Options Process Letter
In September 2026, your child will start their new GCSE courses which they will see through until their public exams at the end of Year 11.
In September 2026, your child will start their new GCSE courses which they will see through until their public exams at the end of Year 11. We offer a wide range of courses, both academic and vocational, ensuring that students can build on the breadth of our curriculum offer at Key Stage 3. This is an exciting and very important stage in school life, and we will provide advice and guidance throughout the process to make sure that students choose subjects which enable them to progress to Sixth Form and beyond.
The recent findings of the government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review outline a vision for a revitalised arts curriculum giving equal status to creative subjects. The changes are very much welcomed by our school, where we have always valued the arts as equal and our commitment to offer a range of qualifications which inspire students and speak to their strengths. We should rightly be proud that our offer reflects the planned changes as part of the government’s bid to have a “World Leading Curriculum”.
Alongside the Core Curriculum, students will choose an additional four subjects, two of which must come from categories A, B and C in the green box below. It is compulsory for students to choose a subject from two different categories, e.g. A & B, A & C or B & C. For example, Geography (A) and Textiles (B), Music (B) and French (C) or Drama (B) and Spanish (C). Students will then have a free choice of any two further subjects from the yellow box.
A guidance booklet and subject information will be published via the school website. You can also find Key Stage 4 curriculum information here. The options information evening, taking place in school on Wednesday 25th February from 5pm to 6.30pm, will provide an opportunity to meet representatives from each of our options subjects in the theatre, and also attend a 30-minute presentation by the Deputy Headteacher. Please use this link to book at place at one of the Deputy Headteacher’s presentations which will take place in the library at 5pm, 5.30pm and 6pm.
The options process has been designed to ensure that students have access to a wide range of subject combinations. We always aim to give first choices but cannot guarantee this.
You can find all the latest options information here.
We look forward to seeing you at both our options information and parents’ evenings.
Yours faithfully,
Lucy Bryant
Deputy Headteacher responsible for curriculum