1. 1 Geographies of Student Choice GCSE Paul Weeden School of Education

2. 2 Changing entry patterns

3. 3 Contextualising student subject choice External Factors National Government policy National Curriculum Personalisation Core subjects KS4 Opinion formers Media Employers Educationalists Politicians Subject Associations Local Parents, Peers, Community Local Authority Whole School Type of School; School location; Student Intake; School Leadership; Policies and Practice Departments Subject leaders, Teachers, Curriculum, Pedagogy, Marketing Mechanism Structure of option choice system Organisation Tracks Are there fixed paths? Allocation to paths? Subjects Compulsory + Optional Number to choose Advice Who gives advice? When and how? System Creation Who decides? Who has input? What constraints? Allocation to subjects Who decides? Action Decision making Student chooses subjects Outcome Choice and allocation of subjects Student Personality Aptitude Motivations Aspirations Perceptions

4. 4 Subject entries by type of school

5. Subject Entries by Centre Type 2009 5

6. 6 Geography entries 2007

7. 7 Distribution of entries by Local Authority 20032004200520062007 Minimum entry 16.0%17.2%16.4%11.0%11.5% Mean entry32.8%31.0%29.5%28.6%27.9% Maximum entry 47.0%45.9%46.4%42.4%41.9%

8. 8 Rural / urban patterns Major Urban: in settlement >750000 Large Urban: 250000-750000 Other Urban: < 26% rural Significant Rural: 26-50% rural Predominantly Rural: 50% rural

9. Changes in performance 9

10. 10 Comparisons with history

11. Changing entry by gender 11

12. Types of school (Newsam) 12

13. The five fold school classification Selective highest 10-20% of the student cohort. Comprehensive plus all abilities majority in the top 50% of attainment. Comprehensive balanced profile approximately equal numbers in each attainment quartile Comprehensive minus all abilities – majority in bottom 50% of attainment Modern comprehensives very few students in the top 50% of attainment. At least 50% in the lowest attainment quartile. 13

14. Entries by type of school 14 Key: Type of School 1 Selective 2 Comprehensive plus 3 Comprehensive 4 Comprehensive minus 5 Modern 6 Small

15. City A: Changes over time 15

16. City A: Changes in entries by type of school 16

17. County B: Changes in entries by type of school 17

18. The relationship to deprivation 18

19. 19 Entry patterns for other subjects History Entries 2007 Mean = 30.9 % Religious Studies Entries 2007 Mean = 24.4 % Media Entries 2007 Mean = 10.0 %

20. 20 Conclusions GCSE is a quasi-market – yearly fluctuations Falling entries for geography In top ten GCSEs Gendered entry 44-45% Girls; 55-56% Boys A*-C grades rising School location: Regional / local variations South > north; Rural > Urban; Higher deprivation = lower entries Other subjects history > geography in 2004 pattern of entry different

21. 21 Contextualising student subject choice External Factors National Government policy National Curriculum Personalisation Core subjects KS4 Opinion formers Media Employers Educationalists Politicians Subject Associations Local Parents, Peers, Community Local Authority Whole School Type of School; School location; Student Intake; School Leadership; Policies and Practice Departments Subject leaders, Teachers, Curriculum, Pedagogy, Marketing Mechanism Structure of option choice system Organisation Tracks Are there fixed paths? Allocation to paths? Subjects Compulsory + Optional Number to choose Advice Who gives advice? When and how? System Creation Who decides? Who has input? What constraints? Allocation to subjects Who decides? Action Decision making Student chooses subjects Outcome Choice and allocation of subjects Student Personality Aptitude Motivations Aspirations Perceptions