2. THURSDAY 2 MARCH 2017
YEAR 8
OPTION CHOICES
A guided, differentiated route to support all of you to be Post-16 ready
Good evening.
Thank you for joining us for the Y8 Option Choices evening.
I hope you find the evening helpful and this presentation informative.
Focus for this presentation will be 3 things
Pathways to post-16
Subject options
How to decide what to study

3. YOUR CURRICULUM OFFER-2017-2020
Key Stage 4 - for three years (Y9,Y10,Y11)
This will mean that the subjects your child chooses now will be their Key Stage 4 qualifications (in Year 11)
Your child will take most of your exams in May and June 2020
The curriculum offer for KS4 is about what your child will be studying for the next 3 years.
It is about choosing subjects to be assessed on in Y11
It is about choosing a pathway that allow your child to access all the options they want to have at post-16

4. WHY FOLLOW A THREE YEAR KEY STAGE 4?
More curriculum time for English and Mathematics and to develop skills, knowledge and understanding, to allow:
More time to prepare for the more challenging content (what they have to learn) and skills (how to learn and apply their ideas) required to be successful in these Key Stage Four courses
advanced skills concerning both literacy and numeracy so that all students are all as successful as possible in the new KS4 courses
A curriculum that has different options (chosen by each student) and allows them to become experts in these.
We have, like many schools, adopted a 3 year KS4.
All subjects are studied over 3 years.
It allows students to study English and Maths at GCSE standard over 3 years.
We all know how important achieving in English and Maths is
We want to afford our students the best opportunities to be successful at KS4
3 years gives time for skills in subject to develop to a GCSE standard
We believe this will help students progress to A-level in subjects, by having a strong foundation
It will also allow more students to study Level3 courses at college by having this stronger understanding of subjects they have studies at KS4

5. OUR GUIDED PATHWAYS Why? Differentiated.
Preparing each student for their future.
To support each of our students to be: (even more!) confident, resilient, resourceful and skilled.
We are talking about pathways for options.
These are pathways to post-16 and hopefully help you and your child select options that will provide flexibility and also support the path that your child wishes to pursue post-16 and beyond
They are designed to help you and your child choose their options
It suggests subjects that might be studied to support a path to post-16

6. CORE SUBJECTS – (EVERYONE TAKES THESE)
Key Stage 4 Core Curriculum
English
2 GCSEs – all students will complete Language and Literature
Maths
1 GCSE
Science
2 or 3 GCSEs (either Combined or Triple Science).
Please note the science department will consider carefully which option is appropriate for each student.
The decision as to which course is most appropriate will be taken at the end of Year 10.
Core PE
Non examined course
KS4 has a strong core of subjects
Eng, Ma and Sc form key tenets of KS3 curriculum,along with PE as part of a healthy lifestyle.

7. ENGLISH BACCALAUREATE (EBACC)
English and English Literature
Maths
two Sciences
History or Geography
Modern Foreign Language
The Ebacc was introduced in 2010
It is composed of E, M, S, H, L
We believe it forms a strong basis for a curriculum for a student who wishes to progress through to a top university
Whilst it is not in Uni admission requirements yet – it may be in the future
There are over 5 years before your child will be going off to uni – want to ensure that our students are not disadvantaged by any changes that take place over the next 5 years.

8. THE GUIDED PATHWAYS Pathways – general, ebacc and flexible
GENERAL PATHWAY (THE MAJORITY OF STUDENTS WILL FOLLOW THIS PATHWAY)
EBACC PATHWAY (PREPARATION FOR ANY STUDENTS WHO ARE HOPING TO GO TO A RUSSELL GROUP UNIVERSITY)
FLEXIBLE LEARNING PATHWAY (STUDENTS WILL BE GUIDED / INVITED TO TAKE THIS PATHWAY)
CORE
ENGLISH LANGUAGE
ENGLISH LITERATURE
MATHS
COMBINED/ SEPARATE SCIENCE
Core PE
COMBINED SCIENCE
ENGLISH BACCALAUREATE OPTION
Students choose ONE from:
Computer Science, Geography, German, History or Spanish
Students choose TWO from:
Category 1:Geography or History
Category 2: German or Spanish
FLEXIBLE LEARNING PROGRAMME
PRINCES TRUST ETC
AS APPROPRIATE: additional literacy and numeracy, Potential IT qualification
3 FURTHER OPTIONS FROM LIST
2 FURTHER OPTIONS FROM LIST
We strongly recommend that students on this pathway choose at least Geography or History as one of your options.
Pathways – general, ebacc and flexible
Help you and your child to choose a balanced and appropriate curriculum for KS4
All 3 would allow any child to progress to university

9. THE GUIDED PATHWAYS GENERAL PATHWAY
1 Ebacc – Geography, German, History, Spanish
Any 3 others (but at most 1 DT option)
EBACC PATHWAY
History or Geography
German or Spanish
Any 2 others (but at most 1 DT option)
FLEXIBLE PATHWAY
Any 3 options (but at most 1 DT option)
Suggest Geography or History
All pathways overlap, and children are not put on a pathway, rather these are here to guide
Ebacc – thinking about top universities, Russell group,
Humanities – skills that are very relevant to studying a wide range of subjects at further education
Language – make students more appealing to top universities, they are offered at all pathways, but are encouraged for students who are thing about following an ebacc path
Flexible pathway
Invitation only
Concentrate of fewer optiosn to improve success
Will include Princes Trust, an IT qualification
Focus on making students following this pathway ready for apprenticeships, college and the world of work
Students invited to particip[ate in this pathway have been written to.
More information at parents evening

10. Art
Business (GCSE or BTEC)
Computer Science
Drama GCSE or BTEC
DT Electronic Products
DT Food Preparation and Nutrition
DT Product Design
DT Resistant Materials
DT Textile Technology
Geography
German
Health and Social Care BTEC
History
ICT
Music
PE GCSE or Sport BTEC
Religious Studies
Spanish
OPTIONS OFFER
We want you all to follow a broad and varied curriculum. It is because of this that you can choose one DT subject only.
GCSE or BTEC? Please ask your teacher about which course would suit you best.
You can choose more Ebacc subjects if you want to do so as part of your further options choices.
List of options
Ebacc in green
GCSE and BTEC – different types of course
Huge growth in role BTEC play in higher and further ed
Over 1/3 of grades accepted for university are now BTEC – and predicted to continue to grow
Both have exams
Both of equal challenge
Differing course content and focus
We have lots of choice
We provide over 1000 different possible choices – we don’t block subjects and limit choice
We don’t get the child to fit the curriculum, but instead create the curriculum to fit the child

11. KEY POINTS FOR OPTIONS
We want all of our students to follow a broad and varied curriculum. It is because of this that they can choose only one DT subject.
GCSE or BTEC? Please ask encourage your son/daughter their teacher about which course would suit them best.
Our students can choose more Ebacc subjects if they want to do so as part of their further options choices.
Every year our curriculum is different, based on the interests and needs of the specific year group. Please encourage your daughter/son to make their choices in priority order as a few of them may need to study their reserve choices because of option clashes/ course viability.
Want students to have a broad curriculum – only 1 DT
Teachers will be able to explain the difference between BTEC and GCSE in their subject and help your child decide which is best for them
Ebacc choices – possible to select all ebacc courses – H, G, CS and G – still a broad curriculum

12. KEY POINTS FOR OPTIONS
Every year our curriculum is different, based on the interests and needs of the specific year group. Please encourage your daughter/son to make their choices in priority order as a few of them may need to study their reserve choices because of option clashes/ course viability.
1000 combinations – we work incredibly hard to provide the curriculum your child wants. We do however ask that select reserves and order option choices in the rare event of an option clash – just cant timetable it, or a viability issue – there are very few students who wish to study a course. This rarely happen – but want to make you aware of this potential possibility
Where an issues arises it will be discussed and reviewed with you and your child

13. Joan Smith
8S-ODL      
Completed form

16. CHOOSING A PERSONALISED, VARIED CURRICULUM THAT ENABLES PROGRESS
Discuss the subjects they like and the ones they find challenging.
Discuss any career/ future ideas they may have and then use relevant websites to check out which subjects they will need.
If they already have a strong career/future in mind, help them to research any relevant subjects they might need (some careers do require specific subjects in order to study these at a higher level ).
Encourage your son/daughter not to choose subjects because they like the teacher or because their best friend has chosen it.
This evening is focussed on helping you and your child gather the information you need to make the best and most appropriate choice
We have Mrs Cottom in the Gym - careers

17. GUIDANCE – TUTOR AND TEACHERS WILL HELP
Your son/daughter’s tutor will have more information which will help them to provide you with advice.
Their tutor may suggest that they speak to Miss Lavelle, Mr Harvey or Mrs Dutton-Coles.
Please remind your daughter/ son to speak with the teacher, for each subject, before making their choices.

18. TIMELINE – THE PROCESS
From Now – begin to think about your choices -a letter and has gone home to explain this too.
27 February - Year 8 assembly –subject information on the VLE
TODAY– parents’/ carers’ information evening; options forms are active on the VLE
27 February – 24 March– tutors, Head of Year and class teachers give advice
9 March– Parents’ Evening
23 March– closing date for options form
Any amendments after 24 March will need to be in writing/ an to Mr Harvey

19. For further information:
VLE – Y8 Options
For further information:
VLE – Year 8 > Year 8 Options
VLE – all option information
VLE – links to all information
Website – links to VLE
Website – options information for parents
VLE – link to Options form

20. Joan Smith
8S-ODL      

23. YEAR 8 PARENTS EVENING CREATIVE ARTS
Drama
Music
Make appointment for the subject you wish to study at Key Stage 4
Appointment sheet by Drama Studio

24. TIMELINE – THE PROCESS
From Now – begin to think about your choices -a letter and has gone home to explain this too.
27 February - Year 8 assembly –subject information on the VLE
TODAY– parents’/ carers’ information evening; options forms are active on the VLE
27 February – 24 March– tutors, Head of Year and class teachers give advice
9 March– Parents’ Evening
23 March– closing date for options form
Any amendments after 24 March will need to be in writing/ an to Mr Harvey