9 December 2020
Dear Parents and Carers,
Key Stage 4 Option Choices 2021-2023
The next half term is a very important time for our Year 9 students; it is the start of a very important stage in their education as they make their subject choices for next year. We are very pleased to have been able to maintain the full curriculum for our Year 9 students in the current challenging circumstances, but we are conscious that, due to the limitations of teaching in bubbles, they have not had the full access to practical rooms for all lessons. Therefore, we intend to put additional support in place this year, alongside our normal Options Programme, to ensure they to make fully informed choices.
This will begin this week where, as a prelude to the Key Stage 4 Options process, students will be reviewing some materials relating to different subjects in their computing lessons. They will also fill in a short survey to indicate which subjects they might be interested in studying next year, and which subjects they would like to find out more about. This is not their actual option choices. It is purely to allow us to support students next half term in making sure they fully understand what courses involve and which subjects they are most likely to enjoy and achieve their potential studying.
The full options process takes place over four weeks in January/February, and will include careers sessions in form time, opportunities to take part in taster sessions for different subjects, a written progress report, a virtual open evening and a virtual parents evening, as well as individual support. More details on specifics and dates will be published in early January.
Finally, I would like to wish all our Year 9 students and their families a restful Christmas break and a happy and successful 2021.
Yours faithfully,
Mrs R McFadden
Deputy Headteacher