Supporting your child in choosing their KS4 Options
We have arranged our options process to ensure all students are enabled to have access to work towards achieving the EBacc and study a broad-range of subjects through KS4 leaving a wide range of options open to our students when they leave secondary education.
Every Year 9 student receives guidance around their options choices through a meeting with an Academy Leader and a parent/guardian. The role of the Academy Leader is to guide students and support them in making the choices right for them. Alongside this, our in-school Careers Education, Information, Advice and Guidance package supports students with looking to their futures and tracking back to the GCSE options process.
KS4 Options DIGITAL Prospectus 2023/2024
KS4 Options Digital Prospectus 2023/2024
Key Dates 2024
Monday 8th January: GCSE Taster Sessions in Option Subjects
Thursday 25th January: KS4 Options Digital Prospectus available
Tuesday 30th January: Year 9 Parents' & Options Evening
Monday 19th February - Friday 8th March: Student, Parent and Staff Options meeting
Monday 18th March - Friday 22nd March: Follow-up meetings
KS4 Options Information Evening Presentation
Year 9: KS4 Options Information Evening Presentation
FAQs:
Will my child receive help from a member of staff?
Yes! Each student will have a meeting with both a member of staff and a parent/carer to ensure they are guided towards the correct option choice.
What is the EBacc?
The English Baccalaureate (EBacc), though not a qualification in its own right – is a combination of GCSE subjects, including a language, that offer an important range of knowledge and skills to young people:
- English language and English literature
- Maths
- Science (Combined science or 3 single sciences from Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Computer science)
- History or Geography
- A language (Ancient or modern)
The Department for Education recommend choosing the EBacc at GCSE, as these core subjects gives children a full range of employment options when they leave secondary school and the broad knowledge that employers are looking for.
If your child is thinking of going to university, the EBacc is also recommended by Britain’s most prestigious universities.
Do languages give young people a competitive edge?
Languages are an important part of EBacc. Studying a foreign language can be extremely rewarding and exciting. They provide an insight into other cultures and can open the door to travel and employment opportunities. They can also broaden pupils’ horizons, helping them flourish in new environments.
If your child finds languages difficult, don’t forget that they will have been studying them for much less time than their other subjects and, while it can be a challenge, learning a language will greatly enhance their future opportunities.
What’s more, we know that employers value languages, as they are increasingly important to make sure we can compete in the global market. Because of this, languages are increasingly becoming a requirement for many graduate schemes.
Can any student complete the EBacc?
Yes! At Stratford School Academy, every child has the opportunity to complete the EBacc which is completed by selecting History or Geography, French and an additional option.
Do any of the subject have entry requirements?
We want every child to select the option choices that are the best for them and their future. To complete GCSE Separate Science (also known as Triple Science) students must have a predicted grade of at least 6/7 in Science. To complete GCSE Computer Science students must have a predicted grade of at least 6/7 in Maths.
Why do students select five subjects when they will only complete three?
Whilst we build our timetable around the option choices that are selected, it is not possible to facilitate every combination of options that are selected. We will only use the subjects selected 4th and 5th if any of the 1st-3rd choices cannot be provided.
