Year 9 Options Booklet 2013 - St Marylebone School

How will GCSE options affect my post-16 choices?
Beginning in Year 10, the 14 – 19 curriculum progresses from Level 2 qualifications at GCSE onto Level 3
advanced courses after the age of 16. It is therefore worth considering the pathways that exist from the
choices taken now to post-16 study at St Marylebone School and throughout Westminster.
What are the ‘facilitating subjects’ and how will these affect my Key Stage 5
choices?
The Russell Group of elite universities has produced a document called Informed Choices,
outlining what they call the ‘facilitating subjects’ at A-level.
Dr Wendy Piatt, of the Russell Group of universities said:
"It is really important that students do not disadvantage themselves by choosing a combination of
subjects at A-level which will not equip them with the appropriate skills and knowledge for their
university course or which may not demonstrate effectively their aptitude for a particular subject.
"Informed Choices emphasises the importance of 'facilitating' subjects, such as Maths and English,
which are particularly effective in equipping students with the skills they need for a large number
of competitive courses and in increasing a student's chances of getting on to those courses."
The facilitating subjects are currently:
Maths, Further Maths, English, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Languages (modern and medieval),
History and Geography.
Students should therefore think carefully when choosing options in Year 9; to study History at A-
level, you must take it at GCSE, for example.
Should I only take facilitating subjects at A-level?
It is important to note that students are not expected or encouraged to take ALL A-level choices in
facilitating subjects; it is recommended that they choose at least 2 to give them the best chance of
attaining places on competitive courses and at the UK’s top universities. However this will not be
the right choice for all students.
The most important questions to ask when choosing A-levels are:
Do I enjoy the subject?
Am I going to enjoy reading around the subject and carrying out independent work?
Do I have a good chance of succeeding at this subject at A-level?
If the answer to these questions is yes, then it is the right choice for you!
Please also remember that some subjects, although not facilitating, are a pre-requisite or
beneficial for certain careers, e.g. Art & Design or Business Studies.
If you would like to find out more about Informed Choices and facilitating subjects, please see
http://www.russellgroup.ac.uk/informed-choices.aspx
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