Choosing your options is the start of your career journey
Choosing your options
You will get to choose what subjects you wish to study at school in Key Stage 4 (Years 10 and 11). Some schools start this process in Year 8 and some in Year 9. All young people must study GCSE English (Language & Literature), maths, science (double or triple) and core PE plus you can choose optional subjects e.g. languages, history, geography, media, art, technology and sport.
Check out different subjects at https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/levels/z98jmp3
English Baccalaureate
(pre-apprenticeships)
You may be encouraged to choose subjects which help you achieve the EBacc. It isn’t a qualification, but demonstrates you have all around academic ability. It is achieved if you get good grades in the following GCSEs:
- – English language and literature
- – Mathematics
- – a language
- – history or geography
- – combined science or three single sciences (from biology, chemistry, physics and computer science)
Academic/Vocational Subjects
Your school will offer you a choice of academic and vocational subjects. GCSEs are academic and assessed entirely by exams (history, RE, French etc). Diploma courses are vocational (they prepare you to work in an occupational area) and will combine coursework and a few exams (Sport, ICT, Childcare etc).
How to choose
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>Choose subjects you get good grades in
>Choose a balanced set of subjects to keep a range of future careers open
>Don’t pick subjects only because your
friends are doing them, or because you
like the teacher
>Don’t feel you have to make these
decisions yourself – ask parents/carers,
friends, family, teachers, Careers Adviser.
Career Research
Find out more about the careers you have an interest in and look ahead to see what GCSE subjects will help with that career or are needed to get onto a relevant degree course. Visit these websites for some help and inspiration.
Employability Skills
These are skills which employers want you to have when you start working, so it
is never too early to start developing them ready for when you apply for jobs. Try
to get involved in extra-curricular activities inside and outside of school, e.g. DoE
Awards, volunteering, charity work, debate clubs, team sports etc. This would
help you develop skills in communication, being a team member, problem
solving, negotiating, organising, working under pressure and valuing diversity
and difference.
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