THE GCSE CURRICULUM HOW TO MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES This process of making your choices between now and 12 February 2021 should be a rewarding one and not something that feels daunting or causes you to worry. There are a variety of staff in school to support you with the decisions you are about to make and they will be able to provide advice and guidance. Your subject teachers and the Heads of Department are best placed to direct subject specific questions to and your Head of Year, Ms Scott, Mr Major and other members of the Senior School Leadership team are available to discuss combinations of courses and give further advice regarding complimentary subjects and the demands different course combinations over the two years. Finally your Tutor and Housemaster or Housemistress know you really well and so are perfectly placed to give guidance and advice specific to you. Use the list of people to your advantage over the next couple of months and do not be afraid of changing your mind. Things to do to help make your choice Research the different subject courses thoroughly by reading this booklet and speaking to your subject teachers Attend Parents’ Evening and engage with your teachers about your progress and potential within a subject Consider which subjects you enjoy- which subjects motivate you and inspire you to work hard Discard any subjects that are a definite no Consider which subjects you are good at Consider how the course is examined- do you perform better in regular assessed coursework style elements or final examinations? Make choices that are yours- don’t follow your friends Think about any future goal you have- what subjects will help you get there (and ask if you are not sure) Don’t think certain subjects should be studied together. Choose the 3 that interest you most! All the GCSE courses on offer at Royal Russell are academically rigorous and equip students with the skills and knowledge to be successful in GCSE examinations. Any combination of option subjects complimented by the core curriculum of English, Maths, Science and a Modern Foreign Language provide an excellent foundation on which further studies in the Sixth Form can be taken. CO-CURRICULAR An important part of your learning journey takes place outside of your formal lessons and having the time to participate in school activities, societies and trips is a fundamental part of the experience at Royal Russell. There is a myriad of co-curricular opportunities on offer to compliment your academic study. Our standard offer of students completing 8, 9 or 10 GCSE qualifications provides adequate time for co-curricular enrichment activities and we strongly recommend participating to provide different experiences and to support your health and wellbeing. Advanced Culinary Skills
Fine Art Workshops
Model United Nations
Amnesty International
Exchange Programmes
School Magazine Reporting
CCF
Guest Speaker Programmes and Lectures
School Play
Chapel Responsibilities
LAMDA
School Sports Teams
Drama Performance and Set Design Linguistics Olympiad
Subject Specific Field Trips
GCSE EXAMINATIONS AND GRADING All GCSE courses are examined by some form of externally set final assessment taken during the Summer Public Examination season. This will run between May and June 2023 with GCSE results day taking place at the end of August 2023. GCSE and IGCSE examinations are assessed using the grades 9-1, with a grade 9 being the highest grade awarded. For some courses the final awarded grade is a combination of a coursework element and written examination in the subject sections to follow further information will be given regarding this. 5
