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 (Year Nine 2020-21 cohort)
- Art, Craft and Design, GCSE
- ASDAN CoPE, Level 1-2 ASDAN Award
- Citizenship, GCSE
- Computer Science, GCSE
- Dance, GCSE
- Dance, GCSE
- Economics GCSE
- Enterprise and Marketing, Level 1-2 Cambridge National Award
- Hospitality and Catering, Level 1-2 Cambridge National award
- French, GCSE
- Geography, GCSE
- Health and Social Care, Level 1-2 Cambridge National Award
- History, GCSE
- Information Technology, Level 1-2 Cambridge National Award
- Music, GCSE
- Performance Skills, Level 1-2 NCFE Technical Award
- Physical Education, GCSE
- Psychology, GCSE
- Design Technology (Resistant Materials or Textiles specialism) GCSE
- Separate Sciences, GCSE
- Spanish, GCSE
- Sports Studies, Level 1-2 Cambridge National Award
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.
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
- Teachers of option subjects
- Sam White, our independent careers advisor
- National Careers Service (careers advice)
- PS16(post-16 and careers advice)
- Which? (how important are GCSE choices?)