GCSE Options January 2017 www.woldinghamschool.co.uk

How many GCSEs should I be taking? 10 GCSEs is the standard number and this is what we expect the vast majority of you to take Some girls may only take 9 GCSEs, this has to be discussed with Mr Wahab and Ms Weatherston We cannot accommodate anyone who wishes to take more than 10 GCSEs on-timetable, but we do offer Latin and (if enough uptake) Greek off-timetable

Does it matter how many GCSEs I take? Taking less than 9 GCSEs can count against an application to one of the better universities There is absolutely no point in taking more than 10 GCSEs with the aim of bettering your chances of gaining entry to a top university As long as university applicants have 9 or more GCSEs all that matters is the grades. And please note that GCSE grades do matter very much to universities (much more than they used to)

What GCSEs do I have to take? Mathematics English Language English Literature (however, a very small number of EAL students may take IGCSE EAL instead of GCSE English Language and Literature) Theology Science (double or triple award *) triple science is considerably more difficult than double – there is far greater content and so the pace of lessons will need to be fast) A minimum of one language

Options So, if you are taking double award Science you will have 3 options left, and if you are taking triple award Science you will only have 2 options left You can choose from any of the following: History, Geography, Computer Science, PE, Art, Drama, Music, DT or a second foreign language

New GCSE grading Please note that, from September 2017 all GCSEs & IGCSEs will be on a new grading system. The new system will no longer use grades A*-U. Instead they will grade from 9 to 1 (9 being the top grade and 1 being the bottom grade). Grades 9 and 8 will be the equivalent of the old A*, 7 of A, 6 of B, 5 of low B/high C, 4 of a low C, 3 of a D and so on…

Double or Triple Science? Both these options involve studying Biology, Chemistry and Physics, but double award Science results in 2 IGCSEs, whereas triple award Science results in 3 Further details are in the “GCSE Years” booklet. A web link directing you to this booklet will be included in the options form

Double Award Science Taking Double Award Science at IGCSE does not negatively affect your chances of taking Science subjects at Sixth Form and beyond (as long as you are sufficiently good at science) Every year we have girls who are academically strong in a lot of subjects and, therefore, take double award to maximise their GCSE choices elsewhere, but still end up doing one or more Sciences at A Level

Languages The vast majority of pupils are required to take at least one language to GCSE. The normal options are French, Spanish, German or Latin Chinese, Japanese, Russian and other languages may be available through private, off-timetable tuition, but they are not part of our curriculum offering Some students may – after direct consultation with Ms Weatherston – be allowed not to do a language at GCSE, but there have to be very good academic reasons for this You should also consult with Ms Weatherston or Mr Wahab if you are planning to do Latin as your only language Latin (and possibly Greek – if enough people are interested) will be available as an 11th, off-timetable, GCSE. You should only attempt an 11th GCSE if you are academically very able

EAL Lessons If – in the summer term of Year 9 - the EAL (English as an Additional Language) Department identifies you as a student who definitely needs further EAL lessons in order to access our curriculum, then you will have to take these lessons and drop to 9 options. If this is the case – we will contact you and your parents in the summer term If your English is good enough to access our curriculum but you would like to carry on with EAL lessons to keep improving your English anyway, then this option will be available for you on the options form. But this will – of course – limit you to 9 GCSEs. Please remember that any student applying to a good UK university for whom English is not their first language needs to have got to IELTs level 7 by the end of their Lower Sixth year otherwise the UK Borders Agency will not allow you to study at university in this country

Completing and returning the options form You do not have to post or email the options form back to us you simply click on “submit” The deadline for completing and submitting the options form is Monday 20 February

How do I ensure I am making the right choices? Think maturely and honestly about your strengths, and about your future ambitions Discuss choices fully with your parents over half term If in doubt seek advice from Mr Wahab, Ms Weatherston or Mr Smith Do not choose subjects on the basis of (i) what your friends are doing, (ii) which teachers you do or do not like

What happens if I change my mind after 20 February 2017? We will be using the options received in February to construct the GCSE option blocks. These are the basis of all timetabling for next year. This process happens quite quickly and cannot be reversed after that What this means is that you can change your mind at any time after February half-term, but we will only be able to accommodate your new choice if it fits both the option blocks we have created and our maximum class size for GCSE (20)

Very small subjects We reserve the right not to run a particular subject if the total number of students selecting it as an option is below five In the event that we decide not to run a subject we will, of course, contact students/parents who have chosen it very promptly to notify them and to discuss alternative options

Thank you for listening If you have any questions please do not hesitate to email Mr Wahab, Mr Smith or Ms Weatherston at any time between now and 20 Feb 2017

GCSE Options January 2017 www.woldinghamschool.co.uk