Making your Choices

Choosing the subjects you want to study in Key Stage 4 needs careful thought. Your parents, your tutor, your teachers, your friends and others will all help you with your decisions.

You are about to choose four options, in addition to the core subjects of English, Maths, Science, PE, RE, and PSHE. These options are important because they are the first step on the pathway towards what you may do when you leave school. 


We offer two main types of qualification in years 9 to 11; GCSEs and Vocational level 2 courses. They are different in the way you learn and are assessed. Vocational courses are more focused in the world of work whilst GCSEs are learnt in a more traditional teaching style. Some GCSEs are 100% exam-based, whilst some still have a 'Non Examined Assessment' component. GCSEs are graded using a 9-1 scale with 9 being the top mark. 


You will need to do some research and we can help you with this.   A good starting point is to ask yourself some of the following questions:


If you are not sure yet, do not worry. This is not uncommon, and the key is to make choices that are wide-ranging and keep your options open for the future. 


Our advice is to choose subjects that;


Some Advice:

In choosing your two additional preferences, you need to consider the following:


Speak to your teachers, older students, tutor and Pastoral Team leader.  And finally....