Y9 Options Presentation 2012

Rainhill High School Media Arts College

Year 9 Options January 2012

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

1. Options Process 2. SLT Contact People 3. Pathways 4. Arts College 5. Government Policy 6. Assessments Methods 7. Did You Know?

8. Do’s &Don’ts 9. Working Examples 10.Our Expectations 11.Timescales

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Options Process

 Booklet – one of 5 different colours  1 to 1 with SLT Advisor Career preferences skills, data sheet, reading age, FFT target, minimum grade recommendation current subjects.

- reduce down to 6 subjects  Options Information Evening – tonight  Decision Ask, Listen, talk to subject teachers, SLT, Parents

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Senior Leadership Team - Contact People 9A 9B 9C 9D

Mr Pout Mrs Thorogood Dr Beswick Miss Walker

9E 9F 9G 9H

Mr Foley Mr Lamb Miss Fryer Mr Pout

Mrs Thorogood (Deputy Headteacher) is leading this process.

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Pathways – Play to your strengths!!

Pathway

English

Science

Block

Block

Block

Block

Yellow

Lang & Media

BTEC Science

Arts

Guided choice

Guided choice

Guided choice

Pink

Lang & Media

BTEC Science

Arts

Free choice

Free choice

Free Choice

Red

Lang & Media

Double Science

Arts

Free choice

Free choice

Free Choice

Green

Lang & Literature

Double or Triple

Arts

Free choice

Free choice

Free Choice

Blue

Lang & Literature

Double or Triple

Arts

HI or GG

FR, SP, or DE

Free Choice

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Pathways – Balance of GCSE’s and others Pathway

How Many GCSEs?

How many BTECs?

Maths PE

ICT

Cz/ Careers / PSHE

Yellow

Max – 3 Options - Min 1

Min 4

GCSE

BTEC

BTEC

Yes

Pink

Max 6 Options - Min 2

Min 4

GCSE

BTEC

BTEC

Yes

Red

8 Options - Min 2

Min 3

GCSE

BTEC

BTEC

Yes

Green

9+

Options - No more than 2

GCSE

Free choice

Free choice

Yes

Blue

10

1

GCSE

GCSE or BTEC

BTEC

Yes

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Pathways  Large Comprehensive School – range of choice.  Range of opportunities to suit all abilities and interests.  Not ‘one size fits all’ – play to student’s strengths.  If your child finds their niche – something they are

really good at – a lot of ‘life’ falls into place.  We have placed your child in the pathway we think they will get the best possible grades. This is based on teacher’s professional opinion and data on performance and potential to date.

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Arts College Some schools who took on their specialism as an aid to better funding.

Our commitment to Arts College status is because we believe fundamentally in the positive impact Arts status has on your child’s employability and life skills, especially; Communication Working Together Being adaptable Being flexible in your thinking Being creative

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Arts College

• The employability of students with these skills

improves.

• It makes no difference to applications for high quality vocational degree courses, e.g. Medicine, Law/.

• Did you know the arts and creative industries are the second largest private sector employer in the north west?

Doing an Arts subject to GCSE is non negotiable

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Arts College

The choice Fine Art Art Graphics Photography Art Textiles Resistant Materials

Dance Drama Acting Music Media Studies

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Government Policy Changes  Imposed by the Conservative / Liberal Government  Linear GCSEs  From September 2012  No more modular exams throughout year 10 and 11.  Controlled assessments taking the place of coursework  All dependant on final examinations in Year 11

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Government Policy Changes English Baccalaureate What is it?  Imposed by the Conservative / Liberal Government  “The Government believes that schools should offer pupils a broad range of academic subjects to age 16 (Rainhill does already), and the English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) promotes that aspiration.

The Ebacc is not a new qualification.

x

We intend to mark an individual student’s

...

future achievements through a certificate.”

x

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

English Baccalaureate What subjects are in it?

English, Maths, Science, a Humanities and a Language Humanities is defined as History or Geography Languages – for Rainhill are French, Spanish or German You must get A*-C in every subject to get it.

Don’t worry vv University Russell Group Universities have said Ebacc not important.

‘New’ Universities – vocational – Ebacc not important New funding for Universities – 2As and B at A Level.

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

English Baccalaureate League Tables In 2010 League Tables – for students who did their options in 2008 “We will review the precise definition for the Ebacc for the 2011 tables” Your child’s results will be in the 2014 league tables

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

English Baccalaureate At Rainhill Compulsory for Blue Pathway students Optional for Green students Be careful not to jump on a bandwagon – just because people are talking about it.

Do you enjoy those subjects?

Will you get an A*-C in all Ebacc subjects?

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Did You Know?

• To get to Liverpool or Manchester University you will need 5A*s at GCSE. • Most universities expect B grades at GCSE English AND GCSE Maths • Entry to the Sixth Form College is at least 5+A*-C including E & M. • There are only 140 places in Y12 at Rainhill Sixth Form College.

• Except Oxbridge, universities look at your GCSE grades not the subjects taken.

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Do’s

 Students – do subjects you will enjoy.  Choose subjects where you will get A*s,

rather than subjects you think you should do but will get a C.  Parents have a look at UCAS Website www.ucas.com  Ask Sixth Form staff for advice

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Don’ts Parents Don’t rely on your experience of school / university – a lot has changed.

Don’t impose your career aspirations onto your child.

Students Don’t do a subject because your friend is doing it Parents Don’t take your child out of school during Year 10 or Year 11 – for any reason. See Assessment methods.

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Working Examples Double or Treble Science?

NB – Blue Pathway Booklet – Should have read Treble Science

History or Geography?

History requires lots of reading and long written answers Geography needs you to use numbers and to write short written answers.

What is your skills preference?

What is your reading age?

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

My Expectations 1. Of each Student  Everyone achieves their full potential  Everyone gives their best every lesson, every day  Don’t put things off – do it today 2. Of the School  Excellent teaching. To provide an individual route, lots of support and as much help as is required.

3. Of Parents  ‘Tough Love’ & Good Communication.

4. Of everyone  Don’t settle for second best .... It’s a tough world out there

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Timescales from here...  Options Forms in to Form Tutors by 10th February  SLT check each student’s choices are ‘sensible’ and    

match GCSE minimums Mrs Thorogood looks at preferences there may be some moving around after forms are in.

Timetable is scheduled Some GCSEs will begin early – En, Ma, Sc. September – start optional courses

Rainhill High School Media Arts College Year 9 Options

Thank you for listening ....

Talk to the teachers of those subjects on your shortlist You are welcome to stay to ask any questions Mrs Thorogood is in the Sports Hall if you want to speak to her.

SLT link staff – first point of contact