Year 9 Option Booklet 2015-2016 Making the right choices
8 CONTENTS 9 MAKING CHOICES FOR THE FUTURE 4 QUALIFICATIONS 5 10 12 16 18 20 11 13 17 19 CORE SUBJECTS 7 GCSE ENGLISH GCSE ENGLISH LITERATURE 8 GCSE MATHEMATICS GCSE STATISTICS 9 GCSE CORE SCIENCE GCSE ADDITIONAL SCIENCE 10 GCSE FRENCH 11 GCSE SPANISH 11 GCSE GEOGRAPHY 12 GCSE HISTORY 13 OPTION 1 15 FINE ART GCSE 16 BTEC LEVEL 2 FIRST CERTIFICATE IN BUSINESS 17 GCSE CATERING 18 BTEC LEVEL 2 FIRST CERTIFICATE IN INFORMATION AND CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY 19 BTEC FIRST LEVEL 2 FIRST AWARD IN PERFORMING ARTS 20 BTEC LEVEL 2 FIRST CERTIFICATE IN SPORT 21 21 APPLICATION PROCESS 22 Whitley Academy 3
Making Choices for the Future Over the next few weeks you will be making decisions which will begin to shape the rest of your education, and the early years of your working life. Making sure those decisions are the right ones is vitally important. In Key Stage 3, from Year 7 to Year 8, you all studied the same subjects. As you move into the next phase of your education in Year 9 and 10, there are still subjects which all students will study. We call these Core Subjects: Core Examination Subjects You now have the opportunity to one other course which we call an Option Subject. When you move into Year 10 you will be involved in choosing additional Option subjects. Ebaccalaureate Certificate Students who get a grade C or above in the following subjects English, Maths, Core and Additional Science, A language, History or Geography will be awarded an Ebaccalaureate Certificate. The culmination of core subjects and choices will ensure that your son/daughter will study the subjects included in the Ebaccalaureate Certificate. GCSE English/GCSE English Literature GCSE Mathematics/GCSE Statistics GCSE Core Science GCSE Additional Science GCSE French or Spanish GCSE History or Geography Non Examination Subjects Physical Education/Health and Fitness Creative Arts (Art, Textiles, ICT, Catering, Performing Arts and Sociology) 4 Whitley Academy
Qualifications Key Stage 4 Qualifications All students will have the opportunity to gain qualifications that have national recognition. They will be able to achieve the following: 1. The General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Grades - The GCSE has eight levels of achievement - A*, A, B, C, D, E, F and G. Coursework for most GCSEs there will be controlled coursework elements, these are completed under exam conditions. Pupils will be fully prepared prior to all controlled assessment and the dates of these will be published for parents information. 2. BTEC Courses All students taking a BTEC will study the BTEC First Award or Certificate equivalent to the GCSE. In each subject, students must complete all core units and several optional units which are teacher assessed through ongoing coursework which has to be completed at school and home. Each subject also has an external assessment assessed by the exam board Edexcel. The external assessment can range from a portfolio, an online test or an exam. Whitley Academy 5
Core Examination Subjects
Core Examination Subjects GCSE English GCSE English Literature GCSE Maths GCSE Statistics GCSE Core Science GCSE Additional Science GCSE French or Spanish GCSE History or Geography Other Subjects Health & Fitness Creative Arts (Art, Textiles, ICT, Catering, Performing Arts and Sociology) Whitley Academy 7
GCSE English and GCSE English Literature English is a Core subject and is taken by all students. Students will take English Language and English Literature (2 GCSEs). All students will take the same examinations in English Language and English Literature. Exam Board AQA English Language Paper 1 is an external examination exploring creative reading and writing. Paper 2 is an external examination exploring writer s viewpoints and perspectives. Students are also assessed on spoken language which is a separate endorsement and does not contribute to the overall English Language grade. English Literature Paper 1 is an external examination on Shakespeare and a nineteenth century novel. Paper 2 is another external examination on a modern text and poetry. Study is supported by online videos and DVDs and resources, some of them interactive, drawn from the internet and the examination board s own website. Many year 11 students have an opportunity to attend the annual Poetry Live event in Birmingham in which poets featured in the anthology, including the current Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy, read from and discuss their work. They also have opportunities to visit the theatre as part of their course. Further Information Contact: Mrs Secker in the English Department 8 Whitley Academy
GCSE Mathematics and GCSE Statistics Exam Board Edexcel What will I learn? To look for patterns and solve problems logically To use and apply mathematics To calculate accurately To manipulate algebra To work with shapes and measurement Are there any extra resources available to support my studies? The Maths department has invested heavily in providing additional online resources all accessed through the schools website portal. Revision Guides and scientific calculators can be bought at school. Extra coursework and revision classes will be staffed throughout Year 10 and Year 11. Further Information Contact: Mr Tibke or Mr Skelton in the Maths Department To handle data and analyse statistics How will I be assessed? Students will be examined by a written exam worth 100% of the final GCSE grade. This exam is taken at the end of Year 11. Linear Course 100% Examination Foundation Course: Grade C-G Higher Course: Grade A*-C Whitley Academy 9
GCSE Core and Additional Science At Key Stage 4, pupils follow the AQA Science Course. The top cohorts of pupils are entered for GCSE Science A in Year 10, followed by GCSE Additional Science in Year 11. What will I learn GCSE Science A Biology 1 Keeping healthy Nerves and hormones The use and abuse of drugs Interdependence and adaptation Energy and biomass in food chains Waste materials from plants and animals Genetic variation and its control Evolution Chemistry 1 Fundamental ideas Rocks and building materials Metals and their uses Crude oil and fuels Products from oil Plant oils Our changing planet Physics 1 Heat is transfer Efficient use of energy Electrical devices and their use The electromagnetic spectrum Emissions from radioactive substances How the universe continues to change. GCSE Additional Science Biology 2 Cells and simple cell transport Tissues, organs and organ systems Photosynthesis Organisms and their environment Proteins their functions and uses Aerobic and anaerobic respiration Cell division and inheritance Speciation Chemistry 2 Sub-atomic particles and the structure of substances 10 How structures influence the properties and uses of substances Controlling the rates of chemical reactions Chemical reactions and energy The uses of ions in solutions Physics 2 Describing the way things move Velocity and acceleration Momentum Static electricity and electrical currents Using mains electricity safely The decay of radioactive substances nuclear fission and nuclear fusion. How will I be assessed? The external assessment in GCSE Science A and GCSE Additional Science consists of two examinations; taken in the summer of year 10 and 11. Written paper 1½ hours 90 marks 35% Written paper 1½ hours 90 marks 40% Controlled assessment 2 written assessments plus one or two lessons for practical work and data processing 50 marks 25% By the end of Year 10, students will have completed the GCSE Science A and will be awarded a grade for this qualification. At the end of Year 11, students will have completed GCSE Additional Science and will be awarded a grade for this qualification. Further study These courses will equip students with skills to go out into the world of work as well as preparing them well for post 16 studies. Students who have successfully completed the qualification will be able to continue to A Level separate science or study Level 3 applied science. in the Science Department Further Information Contact: Mrs Akram in the Science Department Whitley Academy
GCSE French or Spanish Exam Board AQA Languages as a subject at GCSE is something which will allow you to develop other key skills and offer opportunities. If you did not have the chance of a modern foreign language you would be missing out on lots of exciting possibilities in the future! What will I learn about? Lifestyle Leisure Home & Environment Work & Education How will I be assessed? Unit 1 - Listening 20% of the course questions in English played twice and at slow intervals only 45 minutes long with reading time Unit 2 - Reading 20% of the course questions in English 45 minutes long this skill is the most accessible and you will want to take the higher paper as it is very straight forward Unit 3 Speaking 30% of the course conducted with your course teacher marked by your teacher 2 separate interactions lasting about 4-6 minutes each, and can be on topics you choose Unit 4 Writing 30% of course Completed in class with resources available as controlled assessment throughout the course Completed across the two years, just two pieces 250-300 words long in the foreign language Where can I find out more? http://maryglasgowplus.com www.aqa.org.uk www.thisislanguage.com - try the Demo Further information Contact: Mr Purslow in the Modern Foreign Languages Department Whitley Academy 11
GCSE Geography Exam Board AQA Specification A What will I learn? Physical Geography including Earthquakes, Volcanoes, Rivers, Coasts, Rocks and Weather/Climate. Human Geography including Population, Globalisation (industry around the world), Development and Tourism. Geographical skills related to photographs, Satellite Images and Map work. How will I be assessed? Coursework 25% based on a fieldwork excursion. The project will be word processed and produced during lesson time only in exam style conditions. The maximum number of words for the project is 2000 words Exam - 2 Exam Papers Unit 1 - Physical Geography - 37.5% 1 Hour 30 minutes Unit 2 - Human Geography - 37.5% 1 hour 30 minutes Are there any extra resources available to support my studies? There are many revision guides including online interactive revision resources (such as www.scool.co.uk) and the BBC Bitesize has covered the whole course using TV clips. Fieldtrips Day trip to Dovedale for Controlled Assessment Revision trip to North Wales Who should take GCSE Geography? Anybody who enjoys the subject or wants to work in a related career should take geography but it is a useful subject for anyone who is considering higher education as it develops a wide range of transferable skills which universities are looking for. Further Information In Year 9 students start by developing the key geographical skills they need for the rest of the course before moving on to the topics covered in the examinations. The course is offered at Foundation and Higher Level. The subject content is the same for each level of the exam. At foundation level the highest grade that can be gained is a grade C. The higher level paper goes from a D to A*. Contact: Mrs Burton in the Geography Department. 12 Whitley Academy
GCSE History Exam Board WJEC - Syllabus B What will I learn? Crime and Punishment 1500-2000 Germany 1918-1945 Sport, Leisure and Tourism from 1900- present Life on the Home Front Are there any extra resources available to support my studies? Variety of revision guides on Germany. Bitesize History Leeds SHP Website Learn History Schools History Further Information Contact: Miss Wright or Mr Butt in the History Department. How will I be assessed? Coursework 25% Controlled Assessment WWII Life on the Home Front Exam 75% Three examinations. I Crime and Punishment - 1400-1900 II Sport, Leisure and Tourism since 1900 III Year 11 - Germany 1918-1945 Coursework - America 1919 1941 Controlled assessments worth 25% in total All exams at the end of Year 11. Whitley Academy 13
KS4 Vocational Option Subjects
KS4 Vocational Option Subjects Option 1 Fine Art GCSE BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Business GCSE Catering BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Information and Creative Technology BTEC First Level 2 First Award in Performing Arts BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Sport Whitley Academy 15
GCSE Fine Art The AQA GCSE Art and Design Applied Art course is entirely practical in content, involving no written examination. Students will be assessed on a portfolio of course work containing at least two projects and one other project which is taken under exam conditions. During the course, students will be introduced to a variety of Fine Art media and processes. Both traditional and experimental techniques will be studied and applied to the coursework projects, for example: different types of printing, painting, clay work and photography. The focus of the course encourages research and development of ideas through a variety of creative processes, including drawing and experimentation with different media and processes. Students also need to research the subject from a historical, cultural and contemporary perspective using this research to inform and develop their ideas and outcomes. Work can develop and evolve in either two or three dimensions and there are opportunities to produce both small and larger scale pieces. There are also opportunities to work to areas and themes of personal interest as the course progresses. In the first year students are taught how to use a range of materials and build their skills ready to create their coursework portfolio in the final two years. Throughout year 10 and 11 students are encouraged to develop a personal style involving research and exploration of ideas and a processing of these ideas into resolved Fine Art pieces. GCSE Fine Art Course structure Unit 1: Personal Portfolio in Art and Design (60% of final mark) Internally set and marked; assessed. Unit 2: Externally set assignment (40% of final mark) 10 hour control conditions final piece. Externally set theme and internally marked. Both units are assessed using the four revised assessment objectives. These are summed up as: Develop, Review, Record and Present. After GCSE; Choosing Fine Art is a rewarding and challenging course for any student that wants to develop self confidence, creative thinking and practical skills for life. This course can lead to an A Level or BTEC level 3 and then an Art Foundation or BA (Hons) degree and many career possibilities in the creative industries. Possible careers that use your Fine Art skills include Animator, Games designer, Ceramics designer, Exhibition designer, Fashion designer, Fine artist, Furniture conservator/ restorer, Furniture designer, Glass blower/ designer, Graphic designer, Illustrator, Industrial/product designer, Interior and spatial designer, jewellery designer, Make-up artist, Museum/gallery conservator, Photographer, Printmaker, Production designer, theatre/ television/film, Textile designer teaching or lecturing. Further information Contact: Mrs Bradshaw in the Art Department. 16 Whitley Academy
BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Business Examination Board Edexcel BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Business: On completion, this course will give you two GCSE equivalents over the course of three years. Compulsory Units Enterprise in the Business World Finance for Business Principles of Marketing Specialist Units A selection of units covering different areas of Business practice. What will I learn? students in real-work places, photographs, notes from meetings, statements from employers etc. For the first time, there will also be an on-line test that covers Finance for Business and a case study released by the Examination Board to cover the Principles of Marketing. Are there any extra resources available to support my studies? Local Businesses, study texts, case studies, guest speakers and business trips. Further Information Contact: Mr Price in the Business Department. Plan for a business idea in your local area; Understanding how success is measured; Working in business teams and team leading; Personal selling, which helps learners to understand the personal selling process; Promoting a brand for a local business; Aspects of business on-line and how this can support business to develop opportunities. Aspects of Customer Service. How will I be assessed? You will undertake an investigation into a business and conduct coursework, the theory learnt will be applied to the business that you have chosen or one that you have been given to investigate. Units are assessed using a range of many different methods; these include projects, presentations, role-plays, observations of Whitley Academy 17
GCSE Catering Exam Board Welsh Board What will I learn about? Are there any extra resources available to support my studies? Resources available to support revision and coursework. The industry - food and drink Job roles, employment opportunities and relevant training. Health, safety and hygiene Food preparation, cooking and preparation Nutrition and menu planning Costing and portion control Specialist equipment Communication and record keeping Environmental considerations Further Information Contact: Mrs Devgun in the Catering Department. How will I be assessed? Coursework 60% 30% Year 10-15% Practical Assessment 15% Written Documentation 30% Year 11-15% Practical Assessment 15% Written Documentation You will prepare, cook and present a range of food products in exam conditions Exam 40% One written paper in Year 11. All questions are compulsory. 18 Whitley Academy
BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Information and Creative Technology Examination Board Edexcel What will I learn? The skills learnt in studying a BTEC First will aid progression to further study and prepare learners to enter the workplace in due course. Potential employment opportunities, such as an apprenticeship or a supervised role (depending on the specific job requirements) should be available in the Information Technology sector and appropriate parts of the creative industries, such as computer games development. This BTEC First qualification provides learners with a taste of what these sectors can offer, enabling them to make informed choices about their future career. How will I be assessed? Learners must sit: Unit 1 The Online World (Exam) Unit 3 A Digital Portfolio (Coursework) 11 Computer Networks 12 Software Development 13 Website Development The exam comprises 25% of the qualification. This takes the form of an online exam with a mixture of multiple choice questions, drag and drop and full written answers. You will be graded: Pass (Grade C Equivalent) Merit (Grade B Equivalent) Distinction (Grade A Equivalent) and Distinction * (Grade A* equivalent) Where can I find out more? Website: http://www.edexcel.com/quals/firsts2012/ information-and-creative-technology/pages/ default.aspx Further Information Contact: Mr N Patel or Miss Brown in the ICT and Computing Department And a choice of two optional units to be equivalent to one GCSE qualification: Optional units include: 4 Creating Digital Animation 5 Creating Digital Audio 6 Creating Digital Graphics 7 Creating Digital Video 8 Mobile Apps Development 9 Spreadsheet Development 10 Database Development Whitley Academy 19
BTEC First Level 2 First Award in Performing Arts Examination Board Edexcel What will I learn about? Performing Arts can prepare you for a variety of careers both within the creative arts industry as well as within other industries. This is because through Performing Arts, you will develop a variety of skills that are transferable to other areas such as confidence, leadership, delegation, working to deadlines and time management, team work, collaboration of ideas, problem solving and empathy for others. Further Information Further information is available on the Edexcel website: www.edexcel.org.uk Contact: Mrs Latue in Performing Arts How will I be assessed? The BTEC offers students the opportunity to achieve the equivalent of a GCSE. Students will complete a variety of units that focus on performance skills and preparing for a career in the Performing Arts. Assessment is a combination of practical and written work, however, the course focus is on practical skills. What careers can Performing Arts lead to? Actor, animator, arts administrator, broadcast engineer, journalist, choreographer, musician, costume designer, dancer, teacher, DJ, entertainer, lighting or sound technician, makeup artist, media researcher, music promotions manager, music therapist, photographic stylist, prop maker, radio broadcast assistant, screenwriter, set designer, stage manager, director, producer or TV presenter 20 Whitley Academy
BTEC Level 2 First Certificate in Sport The BTEC Sport course is predominantly coursework based but also feature an online assessment which is worth 25% of the final mark. Students will complete different assignments based on the work covered in lessons. What will I learn? Students will complete 4 x units over a two and a half year period. They learn about the anatomy and physiology of the body, the ways in which we train and the body adapts to training and how to lead training sessions. Successful completion of the course will be the equivalent of at least 1 x GCSE grade (A*-C). Core units Fitness for sport and exercise. Practical team sports. N.B. Students who choose the sport course need to have a keen and enthusiastic interest in different sporting activities. Ideally watching sports either live or on T.V. They should participate on sport outside of school or attend the extra curricular clubs inside school. Are there any extra resources available to support my studies? BBC Bitesize website BrainMac sports coach website Topend sports coach website BTEC Sport Study Skills Guide Edexcel Website Further Information Contact: Mr Billyeald in the PE Department. Optional The mind and sports performance. The sports performer in action. Training for personal fitness. Leading sports activities. Whitley Academy 21
Application Process Receive booklet on Thursday 12th February 2015 at the Options Evening - read through carefully with parents/carers highlight the subjects that you are interested in. Speak to staff about the courses, visit displays and talk to students currently on the course. Written confirmation will be given to you regarding your choices. A discussion may be needed if first choices are not available/suitable. Check confirmation, if there are any problems, contact Ms Ryan immediately. Consult teachers, Parents/Carers about possible choices - check that the course is suitable for you and your ability. Complete Options Application Form carefully. Hand in Options Application Form to Mrs Maule - Main Office, signed by your Parents/Carers - All forms must be in by Wednesday 25th February 2015. Make sure you have put your FULL NAME and TUTOR GROUP on the application form. Decisions will then be made in consultation with your teachers. 22 Whitley Academy