Careers Development Programme

Choosing the right subjects for GCSE

Your son/daughter will make initial GCSE choices in February so that next year’s timetable can be blocked and staffing planned. They will confirm their choices at the end of this term. There is the opportunity to add any supporting comments on both initial and final option-choice forms if you feel particularly strongly about the choices that have been made. Once the final options form is submitted, the allocation of options will be made based on the information supplied on the form. Once choices have been made, the College reserves the right to withdraw any courses for which there is insufficient demand. We try to accommodate all subject choices within the prescribed framework. However, subjects are sometimes oversubscribed and availability of staffing prevents additional classes. If this is the case, we will contact you to discuss alternatives. On the following pages, you will find more information about each subject, as well as some useful advice from the Head of Careers and Higher Education, Sharon Allmark. These will help you when weighing up the various factors involved in making the most appropriate choices.

Stephen Badger Deputy Head (Teaching & Learning)

GCSE Reforms Daily Routine

Saturday

• All GCSE subjects are now graded and assessed using the new 9-1 structure; 8 am House is unlocked • 9 is the highest grade, awarded to the very best candidates in the subject. The official definition of a grade-9 candidate is that they will be ‘in the top 20% of those achieving grades 7-9 in the subject’; 8.30-9 am Breakfast • In every subject, the content is more demanding and the assessment more rigorous than previously; 8-9.15 am Register with Matron • The assessment will be mainly by exam. In some subjects such as Drama and Art, other types of assessment will be used only where they are needed to test essential skills. For further information about assessment, please speak 9.15 am Latest time for all girls to register to the relevant Head of Department. 9.30 am Activity Tiering of exams 11.30 am End of Saturday School—lunch is available in the Main dining room The new GCSEs are only split into foundation tier and higher tier if one single exam paper does not give all students Afternoon Sports Fixtures (team sheets are posted on the House noticeboard) the opportunity to show their knowledge and abilities. Consequently, exams are tiered in Biology, Chemistry, French, German, Maths, Physics and Spanish.

New grading structure

Current grading structure 9 A* 8 7 A 6 B 5 4 C 3 D 2 E F 1 G U U

9 is awarded to those pupils achieving what would currently be a top A*: perhaps at around 96%+

GOOD PASS (DfE) 5 and above = top of C and above Schools are no longer AWARDING assessed on A*-C 4 and above = bottom of C and above statistics, but on ‘9-4’ statistics.

After 4pm Routine Activities may run at any time in the evenings between 4.00pm and 9.00pm. These may be academic, cultural or sporting. Please let Matron know your plans for the day so that we know where you are. You may be collected after 4pm, before 7pm, during prep break or after 9pm. Under the updated structure, the ‘good Do make sure you sign out with Matron personally or the tutor on duty before you go home. pass’ for Maths and 6.50 pm You must be in your room getting ready to start prep English is a 5, which is on the border between 7.00-9.00 pm a C and a B under the Prep conditions: girls in their own rooms, house is quiet, no audible music etc. 7.15 pm old system. The prefect on duty will collect phones in (and check you are working quietly. 8.30 pm 3rd Form prep ends - you need to remain quiet until 9pm. Pack your bag for the next day and tidy up. 9.00 pm 6th Formers may go to 6th Form Centre until 10.15pm (Mon-Thurs), 10.30pm (Fri and Sat) 9.30 pm Meditation or quiet time in room