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Thomas Estley Community College

Thomas Estley Community CollegeThomas Estley Community CollegeThomas Estley Community College

Thomas Estley Community College

Thomas Estley Community CollegeThomas Estley Community CollegeThomas Estley Community College
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    • Home
    • Parents
      • Admissions
      • Year 6 Pupils
      • Curriculum & Performance
      • Calendar
      • Newsletters
      • Policies
      • Transport
      • Governance
      • Careers
      • Satchel Parent Portal
    • Students
      • Learning Links
      • Homework
      • Wellbeing
      • Extra-Curricular
      • Specialisms
      • GCSE Options
      • Exams
      • Careers & Post-16
    • Community
      • Preschool
      • Out Of School Club
      • Adult Learning
      • Extended services
      • Facility Hire
      • Employer Careers Area
    • Links
      • Contact us
      • Success Academy Trust
      • TELA Learning Alliance
      • Vacancies
      • Satchel Parent Portal
      • Arbor Link

  • Home
  • Parents
    • Admissions
    • Year 6 Pupils
    • Curriculum & Performance
    • Calendar
    • Newsletters
    • Policies
    • Transport
    • Governance
    • Careers
    • Satchel Parent Portal
  • Students
    • Learning Links
    • Homework
    • Wellbeing
    • Extra-Curricular
    • Specialisms
    • GCSE Options
    • Exams
    • Careers & Post-16
  • Community
    • Preschool
    • Out Of School Club
    • Adult Learning
    • Extended services
    • Facility Hire
    • Employer Careers Area
  • Links
    • Contact us
    • Success Academy Trust
    • TELA Learning Alliance
    • Vacancies
    • Satchel Parent Portal
    • Arbor Link

GCSE Options

Aiming To Achieve Our Best

GCSE Options

During Year 9, you will fully develop and use skills and knowledge acquired from your first two years of secondary schooling, be assessed in all curriculum areas, and make final choices about Key Stage Four study which will influence your future career pathways as well as opportunities in further and higher education. You will also begin GCSE work in core subject areas.

Key Stage 4 curriculum

Students study the core subjects and four additional options from a wide range customised to suit a range of interests and abilities. Almost all students will study nine full GCSE subjects, with the majority taking the EBacc suite (a Language and either History or Geography) plus an additional 2 options.

The Core Subjects

All year 10 and 11 students will study:


  • English Language, GCSE
  • English Literature, GCSE
  • Mathematics, GCSE
  • Double Science, GCSE
  • Personal, Social, Health, Citizenship and Religious Education, Core (no examination)
  • Physical Education, Core (no examination)
  • Healthy Lifestyle Module
  • Careers and Post-16 Module

Current Key Stage Four options

  • Please refer to the Options Prospectus below for our up to date menu of KS4 options.

Whereas all or most of GCSE assessment takes place at the end of the two year course as an examination, more than half of assessment within Awards is non-examined, eg coursework, practical, performance-based. Awards at Level 1 are equivalent to GCSE grades 1-3 and Awards at Level 2 are equivalent to GCSE grades 4-8.

2025 Options Prospectus

KS4 Options Booklet 2025 (pdf)Download

Seeking out our talents and following our dreams

Choosing your options

Support you will get in choosing your options:


  • Tasters lessons for every option
  • Options Prospectus
  • Options Information Evening
  • Careers advice and guidance
  • Tutor / teacher advice and guidance
  • Ongoing assessment and subject reports
  • Individual meetings as needed

Useful sources of information

  • Your parents
  • Your teachers and tutor
  • Our Careers Lead, Mrs Bryan and our independent Careers Adviser
  • Teachers of option subjects
  • National Careers Service (careers advice)
  • PS16 (post-16 and careers advice)
  • Which? (how important are GCSE choices?)

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