Year 9 – Key dates 2015
Briefings for students & parents January 15th
Information about option subjects
given in assemblies or in class
January 19th –
February 6th
Individual student interviews January 26th – 30th
Consultation evening and
information about KS4 subjects February 11th
Students return options forms By February 23rd
Careers Convention at Imberhorne March 5th
Year 9 transition briefing June 18th
Challenge 2015 / Activities Week June 29th – July 3rd
Students start KS4 courses July 6th
A curriculum which:
Meets the future needs of students in
a changing world
Provides flexibility with balance
Identifies a core curriculum for all
Introduces students to a variety of
qualifications
Supports a smooth transition to KS4
The Core Curriculum
English Language & Literature 2 GCSEs 8 hours
Maths 1 GCSE 8 hours
Double Science 2 GCSEs 9 hours
RE short course ½ GCSE 1 hour
Personal, Social, Health &
Citizenship Education RoA 1 hour
Core PE 3 hours
TOTAL HOURS 30
The 2 Options Pathways
Fixed Pathway – BLUE
Broad and Balanced or Early Specialisation
Flexible Pathway – YELLOW
Extra Support & Applied Learning
Fixed Pathway – BLUE
20 hours
Foreign Language
(normally 1st Foreign
Language)
1 GCSE 5 hours
3 Options GCSE
or equivalent 15 hours
Flexible Pathway – YELLOW
20 hours
4 Options GCSE
or equivalent 20 hours
Applied Learning courses are recommended.
You may have a recommendation that you
choose Support option, English booster or
maths booster options.
Flexible Pathway + Construction – YELLOW
20 hours
Applied Learning courses are recommended.
3 Options GCSE
or equivalent 15 hours
Support or booster options may still be
recommended.
Construction City & Guilds Level 1
Certificate 4 hours
These students will do Core PE together – 4
hours instead of 3 hours
Qualifications available
Qualification Nature of subject
Hours
per
fortnight
Value
GCSE Class based assessment and
examination 5 1 GCSE
Applied Learning
(GCSE, BTEC, OCR)
Class based assessment and
examination 5 1 GCSE
ASDAN (CoPE) Class based assessment 5 1 GCSE
City & Guilds Level 1 Portfolio of evidence taken from
class based assessment 4
1 GCSE
Grade E
KS4 Attainment
Applied Learning
GCSE
Higher/ Further
Education
Applied A Levels or BTECs
A Levels
Recommendations
For most students:
Broad & Balanced
For some students:
Early Specialisation
Optional Subjects
RE can be extended to a full GCSE course, using 1 Core PE lesson.
Students can only choose one Technology course.
Students studying Italian in Year 9 can choose this as their GCSE Language.
Languages Arts Humanities Technology
French
German
Italian
Spanish
Art
Drama
Music
Geography
History
Electronics
Food
Graphics
Resistant Materials
Textiles
Optional Subjects PE Applied Learning Support Vocational
Dance
GCSE PE
BTEC/OCR Courses:
English Booster
Maths Booster
Support Option
Construction
Business
CoPE
Creative Media
Health & Social Care
ICT
Travel & Tourism
GCSE Courses:
Business
Computing
Students can only choose one PE course.
ICT cannot be chosen with Business, Creative Media or Computing.
Booster and Support groups are for recommended students only.
Twilight Courses
After school classes running from 3pm to 5pm.
Triple Science for students wanting to take
separate GCSEs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.
French or Italian for students wanting to study an
additional language.
Final Qualifications
All students can achieve up to
9½ GCSEs or equivalent
Booster or Support Option
students: 1 GCSE less
Some combinations of
courses will add to the total
The Options Form
Top Section
1) We recommend that you follow the Blue / Yellow
pathway
2) We recommend that you choose the Booster /
Support option
Top Section
3) Interested in the RE upgrade to a full GCSE?
4) Interested in a twilight course?
I would like to upgrade to full GCSE RE using 1 hour of Core PE.
I would like to be considered for a twilight course
(we recommend that you only choose one).
Triple Science
French
Italian
Blue Pathway – broad & balanced with 1st Language
Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects
1st Language
1. French
2. Art 3. Dance 4. Business GCSE
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
You must include a Language, which will normally be your 1st Foreign Language
We recommend that you follow the Fixed (blue) pathway.
Blue Pathway – early specialisation in Humanities
Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects
1st Language
1. Italian
2. Geography 3. History 4. GCSE PE
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
You must include a Language, which will normally be your 1st Foreign Language
Blue Pathway – early specialisation in Languages
Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects
1st Language
1. Spanish
2. Drama 3. Food 4. Computing
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
I would like to be considered for a twilight course
(we recommend that you only choose one).
Triple Science
French
Italian
I have chosen a Technology subject. My Reserve Technology choice is: Textiles I would be equally happy to study my 1st Technology choice or my Reserve: YES NO
Yellow Pathway
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
I have chosen a Technology subject. My Reserve Technology choice is: Resistant I would be equally happy to study my 1st Technology choice or my Reserve: YES NO
We recommend that you choose Support or Applied Learning options together with
GCSE courses.
Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects
1. Graphics 2. History 3. Creative Media 4. Travel & Tourism
We recommend that you follow the Flexible (yellow) pathway.
Yellow Pathway – English Booster recommended
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
We recommend that you choose Support or Applied Learning options together with
GCSE courses.
Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects
1. English Booster 2. Music 3. Business BTEC 4. Health Social Care
We recommend that you follow the Flexible (yellow) pathway. We also recommend that you choose the English Booster option.
Yellow Pathway – with Construction
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
We recommend that you choose Support or Applied Learning options together with
GCSE courses.
Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects
1. Construction 2. CoPE 3. Resistant Materials 4. ICT
I have chosen a Technology subject. My Reserve Technology choice is: Food I would be equally happy to study my 1st Technology choice or my Reserve: YES NO
Maths Booster recommended
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
We recommend that you choose the Maths Booster option on the Flexible (yellow) pathway – but if not, you should follow the Fixed (blue) pathway instead.
Yellow Flexible Pathway – Option Subjects
1. Maths Booster 2. Geography 3. Art 4. GCSE PE
Maths Booster recommended
Signature of student: …………………… Signature of Parent / Carer : ……………………
We recommend that you choose the Maths Booster option on the Flexible (yellow) pathway – but if not, you should follow the Fixed (blue) pathway instead
Blue Fixed Pathway – Option Subjects
1st Language
1. German
2. Geography 3. Art 4. GCSE PE
This Options PowerPoint
Presentation can be
found on the school
website.
Year 9 – Key dates 2015
Briefings for students & parents January 15th
Information about option subjects
given in assemblies or in class
January 19th –
February 6th
Individual student interviews January 26th – 30th
Consultation evening and
information about KS4 subjects February 11th
Students return options forms By February 23rd
Careers Convention at Imberhorne March 5th
Year 9 transition briefing June 18th
Challenge 2015 / Activities Week June 29th – July 3rd
Students start KS4 courses July 6th