Year 8 Options Booklet | 2020-23
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Graham School Telephone: 01723 366451 Woodlands Drive Email: [email protected] Learning Scarborough Website: www.grahamschool.org Trust, York North Yorkshire Facebook: @GrahamSchoolOfficial Hope YO12 6QW Twitter: @GrahamSchool Principal: Ms Emma Robins Year 8 Options booklet | 2020-23 WELCOME Planning your future As you start Key Stage 4, you school values such as aspiration, n Develop your interests and will be following a range resilience and team-work. skills outside the classroom. of courses that will lead to n Contribute positively to external qualifications. Some OUR EXPECTATIONS the reputation of the school will be GCSEs, others may be We have high expectations of in the local community. other qualifications which are your work and behaviour in the equivalent of a GCSE. Key Stage 4 as we want you to achieve the best you can. In YOUR OPPORTUNITIES particular, we will expect you to: The opportunities open to you n Maintain good working in the future will depend on relationships with what you achieve during these your teachers and with years. For example, to be able other students. to follow many sixth form and n Be polite and courteous college courses, you will have and consider other people’s to gain several GCSE passes at needs as well as your own. support WitH options grade 5 or higher. However, it n Work to the very best of If you have any queries about is not just a matter of gaining your ability and allow other the contents of this booklet qualifications – all achievements people to do so too. please contact: Mrs Shires or are important, from taking n Meet deadlines. Mr Plant on the following emails: part in additional activities in n Take full advantage of [email protected] school to demonstrating our opportunities available to you. [email protected] THE OPTIONS PROCESS This brochure outlines each n Choose subjects that course that will be offered support your career plans. in the Options Process. n Talk to a range of people You will have opportunity to about the different options, talk with teachers at the Options older students will be able to Evening on Tuesday 3rd March. give you some good advice. You should also be proactive n Keep your options open in finding out about courses by choosing a broad GROW, LEARN AND by talking to teachers and range of subjects. students in school. To make ACHIEVE TOGETHER the best choices you need to: You will be advised as to which We want our students to flourish academically, pathway is the best for you to PLease note: develop into responsible, resilient young people who n Choose subjects that you enjoy. follow, in some cases you may Some courses offered in this brochure may will succeed and make a positive contribution to our not be offered in September 2020. There n Think about how you learn have a choice of pathways. Your community. We want everyone to ‘Grow at Graham’. will be minimum class size set and if a best and choose subjects pathway(s) are on the letter you course is not popular in the choices phase, #Grow@Graham that match your strengths. received today with this booklet. it will not be offered for September. OPTIONS BooKLET 2020-23 | 3 essentIAL InfoRMatIon Essential There will be minimum and maximum group sizes so you may be asked to reconsider your choices if a group is full or there are not sufficient numbers to run the course. Courses will be filled informationYOUR PREFERENCES broad and balanced curriculum Tuesday 3rd March 2020 on a first come first served basis. In Key Stage 4, you will continue by selecting a range of subjects. Options Evening: Please come All student choices will be to study the core subjects: In addition to reading along with your parents to find considered by the Senior Team, n English (Language this booklet you should: out about the range of courses Mr Plant and Subject Leaders. and Literature) n Talk to your parents on offer. All subjects will be If you are not suitable for a n Mathematics about your options. represented and you will be course, this will be discussed n Combined Science n Ask your teachers about what able to talk with teachers. with you and your parents. n PE will also form part of is involved in their subjects. Appropriate guidance and advice your timetable and you will n Listen to talks you are Tuesday 10th March 2020 will be provided at all stages. be taught PSHCE and core given about options, Year 8 Parents’ Evening. Key Religious Studies through your particularly about subjects Philosophy and Ethics lessons. which are new to you. Thursday 19th March 2020 HELP WITH CAREERS Dates n Talk to students in Year 9, Taster Day: the chance to All students have the opportunity Tuesday 3rd March 2020 Most students will be 10 and 11 who are already experience three subjects to discuss their future aspirations Options Evening: Please come along expected to study either taking subjects in which you have not studied with a Careers Adviser (CA). with your parents to find out about History, Geography or a you are interested. before in school time. The CA will be able to give you the range of courses on offer. All modern foreign language. It is n Think about what subjects detailed advice on what you subjects will be represented and you possible to take one or more you are really interested Friday 27th March 2020 need to study to achieve your will be able to talk with teachers. of these if you wish to. in and suited to; after all, Deadline for completed aspirations. The CA is also Tuesday 10th March 2020 Year 8 Parents’ Evening. Some students will be guided you will be studying them forms to be in. Final Options available on options evening into appropriate choices as for the next three years. sheet to be completed and as well as representatives Thursday 19th March 2020 Taster Day: the chance to experience we want all students to be passed to Mrs Shires. from further and higher two subjects you have not successful in their outcomes. HELPING YOU TO If you need any help, advice education establishments. studied before in school time. A final decision will be based MAKE YOUR CHOICES or support in selecting your Friday 27th March 2020 on a range of factors such as You have already had numerous subjects, you can ask: Deadline for completed forms to group size and your suitability to assemblies on the new n Your Form Tutor be in. Final Options sheet to be complete the course successfully. courses available to you. n Mr Plant completed and passed to Mrs Shires. You are encouraged to keep a To come we have: n Senior Leadership Team WHAT Are THE FOUR PATHWAYS? There are four possible pathways n Enhanced THE SUPPorteD PATHWAY available to the students and we n Standard allows students to have more than formal examinations. have made a recommendation to n Supported input in their English and UPDAte ON COUrse grADING: Please see the subject pages of each student as to what pathway n Tailored Maths GCSE courses, an this booklet for information they should be following. This EBacc-based subject plus GCSE AND VOCATIONAL on which subjects have the decision has been made based THE ENHANCED PATHWAY two other option subjects. coursework element built in. on numerous factors including allows students to attain GCSEs have changed and employers and further and higher In English, all students attainment at the end of primary the full EBacc qualification THE TAILoreD PATHWAY allows you will find that your GCSE educational establishments. will complete the same exam school, and progress made (see page 7) by studying a students to have access to life subjects will be graded from For some subjects, there will be papers, there will be no so far at Graham School. modern foreign language and skills through the ASDAN 9–1, with 9 being the top level. no coursework; all assessments higher or foundation tiers. These are recommendations a humanities subject plus programme as well as two options BTEC/Cambridge National/ will take the form of external In Maths, there will be two tiers, and we are able to discuss two other option subjects. from a carefully selected set of Technical Awards/WJEC/VTCT/ exams at the end of the course. with a foundation tier covering amendments to this if you wish courses tailored to their needs. CACHE are all GCSE equivalents However, many of the grades 1-5 and a higher tier to. Some students have a choice THE STANDARD PATHWAY and are graded Pass, Merit courses we have on offer have covering grades 4-9. Your Maths of pathways and need to start by allows students to follow an The pathway recommendation and Distinction. These are all a coursework element which teacher will discuss this entry deciding which one is right for EBacc-based course as well as is on a letter which the students nationally recognised courses by may suit some students more level for Maths during Year 11. them. The four pathways are called: three other option subjects. have received on 28th February. 4 | OPTIONS BooKLET 2020-23 OPTIONS BooKLET 2020-23 | 5 FAQS CHoosING YOUR SUBJECts Graham School have an amazing and varied Frequently asked number of courses from which you can questions choose to help prepare you for your future. underestimated for a child’s WHat Happens if my future academic opportunity, CHILd’S course Doesn’T run therefore if, when recommended Due to Lack of interest? to study an MFL subject a pupil This is the reason why we ask for feels this is not an appropriate, preference choices.