Course Choices…

…making sense of it all

Options S4 and beyond

• The Options Process is the process by which students choose subjects that they wish to take further in senior school.

• Mock Options Assembly 2 - Friday 21st January

• Mock Options Assembly 1 – Friday 7th January

The Options Process

• Mock Options Forms returned – Friday 14th January

BERWICKSHIRE HIGH SCHOOL

FIFTH & SIXTH YEAR COURSE RECOMMENDATIONS

Name: Form: Guidance Teacher: Teachers have given recommended levels for all relevant courses below. (NR – Not Recommended)

Subject Recommendation Subject Recommendation Subject Recommendation

Languages & Literacy Social Studies Sciences

English (Int 1/ Int 2/ H/ AH) Geography

(Int 1/ Int 2/ H/ AH) Biology (Int 2/ H/ AH)

French (Int2, H, AH) History

(Int 2/ H/ AH) Human Biology (H)

Spanish (H,AH) Modern Studies (H) Chemistry (Int 2/ H/ AH)

German (H) Physics (H/ AH)

Health & Well Being Technologies

Health & Food Technology (Int 2/ H) Physical Education

(Int 2/ H) Computing (Int 2/ H)

Home Economics: Fashion & Textile Technology (Int 1)

Sports Studies (Int 2 Unit) Business Management

(Int 2/ H/ AH)

Survival Cookery/ Sports Studies Graphic Communication

(Int 2/ H/ AH)

Mathematics & Numeracy Expressive Arts ECDL

Maths (Int 1/ Int 2/ H/ AH) Music (Int 2/ H/ AH) Other Courses Offered

Art (Int 2/ H) Psychology (H) * (We anticipate this being taught part scholar/ part teacher input)

Abbreviated Courses: Int 1 – Intermediate 1, Int 2 – Intermediate 2, H – Higher, AH – Advanced Higher

Senior Curriculum Plan 2010-2011 V6

1 (5 periods)

2 (5 periods)

3 (5 periods)

4 (5 periods)

5 (5 periods)

ADVANCED HIGHER

Chemistry (1) BM (1)

French (1) History (1 ) Maths (1)

Geography (1) Music* (1)

English (1) Physics (1)

Graphic Comm. *(1) Biology

HIGHER

English (3) 6 periods

Maths (2) BM (1) Music* (1)

Physics (1) Human Biology (1) Spanish* (1) Computing (1) Psychology (1) Music* (1) Geography (1) Art*(1)

Art*(1) Biology (1) Geography (1) Health & Food * (1) Modern Studies(1)

Chemistry (1) History (1) B.M.* (1) Graphic Comm. * (1) PE* (1) French* (1) Biology (1)

INT 2

English (2) English (1)*

Maths (2) Music* (1) Woodwork (1) Construction (1)

Computing (1) Art* Spanish* (1)

Art* Geography* (1) Biology (1) Health & Food *

B.M. *(1) Chemistry (1) History PE* (1) French*

INT 1

English * Sports Studies/ Survival Cookery (3/ 2)

Maths (1) PE (1)

Sports Studies (1)

Geography*

ECDL (1)

* Multi-level classes

Column 6 All Fifth and Sixth Year students will be allocated one period per week with their Guidance Teacher and all Fifth Year students will have one period per week for the Working With Others Core Skill (WWO).

The Options Process continued

February

• “Options Beyond 16” booklet issued to students at Options Launch Assembly.

• Course Options application forms submitted one week after Options launch on 18th March.• Guidance staff with the support of Depute Rector allocate students to courses.

• Each student will receive a recommendation for each subject by 11th March.

• Recommendations are when staff assign a particular level of course, for example Higher or Intermediate 2 to each student based on prior attainment.

• are set by the Scottish Qualifications Authority about the minimum prior qualifications to achieve entry onto a course.

Entry requirements…

Recommendations

Entry Requirements

Higher - To gain entry a student needs to have achieved

• Credit 1 or 2 pass at Standard Grade or

• A or B pass at Intermediate 2

Intermediate 2 – To gain entry a student needs to have achieved

• General 3 or 4 preferably 3 at Standard Grade

• A or B pass at Intermediate 1

Intermediate 1 – To gain entry a student needs to have achieved

• General 4 or 5 at Standard Grade

• Pass at Access 3 level

Health Warning!

• Places on courses are limited.

• There is strong competition to get onto courses. • Performance in S4 is vital!

Options Criteria

• All students who have a subject recommendation from their class teacher, who are already in class by June and who have met the course entry requirements are first to receive confirmation of their place.

• Students who do not meet entry requirements but are waiting on an appeal, based on strong evidence, must be considered a place. If an appeal fails then a contract outlining short term targets would apply.

• Students who do not meet entry requirements can only access a course if there is space and Principal Teachers agree and a contract outlining short term targets is signed.

• Criteria 2 above can only be applied if the student needs a subject because of a realistic career aspiration or to gain access to a specific university course.

Case Study – Accessing Higher Physics

•Janet wants to get onto the course because she loves Physics.

• Bill needs Physics to get onto his Engineering course at university.

• David, Jack and Melissa claim they need Physics to go on to study medicine. David and Jack’s parents threaten to get a lawyer if they do not get onto the course.

• Johnny and Sarah come from a poor background and could, potentially, be the first people in their families to go to university.

Considering each person from the case study on the previous slide look at the results above, including the SQA estimates and identify the students who would not be able to access Higher Physics and give reasons for your decision. Don’t forget the maximum number for a practical class is 20. Best of luck!