It gives me great pleasure to present you with our Year 8 course information. Choosing options is an important and exciting time for students. During the course of this term students will be asked to express preferences, in consultation with staff, for the qualifications students will study throughout Years 10 and 11.
Students will be given the opportunity to choose a personalised pathway of learning which best suits their strengths and interests and will provide them with the best opportunity to succeed academically and progress to further education or training until they are 18. Students will continue to study a core curriculum as well as their chosen options.
The core curriculum includes; English language and literature; mathematics; science; Religious Education; PSHCE (Personal, Social, Health and Careers Education) and physical education. Students then make their option choices. We will work extremely hard to offer students their preferred choices, however in some cases, this may not be possible and we will consult with parents, carers and students regarding alternatives. This is explained in more detail later. Should you wish your child to study the EBacc suite of subjects then the way in which you express your choices is important. For more information on the English Baccalaureate please click here. The full details of the curriculum including hours in each subject and advice on how to make the right choice can be accessed via the curriculum pages.
Students should choose the courses in which they are interested in and will enjoy studying for three years. Naturally, parents and carers will want to ensure students make the best choices and to have access to quality advice and guidance. This website is the primary source of information about the options process and our Key Stage 4 curriculum. This website, along with an introductory video from Ms Lowney & myself also complements the Parent's Evening (DATE) and for students and parents who need some additional support and guidance there will be virtual meeting opportunities available. The sections of the website are numbered, it is suggested you work through the pages in numerical order.
Submitting students' options choices takes place via an online form. Students will submit their choices online, parents and carers will then be emailed a copy to approve the choices and asked to confirm through an online form. More details on this system will be communicated to parents and students throughout the process. The online submission should be completed by the students, students will need to rank their choices in order of priority. Please click here to access more information about how to submit the choices.
It is my aim to ensure students and parents feel supported throughout this time and help students make the right choices to enable them to feel happy, engaged and inspired by their learning. I wish students every success in choosing their options and hope they are excited by what they have chosen. If at any time you wish to discuss your child's choices please do not hesitate to contact me: lakerm@sta-worthing.com
Mr M Laker
Joint Head of School