Year 8 Options

Phone: 01296 651382Email: office@waddesdonschool.com

Take the Next Step

At Waddesdon Church of England School we are fully committed to the educational programme on offer for our students and believe that all children can make the right decisions through careful consultation. Key Stage 4 is an important time in any child’s education as it lays foundations for Key Stage 5, university, lifelong learning and the world of work.

At Key Stage students are given 4 choices of subjects to study alongside the core subjects; English, Maths, Science and RS. These subjects ensure that students maintain breadth of study and access a mix of humanities, languages, creative subjects and more.

But it is important to remember that nobody makes this decision alone. Heads of Year, Form Tutors and Class Teachers work closely with students and welcome the support from parents/carers.

The Key Stage 4 Options Booklet provides details on each of the subjects available and advice on how to make this next step.

KS4 Options Booklet

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I base my subject choices on?

When considering the different options available, it is important to think about maintaining a broad and balanced education into Key Stage 4 and beyond. You should also think about your post-16 learning, higher education and career aspirations. For example, some subjects can only be studied at A Level if you have taken them for GCSE.

Your personal abilities and interests should also be considered, and your most recent Year 8 report will help with this.

Why do I have to study a Humanity or Language?

The main reason for this is to support the breadth of your education at GCSE. By continuing at least one of these subjects you are continuing to expand your ‘cultural capital’ (knowledge and understanding of the world) and your access to higher education and strong career prospects.

There is also a Government requirement for students to study at least one Humanity or Language subjects in the progress measures used by the Department for Education.

How are the final choices decided?

Since we do not ask students to pick from prescribed pathways or option blocks, it is only once the choices have all been submitted that we sort the choices into groups for timetabling purposes.

We ask students to choose 6 subjects that the want to study as this gives us the best chance of successfully allocating 4 options to all students. This is done using the order of preference that students have selected their choices and the best-fit approach to meet the needs of as many students as possible.

Occasionally, there are some students who need to choose another option. This is done in consultation with them and parents/carers, in order to find the best option to suit their interests and skills.

Please be aware that we will not run a course if too few students opt for it.

As a student, where can I get additional advice and help?

If you are looking for additional help, then there are many people who can listen to you and advise you. Speak to your parents and your teachers first. Then consider talking to the subject leader for the subjects that you would like to know more about. Don’t forget that students from older year groups can often give you good advice and have been in your situation most recently.

Our in-school Careers Advisor, Miss Bridges, will be able to talk to you as well as helping you to gather more information through contacts with external support agencies.