Year 9 into Key Stage 4 Options Process

This process is designed to provide students with a broad and balanced curriculum while allowing increasing personalisation as they progress through the school.

Students first make curriculum personalisation choices in Year 8 for study in Year 9 (Phase 1). In Year 9, they then choose their KS4 subjects for Years 10 and 11 (Phase 2). These choices must be from subjects they have already studied in Year 9.

Research suggests studying a broad suite of academic subjects can improve future education opportunities and support achievement in English and Maths. The school's view is that most students can benefit from studying a language alongside a humanity, while recognising that this pathway may not be right for every student.

Students should choose subjects carefully based on their interests, strengths, future aspirations and the information available through subject guidance and careers resources.

Please see the Options Subject Summary document below.

Students are placed onto one of three curriculum pathways:

Pathway 1 (EBacc Pathway): Students study the core subjects, continue with Spanish, choose either History or Geography, and select two additional option subjects. 

Pathway 2: Students study the core subjects, choose either History or Geography, and select three additional option subjects (History/Geography can be one of these choices, if students would like to study both)

Pathway 3: A smaller cohort of students study the core subjects, Additional Core (extra support for the core subjects), either History or Geography, and two additional option subjects.

Please note, History or Geography can be one of the additional choices, should students wish to study both.

Reserve Choice - whilst we seek to ensure every student has the opportunity to study their chosen courses, a ‘reserve’ subject should be chosen should it not be possible for them to study one of their original choices.