This is a very important time in your child’s education. The courses they choose now will map out the route that they are likely to follow post-16 and beyond. Their future destinations; whether in work, training, vocation, further or higher education, will depend on the results they achieve over the next two years.

Our curriculum is designed to allow greater choice for all students. It is important for you, as parents, to understand the choices available and what they mean for your child. Keeping the dialogue open between school and home is vital as this is a time that many students find stressful.

We will support your child by:

• Providing students with information about all options subjects
• Helping students to understand the requirements for their career choices through careers education and guidance
• Providing parents and carers with accessible information and opportunities for online or face-to-face guidance so that they are able to effectively support students in the options process

We will guide students towards:

• Subjects they are good at
• Subjects they enjoy
• Subjects that will stretch and challenge them
• A balanced range of subjects
• Subjects that are linked to individual progression plans Post 16 and beyond

We will make every effort to accommodate your child’s preferences. Courses can only run if sufficient numbers choose them and some timetabled options may be incompatible because they are taught at the same time. We always ensure clashes of subjects are kept to a minimum. If there is a difficulty, we will discuss the best solutions with your child at the centre of any decisions made.

We are very proud of the curriculum we have at Le Rocquier School as it represents real choice and opportunity for students of all abilities, caters for their interests and better meets the needs of employers and higher education. We try to create a bespoke curriculum for all students, allowing them to choose a combination of options that best suits their future needs. Students will be given options guidance and careers advice from a senior member of staff before the final choices are made.

Key Dates:

December:

- Students are surveyed to see which subjects they may be keen in pursuing.

January to February

- Students are given an overview of the options process in assemblies and form time

- All subjects are given an opportunity to present the content of their subjects in assembly

- An options booklet is given to each student which contains detailed information on each subject

- Students will be given the opportunity to experience a lesson in the subjects that are not taught in Key Stage 3. This is intended to support their decision and experience what it would be like to study this course

-  Options Evening held on Wednesday 7^th February at le Rocquier School – giving parents and students a chance to speak directly to teachers about potential GCSE option choices

-  Students are asked to complete their ‘preferences sheet’ which will indicate their first four options choices and two reserves. These will be used to determine the options blocks to provide the greatest number of students their first four choices.

- Y9 Parents Evening on Wednesday 21^st February at Le Rocquier School

 

March to April        

-  All students in Year 9 will have the opportunity to meet with a member of the Careers team, subject teachers or Skills Jersey to discuss their top four option choices

- Complete options form by Friday 15^th March and return to form tutor

- If there are any concerns, students will be interviewed individually about their choices by a member of the senior staff or careers staff

- Option groups agreed

- Staffing agreed

 

May to July         

- Students and parents informed of final options allocations

- 1^st July to 19^th July: Students will start their Year 10 timetable for the last three weeks of the summer term to ensure they have made the right choices

 

Advice:

The options process can be daunting for students who aren’t sure what they want to do in the future. Students can seek advice from any of the following members of staff:

* Your child’s form tutor                              * Mr Webster (Head of Year)

* Mrs Lappin (Head of Careers)                 * Mr Adkin (Headteacher)

* Mr Lodge (Careers Teacher)                    * Mrs Baglin (Senior Teacher)

* Mr Russell (Careers Teacher)                  * Mrs Shipton-Taylor (Senior Teacher)

* Mrs McCarthy  (Senior Teacher)            * Mrs Stier (Senior Teacher)

* Mrs Sutherland (Senior Teacher)