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Options for year 10 parents 2013
The document outlines the options process for Year 10 students from 2013 to 2015, detailing the curriculum structure, subject options available, and the importance of language studies within the English Baccalaureate framework. It emphasizes the need for careful consideration when choosing subjects to align with students' interests, strengths, and future career paths. Important dates for the options process are also included, along with sources of advice for students and parents.
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Options for year 10 parents 2013
- 1. Options for Year10 2013-2015
- 2. The Options Process •Why make choices?
- 3. The Key Stage4 Curriculum Curriculum Structure Option 4 Option 3 Core Option 2 Curriculum Option 1 Science
- 4. Core Curriculum: 30lessons per fortnight Core Curriculum Core Core PE Science Core RE Core ICT PSHE Maths English
- 5. Non-Core Science –6 periods • Single Science – Core Science - one GCSE – Plus Certificate in Personal and Social Development • Additional Science – Combines with Core Science to make 2 GCSEs • Triple Science – 3 separate GCSEs: Biology, Physics and Chemistry • Students are placed on one of these courses dependent on their performance in Year 9 Science assessments
- 6. Options – 24periods per fortnight • A range of GCSE, Cambridge National, and BTEC courses • Four options • 6 periods per fortnight in each option • Options organised into two pathways
- 7. Subjects on offer •Specialising: History, Geography, RS, Music, Dance, Drama, Technology subjects, languages, ICT, PE/Sport... • “New” Subjects: Business Studies, Health and Social Care, Media Studies, Construction
- 8. Qualifications on offer •GCSE – Awarded from A*-G – Combination of exams and controlled assessment • Cambridge National / BTEC – Awarded Distinction, Merit, or Pass – “Vocational” or work-based learning – Available in Sport, Business, Construction, and ICT(iMedia)
- 9. The English Baccalaureate •Represents breadth and strength in academic achievement • Awarded to any student gaining A*-C in GCSE: – English Language – Two Sciences – Mathematics – History or Geography – A Language • Not to be confused with the English Baccalaureate Certificate
- 10. The importance ofa 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
- 12.
- 13. Things to consider- students Do consider: Do not consider: • What do I enjoy? • Choosing subjects just to be • What am I good at? with friends • What to I want to do post- • Choosing subjects because 16? “I like/don’t like the – Sixth form? teacher” – College? – Apprenticeship/employment? • Choosing subjects “because you ought to” • Choose a good range of subjects • Read your report carefully
- 14. 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
- 15. Options Viability • Wewill 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 – this includes Sport with GCSE PE, or Applied ICT with GCSE Computing.
- 16. Important Dates • Monday 7th January: Options Assembly • Wednesday 9th January: Options Evening • Thursday 17th January: Subject Evening • Friday 25th January: Final Deadline for completing options in Insight
- 17. Sources of adviceand 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
- 18.
Editor's Notes
- #2 WelcomeProvide informationOpportunity for questions
- #3 Choice allows students to “make their own timetable”Choosing subjects they want to study should increase their motivation and chances of success
- #4 60 periods per fortnightBroken down into two halves – 30 periods compulsory core curriculum, 30 periods of “Options”
- #5 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)PSHEProvides a secure and balanced foundation upon which students can buildEquips 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.
- #6 First part of the “Options” half of the curriculum is the top-up ScienceStudents are selectedAttendance may be taken into accountPSD provides students with excellent personal and social skills in team work, problem solving, and confidence buildingNote that both Additional and Triple Science are perfectly adequate preparation for A Level Sciences.
- #9 Non-GCSE subjects are available in Construction, ICT, Business Studies and SportAll 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.
- #10 Clear emphasis on broad academic achievementIntroduced 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.
- #11 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.
- #12 Academic Pathway – Ebac, focused on GCSE, preparation for A Level and University StudyApplied 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
- #13 Completed online – issues with logins / usernames / passwords to LeighStudents without access should bring a note from parents and tutors can then complete the options
- #14 Slide shown to students
- #16 and do not run; students will be asked to opt againThis always involves consultation with parents