Year 9 Options & Pathways 2026-2028
Options and Pathways at Key Stage 4
We want to make sure that each child makes the right choices for them. We pride ourselves on knowing our children – their prior attainment data, their experiences at school, and their ideas about what they want to do in the future (if they have thought that far ahead!) As such, we will remain flexible in terms of exactly which subjects each child takes for GCSE and the route they take to get there. Members of the Senior Leadership Team, along with the Head of Year, will be having individual conversations with students to guide them in making their initial choices. Conducting these 1:1 conversations is really enlightening and a pleasure to carry out. The students are in no way committing to anything; rather they are giving us a gauge of what subjects are popular so that we can build an appropriate timetable.
Timeline of the Options Pathways Process
| Date | Event |
| November 2026 onwards | Presentations in assemblies and lessons from new subjects |
| W/C 30th November 2026 |
|
| 18th December 2026 | Families receive a copy of the 2027 - 2029 Pathways Booklet. This will explain in detail exactly which subjects students must take, and the full list of options available |
| 7th Jan 2027 (Thursday) |
|
| 25th January 2027 | Deadline for completion of Options Selection Form |
| 26th January - 24th March 2027 |
|
| 16th April 2027 | Final Options Choices are sent to families |
In the meantime, students are encouraged to speak to their subject teachers over the course of this half term to find out as much information as possible about subjects that interest them. It would also be beneficial to engage in conversations at home about subject choices, areas of study post-16 and potential employment ideas.
