1. Welcome to Year 8
Options evening

2. Mr Goulding Principal

3. The school’s aspiration:

4. BE YOURSELF - YOU’RE SPECIAL - UNIQUE

5. Why a Three Year Key Stage 4?
60 hours more per option subject
Deeper learning and engagement
Better outcomes
Earlier opportunities to think about the future
GCSE RPE by the end of Year 10

6. Inspiring excellence, fulfilling potential
New KS4 courses are more demanding
designing the options with this in mind ……..
Sufficient stretch and challenge
Sufficient support
Appropriate learning styles and course make up
………..leads to different pathways

7. Miss Nightingale Vice Principal

8. What does the Key Stage 4 curriculum look like?
All students continue with certain subjects as part of the National Curriculum (Core Curriculum)
English
Maths
Science
Personal Development (PD)
Religion, Philosophy and Ethics (RPE)
Core Physical Education (PE)

9. In addition, students choose a number of options
Optional subjects
In addition, students choose a number of options
Each option subject has 4 ppf in Years 9 and 10 and 5ppf in Year 11
The list of options and details regarding the subjects can be found in the Options Booklet
Most options lead to GCSE accreditation

11. Year 8 Options Pathways
No one pathway is better or worse than another, they are just different journeys through KS4.

12. Why have Pathways? To inspire excellence and to fulfil potential
To stretch and challenge all pupils
To support those of who need more support
To meet the learning styles of all our learners
To meet the more demanding nature of the KS4 courses
To ensure pupils do not ‘drop’ subjects throughout KS4
To increase the number of pupils studying EBACC subjects

13. How does this affect Your Son/Daughter
Pathways will be decided based on prior data (KS2), potential (CATs & ARTi), current performance, teacher recommendations and FT recommendations. This will then be looked at by Mr Milner and Miss Nightingale to make the final decisions.
Your son/daughter will only receive the booklet for the pathway which has been chosen for them.
Some pupils will have a choice if they are on the cusp of two pathways through a discussion with Miss Nightingale and Mr Milner (already taking place).
Nothing is set in stone, but will need to be discussed. So if they want to do a subject not on their pathway this can happen and is not a reason for changing pathways.
All pupils will have a 121 options interview.
A second interview will be on offer for those who wish to discuss subjects not on their pathway (parents are welcome).
No one pathway is better or worse than another they are just different journeys through KS4.

14. The Orange Pathway
One option choice taken with two extra English and two extra Maths lessons pf with your English and Maths teachers.
One Option given to Foundation Learning (ASDAN in Year 9 and College in Years 10 & 11
Two other free choices
Mainly vocational courses to suit learning styles

15. “At key stage 4, students are encouraged to take up to three technical awards alongside a minimum of five academic GCSEs from the list of EBacc subjects”
DfE, December 2015

16. What are technical awards?
- much less reliant on an exam and more on continuous assessment
- related to employment in a particular ‘sector’
- recommended for progression to further education in that sector

17. Our technical awards BTEC Sport - Hospitality and Catering BTEC Dance
BTEC Business
BTEC Music
ICT

18. The Purple Pathway Combined (Double Science). Four other free choices.
A mixture of vocational and academic courses to suit learning styles (guided in individual interviews).

19. The English Baccalaureate
‘Awarded’ when students secure at least grade 5 in;
English
Maths
Science (Combined or Triple)
A modern language
History or Geography

20. The Red Pathway
One option choice taken with the language currently studied.
One Option given a humanity subject (History A or B or Geography).
Two other free choices.
Mainly academic courses to suit learning styles.
Option to take Triple Science with the department’s recommendation.

21. The Blue Pathway
One option choice taken with the language currently studied.
One option given a humanity subject (History A or B or Geography).
One option to take Triple Science.
One other free choice.
Mainly academic courses to suit learning styles.

23. Progression – the Hunts picture
Route
Huntingdon area %
Female
Male
AS/A Levels
54.3
505
443
Level 3 Vocational Courses
8.3 66 78
GCSE Courses
0.7 4 8
L2 Vocational Courses
19.9
156
192
L1 Vocational Courses
6.6 39 77
Other Qualifications
3.2 19 36
Employment and/or Training
3.8 15 50
NEET
1.7 12 17
Other
1.9 14

24. Progression…post-16 and beyond
‘Facilitating’ subjects at A Level
Informed Choices – the Russell group publication
How my choices now may affect my options later on…

25. Mr Milner Head of Year 8

26. Making choices Information and guidance is key to making good choices
Parents and carers
Form tutors
Subject teachers
Careers websites indicated at the back of the KS4 Options booklet
Careers library and department

27. Guidance for making choices
Students should try to select courses from as
many different disciplines as possible
2. They can only choose one of the two History
courses
When choosing a language, students should choose the language they are currently studying
They can only choose one Art and Design course
5. They can only choose one of the Music courses
Explain why there are rules- broad and balanced curriculum + logistics

28. How should your Son/Daughter choose?
Think, discuss
Assembly presentations
Individual interview
Read the booklet
Come to Options Evening
Talk to your tutor

29. Bad reasons for choosing?
My friends are doing it
I want the same teacher in Year 9 as I had in Year 8
Last minute rush
I think I ought to do this subject (but don’t really know why)
The subject sounds good
My older sister did it

30. Important dates
30th January Options Assembly 31st January Options Evening 21st February Parents Evening 1st - 28th February Individual interviews 3rd and 6th March Option forms handed in By end March Draft options choice confirmation (by letter)
Parents evening can offer vital guidance as to a students ability to attain well in any given subject

31. Students were given their booklets this afternoon
They were given the booklet for the pathway chosen for your son/daughter.
Please remember this is not set in stone and interviews may mean a few changes occur or other options subjects are made available.

32. Your options form is the last sheet in the booklet Due in between 3rd – 6th March! They should be signed by a parent / carer and student They will be checked and signed by the form tutor before being collected

33. Subject Workshop sessions
Will be held in the classrooms in Lower School
Timetables are posted in Lower School and in the PAC foyer
You can attend up to 6 workshop sessions
Senior members of staff will be available in Lower School if you have any further questions
There are also copies available on the tables in the foyer
Each session will last approximately 15 mins