6. Non-Core Science – 6 periods
• Double Science GCSE
– Additional Science combines with Core Science to make 2
GCSEs
• Triple Science
– 3 separate GCSEs: Biology, Physics and Chemistry
• Cambridge National Science
– Equivalent to one GCSE but with higher coursework proportion
– Includes learning support
• Students are placed on one of these courses dependent on
their performance in Year 9 Science assessments
8. Options – 24 periods per fortnight
• A range of GCSE, Cambridge National, and
BTEC courses
• Four options
• 6 periods per fortnight in each option
9. Subjects on offer
• Specialising: History, Geography, RS, Music,
Dance, Drama, Technology subjects,
languages, ICT, PE/Sport...
• “New” Subjects: Business Studies, Child
Development and Care, Media Studies,
Construction, Computing…
10. Qualifications on offer
• New GCSE
– Graded from 9-1
– Available in English and Maths only
• GCSE
– Awarded from A*-G
– Combination of exams and controlled assessment
• Cambridge National / BTEC
– Awarded Distinction, Merit, or Pass
– “Applied” or work-based learning
– Available in Sport, Business, Construction, and Social
Care
11. The English Baccalaureate
• Represents breadth and strength in academic
achievement
• Awarded to any student gaining A*-C (or 9-5)
in GCSE:
– English Language
– Two Sciences
– Mathematics
– History or Geography
– A Language
12. The importance of a language
• The English Baccalaureate places studying a
language at the heart of the curriculum
• The Russell Group (top 20 UK Universities) have
designated languages as “enabling subjects”
• Some universities have made a language at GCSE
a requirement for studying any degree course
• The global economy will increasingly require
linguistic ability
13.
14. Options Pattern
Option A
• A Humanities subject or a
language:
– History
– Geography
– French
– Spanish
– German
Options B, C and D
• Free choice
• Can add a second
Humanities subject or a
second language
• Can complete the English
Baccalaureate
• Double options – Child
Development and Care /
Construction
17. Things to consider - students
Do consider:
• What do I enjoy?
• What am I good at?
• What to I want to do post-
16?
– Sixth form?
– College?
– Apprenticeship/employment?
• Choose a good range of
subjects
• Read your report carefully
Do not consider:
• Choosing subjects just to be
with friends
• Choosing subjects because
“I like/don’t like the
teacher”
• Choosing subjects “because
you ought to”
18. Things to consider - parents
• Read the recommendations of subject
teachers in the report carefully
• Discuss progress and suitability with subject
staff at parents’ evening
• Discuss with your children what they want to
do, and whether this will keep the right
options open post-16
• Aim for breadth and variety
19. Options Viability
• We will make every effort to meet students’
first option choices
• Where this is not possible, we will use the
reserve choice
• On rare occasions, some options do not
recruit a viable group
• Students cannot take the same subject twice!
20. Important Dates
• Monday 5th January: Options Assembly
• Wednesday 7th January: Options Evening
• Thursday 15th January: Subject Evening
• Wednesday 21st January: Final Deadline for
completing options in Insight
21. Sources of advice and information
• Other parents / friends
• Students in Key Stage 4 and Sixth Form
• Subject Staff / Tutor / Head of Year
• Careers Team
• Mr Kenny and the Learning Support team
• School Website
• Senior Staff – Mr Hildrew or Mr Gaynor
Welcome
Provide information
Opportunity for questions
Choice allows students to “make their own timetable”
Choosing subjects they want to study should increase their motivation and chances of success
60 periods per fortnight
Broken down into two halves – 30 periods compulsory core curriculum, 30 periods of “Options”
Core Curriculum:
English & English Literature (two GCSEs)
Maths (one GCSE)
Core Science (one GCSE)
Physical Education (JSLA)
Philosophy and Ethics (Short Course GCSE)
ICT (OCR National)
PSHE
Provides a secure and balanced foundation upon which students can build
Equips all students with the basic functional skills to develop into responsible adults – reading, writing, arithmetic but also physical education in the broadest sense (including healthy lifestyles, team working and leadership), ICT skills, and moral and social education through the RE course and the PSHE curriculum.
60 periods per fortnight
Broken down into two halves – 30 periods compulsory core curriculum, 30 periods of “Options”
First part of the “Options” half of the curriculum is the top-up Science
Students are selected
Attendance may be taken into account
PSD provides students with excellent personal and social skills in team work, problem solving, and confidence building
Note that both Additional and Triple Science are perfectly adequate preparation for A Level Sciences.
60 periods per fortnight
Broken down into two halves – 30 periods compulsory core curriculum, 30 periods of “Options”
Non-GCSE subjects are available in Construction, ICT, Business Studies and Sport
All non-GCSE subjects have a statistical equivalence to GCSE, although the government is currently considering the Wolf Report’s findings and reviewing the provision of vocational education. Just yesterday we were informed that OCR have withdrawn support from the Diploma in Creative and Media which will no longer run in September.
Clear emphasis on broad academic achievement
Introduced by Michael Gove as a flagship of the new government’s education policy, but it has won the support of the Labour Education Spokesman Stephen Twigg who announced in November that he supported the Ebac.
We also support it here at Chew Valley – it is the right choice for the majority of our students and provides the right foundation for progression to further study.
The first three elements of the Ebac are core. Our options structure is designed so that the academic pathway steers students into the remaining elements of the Bac through their options.
Russell Group includes Oxford, Cambridge, Bristol, UCL, Imperial, Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield…
We have consciously placed a much greater emphasis on continuing with a language post-16 because we believe that it is really important. In our view between two thirds and three quarters of our students should be taking a language at KS4.
Academic Pathway – Ebac, focused on GCSE, preparation for A Level and University Study
Applied Pathway – non-GCSE vocational subjects, preparation for College / apprenticeships. Still possible to achieve the Ebac by taking French/Spanish and History/Geography in options 3 and 4
Completed online – issues with logins / usernames / passwords to Leigh
Students without access should bring a note from parents and tutors can then complete the options
Completed online – issues with logins / usernames / passwords to Leigh
Students without access should bring a note from parents and tutors can then complete the options
Slide shown to students
and do not run; students will be asked to opt again
This always involves consultation with parents