Parents Information Session Year 9 OPTIONS Helen Everitt - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Welcome to this Parents Information Session Year 9 OPTIONS

Helen Everitt Curriculum Deputy Headteacher

AIMS

 Introduce Oriel’s Year 9 Options Process

and our philosophy regarding students choices at 14.

 Explain the different types of Qualifications

available to students at Oriel in Y10 and 11



BTEC Tech Awards, Cambridge Nationals



GCSE

 Give you advice on how to help students

make the right choices for them

 Qualifications should:

 Reflect our changing world  Prepare our students to be successful in society  Engage students in learning  Prepare students for study at college or university, or for

work.

Education should not be a ‘one size fits all’ system

 We should recognise:

 Different needs of our students  Different learning styles  Different aspirations and goals ☺

CORE – All students will study:

Maths English Language and English Literature Science RE PE PDC / Citizenship

PE and PDC

• Both PE and PDC are compulsory lessons
• PE

– Core PE – all, x2 lesson per fortnight – Can also then be chosen as an option

• PDC

– Personal Development Curriculum – x1 lesson per fortnight

RE

All students will study RE for x2 lessons a fortnight, but within this time can follow one of two routes

• Short Course GCSE
• Full Course GCSE – this option will require additional

independent work and after school sessions Full details of these options can be found in the Year 10 Curriculum Guide

Options

Students must then choose subjects to fill the optional parts of the timetable There are three option spaces to fill.

1 3 2

Ensuring Progression

An increasing importance has been placed on the following facilitating subjects: GEOGRAPHY SPANISH HISTORY FRENCH COMPUTER SCIENCE GERMAN University entrance information highlights these subjects as facilitating subjects at A Level for top degree entry

Ensuring Progression

To ensure that students are not being disadvantaged by not opting for a broad range of subjects including a facilitating subject. Option 1 of the three options must be one of these subjects GEOGRAPHY SPANISH HISTORY FRENCH COMPUTER SCIENCE GERMAN

OPTION 1

GCSEs: French, Spanish, German, Computer Science History, Geography

You must pick one of the subjects below:

OPTIONS 2 and 3

GCSEs: Film Studies, Drama, Music, PE Art: Specialising in Fine Art, Textile Art or 3D Design French, Spanish, German, Business, Computer Science History, Geography, Sociology Food Preparation & Nutrition, Design Technology BTEC Tech Awards / Cambridge Nationals Music Technology Sport Studies Travel & Tourism Digital Information Technology Health & Social Care Engineering Manufacture Hospitality & Catering

Choice and Flexibility

 At

Oriel we

• ffer

two different types

• f

qualification for students to choose to study in Years 10 and 11.

 These qualifications can be mixed and they are

flexible.

 BTEC Tech Awards / Cambridge Nationals  GCSE

GCSEs

Lindsay Oliver Head of Science Faculty Tom Bayle Deputy Head of Science Faculty

What is a GCSE?

• GCSE stands for General Certificate of Secondary Education.
• GCSEs are the main qualification taken by 14 to 16 year olds
• You can take GCSEs in a wide range of academic and work-related

subjects.

• GCSEs are highly valued by schools, colleges and employers
• The better you do in your GCSEs, the more options will be open to
• you. It is important to work hard and do well.
• The qualification mainly involves studying the theory of a subject,

possibly combined with some investigative work.

• Some subjects also involve practical work e.g. Art

GCSE Reform

– Current Y10 and Y11 students are already following revised & reformed GCSE Specifications in the majority

• f their subjects

– These are awarded numerical grades from 9 to 1 – 9 is the highest, 1 is the lowest – A grade 4 is the new standard that a student is expected to achieve in order for them to have passed the

• qualification. This is equivalent to the old C grade.

– A grade 5 is considered a “good” pass. This is roughly equivalent to the top portion of the previous C grade and the bottom portion of the previous B grade.

% of students achieving 7 and above roughly equal to those previously achieving A and A* % of students achieving 4 and above roughly equal to those previously achieving C and above 5 = the new benchmark for a ‘good’ pass

How are GCSEs examined?

• Exams

– All GCSEs are examined by terminal examinations at the end of the course

• Controlled Assessment

– In the new GCSE specifications there is far smaller emphasis on controlled assessment – Practical subjects will still have an internally assessed component – Speak to subject staff on the 19th March for specifics

How have Science GCSEs changed?

For current Year 9 students Core and Additional Science no longer exist

Separate sciences Combined science

Content split equally over year 10 and 11. Taught discretely as Biology, Chemistry and Physics lessons.

All exams are taken at the end of year 11. No controlled assessment

Results in the award of three science GCSEs (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) at the end of year 11 Results in the 2 science grades GCSE ‘Combined science’ HIGHER: Can achieve Grade 9-4 FOUNDATION: Can achieve Grade 5-1 3 separate numerical grades are achieved (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) 2 numerical grades are achieved for the whole qualification e.g. 5,5. Where the grade achieved falls in the middle of 2 grades a mixed grade may be awarded e.g. 5,6

• The decision of which exam will be undertaken will be made by

the relevant teachers

• Factors that will be taken into account are class contribution,

homework, and assessment results throughout the year.

• Stage 1: End of KS3 Exam. Results will be announced in

September 2020.

• This will determine the class you will begin studying in, but this

can be changed based on a teacher’s judgement at any point throughout the year.

• Being part of any class does not guarantee that you will sit a

specific paper (Separate Science paper, Combined Higher paper

• r Combined Foundation paper).
• Final decisions will be made by the science department, at the

latest, in Spring term 2a of year 11.

Who will decide on Combined Sciences (F/H) or Separate?

• PLEASE NOTE: No full class is guarranteed to sit Separate
• Sciences. Only those pupils that we decide to enter for

separate sciences will be entered. No class is specifically Separate Science.

• It is important to note that both Separate Sciences (H)

and Combined Sciences (H) assess material at exactly the same level.

• Pupils in both higher courses have the ability to achieve

Grade 9s. The only difference between them is volume of content.

• Two good grades will open more doors post-16 than

three mediocre ones.

Final Points regarding GCSE Science

T

BTEC Tech Awards / Cambridge Nationals

Michelle Vickers Vocational Coordinator

Technical Awards

• There are three main Examination Boards

– AQA, OCR and Pearson Edexcel

• All Examination Boards offer both GCSEs

and more vocational qualifications called Technical Awards

• The Pearson Edexcel Technical Awards

are more commonly known as BTEC Tech Awards

• The OCR Technical Awards are known as

Cambridge Nationals

About Technical Awards

• Theoretical, practical and work related

courses

• In addition to exams, students complete

projects and assignments that are based

• n realistic workplace situations, activities

and demands

• Typically following the format:

– 60% Coursework – 40% Exam

How Technical Awards are assessed?

• Presentations
• Role plays
• Research portfolios
• Designing publications
• Practical assessments such as organising

events and working with the local community

• Exam for 1 unit / component

Which students are suited to studying Technical Awards?

• Students who prefer completing

projects/coursework

• Students who feel that they do not like the

pressure of a 100% examinable subjects

• Students who enjoy the subject area
• Students who want to follow a mix of

qualifications to vary the way they will learn

How are the courses graded?

• Level 2 Distinction*
• Level 2 Distinction
• Level 2 Merit
• Level 2 Pass
• Level 1 Distinction
• Level 1 Merit
• Level 1 Pass

Where can a Technical Award qualification lead?

Post 16

• Sixth Form

– BTEC Nationals (Level 3) – Cambridge Technicals (Level 3)

• Employment with Training
• Apprenticeships

…and beyond

• University
• Higher Level Apprenticeships

How to Choose….

Owen Svoboda Director of Learning Careers Leader

• Careers workshop with our external careers advisor. The

sessions included

• ways to ensure they select the right options.
• potential career pathways and what subjects may be

required or beneficial for them.

• pathways post 16, whether that be A Levels,

apprenticeships, employment or degrees after 18.

• a chance to search on websites such as
• https://icould.com
• https://icould.com/buzz-quiz/
• https://nationalcareers.service.gov.uk/
• https://www.bbc.com/bitesize/careers
• Careers Speed Dating - large careers event with lots of

employers to engage with and find out about their job roles. A chance for inspiration and to find out their pathways into that career

Careers Input….

Making Good Choices

Your son or daughter should avoid making choices based on:



Their friends’ choices



Their current teachers



Gender stereotypes



One narrow career path

Making Good Choices

Your son or daughter should:



Think about their strengths and weaknesses



Think about how they prefer to study and learn



Find out how the courses are taught and assessed



Keep their choices broad and balanced



Research any career ideas they may have



Research the Sixth Form prospectus and any course specific entry requirements



Use UCAS to check A Level and BTEC requirements for degree entry

Making Good Choices

Further help:



Speak to teachers, our careers adviser Kerry Mann and of course you!

➢

Use the careers websites under ‘Careers and Moving On’ of the curriculum section of the school website



Students come along to the Options Evening on 19th March and speak to the teachers about the courses on offer

Next Steps

 OPTIONS EVENING – Thursday 19th March

 Important evening for parents and most importantly students  Drop in any time between 6pm and 8pm  Receive a further pack of guidance information & options form  All Subjects and courses represented  Information to collect and take home  Speak to teachers  See examples of students work

 Deadline for Options Forms – Friday 3rd April

You will be asked to pick 5 options and place them in order of preference OPTION 1 OPTION 2. OPTION 3: RESERVE 1 RESERVE 2 Wherever possible we will try to guarantee you your first three choices

What subjects are included in the English Baccalaureate?

GCSE Grade 9-4 in 5 subjects:

• Mathematics
• English
• Science (two x 9-4)
• MFL
• Humanities (History or Geography only)

The Russell Group’s ‘Informed Choices’ document highlights these subjects as facilitating subjects at A Level for top degree entry

A Broad and Balanced Curriculum

The subjects your son or daughter chooses should be a good balance as encouraged by the EBacc but the arts, ICT and technology are very much part of achieving a good balance. It is important their choices allow progression into further and higher education in a range of subjects which they will enjoy and succeed in.

Our Philosophy

To ensure that students are not being disadvantaged by not being offered the broad range of subjects To enable students to make an informed choice To empower them to achieve; to inspire them to excel