Year 9 Options Evening Presentation - South Wilts Grammar School ...

Year 9 Parents Briefing 

January 2013 

Welcome 

South Wilts Grammar School 

Michele Chilcott 

Tracy Harris 

Headteacher 

Deputy Head 

The GCSE Options Booklet can be found on the 

school’s website under Parent Information 

Please switch off mobile phones


Parents / general information / KS4 booklet

English Baccalaureate 

• English 


• Maths 

• Science (including Computer 

Science!) 

• History or Geography 

• French or German 

Students can choose subjects that meet 

the criteria

What use is it? 

English Baccalaureate 


• Top universities are looking for numbers 

of A* grades regardless of subject at 

GCSE. 

• Most universities are looking for a 

number of A / A* grades 

• There are no current plans to provide 

certificates for students nor has any 

university made it an admission 

requirement

Our aims 

Our aim is to: 


• provide a broad, balanced and flexible 

curriculum 

• provide an excellent baseline for the 

continuation into post-16 education 

and/or employment

Recent Government Changes 

• In January 2012 the government confirmed that 

all GCSEs taken from 2014 will be examined at 

the end of the two year course. 


• There will therefore be NO modular 

examinations in Year 10, or the January of Year 

11. 

• All examinations will take place in the summer 

of 2015. (including science)

Recent Government Changes 

• Only English and maths will be allowed to have 

winter re-sits and for these re-sits controlled 


assessment marks can be carried forward or the 

assessments taken again. 

• If students wish to re-sit other subjects they will 

have to take the controlled assessments again and 

sit the full set of exams again in the following 

summer. 

• History, geography, religious studies and English 

literature to award 5 per cent of the marks for 

accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar

ICT or Computing 

• ICT or Computing full course GCSE is taken at the 

end of Year 10, started at the beginning of Year 9. 


• ICT is fundamental to other subjects and is 

particularly useful for coursework. 

• Students can continue with Computing at AS and 

A2 even though they will not be taught ICT in Year 

11. % A* % A %A*A % B % C 

June 2012 61 35 96 4 0 

June 2011 68 28 96 4 0 

June 2010 48 38 86 10 4 

June 2009 39 44 83 15 2 

June 2008 43 51 94 6 0 

June 2007 53 37 90 10 0

Maths iGCSE 

• The top three Maths sets will be taught 

iGCSE Maths. 


• This is taught within the time allocated to 

Maths. 

• The iGCSE exam will be at the of Year 11. 

• They then go on to take GCSE Maths with 

the rest of the year group at the end of Year 

11.

GCSE Science 


• Students will be taking triple science – 

separate Biology, Chemistry and Physics 

GCSEs so they will get three GCSEs. 

• GCSE started at the beginning of Year 9 

• It is possible to get different grades for the 

three science qualifications.

Science 

South Wilts Grammar School

Science 

Last year all students took Triple Science 


% A* % A %A*A % B % C % D 

Biology 55 39 94 6 0 0 

Chemistry 44 43 87 12 1 0 

Physics 57 37 94 5 1 0

Why are Modern Foreign Languages a 

good curriculum choice? 


• They develop excellent communication skills, applicable 

to many walks of life. 

• They offer a good career choice, as languages are a skill 

valued in many professions and important for entrance to 

many good universities. 

• They promote cultural awareness and tolerance. 

Exchange visits help to promote this. 

• Languages are a skill for both work and leisure. 

• A languages GCSE at South Wilts is likely to give you an 

excellent GCSE result.

Latin 


Transition from Year 9 to 10 

• The transition from Year 9 to 10 is an 


important one 

• Students will follow the choices they make 

for next two years 

• Choices could have implications on what 

students study post 16 

• Tonight is just part of an information 

gathering process

Year 9 activities 

• Shooting Stars 


One day Circus Skills Workshop 

• Outdoor Education Day 

an introduction to the Duke of 

Edinburgh scheme 

• Industry Days - 3 days

Circus Skills 


Industry Days 


Head of Years 10 and 11 

Mrs Owen 


• Students will continue 

with the same tutor 

for the next 2 years 

• Additional support 

through the School 

Counsellor and the 

School Nurse

Year 9 to 10 the next step 

Timetable of events 


All students have received input about 

the option process in PSHE lessons and have 

heard much of this presentation in an 

assembly. 

• Year 9 parents evening on 26 th February 

• Option forms completed and handed to the 

form tutor on the 28 th February

Advice and Guidance 

Where can students find information? 


• Option booklet 

• Subject teacher 

• Tutor and year head 

• Other students 

• School intranet 

• Lifelines 

• E-Clips

Careers advice 

Independent advice from the school Careers 

Adviser – Mrs MacKay 



Resource 

Companion



Work Experience 

• All students will undertake one week of 


work experience in June of Year 10. 

• This is an excellent opportunity to 

experience the world of work and may 

help to focus career aspirations. 

• This also covers areas of the curriculum 

relating to citizenship and work related 

learning.

Year 10 and 11 

Core curriculum 

All students will study 


• English Language 6 periods in Year 10 

• English Literature 7 periods in Year 11 

• Mathematics 

(setting takes place 6 periods in Year 10 

into 6 groups) 6 periods in Year 11 

• Science 7 periods in Year 10 

8 periods in Year 11

Religious Studies 

The teaching of RS will lead to a GCSE short 

course qualification. 


The opportunity may exist to top up RS to a full 

course GCSE, following mocks in Year 11. 

Approximately 95% of students opt to take the full 

course. 

If students chose to enter for the full course RS a 

cost will be incurred. This year it will be £14.50.

Religious Studies 

The teaching of RS incorporates a broad range 

of topic areas which allows students to explore 

life issues. 


• Prejudice 

• War and peace 

• Medical ethics 

• Rich and poor in society 

This helps them to understand more about 

human nature and hopefully encourages 

tolerance towards the beliefs of others.

Summary 

All students will study 


ICT or Computing - full course which they started 

in Year 9 and complete in Year 10. 

RS - short course with an option to take the full 

course 

PE - non exam 

and citizenship, financial literacy, emotional 

wellbeing, and careers as part of personal, social 

and health education (PSHE)

Making Choices 

Students have the opportunity to chose 

three option subjects. 


We will do our best to ensure that all 

students are able to study the courses they 

wish. However, occasionally this is not 

always possible. 

The computer fits on the basis of first, then 

second choice so the order you put them 

down matters.

Options 

The process has been designed to allow a 


balanced curriculum. 

It can accommodate the Ebacc. 

It is a flexible option process. 

You have an excellent range of GCSE subjects, 

more than enough to allow entry to the Sixth 

Form at South Wilts and elsewhere.

Options 

You will 


choose 

3 

subjects 

* Only one 

technology 

subject can be 

chosen

What happens to the option form? 

• All the data is entered into an options program. This 

is a computer program linked to the school 

timetable. 


• The program will be run on more than one occasion 

to get the best possible fit. 

• It is not always possible to fit every single student 

choice, especially if numbers are too high or too low. 

• Impossible combinations are rare - Music, Product 

Design and PE could be a challenge!

The options process 

• Any student whose choices are unable 


to be met will be seen by myself and 

Mrs Owen. 

• When this process is complete a letter 

will be sent confirming the option 

choices made. 

• Once a student has started a course in 

September it is exceptional for a 

course change to occur.

Other opportunities in Year 10 

Chance to do Junior Sports Leaders Award 

(Level 2) – within PE lessons 


School life 


In addition to 

the academic 

subjects 

many extra 

curricular 

activities 

take place in 

Years 10 and 

11.

Year 10 Science Day 


Geography field trips 


Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme 


History – Battlefields visit 


Modern Foreign Languages Exchanges 

French exchange 

German exchange 

to Nantes 


to Landau

What’s next in Year 9? 


26 February Parents’ Consultation 

evening 

28 February Option forms due back 

3 and 4 June Year 9 activities 

5 – 7 June Industry Days

Year 9 Options Evening Presentation - South Wilts Grammar School ...

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