1. Year 9 Options

2.  http://russellgroup.ac.uk/for-students/school- and-college-in-the-uk/subject-choices-at- school-and-college/ http://russellgroup.ac.uk/for-students/school- and-college-in-the-uk/subject-choices-at- school-and-college/  https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=c hrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF- 8#safe=strict&q=future+morph+quiz https://www.google.co.uk/webhp?sourceid=c hrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF- 8#safe=strict&q=future+morph+quiz  http://www.u-xplore.com/website/ http://www.u-xplore.com/website/  P.ward@testwood.hants.sch.uk P.ward@testwood.hants.sch.uk  P.kennedy@testwood.hants.sch.uk P.kennedy@testwood.hants.sch.uk

3. Excited? Nervous? Daunted? No big deal?

4.  Students choose four GCSEs (or one Btec and three GCSEs) to study during Years 10 and 11.  At the end of year 11 they will take an exam in this subject and be awarded a GCSE.  Btecs are mainly coursework with an exam at some point in Year 11. Mr Ward, Tutors and myself have been using tutor times to support the students.

5.  Everyone has to do English, Maths & Science  Plus Core PE  Then choose four other subjects However….

6.  Students choose from option blocks

7.  The fourth choice will be limited  This is because more time will be needed for you to study your core subjects and so has less time than the other options  This choice will be PE, Dance or RE

8.  The GCSEs will not be A*- Gs  They will be 9-1. 9 is the A* plus or highest, 4/5 is roughly a C  They will not have ‘controlled assessments’ for many subjects

9. EnglishMathsScienceHumanityMFL

10.  Have a conversation with your child  Encourage them to think about their future  Use the web sites and resources available  Encourage them to make an appointment with the Careers advisor  Do not choose a subject because of the teacher or a particular friend  Come to Parents’ evening on the 21 st January But most of all…you are the adult and have the longer term perspective. Balance is key.

11.  Library has all the prospectuses of the local colleges.  Careers advisor  Russell Group

12.  Library has all the prospectuses of the local colleges.  Careers advisor  Russell Group  Future Morph

13.  Library has all the prospectuses of the local colleges.  Careers advisor  Russell Group  Future Morph  U-Explore

14. www.u-explore.com

17.  Skill  Enjoyment  Your choices  Future career  Time for a change  Knowledge  Interest  !

18.  Work hard now  Get organised for study – a space, some kit and a good light  Move the X/Station  Consider if you have the right attitude to learning  Consider if your attendance is as good as it can be  Make the most of each lesson  Get into good homework habits now

19.  I really like the teacher  I really don’t like the teacher  My best friend is going to take it  My dad studied it 20 years ago  I know nothing about this subject so I’ll give it a try  The choices are awful so it doesn’t matter what I put

20.  Talk to teachers and your tutor  Talk to year 10, 11 students  Listen to what they say!  Attend parents’ evening  Read the options book – twice!  Look at progress check information  What are you already good at?  Think about the future?  Consider what sort of week you will have with your choices.

21.  Parents evening on the 21 st 16:30 – 19:30  The presentation will be on the website  Deadline for forms: Monday 12 th February