Year 9 Options

Pathways Information

2011-2013 Stradbroke Road, Sheffield, S13 8SS Telephone 0114 2358120 Fax 0114 2648752 Email: admin@city.sheffield.sch.uk Web: www.city.sheffield.sch.uk Headteacher Mr M T Percival B.A. (Hons), M.Phil, NPQH

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CONTENTS

3 Introduction

4 Pathway 1

5 Pathway 2

6 Pathway 3

7 Pathway 4

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INTRODUCTION Dear Parent and student A number of changes have been introduced into the education system by the new coalition government. Some of these changes you will see reflected in the structure of the options your child will be offered this year. You will notice that the changes mean that your son or daughter will be asked to make very different choices from those offered to other children you may have, or have had, at The City School. The new government have introduced, this September, what they are calling the English Baccalaureate (EBacc). To quote the Department of Education ‘The EBacc is not a new qualification in itself. It will recognise student’s achievement s across a core of selected academic subjects in getting good passes in rigorous GCSEs...The English Baccalaureate will cover achievement in English, mathematics, sciences, a language and a humanities subject.’ The government believes that schools should offer pupils a range of options that include, in addition to English, maths and science (which all students will still have to follow), a Humanities subject and a Modern Foreign Language. This has been reflected in the options structure. Triple science will remain as an option for the most able potential scientists amongst the student population. While we are not making the selection of a Humanities or Modern Foreign language compulsory for all students we have had to structure the options to give more prominence to these subjects in line with our currently available staffing. This will provide access for the maximum number of students to the subjects that will make up the EBacc. You will see this reflected in the options form your child has to fill in. In addition to this, as a school, we are increasingly benefitting from the improving vigour of our specialist status as a Business and Enterprise Centre. We are weaving into our curriculum and enrichment activities opportunities for students to develop the skills and aptitudes valued by employers in addition to core qualifications; the ability to work in a team, take initiative, work to a deadline and make decisions are all built into work related learning and business qualifications. Therefore, we are introducing a constrained option that will require all pupils currently in year 9 to select a business or work related learning qualification. We have also removed one option block from this year’s curriculum which means that instead of

four boxes to choose from on the options form there will be three.

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STUDENT NAME................................................................... Tutor Group...............

Box 1 Select

OCR ICT

Business Studies

Product design

Food

Graphics

NVQ French

Health and Social Care

PATHWAY 1

Box 2 Select

Geography

History

Music

Art

Drama

PE

Dance

GCSE Psychology

Triple Science

ASDAN

GCSE French

Box 3 Select

Music

Art

Drama

PE

Dance

Geography

History

Media

Triple Science

GCSE French

NVQ French

OCT ICT

RE (FULL)

Please not the following rules : Box 1—You may select a first and second choice Box 2—Make a first and second choice—but not the same as box 3 Box 3—Make a first and second choice—but not the same as box 2 GCSE French may only be selected in either box 2 or box 3 NVQ French may only be selected in either box 1 or box 3 Health and social care has been reduced from a five hour option down to a three hour option

Place either a number 1 (1st choice) or 2 (2nd choice) in the boxes at the side of your chosen subjects.

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STUDENT NAME................................................................... Tutor Group...............

Box 1 Select

Business And Finance Diploma

Creative and Media Diploma

Manufacturing Diploma

PATHWAY 2—Students considering taking a diploma

Box 2 Select

Business And Finance Diploma

Creative and Media Diploma

Manufacturing Diploma

Box 3 Select

Music

Art

Drama

PE

Dance

Geography

History

Media

Triple Science

GCSE French

NVQ French

OCT ICT

RE (FULL)

Please not the following rules : Box 1—Make one first choice selection. You must select the same choice in box 2 Box 2— This should be the same choice as in box 1 Box 3—Make a first and second choice

Place a number 1 (1st choice) in box 1 and box 2 at the side of your chosen diploma Place a number 1 (first choice) and a number 2 (2nd choice) in box 3 at the side of your chosen subjects

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STUDENT NAME.............................................................. Tutor Group.....................

Box 1 Select

Foundation Learning (Work Related learning element)

PATHWAY 3—Students who select or are offered Foundation Learning

Box 2 Select

ASDAN (Personal and Social Development element)

Box 3 Select

Music

Art

Drama

Dance

Geography

History

Media

PE

NVQ French

OCT ICT

Please note the following rules : BOX 3—Make a first and second choice

Pathway 3 was introduced for the first time last year to cater for those students who are working below level 4 at the end of year 9 in English and maths and who therefore require a more supported and personalised KS4 curriculum.

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STUDENT NAME................................................................ Tutor Group...............

Box 1 Select

Construction (Level 1 &2)

Engineering (Level 1 & 2)

Hair and beauty (Level 1 & 2)

Catering NVQ Level 1

Enterprise Level 2 Btec Diploma (4 places)

PATHWAY 4

Box 2 Select

Geography

History

Triple Science

GCSE French

ASDAN

ART

Drama

PE

Dance

GCSE French

Music

Box 3 Select

Music

Art

Drama

PE

Dance

Geography

History

Media

Triple Science

GCSE French

NVQ French

OCT ICT

RE (FULL)

Please not the following rules :

BOX 1—Make one choice BOX 2—Make a first and second choice BOX 3—Make a first and second choice

College places will not be in the options booklet as they will be allocated by an application process: only those applicants accepted by this process will be offered places. Only a maximum of 50 college places are available to be awarded to students in year 9.

The applications process is as follows:

Ms Roche, Mr Geelan and Mr Colliver will select eligible pupils from the year group that meet the criteria for a college place. This will have been done before you receive this booklet. The criteria we will have used is as follows:

Attendance must be 90% or above A student’s learning and progression needs to strongly indicate that a college placement

would be the most successful option. Some students in this category may be offered a conditional place with targets set based on improving attendance and attitude to learning

Students successfully complete an application form and attend an interview to which parents will be invited. This interview may take place on the advertised options consultation day