Year 9 Options
At The Hyndburn Academy, we aim to bring out the best in everyone and our option process reflects this. All choices are guided. This means that we will consider how your child has performed in assessments and gather information from their teachers to support them to make the choices that are best for them.
It should be stressed that the selection of a subject is not an automatic guarantee that your child will study that subject in Years 10 and 11. Instead, it should be seen as an expression of interest. We will try to ensure that all students are able to study the subjects where they have expressed an interest, however, if a student is not suited to a subject, or type of learning, we may advise against the selection.
While we envisage that all the courses in this booklet will run, there are things beyond our control. For example, if too few students choose a course, then it might not be possible for it to go ahead. It is for this reason that we ask students to make ‘reserve choices’ in addition to their ‘preferred choices’, with the understanding that your child may be allocated one or more of their ‘reserve choices’.
The Key Stage 4 curriculum – ‘The Core Curriculum’ and ‘Pathways’
It is a national expectation that all students study English Literature, English Language, Mathematics and Science to Key Stage Four. Your child will sit GCSE examinations at the end of Year 11 in these subjects.
Students will also continue to receive relationship, sex and health education and religious education. They will also partake in Physical Education (Core PE), however, there are no examinations in these subjects.
These subjects together make up our ‘Core curriculum’. The remained of your child’s timetable will be made up of their option subjects.
We have two pathways that students can be allocated for their options: EBacc or Open. Your child’s pathway will be on the letter that you receive as part of the Options Information Evening. For some students for whom a different pathway would be more suitable, Mr Searle will contact you to support their choices.
Pathway 1: EBacc
If your child has been identified for the EBacc pathway, they will have the ability and attitude to be very successful within an academic suite of qualifications. The EBacc is highly valued by universities. Students will choose either GCSE History or GCSE Geography and GCSE Spanish, followed by two other subjects from the other option subjects.
Pathway 2: Open
Students will choose either GCSE History or GCSE Geography and then choose three subjects from the other option subjects. Students on the Open pathway may still choose GCSE Spanish if they have a particular interest in the subject.
Eligibility criteria
There are some subjects that have eligibility criteria.
Students wishing to study Computer Science should be in top set Maths. This choice will also require approval from Mrs Barker-Rourke.
Students wishing to study Performing Arts must be approved by Ms Allcott.