Making your Key Stage 4 option choices is an important time for all Year 9 students. Please take the time with your parents/carers to review the information below to ensure you make informed choices.
Welcome
The next two years represent an important stage in each student’s education at The Kingsway School. The qualifications gained will provide the basis for future studies and careers. Students should therefore ensure that their decisions are informed and responsibly taken.
These choices cannot be changed at the start of Year 10
We have maintained a broad curriculum which provides the best foundation for the next stage in student careers. All students will need to select four subjects to study in addition to the core curriculum – Maths, English Language, English Literature, Science, Philosophy, Politics & Economics (PPE) ([including Citizenship & Careers Education) and PE. As a result, students are able to gain 9 GCSEs (or equivalent).
What is the English Baccalaureate?
The English Baccalaureate, or EBacc, is a set of subjects that seeks to maximise young people’s options for further study and future careers. In order to complete the EBacc, students need to study English, Maths, Science, a Language and a Humanities subject.
The subjects that count towards this include:
- English (Literature and Language)
- Maths
- Science (Core Science, Separate Sciences, Computer Science)
- Humanities (History, Geography)
- Languages (Spanish, French)
The EBacc is seen to have tangible benefits. A study by the UCL Institute of Education showed that studying subjects included in the EBacc provided students with greater opportunities in further education and increased the likelihood that a student would stay on in full-time education. Sutton Trust research also revealed that studying the EBacc can help improve a young person’s performance in English and Maths. The EBacc also has implications for further study. If your ambition is to go to a top university, these universities have made it clear that they will be looking for high grade A-Level passes in some of what they consider to be the most challenging subjects:
- Maths and Further Maths
- English Literature
- Physics, Chemistry, Biology
- History
- Geography
- Languages (Classical and Modern)
- Computing
Therefore, if you think you might want to go on to do A-Levels in any of these subjects, then you should think very carefully about taking some of them at GCSE.
What different types of qualifications are available?
Students at TKS are able to choose from two types of qualification, GCSEs and VOCATIONAL subjects. Below is a summary of each, as well as some of the key differences.
GCSE:
GCSE qualifications take a more ‘traditional’ approach to assessment, with all assessment taking the form of exams at the end Year 11. All of these exams are set externally by exam boards.
GCSEs are more content driven than BTECs, with success relying upon a student’s growing ability to recall and apply factual information and skills. Colleges and Sixth Forms do not always require GCSEs for further study, but more selective providers may.
VOCATIONAL:
Our vocational subjects at TKS are Level 2 qualifications. It is worth noting that these courses are not less challenging than GCSEs and in some cases can be more challenging. They are the equivalent to GCSEs and are fully recognised by post-16 education providers and employers.
The main differences between vocational courses and GCSEs relate to the course content and assessment procedures. Instead of just exams, BTEC courses are also assessed throughout the two-year course by way of a portfolio of work. Much of that work is practically based and linked to real world scenarios.
Vocational subjects provide progression onto Level 3 courses offered by post-16 education providers in the area. These Level 3 qualifications (post-16) attract UCAS points in the same way that their A Level equivalents do, enabling progression to university and further study.
Options Blocks
In order to ensure that our options offer is as broad as possible, we organise our options into blocks to ensure that we can meet the staffing demands of this.
Our options are arranged into FOUR different options blocks. Students will be asked to choose ONE preferred subject and ONE backup subject from each block. Where possible, we will endeavour to ensure that students get their first choices.
As part of their selection, students MUST choose at least one of the following subjects:
- Geography
- History
- French
- Spanish
- Computer Science
- Separate Sciences
The options blocks can be seen below:
|
Block A |
Block B |
Block C |
Block D |
|
Fine Art |
Fine Art |
Fine Art |
Photography |
|
Photography |
Geography |
Geography |
Geography |
|
Geography |
History |
History |
History |
|
History |
French |
French |
Cope Level 2 |
|
Spanish |
Spanish |
Spanish |
Separate Sciences |
|
Dance |
Drama |
Business Studies |
Business Studies |
|
GCSE PE |
Separate Sciences |
GCSE PE |
Creative Media Production |
|
Computer Science |
Business Studies |
Creative Media Production |
GCSE PE |
|
RE |
Health & Social Care |
Computer Science |
Classical Civilisation |
|
Business Studies |
Creative Media Production |
Music |
Core Subject Booster |
|
Engineering |
Engineering |
RE |
Functional Skills (Core) |
|
Separate Sciences |
RE |
Hospitality & Catering |
|
Entry Requirements
It is important to us that our students have as much choice as possible when it comes to their options choices as well as ensuring that students are studying subjects that give them the best possible chance of success. For this reason, we have a small selection of subjects that have ‘entry requirements’ that ensure students can meet the demands of the course. Please see the details below for this:
|
Subject |
Entry Requirements |
|
Computer Science |
Students need to have a score of THREE for ACQUIRE and APPLY or higher in both Year 9 Computing and Maths. |
|
Separate Sciences |
Students need to have a score of FOUR or higher for ACQUIRE and APPLY for Year 9 Science. |
|
Classics |
Students need to have a score of FOUR or higher for ACQUIRE and APPLY for Year 9 English and Year 9 History. |
|
Creative Media Production*
Health & Social Care
Hospitality & Catering
Performing Arts: Dance
Engineering
|
Our vocational subjects require completion of ‘coursework’ through out Year 10 and Year 11. For this reason, all vocational subjects require students to have AVERAGE or ABOVE AVERAGE attendance in Year 9.
*Please note that for Creative Media Production, students must also have a score of THREE or above for ACQUIRE and APPLY in English, due to the extended writing requirement on the course. |
Key Dates
- Options booklets issued – week beginning Monday 20th January 2025.
- Year 9 Options Evening – Thursday 23rd January 2025.
- Options forms issued to students – Monday 3rd February 2025.
- Year 9 Parents’ Evening – Thursday 6th February 2025.
- Completed Options forms must be submitted to Form Tutors by Monday 24th February 2025.
Mr J. Weil
Assistant Headteacher responsible for Options
Resources
Please click here for a copy of the current Year 9 Options Booklet.