Year Nine GCSE Option Subjects and Guidance

Our school vision is simple: we want to be the best version of Sprowston Community Academy that we can be. Our options advice and guidance process is yet another component part of this in that we know our students need to feel happy and secure in the options choices  they make for key stage four. We are very proud of the way we build our timetable around student choice as opposed to fitting students into a pre-built curriculum. This was noted as a strength at our recent OFSTED inspection.

I wish you all the best during this very exciting time, and please ensure you ask lots of questions and make use of our excellent careers service.

Here at Sprowston, when you move into Key Stage four, you follow a core curriculum of English, Maths, Science, Personal Development and PE but you also get to undertake three further options subjects to take through to the end of year eleven. 

Choosing your GCSE options is an exciting but very important time in your life because you have the chance to start to tailor your own curriculum to suit your career aspirations and your areas of interest and talent.

When you complete your options form, we ask you to choose four subjects, with the fourth being your reserve choice. This is very important because sometimes we cannot give all students their first three choices, and we automatically draft in this reserve, so we need students to treat this reserve option with the same care as the other three.

If you are unable to attend options evening on Thursday 1st December HERE is the presentation used on the evening. We hope you find it useful.

With such an exciting few years ahead where you have the opportunity to narrow down the subjects you are studying, here are some top tips to help with selecting your options:

•   Choose the subjects that you like and enjoy – you will be more motivated to work hard when studying what you love.

• Don’t just choose subjects because your friends are choosing it or because of a favourite teacher because you have no way of knowing if that teacher will be on the timetable for you next year.

• Find out as much as you can about all of the subjects on offer. You might have a real interest in something that links to a subject you were not aware of before.

• Speak to the Year 10/11 students about the subjects they are studying - they will give you their honest opinions of the subjects they are taking.

• Go and see as many teachers as you can during options evening and look closely at what you will be studying – does it interest you? Some subjects will really surprise you

• Ask how many exams you will have to take, what is the percentage exam to coursework , how much practical is included

• Do not panic you have time to think about what you want to take

Good luck with your choices and don’t be afraid to ask for support.

At SCA we understand that some students will find the transition to KS4 daunting and may require additional support when making choices around their GCSEs. The SEND team are available to assist students and parents while making these choices, completing the options form and ensuring that the transition goes smoothly.

For a few selected students, we offer a Nurture GCSE pathway where students will study one GCSE less than other students. Instead they will receive an additional English, Maths and Life Skill lesson. This pathway is by invitation only, but please contact the SEND team for more information or support with the options process.

Our Careers Lead, Mrs Bugdale, is available to offer qualified, impartial advice that will enable students to make informed decisions and support the options process.

You can book a one to one appointment by emailing careers@sprowstonhighsch.org or asking your form tutor to contact the careers team.

Please go to our careers page and our careers website to help you during this very important time.