Welcome to the Year 8 Curriculum Choices Evening 2018
Introduction by Mrs C Smith Associate Principal
Format of the evening • Curriculum overview. • Geography, History and Science courses. • Information about how to make curriculum choices using our online programme. • Each option subject has formal presentation times.
Curriculum Model English Baccalaureate Route 1 English Baccalaureate Route 2 (with Science Trilogy) (with Separate Sciences) GCSE English - Literature and Language 2 GCSE English - Literature and Language 2 GCSE Mathematics 1 GCSE Mathematics 1 GCSE Science Trilogy 2 GCSE Separate Sciences 3 GCSE Geography OR GCSE History 1 GCSE Geography OR GCSE History 1 GCSE MFL - German, French or Spanish 1 GCSE MFL - German, French or Spanish 1 Ethical Studies - Core Ethical Studies - Core PE - Core PE - Core PSHE - Core PSHE - Core GCSE Option A 1 GCSE Option A 1 GCSE Option B 1 GCSE Option B 1 GCSE Option C 1 TOTAL GCSES 10 TOTAL GCSES 10
Curriculum • All subjects will be three year GCSE courses with examinations taken at the end of Year 11. • All GCSE subjects will have been reformed and the students will leave with 1-9 grades.
Queries How many qualifications will students achieve? • EBacc pathway with Science Trilogy – 10 qualifications. • EBacc pathway with Separate Sciences – 10 qualifications. The focus is increasingly on quality GCSE grades rather than quantity !
Queries Should we discourage our child from taking the more ‘creative/practical’ subjects as options? • No - the curriculum has been set up so that students will have all of the qualifications they require to go on to future study. • Taking more practical/creative subjects will not hinder them in the future. • They are options – it should be a free choice.
Queries Will students have the opportunity to take more options? • No - the options that students select will be the subjects they will be studying until the end of Year 11.
Queries What is the EBacc? • The EBacc is the English Baccalaureate qualification. It is made up of GCSEs in: English Maths Geography/History Science MFL
Timeline Date Action Monday 15 th January 2018 Year 8 Assembly. 15 th – 26 th January 2018 GCSE taster sessions to run in Year 8 timetabled lessons. Letters and option booklets, together with guidance Tuesday 16 th January 2018 meeting letters distributed in PSHE lessons. Monday 29 th January 2018 Individual Guidance Meetings. Tuesday 30 th January 2018 Curriculum Choices Evening. Friday 2 nd February 2018 “Aspire to Be” Event. Deadline for curriculum choices options to be made Friday 9 th February 2018 online.
Selecting your options • Select subjects you are doing well in (look at your latest progress report). • Select subjects you enjoy. • Select subjects you may want to study in the future. • CHOICES SHOULD NOT BE BASED ON TEACHERS, PARENTS OR FRIENDS!
Overview of the History course by Mr Peake Lead Teacher, History
GCSE History Course In GCSE History, you will study four key topics: • Medicine in Britain • Anglo-Saxon and Norman England • The Cold War • Nazi Germany
GCSE History Course Medicine in Britain: • Medicine in medieval England • The Medical Renaissance in England • Medicine in Britain in the 18th and 19th centuries • Medicine in modern Britain • Conditions in the British sector of the Western Front
GCSE History Course Anglo-Saxon and Norman England: • Anglo-Saxon England and the Norman Conquest • William I in power • Life in Norman England from 1066-88
GCSE History Course The Cold War: • The origins of the Cold War 1941-58 • The crises of the Cold War 1958-70 • The end of the Cold War 1970-91
GCSE History Course Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918 – 1939: • The Weimar Republic • Hitler’s rise to power • Nazi control and dictatorship • Life in Nazi Germany
How will you be assessed? • We follow the Edexcel specification, which only has one level of entry. • Three written examinations: Medicine in Britain c1250 - present and The British Sector of the Western Front (1 hour and 15 minutes – 30%). Anglo Saxon and Norman England and The Cold War 1941 - 1991(1 hour and 45 minutes – 40%). Weimar and Nazi Germany 1918 – 1939 (1 hour and 20 minutes – 30%). • These examinations contain a mix of short answer questions, as well as essay questions. The questions also include guides, to help students to structure their answers.
Why should you choose History? Beyond the classroom:
Why should you choose History? History is a subject that opens doors to a wide range of careers: • Law • Journalism • Teaching • Museum work …..and many more! • Archaeology • Civil Service • Finance • Management
Overview of the Geography course by Miss T Smith Lead Teacher, Geography
What will you study? • Physical geography • Human geography • Geographical skills
Physical geography • Earthquakes and volcanoes • Changing weather and climate • Extreme weather conditions i.e. hurricanes and storms • Rivers • Coasts • Ecosystems – rainforests and hot deserts
Human geography • Cities and urban societies in different parts of the world and at different levels of development. • Global economic development issues. • Resource management, with a focus on water.
Geographical skills • Range of geographical skills i.e. graphs, maps, diagrams, sketches, data handling and fieldwork skills. • Two fieldwork investigations. • One human location i.e. in a town or city. • One physical location i.e. in a river.
How will you be assessed? • We follow the AQA specification, which only has one level of entry. • Three written examinations: Living with the physical environment (1 hour and 30 minutes – 35%). Challenges in the human environment (1 hour and 30 minutes – 35%). Geographical skills and fieldwork (1 hour and 15 minutes – 30%). • These examinations contain multiple choice answers, describe and explain questions, as well as 9 mark answers. They require use and analysis of diagrams, maps, graphs and photographs for evidence.
Why choose Geography? • Geography helps to develop a range of transferable skills, such as: Communication Problem solving ICT skills Data handling Report writing Team work • Geography is a very versatile and is applicable to a vast variety of different professions: Journalism Teaching ICT skills Market research and advertising Business, economics and town planning Law and human rights
Overview of the Science course(s) by Mr Goodwin Curriculum Leader, Science
Overview • AQA Board • Two courses: GCSE Combined Sciences – Trilogy GCSE Biology, Chemistry and Physics – Separate Sciences • 100% assessment through terminal examinations taken in Year 11
Course Content Both courses cover a range of content across the three science disciplines: BIOLOGY • Cell biology • Infection and response CHEMISTRY • Bioenergetics • Homeostasis and response • Atomic structure and the periodic table • Inheritance, variation and evolution • Bonding, structure, and the properties of matter • Ecology • Quantitative chemistry • Chemical changes PHYSICS • Energy changes • The rate and extent of chemical change • Forces • Chemical analysis • Energy • Chemistry of the atmosphere • Waves • Using resources • Electricity • Magnetism and electromagnetism • Particle model of matter • Atomic structure
Summary of courses TRILOGY SEPARATE SCIENCES • 6 examination papers (2 for each • 6 examination papers (2 for science) each science) • 1 hours and 15 minutes each • Same content as combined Trilogy+ separates only content • 70 marks per paper – 420 in total • 1 hour and 45 minutes each • 16 required practicals • 100 marks per paper – 200 in • 2 paired GCSE grades: 9-9, 9-8, 8-8 total etc. • 8 required practicals • 3 separate GCSE grades Both courses allow for further study at A Level.
The Selection Process by Mr Pole College Leader
Selecting your options Options will be completed online to ensure that the maximum number of students get their top choices.
Selecting your options
Selecting your options
Selecting your options Label your choices 4,5,6,7,8, Separate Science 2 out of 5 choices Trilogy Science 3 out of 5 choices
Selecting your options Check your junk mail
Thank you….
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