Year 9 Options Evening30 January 2020

Welcome!

The aim of this evening is to clarify the

options process, the types of qualifications

offered and some of the terminology

involved.

Year 9 Options

Compulsory Subjects

• Compulsory subjects account for 3/5 of the curriculum (16 lessons)

• The remaining 9 lessons are for Option Subjects (3 choices for 3 hours a

week)

Subject Qualification

English Language and Literature GCSE (2 certificates)

Science Double or Triple Award GCSE (2 or 3 certificates)

Mathematics GCSE (1 certificate)

Religious Education (Starts in Y9) GCSE (1 certificate)

Physical Education None

E-Bacc or not?

The E-Bacc (English Baccalaureate) is a recognition of a good pass at GCSE, which means gaining a grade 5 or higher in the following subjects:

• English (Compulsory)

• Maths (Compulsory)

• Science (Double or Triple) (Compulsory)

• A Language (Optional)

• History or Geography (Optional)

What does it mean?

• It’s not an “extra” qualification, just a recognition of grade “5” or better in all those subjects

• No local FE colleges or 6th forms require it for entry to their courses

• No HE universities state it in their entry requirements (see Russell Group “Informed Choices” document)

• MFL at GCSE is generally only a requirement for an English degree but check this out if you know now what you want to do

• University College London does require a GCSE Language as an entrance requirement for all its courses, but if you don’t have it they will still accept an application and make you sit a short course certificate in a language

Our advice therefore is to pick the subjects which give you the best chance of the best grades

We know that:

• This is the following group of Universities:

The Russell Group

University of Birmingham

University of Bristol

University of Cambridge

Cardiff University

Durham University

University of Edinburgh

University of Exeter

University of Glasgow

Imperial College London

King's College London

University of Leeds

University of Liverpool

London School of Economics & Political Science

University of Manchester

Newcastle University

University of Nottingham

University of Oxford

Queen Mary, University of

London

Queen's University

Belfast

University of Sheffield

University of Southampton

University College London

University of Warwick

University of York

What can they choose?

We aim to give students a free choice of subjects and then build the

timetable around their choices:

Due to group sizes vocational options may be restricted. If we feel your child could

follow the GCSE route rather than the equivalent route and there is no space in the

group, we may need to speak to you again.

Box A - Choose any 2 Box B - Choose 1

GCSE Choices: Vocational Choices: GCSE Choices:

Art: Art & Design Engineering Creative iMedia Computer Science

Art: Photography Food and NutritionLevel 2 Award in

ConstructionGeography

Art: Textiles GeographyChild Development and

CareHistory

Business Studies History Hospitality & Catering Triple Science

Computer Science Music Sport Studies Spanish

Dance PE (GCSE)

Design Technology Spanish4

Drama Triple Science

New GCSEs

As a guide the numbers are broadly equal to the old grades

shown below:

New Numbers 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

Old Grades G/F- F/E E+/D C C+/B- B/B+ A A* A**

This system affects all GCSE subjects.

There are, however, a number of vocational subjects that are

graded differently:

‘Strong’ GCSE Pass

‘Standard’ GCSE Pass

Level 1 Level 2

Grade Pass Merit Distinction Pass Merit Distinction Distinction*

GCSE

Equivalent1 2 3 4 5/6 7 8

‘Strong’ GCSE Pass

‘Standard’ GCSE Pass

Science

• Separate Sciences (Triple) • Trilogy Award Science (Double)

Both courses include the study of Biology, Chemistry and Physics

Biology Chemistry Physics

Vocational Qualifications

Due to group sizes it may not be possible to give you your vocational choice. If you want to follow a vocational option you will also need to choose a backup GCSE option*Both GCSE Food and Vocational Catering are being offered, but only one of these might run depending on group sizes

These are equivalent GCSE courses and are awarded the following grades:

GradeL2

Distinction*L2

DistinctionL2 Merit L2 Pass

L1Distinction

L1 Merit L1 Pass

Equivalent to 8 7 5/6 4 3 2 1

➢ Creative iMedia

➢ Child Care

➢ Construction

➢ Hospitality and Catering*

➢ Sport Studies

Advice for Students

1. Choose the subjects you are likely to do best in. Use the information in your reports and the feedback you have had from your teachers to guide you

2. Don’t make a choice just because you like the teacher. That teacher may well not be taking the group you end up in

3. Be realistic about your strengths and weaknesses and accept realistic advice about the type of course you choose.

4. Do your research by reading the options booklet thoroughly and talking to your teachers

5. Above all don’t choose a subject because your friend is doing it!There is no guarantee you’ll end up in the same class!

Let us guide you!

• We can guide you to courses which we know

will offer your children the very best chances

of achieving the best grades.

• Vocational options offer the best progression

routes for some students. New qualification

guidelines, however, make vocational subjects

less suitable for some students. If we feel that

a vocational pathway is right for your child we

will offer this in the options interview.

Making informed choices based on KS3 performance

• Removal of KS3 levels• Opportunity to develop our own

curriculum • Working with primary schools to

develop curriculum• Eliminate the dips in learning

Making informed choices based on KS3 performance

Stage 11Grade 7 &

above

Stage 10 Stage 10Grade 5, 6

& 7

Stage 9 Stage 9 Stage 9Grade 4 &

5

Stage 8 Stage 8 Stage 8 Stage 8 Grade 3

Stage 6 >110 Stage 7 Stage 7 Stage 7 Stage 7 Stage 7

Stage 5 Stage 5 101-110 Stage 6 Stage 6 Stage 6 Stage 6 Stage 6

Stage 4 Stage 4 Stage 4 91-100 Stage 5 Stage 5 Stage 5 Stage 5 Stage 5

Stage 2 >110 Stage 3 Stage 3 Stage 3 Stage 3 Stage 4 Stage 4 Stage 4 Stage 4 Stage 4

Stage 1 Stage 1 91-110 Stage 2 Stage 2 Stage 2 Stage 2 Stage 3 Stage 3 Stage 3 Stage 3 Stage 3

Within &

BeyondStage 0 Stage 0 Stage 0 Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 2 Stage 2 Stage 2 Stage 2

Towards &

BelowSR SR SR Stage 0 Stage 0 Stage 0 Stage 0 Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 1 Stage 1

RBT R Y1 Y2KS1 Scaled

scoresY3 Y4 Y5 Y6

KS2 Scaled

scoresY7 Y8 Y9 Y10 Y11

GCSE

grades

<91

<91

Grade U

Grade 2

Grade 1

The new GCSE grades are 1-9, 9 being the

highest a student can achieve. This will be

awarded to approximately the top

2% of the country

A grade 5 is a strong GCSE pass (equivalent to current top grade C & B.

Grade 4 is a standard pass and equivalent to a

mid to low grade C).

Students are set an aspirational target based on

their KS2 entry point. We expect a student that comes in at expected

National progress to access GCSEs at 5 and above.

Students are taught the skills needed for GCSE throughout

KS3. These have been mapped from GCSE specifications to

give students the best chance of achieving their best grade.

Our KS3 curriculum is not capped. Once a student masters a skill they

consolidate it and move on to another. If a student works hard they can progress through stages

quicker and improve their chances of a better GCSE grade.

Key Stage 3 Reports

Key Stage 4 Timetable

• Different bands – H & W

• All students will be re-banded

• Current X band does not equal H; current Y band does not equal W

• Triple Scientists will be H band

• Both bands will have foundation and higher tier entries for Maths and

Science

• Not ability bands

• All year group on options at the same time

KS 4 careers programme

• 8 English lessons preparing a well structured personal statement/ researching courses

• College taster day

• University visit

• Post 16 providers invited into school to deliver assemblies to Y10 and Y11 students

• Careers fair in October

• Work experience evening

• 5 Day work experience placement / mock exam

KS 4 careers programme

• A careers interview where an action plan is produced (Careers Adviser on site Monday and Thursday)

• All local colleges invited into school to complete applications with Y11 students during dinner time

• Time to complete application forms during form time

• Interviews for Wigan and Leigh take place in school

• Apprenticeship workshop/ CV writing

• All students to complete 3 applications as a minimum before results day

Options Interviews

You and your children are offered an options interview with a senior member of staff to explore the best choices for the best grades.

These interviews will take place with either Mr Rimmer, Mr Holt, Mr Smith or Mr Fiddler. They will take place between 10th February and 6th

March.

Appointments can be made tonight in the main sports hall.

Making their Choices

The options form looks like this.

You need to make 3 choices from the subject list

There are five vocational subjects that are available. There is a limit on the number of groups we can have so please choose a GCSE back-up if any vocational choice is made

These forms are given out during the interview

The deadline for return of the forms is Monday 9th March

Forms must be returned to Mr Holt

• Subject input

• Options interviews

• Visit to local colleges

• School Website:

- Option booklet

- Russell Group “Informed Choices”

- Useful links to Careers websites

- This presentation

Support

Support

Support

• School website: For Parents-> Year 9 Options

Support

• Options interviews take place

• Groups are generated and a timetable produced

• The vast majority of students will study their initial choices

• It’s likely that a small number (0 in 2015, 6 in 2016, 5 in 2017, 6 in 2018, 6 in 2019) will have to be interviewed again and choose a different combination

What Next?

Any questions

?