GCSE Options
Year 8 is an exciting and important year in your school career. This is the year you will make some decisions about the subjects you will study at GCSE , starting in Year 9.
The decisions you make could affect your future, so you must make your choices carefully and from an informed position. We will do all we can to help you with this so that you make the right choices for you.
When the time comes to make your choices, you will be provided with lots of information, and both students and parents will be invited to an options evening where you will meet with subject staff. The information provided is intended to guide you through the options choice process and to give you some of the information you will need to help you to decide what to do.
You should also consider any advice you get from others, such as:
- Your form tutor
- Careers staff
- Your subject teachers
- Parents and others in a position of responsibility
- Other materials published by subject departments and on careers websites.
The Framework
Your curriculum will lead you to GCSE qualifications and will be made up of two parts, or elements:
- The compulsory element
All students in years 9 to 11 follow courses which will lead to GCSE qualifications in:
- English Language
- English Literature
- Mathematics (students may take an extra qualification in either FSMQ – Additional Mathematics or GCSE – Further Mathematics)
- Biology, Chemistry and Physics
There are also compulsory non-examined courses in Games, RE, and Personal Development.
2. A further choice element (four subjects)
Pupils have four further subject choices from: (some of this information may be slightly different from the options booklet).
- Art and Design ∗
- Business
- Computer Science
- Drama
- Design Technology – Food Preparation and Nutrition Δ
- French ∗ ♦
- Geography ∗
- Design Technology – Graphics ∗ Δ
- History ∗
- Music ∗
- Physical Education
- Religious Education
- Design Technology – Resistant Materials ∗ Δ
- Spanish ∗ ♦
∗ It is likely that you will need to choose this subject if you wish to study this subject at A-level.
♦ If choosing French or Spanish, pupils must already have been studying the same language in year 8.
Δ Due to the controlled assessment commitment of these courses, students can only choose one of these subjects.
Each subject uses different exam boards for their subjects at GCSE and A’level. You can find a list of the exams boards here.
Reserve Choice
Students are also asked to make a reserve choice. Whilst we will do everything we can to allocate all students to the subjects of their first four choices, this is not always possible. In the unlikely event of you not being allocated your first four choices we will use your reserve choice, so please make sure you are happy with that fifth option.