Year 8 Options 2024
Welcome to Year 8 Options 2024!
As you embark on the next step of your journey into GCSEs, I hope that you are excited by the wide variety of subjects that we have on offer as part of our curriculum. It is a curriculum designed to build knowledge, wisdom, and confidence; a curriculum that challenges you to expand your horizons, develop new skills and grow your character.
Our curriculum is both academically challenging and exciting; we have high aspirations for you, and we encourage you to have equally high aspirations for yourself. With that in mind, I am confident that we have found the right balance of Core GCSEs as part of your compulsory study, including GCSEs in Mathematics, English Literature and English Language, together with GCSE Science (as either combined or separate awards) and GCSE Religious Education. Further to this, in the pursuit of balance and choice, you will study a minimum of two of any EBacc subjects: History, Geography, French and Spanish. After that, the choices are broad and we encourage you to consider which subjects you believe will be the most enjoyable, engaging and enriching.
In addition to your option choices, and as part of our commitment for all pupils to feel well-rounded and well-qualified, we have introduced a bespoke element to our curriculum; we care about your well-being and it is at the centre of the education that we provide. Throughout Years 9-10 all pupils will study PSHE (Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education) together with a Global Dimensions course in Year 9 and Physical Education in Years 9 - 11. These are non-examined subjects designed not only to teach you about the wider world, but to allow you to go into that world feeling confident and informed; feeling ten-feet-tall and ready to meet any challenges head-on.
Outside of the classroom, the Duke of Edinburgh award and the CCF are both fantastic opportunities to challenge yourself, learn a range of new skills and make some new friends along the way. Beyond this, throughout Years 9-11, you will have the opportunity to participate in extra-curricular activities, including trips and visits that will inspire and excite; as always, the aim is to provide you with as many opportunities as possible.
Our curriculum is designed for you; it is varied, rigorous and ambitious; it is designed to provide you with the best possible academic outcomes; it is designed to teach you skills for today, tomorrow, and for long into the future. We are very proud of it, and we are certain that you will enjoy it.
Thank you to all the students, parents and carers who attended our Options Evening on the 14th March. It was wonderful to see so many of you excited about your choices and asking such perceptive questions of your teachers.
The deadline for submitting your choices on SIMS options is 19th April 2024. There are instructions for how to do this on the event powerpoint linked on this page, or you can contact me or Mr Anderson in the Admin office if you have any questions.
Matthew Allingham
Assistant Principal
Year 8 Options Event - 14th March 2024
Thank you for attending our Options Event on the 14th March 2024.
Mr Allingham's presentation from the evening can be downloaded here.
GCSE Curriculum
The students will make their choices following these criteria:
Subject List
More information on each subject can be found on the following links: