Year Eight Options 2021
Year Eight students need to choose their first options before starting the Year Nine curriculum in September 2021.
Please watch this short presentation on our Year Eight options process by Dennis O’Sullivan (Headteacher).
At Chauncy, we offer an exciting and inspiring curriculum. By regularly reviewing our curriculum, we ensure that it continues to meet the needs of students and prepares them well for the future.
As such, from Year Nine, you will have more choice about which subjects you will study. You will make some choices now, ready for the start of Year Nine and some later ready for the start of Year Ten.
In Year Nine all students will study a core curriculum of English, Maths, Science, Geography, History, Art and Design, and Core PE. In addition, you will follow a carousel of lessons in ICT, Enterprise, Media, Psychology \ Health and Social Care and Citizenship to introduce you to some of the new subjects available at Key Stage 4.
You will then be able to choose two more subjects from the following option blocks:
| Option A | Option B |
| French | Drama |
| Spanish | Engineering TA (Technical Award) |
| Engineering TA (Technical Award) | Music |
| Music | Photography |
| Physical Education | Physical Education |
| Photography | RE, Philosophy & Ethics |
| RE, Philosophy and Ethics |
In order to achieve the new English Baccalaureate, you would need to study for GCSEs in English Language, Maths, Science, a humanity subject (History or Geography) and a modern foreign language. Whilst we would encourage you to choose a modern foreign language, the EBacc is not compulsory and you may choose a different subject from Option A.
You should spend time thinking and talking to your teachers and family about which subjects are the best choices for you. Students can talk to their teachers by e-mail and their addresses can be found here: https://chauncyschool.com/contacts/
Choose subjects that you enjoy, believe you can succeed in, and think about whether a subject is important for your future.
GCSEs are assessed primarily through final examination and grades are awarded on a 9 to 1 scale. This short video explains the GCSE grading system:
Technical Awards take a more practical approach and are assessed through coursework and / or controlled assessments alongside the external exam component. Technical Awards equate to GCSE grades as follows:
Level 2
- Distinction* 8.5
- Distinction 7
- Merit 5.5
- Pass 4
Level 1
- Distinction 3
- Merit 2
- Pass 1.25
The table shows the Year 9 curriculum, with the number of hours per fortnight spent studying each subject:
| English | Maths | Science | Geography | History | Art & Design | PE | Taster Carousel | Option A | Option B |
| 8 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 |
As you move into Year Ten, you will have the opportunity to make further choices about what you would like to study.
You will continue to study the subjects that you chose in Year Ten alongside the core curriculum of English, Maths, Science and PE. You will then make two more choices from the following option blocks, one of which must be Geography or History:
| Option C | Option D |
| Geography | Geography |
| History | History |
| Art | |
| Enterprise TA (Technical Award) | |
| Health & Social Care TA (Technical Award) | |
| Media | |
| Psychology |
The Year Ten curriculum is summarised below, with the number of hours per fortnight spent studying each subject:
| English | Maths | Science | PE | PSHE | Option A | Option B | Option C | Option D |
| 8 | 8 | 10 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
Please click on the link below to open our online options form: