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Thomas Clarkson Academy

Year 9 Options

 

Year 9 is a very important year in a student’s educational journey as it is the year they choose their GCSE options ready for Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11). It will help them open doors and create opportunities to study subjects that they are truly passionate about and will provide a stepping stone for college, sixth form, apprenticeships and beyond. The choices on offer to students is broad, balanced and is designed to bring the very best out of every student.

With this in mind, please see below an overview of the Year 9 options process and timeline of events. Each stage requires involvement from either your son/daughter, yourselves as parents/carers, or both as a family.

Frequently asked questions
 
What is the difference between the EBACC and Open Pathway?   
  • To complete the full EBacc suite of qualifications, students must choose:  
    History GCSE OR Geography GCSE  
    AND French, Polish or Russian GCSE  
    Plus TWO additional subjects chosen from the extensive guided options list. 
  • Students opting for the Open pathway must choose ONE of the following subjects:  
    History GCSE 
    Geography GCSE 
    Computer Science GCSE 
    Triple Science GCSE (replacing Combined Science)  
    French, Polish or Russian 
    Plus THREE additional subjects chosen from the extensive guided options list. 
  
Can my child choose 2D Art and 3D Art as option choices?    

We do not recommend any student studies both 2D and 3D art. There is a cross over in each subject and studying both would not fulfil the requirement of a broad and balanced suite of qualifications. 

You must take either 2D art or 3D art, you cannot do both as part of your options. However GCSE Photography CAN be taken with one other art-based GCSE. 

  
Are all of the subjects examined at the end of the course?   

We offer a variety of subjects which have non-examined assessment (NEA) components, as well as examinations. These kind of courses suit students who are worried about having to learn and retain a large amount of content, or who are worried about terminal exams. We would recommend the following subjects to any students who would rather this coursework/exam mix: Art (2D, 3D, Textiles), Sport, Enterprise and Marketing, Music, Construction, Photography, Film, Childcare, Health & Social Care, Hospitality and Catering, DT. There are also subjects like Dance and Drama, which have practical examination which is done prior to the main exam season. 

  
I don't know what I want to do in the future, so how can I choose my subjects?   

At this stage, it is important whether you know what you want to do in the future or not, to choose subjects you are interested in. You are more likely to be successful in subjects you enjoy, and the higher your GCSE grades, the more 'open doors' you will have to choose from at Post 16. The other thing to keep in mind is that you may change your mind about your career choice over the next couple of years. This is another reason why it is important to choose subjects you enjoy and focus on doing your best throughout Key Stage 4, so that you are not limited with choice at the end of Year 11.