2. Yr9 (3 year) GCSE Pathways
Crompton House –
Yr8 options information evening KN
Yr9 (3 year) GCSE Pathways

3. In Short – KS4 at Crompton HouseKN
Students will follow 1 of 3 pathways
Majority of students to select 4 options
Each option will be taught in 5 hours per fortnight, for 3 years
Students designated to have the necessary aptitude will be expected to follow a Language and at least one Humanities subject on the red pathway.

4. Timeline October – Options Assembly – Pupils
 November/December – Science and Language tests to determine pathways / Separate Science suitability – details to be communicated in October
December – First Year 8 report issued
January – Personalised Options Pathway letter sent out
January - GCSE ‘Taster lessons’
Tuesday 5th/12th February - Year 8 Parents Evening (by Bands)
Wednesday 13th March – Options ‘Subject Information’ Evening – Options Information Booklet issued
March – Second Year 8 report issued
March 20th/21st – Options GUIDANCE from HOY/CTL/SLT
Deadline for choices – Friday 5th April

5. Compulsory subjects English (Language and Literature) Maths
Science (2 Types: Science or the option Separate Sciences) PE
Religious Studies
Yr9 Life Studies (PSHE/Citizenship and Work Related Learning) [Also supported through Form time in Yr9, 10 and 11]

6. Science explained
Separate Sciences – 3 separate subjects/lessons – Biology, Chemistry, Physics.
3 separate GCSE Qualifications. Exams at the end of Year lessons per fortnight.
Science GCSE – Lessons taught as Science, however Biology, Chemistry and Physics topics covered.
2 Qualifications – Science and Additional Science – exams at the end of Year lessons per fortnight.

7. Option Choices - Draft
Fine Art and Art Multimedia (2 different options, only 1 per pupil can be studied) Business Studies Sociology Food and Nutrition French Geography German History Music PE Separate Sciences Design Technology Drama Computer Science

8. Personalised Pathways

9. Pathway Principles
1. To create appropriate pathways for different ability students - Challenge for those whom this is appropriate, whilst ensuring appropriate curriculum and support, for those who need it.
2. Students obtaining qualifications in all of the Ebacc subjects, where appropriate: in response to changing national priorities, employment, university admissions etc
3. To increase the quality and depth of learning in GCSE exam courses - by providing increased time for option subjects, we will be decreasing the pressure on teachers and students to get through the syllabus. This will give students longer to learn the fundamentals of each subject, encourage deep learning and help ensure that students make appropriate post 16 choices.
- This is especially important given the increased academic, literacy and numeracy demands, of the new GCSEs

10. Red Pathway: 3 year KS4 4 options Must follow a Language
AND Must follow History and/or Geography
Students guided into appropriate, GCSE courses for remaining options, whilst maintaining a balance of subject types
GCSE Separate Sciences option - offered to some, following the December tests (uses 1 option up) or they will follow Science GCSE

11. Yellow Pathway: 3 year KS4 4 options
Will follow a language if appropriate
Or will follow History and/or Geography if MFL not deemed appropriate.
GCSE Separate Sciences option - offered to some, following the December tests (uses 1 option up) or they will follow Science GCSE
Students guided into appropriate GCSE courses for remaining options

12. Blue Pathway: 3 year KS4 4/3 Options ‘Unlikely’ to follow a language
Likely to do Science GCSE
Some students selected by Maths and English to follow Communication Studies and/or Practical Maths
Small group to follow level 1 BTEC Work Skills
ICT BTEC also available (which can be level 1 or level 2)
Students guided into GCSE and BTEC courses for remaining options

13. Languages
In terms of the language to be chosen and studied at GCSE, this will be the language which has been studied for the previous 2 years.

14. Last year - How it worked in reality
Red and Yellow pathways essentially offered the same choices, with the main difference being the choice to study only a language OR humanity on the yellow pathway.
Therefore many students on the red and yellow pathways ended up studying similar subjects, in the same classes.
Pupils on the Blue Pathway benefited from a choice of both academic subjects (often exam based) and the more vocational subjects (which often offer more project based assessment)
December tests in Science and Languages are very important
The vast majority of students were allocated their first choice of subjects, however this cannot be guaranteed. It is very important to put them in order of preference, if there are any issues Mr Holt (curriculum deputy) will contact you.

15. Our aim - personalisation

16. How to make your choices
Which subjects do you enjoy?
Which subjects do you seem to be good at / succeed in?
A variety of types of subject is always advisable, don’t overburden yourself!
Have you any idea what you want to do in the future? If so, do you need specific subjects for this?
[Do not choose ‘what your friends are doing’ or ‘because you like a teacher’ (you may not get them next year!)]

17. Timeline October – Options Assembly – Pupils
 November/December – Science and Language tests to determine pathways / Separate Science suitability – details to be communicated in October
December – First Year 8 report issued
January – Personalised Options Pathway letter sent out
January - GCSE ‘Taster lessons’
Tuesday 5th/12th February - Year 8 Parents Evening (by Bands)
Wednesday 13th March – Options ‘Subject Information’ Evening – Options Information Booklet issued
March – Second Year 8 report issued
March 20th/21st – Options GUIDANCE from HOY/CTL/SLT
Deadline for choices – Friday 5th April

18. Any questions? Please see myself, Mr Holt or Mr Newell at the end, or alternatively e-mail me at:
In addition to the handout, this presentation will be placed on the school website.