing to move e.g., it will support me getting on a specific A Level or Degree course, it will help me with my future career plans.

Keep your options open. Keep in mind that you might want to go to university or that you might want to do an apprenticeship etc. Select a range of subjects from across the curriculum e.g. a language, a humanities subject (History or Geography), an arts subject (Art, Dance, Drama, Music) and one other subject such as PE, RS, Food, etc. Include in your selection what you are being successful in and what you enjoy doing, after all, you are more likely to study harder in these subjects.

Finally, you may wish to pick a subject that is more practical than others that are 100% written exam. Subjects like Art, Computing, Food, Media and Design Technology have assignments which are worth marks towards your final grade, which you must complete before your examination.

Being able to read music would be an advantage although the course will teach you this. You do however have to be prepared to study an instrument as part of your course. You can select which instrument, which could be your voice if you would like to sing. To develop your skills to the appropriate standard for the course you will be possibly required to attend additional peripatetic lessons (or singing lessons) each week in school.

You may be asked to perform an audition as part of the applicaiton process.

You’re not alone. Speak to others to get their support. Speak to your teachers about whether you would be suited to their subject. Speak with your parent / carer, they know you well! Speak to students in the older year groups about the courses they study. You can also speak with your form tutor and Mrs Leach, who oversees the options process.

Great advice can also be found on the BBC Bitesize website by clicking on this link. 

If you’re feeling unsure about your options, remember these three clear steps to help you make the right choice:

1. Look ahead

Think about the job you might like to do, or the kind of work environment you eventually want to be in, as this could inform your option choices. For instance, if you know that you want to travel with your work, a modern foreign language could be your calling. If you have no idea what kind of job you'd like to do, don't worry! You won't be boxed in if you take a mix of subjects across a range of disciplines and keep your options open.

2. Give yourself enough time

This isn’t a decision to rush so, if you're feeling unsure, talk to teachers and older students. Research subjects and the potential jobs they lead to online, and feel prepared ahead of making your choices.

3. Do what’s best for you

Don’t just take a subject because your friends are taking the same one or if you like the teacher. Follow your talents and instincts to do what interests you.

English Baccalaureate (EBacc) is not a qualification. It is a term used to describe a number of GCSE subjects that the government consider to be highly valued. Subjects include English, Maths, and Science including Biology, Chemistry, Physics, History, Geography, Computer Science, French, German and Spanish. The government is encouraging the study of 5 of these subjects.

You can read more about why the EBacc quliafaction by clicking on this link.

Both of these types of qualification are equally as challenging and are of equal value to sixth forms, colleges and employers. The differences are mainly about the way they are assessed. GCSEs are 100% terminal exam that is taken at the end of Year 11. BTECs have assignments to complete throughout the two years that earn you marks towards your final grade. You still sit an exam during the last year of the course, which will be a percentage towards the final mark.

No - one reserve subject is required. Courses may be oversubscribed or may not run due to insufficient demand.  Giving a reserve subject allows the Timetabler to best meet your child’s requests.

If it is not possible to allocate all of their first choices, then in most cases a reserve choice will be allocated. The situation will be explained to them and they will be given an opportunity to change their choices if necessary. A revised form giving the option blocks will be issued so that they can discuss the available choices with you before returning the completed form so that their allocation can be finalised. At this point it will not be possible to change the subjects in the option block.

A number of additional languages can be taken by students in their home or second langauge such as Chinese, Russian, Italian, Urdu, Greek, Arabic, Japanese, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish, Persian and Gujarate.

These exams have a listening, written and spoken assessment. As the spoken element requires a native/fluent speaker to administer the speaking exam, it is not always possible to facilitate all the languages listed above.

As these exams are taken by students for whom this is their ‘home’ language, we do not schedule timetabled lessons as not part of the curriculum. We will ensure that students are familiar with the assessment format, submit exam entries and facilitate the examinations.

Students generally take additional language exams at the end of Year 10. We will offer students the opportunity to be entered for additional language exams and write to parents to explain the process.

Priority will be given to students who submit the Options form by the deadline of Friday 22nd April 2022, these forms will all be processed at the same time and considered equally. We will then deal with forms submitted after the deadline.

Yes, if there are any issues with a student’s option choices, we will discuss alternatives with the student and parents. All students will recieve a 1-2-1 discussion with a member of the Year 9 or SLT team during half term 5.

No, all students need to select a total of 4 options. If you are concerned about this then please contact Mrs Leach.

In many subjects, such as maths and science, we have a five year curriculum which progresses from year seven to year eleven, with no distinct start to the GCSE course. In other subjects, such as history or art, pupils are already developing the skills and understanding that they will use in the GCSE courses. All new courses, such as business or health and social care will start in September.