SACRED HEART CATHOLIC COLLEGE

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SACRED HEART CATHOLIC COLLEGE YEAR 9 OPTIONS 2007
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OPTIONS FOR KEY STAGE 4
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Some reasons NOT choose a subject!

• You like the teacher (or dont!)
• Your mates are doing it
• You think it will be easy (It wont!)
• It sounds glamorous
• You know nothing about it so it must be good!

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Some reasons to choose a subject!

• You like it
• You are good at it
• It will help your career choice
• It will keep your options open
• It will support other subjects
• It is good for a strong, balanced certificate
• It will help you to get good grades

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CHOOSING YOUR PATHWAY

• Traditional or academic GCSES
• Vocational or applied qualifications
• A mix of the two pathways

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You should choose the traditional GCSE pathway

• if you are likely to get good grades in
  traditional courses
• if you hope to do traditional A-level courses
• if you hope to do a traditional degree course
• if you cope well with exams

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You should choose mainly vocational or applied
subjects

• if you work better at coursework than exams
• if you prefer a practical, work-based approach
• if you know which career area you want to follow
• if you are not likely to get high grades in
  traditional GCSEs with exams

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You should choose a mix of the two approaches

• if you want to keep your options open
• if you are not certain of your future career
  pathway
• if you would like some applied or vocational
  work but also some traditional courses

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SCIENCES

• In the core, EVERYONE will take a qualification
  which gives TWO GCSEs.
• It covers Physics, Chemistry and Biology.
• This is right for you if
• you prefer other subjects
• you are not particularly strong in Science
• you do not wish to follow a specialised
  science-based career

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THREE GCSES IN SCIENCE

• You may use up one of your options to take this,
• if you are particularly strong in Science.
• if you are also strong in Maths.
• if you may want to take Physics, Chemistry or
  Biology to A-level.
• if you want a specialised science-based career.

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The core ICT course can stand on its own as

• a short course GCSE (half a GCSE) OR
• ECDL (industry-recognised qualification) OR
• ECDL equivalent of GCSE grade B (all 8 units)
• OR
• be made up to a full GCSE with an after-school
  lesson
• be made up to an OCR National using option(s)

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OCR National in ICT

• You can use ONE option to take a vocational
  qualification
• equivalent to two GCSEs
• You can use TWO options to take a vocational
  qualification
• equivalent to four GCSEs

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Most of you should take one modern language,

• if you are reasonably strong in languages
• as a support for other subjects like History,
  Geography, Law
• as a support in teaching or business
• for a career in travel, tourism, the leisure
  industry etc.
• for balance in your GCSE certificate

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You should consider taking two modern languages,

• if you are strong in languages
• if you want a high-powered job in business,
  tourism
• if you want to teach languages
• if you simply enjoy travelling and talking!
• if you may wish to take a language at A-level

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SACRED HEART CATHOLIC COLLEGE YEAR9 OPTIONS 2007
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Student A - Enjoys ICT and is talented in the
Performing Arts
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Student B Very Able student hoping to study
Medicine or languages at University
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Student C Practical student completes
coursework and projects well also enjoys PE