Teesdale School and Sixth Form Centre Options Mr Maguire Co-Principal (Curriculum)

Tonight we will cover The national picture Courses students must take Other courses students can select The options process

Raising the Participation Age The government has increased the age to which all young people in England must continue in education or training, requiring them to continue until their 18th birthday from This could be through: full-time study in a school, college or with a training provider full-time work or volunteering combined with part-time education or training an apprenticeship

End of modular exams Students beginning their GCSEs in September 2014 will be the third cohort required to sit linear exams in summer of Year 11… …and the second cohort to take two-year linear A-level courses (which will begin in September 2015).

New GCSEs from September 2015 More rigorous and challenging qualifications for students currently in Year 8 and below. Current Year 9 students need to be aware they will be competing in the employment market with younger people who have the ‘improved’ GCSEs.

The English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) Awarded from Xmas 2010 to students achieving C grades in the following GCSE subjects English Maths Science either Geography or History a foreign language At Teesdale all students on Level 6 in core KS3 subjects are expected to take the Ebacc.

New Performance Measures from 2016 The new measures will be based on students’ performance across eight subjects: English; maths Three other English Baccalaureate (EBacc) subjects (sciences, computer science, geography, history, languages) Three further subjects, which can be from the range of EBacc subjects, or can be any other approved qualification

New Performance Measures

What courses must all students take? English: GCSE language and literature Maths: GCSE Science: Triple GCSE or Double GCSE A humanities subject: either History or Geography GCSE PE: non-accredited

What options are available? Students should choose four subjects from a wide range bearing in mind the following : 1.Students wishing to take triple science (i.e. three science GCSEs) rather than double science will need to select this as one of their four options 2.Students on level 6 or above in English, Maths and Science will be expected to choose one Modern Foreign Language. 3.Students who would benefit from tiered papers should choose Geography rather than History as their Humanities option. 4.Students who would benefit from a more varied curriculum should choose subjects such as BTEC Sport or GCSE Health & Social Care 5.All students will need to select a reserve choice.

Example 1 A student on level 6 in English, Maths & Science who wants to take Triple Science Option 1: History or Geography Option 2: Triple Science Option 3: A modern foreign language Option 4: Any other subject

Example 2 A student on level 6 in English, Maths & Science who does not want to do Triple Science Option 1: History or Geography Option 2: A modern foreign language Option 3: Any other subject Option 4: Any other subject

Example 3 A student below level 6 in English, Maths & Science who doesn’t want to do Triple Science Option 1: History or Geography Option 2: A language if they want the Ebacc or any other subject Option 3: Any other subject Option 4: Any other subject

Example 4 A student who would benefit from a more varied curriculum. Option 1: Geography Option 2: Sport Science or Health & Social Care Option 3: Any other subject Option 4: Any other subject

Key Stage 4 Options Key Dates March 7th: Year 9 reports issued w/b March 17th: Course booklets and options forms given out March 27th: Year 9 Parents Evening Opportunity to discuss options with staff including those who teach unfamiliar subjects such as Business, Health & Social Care and Sport. March 31st: Options Forms due in

And finally…… The curriculum we intend to offer for September 2014 complies with all statutory requirements and takes communications from the DfE and Secretary of State into consideration. Should there be any subsequent changes we will of course keep you informed.