Year 8 Guided Choices Evening

May 2019

Mrs Hallum BarnardLeading Practitioner for Curriculum

Aims of the presentation

• To help you understand the current Key Stage 4 landscape

• To help you understand the Guided Choices process and pathways so that you can support your child

Educational Reform: 1st exams 2017

Some key changes are:• Vocational courses have been brought into line

with GCSEs• Raised expectation of the standard of GCSEs• Courses are linear• Exams only in the Summer – no re-sits at school• Extra marks for SPaG: Eng Lit, Ma, Gg, Hs, PEB• Grades are now numbers (9 – 1), instead of

letters (A*-G), with 9 being the highest

How A*-C grades roughly

translate to 9-1 grades

What has changed?

The goal postshave moved!

5 A*-C

5 A*-CEMProgress 8

Attainment 8

EBacc

Attainment 8

8 Subjects

English LitEnglish Lang

Maths(double weighted)

ScienceHistory

GeographyFrenchSpanish

Any other* GCSE /

Vocational / EBacc / English

2 3 3

*approved

Subject Grade

Geography 8

English Literature 7

Media 7

Science 6

Science 4

Maths 6

English Language 6

PEB 6

Art 2

An example:

English Literature

Maths

Geography

Science

Science

Media

English Language

PEB

B1

B2

B3

7x2 = 14

6x2 = 12

8

6

4

26

18

7

6

6

19

26 18 19 63Attainment 8

Attainment 8 grade 63/10 6.3

+ + =

=

Progress 8

Individual Progress 8• Every pupil will have an individual Progress 8 score. • The difference between an individual pupil’s Attainment 8

score and the national average Attainment 8 score for pupils in the same prior attainment group (based on KS2 results).

• If David, for example, achieved an Attainment 8 grade of 5.6 and the average Attainment 8 grade for his prior attainment group was 5.5 - his Progress 8 score would be +0.1.

• Negative impact of dropping a subject or changing mid-year

Key Stage 4 Curriculum Time at BHCS

1 2 3 4 5

6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15

16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25

26 27 28 29 30

English (2)

Maths

Science (2 or

3 with GC block)

PE

GC1 GC2 GC3

Average9 GCSEs

Geog/History

Guided Choices Pathways at BHCS

• Each pathway is a group of subjects that we suggest your child studies

• In each pathway there are:• some ‘core’, compulsory subjects• some specialism subjects your child

can choose

Pathways

• We will recommend that your child follows one of 3 pathways:• Ebacc Pathway• Open Options Pathway• Access Pathway

• Based on:• Current progress grades• Attitude to learning grades• Key stage 2 data• Our knowledge of your child

The Ebacc Pathway

• English language and literature• Maths• Science (combined or triple)• History and/or Geography• French and/or Spanish• TWO further specialism subjects

What is the English Baccalaureate?

• The English Baccalaureate (Ebacc) is a performance measure for schools, not a qualification

• The Ebacc is a set of subjects at GCSE that keeps young people’s options open for further study and future careers.

• Sutton Trust research reveals that studying the EBacc can help improve a young person’s performance in Englishand maths.

The Open Options Pathway

• Removes the requirement for students to study a Modern Foreign Language

• English language and literature• Maths• Science (combined or triple)• History and/or Geography• THREE further specialism subjects

The Access Pathway

• Tailored pathway to provide support and meet students’ needs• English language and literature• Maths• Science • History or Geography• ONE further specialism subject• Curriculum Access (2 option blocks)

• Year 9: English / Maths / Achieve Award• Year 10: Vocational qualification

Specialism subjects

• Your child will choose one subject from each column

• Your child will also choose a reserve subject from any column

W X Y Z

Geography

History

French

Food Preparation and

Nutrition

Fine Art

Drama

Media Studies

Geography

History

Dance

GCSE PE

PEB

Business

Curriculum Access*

French

Spanish

Music

Information Technologies

Business

Design and Technology

GEOGRAPHY (newly

added as of 25.4.19)

Triple Science*

Geography

History

GCSE PE

Art Textiles

Food Preparation

and Nutrition

Curriculum Access*

Triple Science

• Separate letter of recommendation (as well as pathways letter)• Excellent progress • Resilience and aptitude • Considering Science at A level

• This would take up one of your child’s specialism subject choices

Choosing specialism subjects

Discourage your child from choosing specialism subjects because:

• Their friends have chosen it• They think it will be easy• They think it’s a good option for a boy/girl• Someone else thinks that it’s a good idea • They like the teacher they have now

• They are influenced by your likes and dislikes of particular subjects

Choosing specialism subjects

Encourage your child to…• Think about which subjects they are good at, as this may lead to their best final results in Year 11• Consider taking the subjects that interest them the most, as they will study them for up to 3 years• Find out which subjects may help them with their future career (BCoT and QMC stands here tonight)

What’s next?

• Individual appointments• To discuss and confirm the subjects to be

studied from Year 9

• Discussion of recommended pathway and the content/suitability of potential courses

• Guided Choices form will be completed

Thank you!

• Please do use the evening as an opportunity to speak to relevant teachers about guided choices

• Please do come and see me if you have any further questions.