1. Read the subject descriptions in this booklet
The subjects vary both in their content and in the types of assessment used.
2. Consider the balance of subjects you have chosen
Humanities and Creative Subjects offer a huge variety of transferable skills that are valued in our ever changing world. See our Humanities and Creatives page for more detail.
3. Ask your subject teachers
They can advise you about the course content and how suitable their subject may be for you in the future.
4. Think about possible careers and university courses
Most people won’t have an idea of university courses or careers at this stage, but it’s definitely worth reading Informed Choices and spending some time on the UCAS website to see which A Levels are needed for various degrees. That might affect your GCSE choices.
5. Ask the careers staff
Laura Franklin (our Independent Careers Adviser) will be available to discuss entry requirements for possible careers and university courses with Year 9 students. Mrs Faulkner can also arrange a careers interview with Laura if appropriate.
6. Discuss your choices with your parents
They will be interested in your intentions; a discussion will ensure that you are choosing for sound reasons.
7. Ask your form tutor or Miss Kilkenny
They know you well and can look at the range of courses you are interested in taking to see how suitable and how well balanced they are.
8. Speak to Mrs Wilkes or Mrs Burt
If you have any questions or problems to do with choosing your options, don’t keep quiet!
9. Think about the demands of each subject
Think carefully about taking two subjects with significant practical requirements and consider your other commitments inside and outside school.
Don’t choose a subject just because your friend is doing it or because you like the teacher or the class you are in – you may well have a different teacher and a different group of students in the class next year.
Not necessarily! We do our best to allow everyone to take the courses they have chosen, but we have to take into account the numbers opting for each course. If too few students choose a course, it will not run and you will have to make another choice. If too many students choose a course and we can’t put on an extra class, then we have to find a way to allocate the available places. At this stage we would consider the choices you make as your main Creative, Humanity and Language as your first choices and your Other choice as a second choice. Following this, we would use the order in which the Google Form is submitted if necessary. We will fill places as fairly as possible, taking all factors into account.
Also, when we have everyone’s option choices, we create blocks of classes that are taught at the same time. At this stage, a few combinations of subjects may turn out to be impossible to timetable. If necessary, we will ask you to make a second choice. We will confirm your choices in the Summer Term.