KEY STAGE 4 OPTIONS

1. KEY STAGE 4 OPTIONS 2014 - 16

2. CORE SUBJECTS

3. OPTIONS When selecting your options, you child will choose subjects that add up to another 4 GCSEs:

4. 1 1 1 1 2 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

5. What are BTECs?

6. BTEC – THE NATIONALLY RECOGNISED VOCATIONAL QUALIFICATION FOR SCHOOLS, SIXTH FORMS, COLLEGES AND THE WORKING WORLD

7. WHY BTECS WORK? • Encourage skills development • Empower learners • Use locally devised assignments • Link theory and real-work situations • Develop practical skills and knowledge

8. THE BTEC DIFFERENCE • Preparation for the world of work • Learner appeal • Pace • Progression • “Hands on” learning style • Ongoing assessment delivers year–round motivation

9. BTEC SKILLS FOR THE WORLD OF WORK • Team Building, Teamwork and Collaboration • Presentation Skills • ICT Skills • Communication Skills – Written and Oral • Initiative and Self-direction • Leadership and Influence • Social Skills

10. SCIENCE • BTEC Science • Achieve the equivalent • of 2 GCSEs at grades • Cto A* • Mainly coursework • based. • Students will be able to • progress on to Level 3 • BTEC Science – • equivalent to 2 A’ Levels Triple Science Achieve 3 GCSEs: Biology Chemistry Physics 2 Subjects studied in Core Science – third science to be taken as part of options process. Students must have achieved a Level 6 in their October report and must achieve a Level 7 in April 2014. Core Science Achieve 2 GCSEs Elements of Biology, Chemistry & Physics are covered in Core Science.

12. WHAT QUESTIONS SHOULD YOU ASK YOURSELF? • What do I like doing? • How do I like to learn? • Have I got any ideas about what I would like to do in the future? • What are they? • What am I good at?

13. MAKING THEIR CHOICES. Rules to follow: • If you choose BTEC Business, you should NOT choose Business Studies. • You should NOT take BOTH Art & Photography. • You should NOT take BOTH Art & Textiles. • You should ONLY take ONE technology subject. • You should ONLY take Spanish if you have studied it in Year 9 • You should NOT choose more that 2 BTEC subjects. • Many of the ‘top’ universities require a modern language at GCSE – but this does not apply to all universities and all courses. It is important that you researches this. If you don’t know what you want to do in the future, it is important that you study a range of different subjects.

14. Pick & Mix Depending on your ability and preferred learning style you can pick the subjects to match your strengths and interest.

15. EXAMPLE 1 You will choose 4 single GCSE subjects (one from each of the Option blocks A-D) for example: Spanish Art Geography Drama

17. EXAMPLE 2 You will choose 1 double award subject from either columns A/B or C/D and 2 single award subjects from the other columns, for example: Drama Health & Social Care Computing Food Construction ICT

19. EXAMPLE 3 You will choose 2 single BTEC subjects and 2 GCSE subjects. For example: Music (BTEC) Sociology Business (BTEC) Spanish

21. Foundation Learning Tier This is designed to help meet the needs of students who have learning difficulties or who are at an early stage of learning English. Students may choose all Foundation Learning subjects or may supplement their choices with GCSE(s) or BTEC(s) as appropriate. Your specific needs should be discussed with Mr Dixon, Mrs Alexander or Mrs Garland.

23. VIP Run by the Business Education Partnership (BEP) - designed for students who, for whatever reason, would benefit from a one day work placement per week. Students complete the Options’ Form as normal (total of 4 choices) but also highlight VIP.

25. TIMETABLE