Information Evening for Year 8 Parents and Students Key Stage 4 options 2019- 2022 Information Evening for Year 8 Parents and Students

Welcome

Prayer The words of St John Baptist De La Salle, the Patron Saint of Teachers: Do not forget to thank God for his many blessings. Be warm-hearted to everyone, speaking to others in a gentle and respectful way.

Outline: 1. How is academic performance measured at the end of Key Stage 4? 2. What is the Core Curriculum? 3. What is the Optional Curriculum? 4. How to choose my option subjects? 5. What Happens Next?

1. How is secondary school performance measured?

For example; Progress 8 This shows students’ progress across eight qualifications, compared to other students with the same starting point at the end of Key Stage 2 Attainment 8 This shows students’ average achievement in the same suite of qualifications as the Progress 8 measure English Baccalaureate -- average point score across a suite of subjects, and the proportion of students taking this suite % grades 9-5 E and M The percentage of pupils achieving a ’good pass’ (grades 9-5) in English and Mathematics Destinations The percentage of students staying in education or employment after KS4

Progress 8 Progress 8 measures a student's progress between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 across eight key subjects. It shows whether students have performed to expectation, based on a value-added measure using Key Stage 2 English and Maths as a baseline. Progress 8 only compares schools with similar intakes.

Progress 8

English Baccalaureate A combination of GCSE subjects; 1. Maths 2. English 3. Science, which includes Computer Science 4. A Modern Foreign Language 5. History or Geography. You do NOT receive a separate qualification Department for Education guidance 24 January 2019 “A study by the UCL Institute of Education shows that studying subjects included in the EBacc provides students with greater opportunities in further education and increases the likelihood that a pupil will stay on in full-time education. Sutton Trust research reveals that studying the EBacc can help improve a young person’s performance in English and maths.” “The government’s ambition is to see 75% of pupils studying the EBacc subject combination at GCSE by 2022, and 90% by 2025.”

Students on the GREEN pathway should give particular consideration to selecting the EBacc. subjects – namely making two of their options choices to be History or Geography (or both) and French.  These are “facilitating subjects” which lead to wider academic options in the future.

2. What is the Core Curriculum?

The Key Stage 4 Timetable Each fortnight there are 50 hours of “teaching time” Of this, 34 hours makes up the Core Curriculum, which all students have to follow. The other 16 hours is the Optional Curriculum which allows students some choice.

The Core Curriculum GCSE Subjects Religious Education - 5 hours English Language and English Literature - 8 hours. Mathematics - 8 hours. Science - 8 hours

The Core Curriculum 2. Non - examination Subjects General PE - 5 hours Personal Development and Well-being – 1 hour

Other activities aimed to raise student awareness of employment, careers and the importance of developing personal skills e.g. Enrichment Days, Personal Development Well-being lessons, educational visits, sporting and musical activities, visiting speakers e.g. STEM events, Kent Fire and Rescue, … and so on.

3. What is the Optional Curriculum?

Options choices Four blocks x 4 hours = 16 hours Students will make either 4 or 2 subject choices = 16 hours

The option choices available to each students depends on which coloured group that they have been allocated to.

The basis of these groups have been decided by; CAT scores that took placed in term 3 Year 7 and 8 academic progress and monitoring Advice from our SENCO and Heads of Year 8

Thursday 14th March & Thursday 21st March 2019 Step Action Date 1   Year 8 Reports sent home to Parents/Carers Thursday 21st March 2019 2 Year 8 Parents’ Evening Parent/Carers and students can discuss their progress with subject teachers Thursday 14th March & Thursday 21st March 2019 4.00 - 7.00pm 3 Year 8 into Year 9 Options Evening, Parents/Carers and students have the opportunity to ask any questions about the Personalised Curriculum Thursday 28th March 2019 6.30 – 8.00pm 4 Deadline for Year 8 students make final option choices via Survey Monkey Monday 1st April 2019

Option Curriculum - 16 hours per fortnight Pathway Block A Block B Block C Block D Green & Ebbac. Business Studies French History ICT Sports Studies Computer Science Geography Music Art (Three- Dimensional Design) Art (Photography) Design Technology Drama Art (Fine Art) Art (Textile Design) Food Preparation and Nutrition

Option Curriculum - 16 hours per fortnight Pathway Block A Block B Block C Block D Purple Business Studies French History ICT Sports Studies Supported Learning Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme Art (Three- Dimensional Design) Art (Photography) Design Technology Drama Geography Art (Fine Art) Art (Textile Design) Food Preparation and Nutrition

Optional Curriculum - reserve choices - priority order You should select one subject AND two reserve subjects in each block You should then place each block in priority order. You should not choose both Computer Science and ICT. You should not choose more than one Art subject

4. Making your choice

Options – making your choice Your subject choice should not be based on: Your friends’ choices Rumours about how easy or difficult a subject is Your hope that you will be taught by a particular teacher Pre-conceptions about what the subject will be like Novelty value

Options – making your choice We will try to ensure that students can follow a course in all their chosen subjects, although this may not be possible in every case Once the courses start in September 2019, students are committed to their choices until June 2022

Options – making your choice There will be a brief window when it may be possible to change an option subject A note from home will be required And it will depend on whether there is room in that subject And it requires the agreement of the Subject Leader

5. What happens next?

Students make their subject choices online via a link that will be emailed tomorrow A copy of this PowerPoint will be available on the School website tomorrow morning

There is space for comments. E. g There is space for comments. E.g. I would like to study History in Block…….

All Students who are in the GREEN pathway should choose at least one of - History or Geography or French. You may take any combination of these subjects if you wish.

What happens next? Any issues with the online application process will be dealt with by Miss McCabe. Email: mccabeg@ssscs.co.uk e.g. If you wish to amend your choices. You can do this up to the beginning of July. We will contact all parents in mid - July to confirm which subjects your child will take.

Deadline Monday 1st April 2019 36

There is now an opportunity to speak with the Subject Leaders of option subjects in the restaurant. Also available are; Head of Year 8 - Mrs Williamson Careers – Mr C Targett (CXK) SENCO - Mrs Goldson Director of Sixth Form – Mrs Broadhurst

Deadline Monday 1st April 2019 38