At Roding Valley High School, we strive to support our students in every step of their educational journey.  During the spring term, we begin the process of our Year 9 students choosing their Key Stage 4 Options. The decisions that our students make will begin to shape their future path and we work closely with them to provide guidance and highlight the careers and Post 16 choices that are open to them based on the choices they make.  

You are invited to our Options evening on Thursday 6th February 2025 from 5.30pm to 7:00pm.  This will be an opportunity to meet our subject leads, ask key questions about the curriculum & listen to a talk from the Options Team about the whole process. (This talk will be recorded & will then be posted on the microsite.)  Please see the timings below for your child’s academic mentor group:

Talk 1:  6:00pm for students in Argon, Beryllium, Carbon, Fluorine & Hydrogen

Talk 2:  6.45pm for students in Lithium, Magnesium, Neon & Oxygen.

You will need to enter the site via our Brook Road entrance (for pedestrians) or through our Brook Road Car park, where you will be directed to the Baguette Bar entrance to sign in.  Please note that you will need to attend the talk during your allocated time, based on your child’s form group, so you will then need to view subjects either before or after the talk.  Parents & students will be asked to leave our school site at 7.15pm after the second talk.

Your son/daughter will also be experiencing a number of supportive sessions during school time to help with this process. The whole year group will have an options assembly on Wednesday, 29th January 2025 

Option Subjects will offer taster lessons until the  4th February 2025, allowing students to experience some GCSE taster lessons during their usual KS3 lessons.

Part of the Options process is for us to place each student onto the pathway that we believe will best support their future and be aspirational at the same time. This decision is based on their prior attainment from Year 6, their assessments through Years 7 to 9 along with input from subject experts & leaders. 

The students have received a letter confirming their pathway on 31st January 2025 and this will be explained further during the Options evening. 

We are also running two options drop in clinics, where parents can book appointments with members of the Options Team to discuss pathways.

As a reminder, the key dates within the process are as follows:

• Friday 17th January-  Report sent home to all parents outlining progress in all subjects areas.

• Thursday 23rd January- Year 9 Parents evening 

• Friday 31st January- Year 9 Options microsite to be shared with all parents & students. The site contains information on subject choices, pathways and details of the curriculum offer. Students will also be provided with individual pathway details by individual letter. 

• Until 3rd February - Year 9 Option Subject Taster lessons- an opportunity for students to experience GCSE subjects not previously studied at KS3, these subjects include Media, Social Sciences,

• Thursday 6th February - All Year 9 parents are invited into school for the Options evening. The evening will explain the options pathways. It will also provide parents with an opportunity to meet subject leads to gain information on the GCSE courses offered and studied. (5.30 - 7.15pm - details to be sent via email). The application form will also be sent to all students/ parents during this evening.

• Tuesday 25th February & Wednesday 26th February  - Optional support clinics will be held after school (3-4pm) for parents to book appointments to discuss any queries face to face, if you  have queries/ concerns regarding their individual child. (An email with a Google form to request a meeting will be sent to all parents)

• Friday 7th March - Options form hand in deadline for all students