Year 9 Options Guidance

The compulsory core subjects are English Language, English Literature, mathematics, combined science, Spanish, PSHRE and core PE (RE and PE are non-examined). Students will then have a choice of either History or Geography as a compulsory subject and a further two option subjects they can choose from the option columns. The optional subjects may be traditional GCSE and/or vocational qualifications. 

The EBacc is a set of subjects at GCSE that keeps young people’s options open for further study and future careers.

The EBacc is:

• English Language and Literature
• Maths
• the Sciences
• Geography or History
• a language

Languages are an important part of EBacc. Studying a foreign language can be extremely rewarding and exciting. They provide an insight into other cultures and can open the door to travel and employment opportunities. They can also broaden pupils’ horizons, helping them flourish in new environments. If your child finds languages difficult, don’t forget that they will have been studying them for much less time than their other subjects and, while it can be a challenge, learning a language will greatly enhance their future opportunities. What’s more, we know that employers value languages, as they are increasingly important to make sure we can compete in the global market, meaning language-related jobs are booming. Because of this, languages are increasingly becoming a requirement for many graduate schemes. Languages give you the edge and help you stand out from the crowd. Mascalls has been recognised for their success in the study of Spanish at GCSE level, earning itself a place in the top 20% of schools nationwide who achieve great results. 

While your child may not have decided on their future career path yet, choosing the EBacc at GCSE gives them access to a full range of employment options when they leave secondary school and the broad knowledge that employers are looking for. If they are thinking of going to university, the EBacc is also recommended by Britain’s most prestigious universities. Studying a Humanities subject of History or Geography or both as an addition to the compulsory core suite of subjects is a part of the options process. 

“Having language skills under your belt will help make you stand out from the crowd, whether you’re applying for an entry level position, a management role or an internal transfer.” 
Steve Cassidy, Senior Vice President & Managing Director, UK & Ireland, Hilton

The options process will begin in January with an assembly and parents evening with a talk by Mrs Mahon on the options process. Students will choose ONE subject from each column and complete this on the upcoming Options Google Form link. Students will also choose three reserve choices in case we cannot accommodate the initial choices.

Remember that staff are able to help including:

• Advisor
• College pastoral team
• Subject Teachers
• Mrs S Mahon (Vice Principal)
• Mrs A Fowler ( SENCo)

 When you are satisfied that the appropriate choices have been made, please complete the Google options form.

The information in this section is based on such advanced information as is available at the time of writing. However, some of the courses are new and not all the details are yet available. We have tried to provide enough information to help you make decisions but it is possible that some details given will change. 

Parents may be aware that the GCSE grades changed in 2017 from A*-G to numerical grading’s’ of 1-9 with grade 8/9 ranking as the highest.

Independent study is an integral part of most courses. Some subjects still set independent study on a regular weekly pattern to prepare for or to consolidate the work in lesson time. Increasingly however, GCSE, OCR Nationals and Diplomas require projects to be completed over several weeks usually to a deadline. These may be part of the required assessment. Sometimes students are required to plan their own independent study. 

It is normal for students to have two independent study assignments on most evenings. Parents who feel that their son or daughter is significantly over or under-burdened are encouraged to contact the advisor at an early stage.

Some courses include an element of coursework. There will be coursework deadlines and mid-course modular examinations. It is important that candidates understand that failure to meet these deadlines can seriously reduce the grade. Parents will be notified of the main assessment deadlines, as far as they are known, in the third Semester.

In most cases there are no significant additional costs to be borne by parents because textbooks and some other materials are supplied. Limited costs, such as occasional school trips will fall to parents. If students wish to annotate their textbooks (as is often the case in English Literature), they will be asked to pay for the books themselves.  Subjects where students may require specialist materials and high levels of photocopying will need to supply these or contribute to the costs.

Many examination courses involve large amounts of continuous assessment, which can require work to be produced to a deadline. Those who develop a regular working habit are rewarded, but students who fall behind can find themselves ungraded at the end of the course. In these cases, parental support can be invaluable in helping a student plan their workload at home, and develop regular working patterns.

If you have any questions about the options process, please do not hesitate to contact us at the school.