Aylesbury High School KS4 Options 2023-2025
Choosing Your Courses for Key Stage 4
The Curriculum Intent of our KS4 Option choices is to give you a broad and balanced curriculum. The KS3 curriculum (Years 7, 8 and 9) has been designed to give you the experience and skills to transition to this exciting next phase of your studies. The value we place on the Arts, both Humanities and Creatives, is reflected in the STEAM agenda (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Maths) that is at the centre of our curriculum. We also believe that all students should study a Modern Foreign Language (MFL) to give the breadth and balance in terms of skills and knowledge. We leave a final free choice for you to allow you to decide whether to study 2 Languages, 2 Humanities or 2 Creatives. It is this breadth and mix that will give you the skills and knowledge to have a wide choice when going on to study A Levels. This Google Site will help you and your parents make the choices that are best for you.
You will also find this Google Site a useful source of reference during Key Stage 4 since it contains details of the content of your courses and how they are assessed.
The timetable for making decisions:
Tuesday 31 January: Year 9 Consultation Evening, Online, 4.30-7.30 pm
February, during form time: Current Y10 students will visit forms to discuss what they wish they had known when they chose their options.
Tuesday 7 March: Information Evening for Parents and Students, 6.30 pm Information will be shared with parents and students on the evening. This will include a presentation from Mrs Wilkes. Slides will be shared via the school website the following day. After listening to this information, students will be in a position to do some research and start making decisions.
Wednesday 8 March: Options Fair for Students, lunch time Options subjects will set up information stands in the Hall so that students can find out more about the subjects they are considering ask questions of teachers and Student Ambassadors.
Friday 10 March: Q&A assembly, 8.50-9.05 am A chance for Year 9 to ask questions about option choices and learn how to submit their options choices.
Friday 10 March: Online Options Form open, 4pm
Sunday 19 March: Option Forms submitted on-line by 6 pm at the latest
March-May: Further discussions with individual students as necessary
September 2023: Courses begin (Science begins KS4 work in Spring of Year 9)
This is an exciting part of your learning journey and within the structure you select subjects that you want to take and make your own personalised curriculum.
Making your choices requires you to do some serious research so that you understand what each subject offers at Key Stage 4, as they are often quite different from subjects at Key Stage 3. Also they are stepping stones to A Level studies so if you already have career aspirations think of those when selecting subjects. If you don't know what you plan to do yet, there are two principles to guide you:
Do the subjects you enjoy, you won't mind working hard if you are enjoying it
Keep a balance of subjects: we have designed the curriculum to give that so make advantage of that
If you have specific questions about an individual subject, then first of all go to a teacher of that subject and ask for advice. If you have questions about the choices you might make, then talk with your form tutor. For further advice, see me at any convenient time. Your parents are also welcome to phone or e-mail me to discuss anything to do with making these choices.
Good luck!
Mrs Wilkes
Acting Deputy Headteacher (Curriculum)