This week our Year 8 students attended an options assembly delivered by our Headteacher, Mr Burnham. The assembly was an introduction to the process that all students in the year will be going through over the next few weeks to choose their options for Year 9.
Although there will be no formal qualifications given in Year 9, the aim of these options is to equip the students with the foundation skills and knowledge for Year 10 & 11, when their formal examinations will take place. It’s a starting point for our vision – ‘to send every young person into the world able and qualified to play their full role in it’.
The students were introduced to the faculties that they can choose to study next year – each student will get to study two of these. Within these faculties, there will be related disciplines/subjects that they will learn, which they can then choose to specialise in when it comes to Year 10 & 11.
For example: if the chosen faculty is Performing Arts, the student will study Music and Drama on a rotational basis throughout the year. After learning the foundation knowledge for these disciplines, they may then choose to specialise in either Music or Drama in Year 10 & 11.
A Google Form will be sent out to students over the next few weeks to add in their chosen faculties. We aim to give all students their first and second choice but we ask students to rank their top four faculties from the list in case for whatever reason, we cannot offer a particular subject.
Mr Burnham’s dos and don’ts when choosing options:
Do choose a subject that you enjoy
Do choose a subject that you’re good at
Do choose a subject that is suited to your aptitude and personality
Do choose a subject that is related to your ambitions
Do choose a subject that compliments your learning style
Don’t choose a subject just because you like the teacher
Don’t choose a subject just because your friends have chosen it
Don’t choose a subject because parents want you to do it
Don’t choose a subject because it is an ‘easy option’ – there is no easy options and they all have challenges built in
Don’t put too much pressure on yourself
Next step:
We will be hosting an options evening on Wednesday 26th January for parents and students. There will be a presentation delivered by Mr Burnham and then there will be a chance to break out into separate talks with faculty leaders to get more information about particular subjects.
“Our Year 8 options process is unique. It allows you to get a flavour of a group of subjects in particular areas so that you are more informed when it comes to specialising in Year 9. You should think about the group of subjects as a whole. Choose something you’re interested in, will enjoy and can achieve really well in. Get as much information as you can before you choose.” – Mr Burnham
