The following was sent to Year 8 Parents/Carers on Monday 8 June 2026:
As students move into Year 9, they will have the opportunity to experience greater choice within their curriculum. During this term students will be able to select creative subjects that they would like to study next year.
It is important to note that these are not GCSE option choices. Rather, they are designed to give students the opportunity to explore areas of interest, develop new skills, and gain experience of subjects that they may wish to consider later when the formal GCSE options process begins. A part of the rationale of this is to give students the experience of making choices, so that when they make GCSE choices next year they will better understand the impact of the decisions they are making.
Students are asked to select:
• Two preferred subjects
• One reserve subject
The subjects available are:
• Art
• Design Technology
• Drama
• Hospitality and Catering
• Media/Business
• Music
• Textiles
To help students make informed choices, all Year 8 students will attend an assembly during the week beginning 8 June, where the process will be explained and information about each subject area will be provided.
We encourage students to think carefully about their choices and to select subjects that they are interested in and would enjoy studying. The reserve choice will be used if we are unable to accommodate one of their preferred options due to timetabling or group size constraints. Completed option forms should be returned to tutors by Wednesday 17 June.
Students will be supported throughout the process. Form tutors will be available to discuss choices and answer questions.
Further information about the GCSE options process will be shared later in Year 9. At this stage, the purpose of these choices is simply to allow students to experience creative and vocational subjects before making any longer-term decisions about their future studies.
Please take some time to discuss these options with your daughter/son before they submit their selections.