Our links and online booklet have now gone live.

It's great how you make the children feel so central to the process, and in charge of their own destinies. Quite a few of our friends have older children at different schools, and I was braced for a much more stressful, angst-ridden process.                                                                                    Year 9 Parent

Key Dates 2023-24

• Wednesday 24^th January -Careers and progression fair
• Thursday 8th Feb 2024 - Year 9 Guided Choices Assembly​
• Thursday 8th Feb 2024 - Year 9 Guided Choices Evening (please note this is a face to face event that is on site)​
• Tuesday 27th February - Year 9 performance data published​
• Thursday 6th March 2024 - Extended Tutor Time for all including- Year 9 Guided Choices discussions with tutors​
• Thursday 7th March 2024 - Year 9 Online Subject Consultation Evening​
• Friday 8th March 2024 - Year 9 Guided Choices Form submission deadline​
• Friday 15th March 2024 - Extended Tutor Time Year 9 only - Final Guided Choices Checks with Form Tutor​​
• Tuesday 21st May 2024 - Written confirmation of Guided Choices sent home

The process of choosing subjects for Key Stage 4 begins in the February of Year 9.  At this time there is an assembly for Year 9 students and an information evening on site for students and parents/carers.  These serve to explain the process and to signpost the Guided Choices booklet which contains details of the courses on offer, the different pathways and the relevant online forms for completion. This gives students and families the chance to talk face to face to Subject Leaders

In the weeks after these information sessions there is the annual Year 9 Subject Consultation Evening which, in addition to being a conventional 'parents' evening', also provides an opportunity to talk to individual subject teachers about the courses on offer and the suitability of students to those courses. We also have our annual Careers and Development Fair specifically timed to coincide with the Guided Choice process.

The Guided Choice process concludes in April/May (Term 5) when all the choices are processed in order that as many students as possible are awarded their first choices.  Inevitably there will be a handful of students whose option combinations do not fit easily and these students are spoken with as soon as possible after the deadline.

Once all students are placed in subjects, the timetabling process begins for the following academic year.  It then becomes difficult to change guided choices.  However, if a request to change is brought to our attention we will do our best to facilitate this.  Any such request should be made in writing and counter-signed by the Subject Leaders involved in the change.

Key Staff Members:

• MATTHEW FISHER - Deputy Head of School - Curriculum Lead. Mr Fisher will oversee the process in liaison with Subject Leaders, Head of Year 9 and Year 9 tutors.

• MICHAEL RAFFERTY (Careers lead) organises the Careers and Development Fair and provides/ organises advice on careers as appropriate.

The current Guided Choice guidance for the current Year 9 cohort is as follows:

Core Curriculum
All students will follow a common core curriculum in English, Maths and Sciences and non-exam courses in Physical Education, and Life in Modern Britain. All students will be entered for English Literature and students demonstrating the appropriate knowledge in Maths lessons, will be entered for Further Maths.

Guided Choices
In the context of this broadly-based curriculum students only need to exercise choice in specific areas.  That choice should reflect a blend of interest, aptitude, experience, enjoyment and future career interest.